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 Posted by plbramham » Sat Jan 25, 2014 3:54 pm
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 General Global moderator Posts: 1369 |
| Hi folks,
Going on a centenary battlefield trip this year? If you want a little souvenir from your trip - like a shellcase, your guide will probably advise you NOT buy them at the Sanctuary Wood shop (Really, really ,worth a visit to the location though see: http://border-regiment-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=1693&p=4076&hilit=sanctuary#p4076 but the shop is more expensive than Delville Wood – and full of school kids!) At the Delville Wood shop there are lots of reasonably priced “trench art” items. When I was there shellcases were £15 each regardless of decoration. You could get a fuse cap “paperweight” for about a fiver. Nice cheap memento. That was ten years ago though, so I guess, with the WW1 centenary, prices will have gone up! I nearly bought a German pickelhaube helmet - wish I had , now I guess it’s worth ten times as much as then! One place I would say you MUST visit is the Hooge museum next to The Menin Road – that is really brilliant - much better than the “formal” ones like in Ypres Cloth Hall. It’s in a former church next to a café. I reckon if you are on a “formal tour” that you will probably be taken there http://www.hoogecrater.com/en/war-museum Going to Thiepval? (Yes, I’m promoting Spike’s great work!) A brilliant site for 8th Border (Kendal Pals) is: http://freewebs.com/kendalpals/index.htm You will find your way around the various sections, but to take you directly to the history page which will be very relevant to your battle field trip, click http://freewebs.com/kendalpals/kendalpals1.htm About a third of the way down there is a Word doc logo .This is a document from a bloke in Canada who has researched his great uncle Sjt. Walter Dixon, and gives details of the 8th Border action during the opening days of The Somme where Dixon was killed. This shows the area below Thiepval - which I am sure you will visit, where the Kendal men were in July 1916 |
| Posted by plbramham » Sat Jan 25, 2014 3:54 pm
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General Global moderator Posts: 1369 |
| For 11th Border (Lonsdales) go to http://www.freewebs.com/granatloch/
Same author (Spike!) as the 8th and 11th above as are the two following ones:
Really good general websites are: http://www.greatwar.co.uk/places/ww1-western-front.htm Obviously this has the index on the right, so just click on the subsection you want http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/index.html Masses of stuff on this one, again just click onto the relevant subsection you want to read Anyway loads of reading there. It’s helps to do your "homework" before you go then afterwards you don’t think "Damm I should have looked for that!" Cheers, Paul |
| Posted by kerchi » Wed Jan 29, 2014 9:52 pm
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 Field-Marshal Administrator Posts: 2160 In memory of John Bardgett (15309 L/Cpl.) 11th Border Regiment Who died 1st July 1916. |
I'd love to go but I am doing some serious saving so we can move this year and every penny counts! I am considering going over in 2016 for the centenary of my great grandfather's death on 1st July (although I would go before or after then because it will be too busy). Very much looking forward to it 
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| Posted by plbramham » Wed Jan 29, 2014 10:17 pm
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General Global moderator Posts: 1369 |
| Yes I would certainly avoid July 2016 as I reckon prices will be sky high for the centenary (bloody profiteering French - forget we "rescued them " twice eh?!) I wanted to go for the 90th anniversary in 2006, but when I went in 2004 all the hotels were already booked for 2006 with double usual room rates.
I would say go much earlier or later than July. Plus it will be lousy for any photos as it will be heaving with people wearing red/blue/yellow anoraks, thus spoiling your pictures. (Tip - I always try to go in ahead of "parties" while the guide is giving the introductory speech to the group, thus giving me a chance to get images without any "modern" figures on them. Not just on the Somme etc - I got great pictures of the Taj Mahal as all the "European costumes" were behind me!) These days with the internet, you can do your own research in advance, (print it and read it on the plane /ferry on your way) so quite often do not need the guides introduction. An example - the second time I went, I did Delville Wood visit the opposite way round to the rest of the party so I started at the end and passed them mid way and ended up where they began - hence no "modern figures" on my photos - see what I mean? Cheers Paul P.S. Anyone going to France for the first time, most DO speak or at least understand, English, (especially if they are after your money) but prefer you to speak French - If it wasn't for us they'd be speaking German eh? |