Another fine day that dawns with sun, then turns to shit, rain, wind and COLD.
Fine enough to walk the ramparts of the city that protected Iepers in mediaeval timed. It was into the rampart walls that the Australians dug holes to protect themselves from bombardment.
A late start again, then off to Hooge Crater Cemetery where we could see the lines of advance of the Australians and NZ troops to capture the Menin Road in1917.
The next visit is to the 5th Division Meorial at Polygon Wood, a wood they captured as part of the first battle for Ypres.
As a result of the action the 5th Division chose this site for their memorial.
Then off to Passchendaele where we looked over a museum, that hekd a fine collection of war memorabilia and a very impressing dugout experience. The museam have tried to reproduce a series of dugouts that had been built under the church at Passchendaele.
The dugouts covered the command post, sleeping quarters, medical treatment station and other aspects of wartime life below the surface.
It's then lunch, Soup, chicken with pomme frites followed by Belgium icecream and cream. Egads-soup for tea.
We then head off to the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world Tyne Cot, which holds the remains of over 12,000 men from all the Commonwealth countries. Less than 4,000 are identified. This appears the rule in most of the war cemeteries. They have many more unidentified than identified.
The king visited the site in about 1922 and suggested that every grave should have a rose bush, however The Imperial War Graves Commission thought that would be too expensive, however decided a rose bush every three graves would be suitable. They are planted such that, when in bloom, the shadow cast over the day will fall at some time on all three graves. This is repeated in all Commonwealth War Cemeteries.
The weather had turned bad at this point so a flying visit to a German Cemetery, interesting all black granite, rather than the white of the Commonwealth War Graves.
They day ended rather mundanely with a trip to the laundry to deal with the accumulation of clothes requiring fumigation.
The Menin Gate Last Post had a very high RAAF contingent including an Air Vice Marshall.
Picasa web pictures
Fine enough to walk the ramparts of the city that protected Iepers in mediaeval timed. It was into the rampart walls that the Australians dug holes to protect themselves from bombardment.
A late start again, then off to Hooge Crater Cemetery where we could see the lines of advance of the Australians and NZ troops to capture the Menin Road in1917.
The next visit is to the 5th Division Meorial at Polygon Wood, a wood they captured as part of the first battle for Ypres.
As a result of the action the 5th Division chose this site for their memorial.
Then off to Passchendaele where we looked over a museum, that hekd a fine collection of war memorabilia and a very impressing dugout experience. The museam have tried to reproduce a series of dugouts that had been built under the church at Passchendaele.
The dugouts covered the command post, sleeping quarters, medical treatment station and other aspects of wartime life below the surface.
It's then lunch, Soup, chicken with pomme frites followed by Belgium icecream and cream. Egads-soup for tea.
We then head off to the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world Tyne Cot, which holds the remains of over 12,000 men from all the Commonwealth countries. Less than 4,000 are identified. This appears the rule in most of the war cemeteries. They have many more unidentified than identified.
The king visited the site in about 1922 and suggested that every grave should have a rose bush, however The Imperial War Graves Commission thought that would be too expensive, however decided a rose bush every three graves would be suitable. They are planted such that, when in bloom, the shadow cast over the day will fall at some time on all three graves. This is repeated in all Commonwealth War Cemeteries.
The weather had turned bad at this point so a flying visit to a German Cemetery, interesting all black granite, rather than the white of the Commonwealth War Graves.
They day ended rather mundanely with a trip to the laundry to deal with the accumulation of clothes requiring fumigation.
The Menin Gate Last Post had a very high RAAF contingent including an Air Vice Marshall.
Picasa web pictures
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