Page 10 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 62

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

World War One – A Humbling Trip set out like in Ypres 3 members of the Navy buried here. that we came
This was the only German cemetery
The Ulster Tower cemeteries to the fallen, including
to the Irish regiments The trenches are in place and the across, (yes there
By Nick Storer from the Great War. craters from the shells. There are no is more). When
There were numerous go areas here due to undiscovered asked why so
As with many we have a bucket list, many items we never get to achieve, Ypres to go find a Irish Regiments back ordinance. The engineers blew a crater few the reply

May 29th, 2023 was when I got to cross what I class as a very significant one from relative….. I looked then. This receives behind the German lines which is still was the French
the bucket list and to be honest a very humbling experience this one was. at Sue, her at me many visitors from both parts of Ireland clearly visable. The history here to the in this area still
That item Doesn’t matter if you see an challenge was and has retired Irish soldiers doing the Canadians and Scottish regiments is too have a lot of
to cross off was these places for the first, accepted. Straight tour. much to write here. bad feeling to the “Bohch” and they are
to do a visit to second or third time it still in the car from the Also a great time to pause and have a The Lochnager Crater memorial, not wanted. The cemetery is no where
the Somme and makes the hairs on the back hotel, satnav set and away we went. This coffee an yes cake in the little café there. when they blew this maintained to the standard of the Allied
Ypres areas of of your neck stand up. This place of rest is where I found him, and 45 others bur- New Foundland Park is a pre- it could be heard ones. They were doing their duty for
World War 1. also contains the greatest number of ied in there. A small cemetery located served battlefield maintained and run in London. 27,000 their country, and I feel deserve respect
The war to end allied airmen from WW1. in a corner of a farmer’s field. Very well by the Canadians. Guided tours by the kilos of explosives as were doing their jobs as we did.
all wars they Next stop was the Menin Gate. maintained and respected. Canadians who explain in detail the left a crater 20m Conclusion – this must have been
said! The loss of life as we all know was The memorial was The adventure continued, off to the grounds or like us we just wondered deep and 100.5m hell on earth for those there fighting
devastating to towns, villages, and fam- erected in memory Mesin Ridge. When you enter one of around at our own pace, and yes it’s a across, and yes that’s the best picture I for their respective countries, British,
ilies. The Pals battalions were formed. of the soldiers of the cemeteries, again two machine gun long walk, 82 acres. And not surprisingly could do. When you look down into this Canadian, French, German and many
Off they went to what can only be the former British posts still in place, untouched by the it gives a sense of vertigo. The is a pri- more.
described as hell on earth for those brave Empire and its artillery shells. vately owned piece of land, when people We will be going back in the next
men and women. I won’t be listing all allies, who died in the Ypres Salient dur- There are a few cemeteries in the area ask the owner what he paid for it simply few years to see what we missed, and we
the locations and cemeteries as there are ing the First World War (1914–1918). and a memorial to the Irish regiments replies “the cost 6380 lives on the 16th missed a lot of places.
too many, I will concentrate on a select On our visit this was undergoing a who at that time united in time of war July 1916!” Many more lives were lost Thank you for your time to read this,
few that was visited by me and Sue. restoration, but The Last Post was still before the split of their country. regain and lose the land in the battles hopefully if you haven’t been you will
I know many of you have been there played. A place of respect and reflection The other significant memorial is that followed. one day get chance.
and done the tours, me, I hadn’t and when this is played. Every night at 8pm, the one from the
decided to follow those that had. Time come rain, snow or shine The Last Post famous Christmas
to pay my respects to the fallen. For those is played by the buglers of the Last Post day football match. 39th Intake Reunion lunch
that haven’t been and it’s on your list of Association plays the traditional final So much history
things to do then do it, it’s an eye–open- salute to the fallen. Prayers are said, the there. 2nd September 2023. By Andy Springett
ing experience of sheer bravery and to be full poem by Robert Laurence Binyon is Other places were visited but sorry
honest slaughter. The biggest shock was read. There are rules if you go there, no people too many to name. A few members of the 39th intake from May 1970
the number of cemeteries in those areas, flags to be flown or shown is one. Car packed, farewell to Ypres now got together recently (2nd September 2023) for a
so many, so many names so many white Tyne Cot cemetery was the next off to the Somme in France. A few hours reunion lunch in Norwich. One of the members,
stones so we can remember them. You on the list to go to drive through some gorgeous country- Andy Whenman was back in England briefly from
look at them, some with 10,000 names and all I can say is side, set the Satnav to avoid tolls and you his home in Thailand, visiting friends and relatives
and the “smaller” ones with 500 in, or wow, 33,783 names will see so much more. and it was decided to try and get some of the group
fewer. The size of these didn’t matter it on these walls. Yes Once there we followed the “tourist together.
was the shear loss of life it was portray- you read that cor- route” sign posted by a Poppy. Follow Unfortunately, contacts in that intake are very
ing. Huge credit to the Commonwealth rect – 33783 fallen this and it will direct you to many places. few for some strange reason but we still man-
War Cemeteries Commission for the soldiers from those First was aged to get 5 of us and our partners together and
maintenance of all these places where a battles in that area this tremendous had a wonderful lunchtime session on the 2nd
brave soldier was laid to rest. alone. You look at memorial built September 2023.
Now to start from the beginning of the walls of names, to commemorate
the trip. Planning took a while, usual they are listed by Regiments, I counted the missing of the
stuff hotels, money, etc, you know what one regiment lost 873 men, a whole reg- battles around the
its like for a holiday. Channel Tunnel iment devastated in 2 hours. There were Somme of the
booked, car loaded and off me and Sue many regiments listed on the walls and British and South
went. Sue like me had never been there the rank and names of those who had African servicemen
before so an experience for both of us. fallen and buried there. who died between 1915 and 1918, with
Arrival at Calais and off to Ypres for the Two of the Germany machine no known grave. 72,337 names on the
first part of the tour. gunner bunkers are still in place at the wall. It is located near what can be only Attending was (above left It was over 51 years since any of us had last met
As soon as we hit the Ypres area entrance to the cemetery. Ypres can be described and a small insignificant vil- to right) Vic Walker, but the years just disappeared as old memories were
the first cemetery, we clearly seen from any area of the Tyne lage of Thiepval. It’s a hill that had to Andy Whenman, rekindled.
Ian Scott, Andy Springett,
came across by accident Cot cemetery. be taken, the village as with many was Barry Streak Apologies came from Tex Hendley, David
was Lijssenthoek Military Next place was a very small one. Red destroyed in the war. Two cemeteries Regan and David Smith who were unable to attend
Cemetery, about a mile Farm Cemetery. This one was a chal- mark this, as you look out of the memo- but where are the rest of our intake? If any of
off the main road to Ypres. A stagger- lenge set by my brother by text after he rial the French to the left and the Allies you are out there, please make yourself known to
Reunion lunch group
ing 10,755 allied soldiers buried here. saw a post on FB that seeing as I was in to the right. with partners andyspringett@blueyonder.co.uk.
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