WW1 this summer in France

SeamusG97

Hi,
We're thinking of visiting some of the WW1 battle sites in France this summer given the year that's in it. We came across Verdun by chance in 2006 on the way back from Germany and were blown away by it. Has anybody been to any of the other sites (Somme/Ypres/Paschendale etc) or have any advice to offer?
We'll be heading off early July to mid August.l

Thanks
SeamusG97

650Ginge

We went to Ypres last year, on the way back from Germany.

Beautiful town. The last post is worth going to every evening at 7pm, at the Thiepal Gate.

There is weeks of sites to visit in the area. I want to go back again later this year as we didn't have much time. The campsite is good and 10mins pleasant walk to town.

If you get bored with WW1 stuff there is loads of decent places to eat and drink.

cerastes

Not sure "blown away by it" is the right way to describe seeing Verdun.

Its odd though, nearly a hundred years ago now my Great grandfather was at Ypres

dfbemt

Visited the Somme 3 years ago in Sept. Unbelievable and unforgettable.

Highlight was the innocent visit to the Ulster Tower with a stop for a cup of tea in the little tea shop. Met the curator and his wife (now retired unfortunately but there is a new curator there). From here there is a guided tour by the curator which was one of the best experiences of my life (no understatement). The info, the detail, the preserved trenches and the friendliness has to be experienced.

Campsite is in Authuille. Very basic but had all the facilities and the bread van does the rounds in the morning. There was also a French restaurant at the entrance to the site serving French food. Graveyard just across the road contains the grave of Willie McBride.

Main town of Albert is lovely for a stroll, excellent museum with underground section, nice cafes with outdoor seating to sip coffee and watch daily life. Camper parking at the train station.

Lots and lots of info on the www but above is a sample of my highlights. To take all of the Somme in you will need time !!

jdee99

Have a look here http://www.greatwar.co.uk lots of ideas there.

Menim Gate is not to be missed truly moving experience. Hard to believe that the whole town was flattened during WW1

Hill 62 is interesting as well

SeamusG97

"Have a look here http://www.greatwar.co.uk lots of ideas there.

Menim Gate is not to be missed truly moving experience. Hard to believe that the whole town was flattened during WW1

Hill 62 is interesting as well"


Thanks, this is an excellent website - exactly what I needed!
Thanks to dfbemt and 650Ginge as well. Great to hear how you got on first hand - you couldn't see these places any other way I think. We'll definitely go to both.

piuswal

Planning on Cherbourg to Bapaume this April WW2 along the Normandy Coast and then WW1 in the vicinity of Bapaume and Peronne - Graet Grand Uncle buried in Sailly- Sassiel March 1917. Will advise how it goes.
Ypres and its surrounds is well worth a visit . Dit it 3 years ago for Armistice Day.

jdee99

I did a trip a few years ago with the British Legion Motorbike Riders group. Besides all of the allied graveyards we went to a German one - for the life of me I can't remember the name of it but the difference was quite stark. All of the headstones were small squares flat on the ground, multiple burials were not uncommon. I think the main crypt had over 38,000 set of remains.

Something else that was mentioned (don't know how true it is) was that all of the allied graveyards the land was gifted to the respective nations for evermore, the German government was forced to pay an annual rent for the four major graveyards that their dead are buried in. I was also told that the allies insisted that all of the German remains buried over Europe were dug up (after WWII) and reburied at one of the these four sites. Will try and find the name of the German site we visited.

Vimmy Ridge is thought provoking as well - http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/guerre/vimy-memorial-e.aspx for more info.

Essex Farm is worth a look - there is a first aid station there. The injured were brought in for assessment and were stacked in racks at the back of these shelters - then they suddenly found out that the german gas would filter down through the air vents!!!!

If i remember rightly the youngest and oldest recipients of the VC are buried in Essex Farm.

Tynecot is a must though as is the Menim Gate ceremony - Sometimes the service is a long one where they lay wreaths etc.

jdee99

Found the German graveyard http://www.greatwar.co.uk/ypres-salient/cemetery-langemark.htm

Nekarsulm

jdee99 wrote: »

Found the German graveyard http://www.greatwar.co.uk/ypres-salient/cemetery-langemark.htm

There is a German war dead centre some where to the west of Mont St. Michelle. A big hollowed out hill with thousands of interred dead. Very very sobering experience . One crypt has a father and three of his sons . I would consider it essential viewing for all teenagers and young adults.

Found the leaflet I collected at the time. Its called Mont de Huisnes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZPC4ywuA-c

cnoc

A son of my father's uncle was killed in the 2nd Battle of Cambria in October 1918. Have any of you visited or know about Prospect Hill Cemetery in Gouy. That is where he is buried.

jdee99

@cnoc never been to Prospect Hill sadly

T650

Fantastic website : http://www.cwgc.org

Work had me in Singapore for a few weeks and I decided to visit the war memorial at Kranji. Checked that site first for soldiers with my family name. 8 in total. Went to Kranji and found each one. Made the visit more poignant.

