Photo above is of six Nuffield scholars all from different countries laying flowers at Menin Gate.
We arrived in Lille in France on the Euro star train on Wednesday evening. David Cussons and I had dinner at a small local restaurant. The opportunity was there to have a go at some snails and let’s just say that they were not the finest dinning experience I have ever had.
The following morning we got on a bus and headed north. We visited Fromelles and visited the site of the dig where the 250 or so Aussie soldiers are buried in a mass grave.
We had an ex English military man talk us through the afternoon, powerful stuff.
We visited the exact location of one famous battle where there is now a statue called “The Cobbers”. I have included a photo of the all the Australians at this statue.
The following morning we got on a bus and headed north. We visited Fromelles and visited the site of the dig where the 250 or so Aussie soldiers are buried in a mass grave.
We had an ex English military man talk us through the afternoon, powerful stuff.
We visited the exact location of one famous battle where there is now a statue called “The Cobbers”. I have included a photo of the all the Australians at this statue.
James Hassall was able to locate his grandfather’s brothers grave during the afternoon just on the southern side of the Belgium border.
We then went on and visited a place named “Tyne Cot” where there are some 11,000 graves; all except for two are of Allied forces, with only two of German soldiers.
We then had dinner is a town/city called ‘Ieper” where we joined around 500 people for the sounding of the last post as the clock stuck 8pm at the “Menin Gates”. It is done every day of the year in remembrance of the hundreds of thousands of men and women whom died in the war particularly those who were never found and buried.
We arrived in Brussels on Thursday evening on the bus and then the following day had a full day being briefed by commissioners and others of the EC.
Interesting day with lots of food for thought, far too much to touch on here.
Back in London, we traveled from Brussels to London this morning (Saturday)At this moment I am in a internet Café waiting for my washing to dry at an laundry mat and so I should go as we are all meeting at 3pm to travel to the airport as we are flying to Brazil later this evening.
We then went on and visited a place named “Tyne Cot” where there are some 11,000 graves; all except for two are of Allied forces, with only two of German soldiers.
We then had dinner is a town/city called ‘Ieper” where we joined around 500 people for the sounding of the last post as the clock stuck 8pm at the “Menin Gates”. It is done every day of the year in remembrance of the hundreds of thousands of men and women whom died in the war particularly those who were never found and buried.
We arrived in Brussels on Thursday evening on the bus and then the following day had a full day being briefed by commissioners and others of the EC.
Interesting day with lots of food for thought, far too much to touch on here.
Back in London, we traveled from Brussels to London this morning (Saturday)At this moment I am in a internet Café waiting for my washing to dry at an laundry mat and so I should go as we are all meeting at 3pm to travel to the airport as we are flying to Brazil later this evening.
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