Visiting WW1 Battlefields

Post by **Richard** » 21 Jun 2009, 10:53

Inbetween my high living of late, I've nearly finished the first parts of my new Site Category (around the Ypres area).

If you'd like to have a peep... http://www.downthelane.net/ypres-ww1-battlefields.php (10 pages thus far)

But, thought you may like this pic I took on the wall of the Polygon Wood Cemetery.....

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A beaut !

Richard

seahorse · Post by **seahorse** » 21 Jun 2009, 12:17

He's lovely, donks nice too!!! I visited quite a few of the cemetaries whilst in France , amazing when you see how young these men were. I found the ww1 graves in Germany interesting too, as there were Jewish soldiers fighting with them then. A good many graves with the star of David engraved on the headstones. I went to the maginot line , and went down the trenches at Vimy ridge, it's so peaceful now and hard to imagine the noise and horror of that time. One thing that really struck me was how neat and open the French war graves were, to how hidden away the German ones were, they were much harder to find even though they were on my map.

Post by **Richard** » 21 Jun 2009, 13:46

That's the problem - it is hard to imagine it. I've been a few times in winter and found that more atmospheric.

It was quite spooky in Polygon Wood at dusk though I have to admit.

I heard a story that when the Allied Forces took Vimy Ridge, they were amazed at how there were trees and greenery right behind it.
Even some WW1 aerial shots show how condensed the fighting was in some places.

Homemade · Post by **Homemade** » 21 Jun 2009, 14:16

Visiting Ty cott cemetary at paschendale recently, they have aerial photos from before and after. Not a lot left except odd stretches of road, it is a truely frightening record.

If you ever get to verdun got to the ossuaryat Douaoumont with the French war graves. People from all over the collonial world drawn into the battles.

Homemade · Post by **Homemade** » 25 Jun 2009, 21:43

Liked your web pages Richard. I don't have family photographs but one grandfather was on the Somme and the other in Egypt. We visit as many sites as we can when we are in France out of historical interest. They are moving reminders and should be part of every countries education.
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The current emphasis on WW2 at primary school means that we have a generation of littlies running round shooting each other "you're the Germans-you're the baddies" Not exactly the lesson that should be learned I feel.