19 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk.
Battlefield Tours, Western Front
And the last post for the Battlefield Tour Blog 2008!
Ypres & Passchendaele
Three major battles of the First World War were fought around the medieval town of Ypres. The first battle was a three week attack on British positions on the 18 October 1914. Here the British and French forces halted the German advance a few kilometres before the town. The town became a salient and the Germans continued to shell the town. The cloth hall at Ypres, one of the largest civil buildings in the Gothic style in Europe went up in flames on the 22 November 1914. The 22 April 1915 marks the second battle of Ypres. This date is infamous for the German use of gas as a weapon for the first time. All civilians were evacuated from the town by May 1915 and the town was reduced to rubble from shelling. read on
16 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk.
Battlefield Tours, News, Western Front
Villers-Bretonneux and Bullecourt are two towns on the Western Front that continue to have an ongoing connection with Australia. Due to the warmth and hospitality of the locals in receiving us, the battlefield tour will also not easily forget these towns.
The tiny town of Bullecourt includes a pub called Le Canberra and one of the finest private museums in Northern France. The Bullecourt Musée contains a jumble of rare and interesting collection items found in the local fields. It was started by the Mayor of Bullecourt, Jean Letaille in the 1980’s and was greatly expanded following his retirement. The tour joined Jean and some of the locals of Bullecourt for a lunch at the town hall. read on
11 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk.
Battlefield Tours, News, Western Front
Dawn and Geoff Harwood were surprised to find that they had a relative buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery. They recognised him as family by his home town and his unusual surname. Geoff and I sat together after dinner last night and using the memorial’s website and databases we were able to uncover a little bit more about George Radnell.
Pte. George Duncan Radnell died of wounds 1st June, 1918 and is buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery
read on
10 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk.
Battlefield Tours, News, Western Front
When walking the battlefields of the Somme it is evident that most of the visible signs of destruction caused by the First World War have disappeared. The enormous Lochnagar Crater is one of the few surviving scars left on the terrain in this region. A monument to the devastation of war, this crater was caused by a 60,000 lbs mine and is 100 metres in diameter and 30 metres deep. It is hard to capture its sheer size in a photograph.
The land containing the crater was purchased privately in 1978 for preservation as a Memorial to those whose lives that were lost in the crater as well as on the Somme.
Lochnagar Crater
08 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk.
Battlefield Tours, News, Western Front
The major battles of 1916 took place on the Somme. The offensive began on the 1st July 1916 and would become one of the most costly episodes of the war. Between July and mid November the losses reached a total of 1,300,000 men.
On the 23 July, not long after the Battle of the Somme commenced, the Australians took over and captured the main German line at Pozieres. The Australian 1st Division Memorial at Pozieres stands over this line. At the cost of 23,000 casualties the Australians captured most of the main ridge. The tour viewed the German blockhouse ‘Gibraltar’ which became one of the only features on the razed landscape of Pozieres. From this point the Anzacs (and the tour) moved towards the windmill site and then advanced to Mouquet Farm.
Australian 1st Division Memorial, Site of the windmill and the new town of Pozieres
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06 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk.
Battlefield Tours, News, Western Front
The battle field tour, following a strategic withdrawal from Gallipoli, is now touring the battlefields of France. Reinforced with fresh recruits from Australia we travelled to Normandy and viewed the Bayeux Tapestry and then on to the site of the Second World War D Day landings.
Scarred terrain at Pointe Du Hoc and cliffs
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05 May 2008 by Andrew Gray.
Battlefield Tours, Simpson Prize Winners
This is the final post for our 2008 Simpson Prize blog, with some reflections on the trip, as we all try and settle back into ‘normal’ life. The trip is without a doubt a once-in-a-lifetime expereince and we were lucky to share it with such a special group of people. Like all travel, it’s often the connections that you make with people that are the highlights, more than where you go. However, going to Turkey and being at Gallipoli for Anzac Day certainly combines the place and the people in a great way.
read on
01 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk.
Battlefield Tours, Gallipoli
Pearl McGill’s great uncle died of wounds on Anzac Day and is buried at Plugge’s Plateau. Private George Bell of the 11th Battalion was killed in action on 25th April, 1915. He was 28 years old and the son of Jane McFadyen Bell. Pearl is the first person from the family to come back and visit his grave. We were moved when Pearl shared his story with us and read some prayers.
Pearl McGill at the grave of her great uncle George Bell
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01 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk.
Battlefield Tours, News, Gallipoli
The tour visited Shrapnel Valley Cemetery in the late afternoon and were touched by the sad expression of loss on the grave of Private John Edward Barclay of the 8th Battalion. He was killed in action on the 21 June 1915 and was the husband of Louisa Mary Barclay. He is buried at Shrapnel Valley Cemetery Anzac.
The grave of John Edward Barclay
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01 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk.
Battlefield Tours, Gallipoli
The Walk from Chunuk Bair down Rhododendron Ridge to the northern outposts gave the tour an appreciation of the difficulty of the terrain around this area of the peninsula.
Gallipoli terrain from Rhododendron Ridge
A bush fire several years ago reduced the vegetation, opened up the view and exposed parts of the landscape including old trenches. The vegetation has now grown back to about chest height which would have been its height at the time of the Anzac landing. Unlike the Anzacs most of us reaped the benefit of modern bush walking gear, fabrics that don’t snag and tear when walking through this spiny shrubbery. The scenic walk included the sounds of a rich bird life, breath taking views and the smell of wild thyme which was all over the path and released its scent when it became crushed under foot.
Rhododendron Ridge walk
The photograph on the right was taken by Peter Rubinstein who managed to walk this path and take photographs even though he confessed to a fear of heights. Rhododendron ridge was given its name from the plant Arbutis (top left). Arbutis is a common plant on the peninsula and was often mistakenly called rhododendron by the Anzacs. We also found this exposed tunnel from the campaign.