SeamusG97

Thanks everybody. I'll let you know how it goes.

SeamusG97

T650 wrote: »

Fantastic website : http://www.cwgc.org

Work had me in Singapore for a few weeks and I decided to visit the war memorial at Kranji. Checked that site first for soldiers with my family name. 8 in total. Went to Kranji and found each one. Made the visit more poignant.

Thanks. This is a brilliant site. Searched for my family name ( it's unusual as my ancestry is scottish) and was amazed to find somebody with the same surname from the next town - we live in north Cork. Worth a look.

SeamusG97

Got this in an email from Vicarious books (All the Aires) today -I've omitted the advertising blurb that came with it but it looks promising. I'll likely buy a copy when it comes out and let you know how I get on.


https://www.vicarious-shop.com/Road-Trip-Europe-The-Great-War-and-More-ISBN9780956678195.html

sunnyagain

Ditto here. Have already ordered.

pastense

Planning to visit here on 1st September this year,

http://www.ww1cemeteries.com/ww1frenchcemeteries/guardsgravevillerscotterets.htm

piuswal

Just back from Cherbourg to Ypres and back using Irish Ferries (just before their radar failed).

Used Major and Mrs Holt's Pocket Battlefield Guide to the Normandy Landing Beaches and their Battlefield Guide to the Somme (they also do Gallipoli and others).

They provide remarkable detail on virtually every memorial, cemetery, battlesite etc. enroute, with very accurate maps and descriptions as to how to get to each place.

piuswal

I've tried to enter links to the books but given that I've not got 50 posts it's not allowed so try and interpret this;

See www. guide-books. co. uk/

piuswal

Could only pick and choose a number of places due time constraint; Airborne Museum St Mere Eglise, Utah Beach Museum, German Cemetery at La Cambe, Pointe du Hoch (very well laid out now for visitors), US National Cemetery and Memorial at St Laurent, German Battery at Longues-sur-Mer, British Cemetery at Bayeux (Museum was closed for lunch), Musee du Debarquement, Arromanches.

piuswal

We had to skip the Canadian area of operations of Juno Beach for the Kieffer Memorial at Ouistreham (he led the first French ashore as far as I can recall) and then onto the Pegasus Bridge Musee and then the Merville Battery.

piuswal

We then headed for Peronne (very good WW1 Musee there) stopping at Bray-sur-Somme to visit the grave of Sgt M Healy, DCM MM and Bar and (the extremely rare) Albert Medal, from just outside Dungarvan Co Waterford.

piuswal

From Peronne we drove the N17 towards Sailly-Saillisel, where a grand uncle (Irish Guards March 1917) is buried, passing a memorial to the Australians at Mont St Quentin and a statute to Marshal Foch at Bouchavesnes-Bergen.

piuswal

Following Sailly-Saillisel we crossed to Guillemont to see the 16th Irish Division Memorial. Ernest Junger, "Storm of Steel" was stationed in this area and a road close to the Irish Memorial is named after him.

piuswal

p.s. stayed in hotels this time but there are plenty of campsites close to most if not all places enroute

piuswal

Have quite a few photos but need to get to 50 posts before I can upload them

piuswal

Just got the guide SEAMUS G97 referred to earlier.

It looks quite useful and well detailed, though only 48 pages.

Goes from Calais to Bruges through Bruxelles onto Valkenberg, Eifel National Park and then Trier and the Moselle Valley. Through Luxembourg onto Bastogne, Namur, Mons, Tournai, Mesen, Arras and back to Calais.

It provides details on Motorhome stopovers and campsites, hotels restaurants, walks, tips and tricks as well as a good deal of historical information and detailed guidance as to how to get to each place.

It covers the Island of Ireland Peace Park but says it doesn't know what the Round Towers except that they were normally located next to a church!!

piuswal

Having had a good look at the Vicarious Books Road Trip Europe I'm of the opinion that it does not really compare with the Holts Battlefied Guides or their Battlefield Maps.

See http:// shop.guide-books. co.uk/ battlefield-maps.html

re Ypres Salient you get

Regularly updated map over 25 years. Action lines of the battles of Ypres overlaid onto modern roads.

Eighth Edition: 300 memorials etc listed and marked on the map

Double sided in full colour with both alphabetical and thematic indexes for all points

Suitable for navigation by car, by bike or on foot

re the Somme

This is the only map available that shows the exact locations of 300 memorials and places of interest on the battlefields of the Somme

This Sixth Edition also covers the American and Canadian areas between Amiens and Montdidier.

Holts are pure battlefields while Vicarious includes other aspects, such as Bruges and the Moselle Valley but in the end it depends on what exactly you are looking for.

jdee99

Thanks for the posts piuswal - see your at 50 now :-)

Also went to a lot of the place you were at - Point du Hoch was very interesting, Juno which you missed was thought provoking - in truth all of the places are.

Thanks again and if you can post some of your pictures

piuswal

Some recent photos April 12th to 17th beginning in St Mere-Eglise across to Ypres