European Tour 2024

[The Forester]

Well, so after much planning and numerous delays we have finally made it from home in Tunisia, through Italy and into France and to the Western Front, in particular the area around Soissons where the Germans launched their Spring Offensive in an attempt to end the war before the Americans arrived in force.
This are holds personal emotions for me as my great uncle served here with the Sherwood Foresters and was KIA in this battle with his body never recovered. This is the wifes first proper battlefield trip so should be an interesting experience for her.
Before we set off I told her to beware of things either on the surface or partially buried or in the undergrowth and painted bright colours, mainly orange or red along with any markers painted also. She got so excited when we stopped near the destroyed village of Craonne and walked around the wooded area of the California Plateau when she spotted a bright orange blob painted on the grass at the base of a tree, after approaching with caution, me being ex forces, so didn't want her to get too close incase there was a UXO there, she was rather disappointed to find that the bomb disposal team had already been and removed the item. So know every where we ride she is looking in the undergrowth at the edge of the road for red or orange paint.
We have also visited the CWGC cemetary at La Ville aux Bois which is close to where the 2nd Devonshire regiment made their last stand against the advancing german stormtroopers, and were almost to a man wiped out with very few survivors, who were taken prisoner as POW's.

 

[The Forester]

So after nearly 3 weeks riding around areas of the Western Front along with certain other must visit places we have finally got back home to Tunisia. Then began the task of sorting through over 1500 photographs and videos, mostly taken by she who shall be obeyed I've finally got them down to a manageable amount and seperated into their locations to put on here.
The first batch were taken at the Vauxbuin French National Cemetary plus the German cemetary and the CWGC British cemetary. The pictures of what appear to be raised planters are actually mass graves of soldiers who could not be fully identified for one reason or another but their names were known so have been placed within mass graves "ossuaries" and their names are either listed on a plaque as per the black faced German style or within a register as per French style.
Also included are photographs of the Soissons Memorial to the British and Commonwealth soldiers lost during the German Spring Offensive in May 1918. All those listed on this memorial have no known grave, there are over 4000 names on this memorial one of whom is my great uncle who served with the 1st battalion Sherwood Foresters.

 

[The Forester]

More photos from our trip along the Western Front.
These were taken during our guided tour of the Caverne du Dragon on the Chemin Des Dames. This is a large tunnel complex formed by quarrying of the limestone before WW1 and then used both by the Germans and the French during the course of the war. The French gave it this name due to the Germans using shafts to remove smoke etc from within the tunnels and the French said it looked like dragons breath.
All the items on display within the tunnels and visitor centre have been found while excavations were been carried out to the tunnels and during the building of the visitors centre and car parks.
The final 3 pictures are of a memorial created to represent Senagalise and other African soldiers who fought and died in the area and have no known grave.

 

[Zider drinker]

Well, so after much planning and numerous delays we have finally made it from home in Tunisia, through Italy and into France and to the Western Front, in particular the area around Soissons where the Germans launched their Spring Offensive in an attempt to end the war before the Americans arrived in force.
This are holds personal emotions for me as my great uncle served here with the Sherwood Foresters and was KIA in this battle with his body never recovered. This is the wifes first proper battlefield trip so should be an interesting experience for her.
Before we set off I told her to beware of things either on the surface or partially buried or in the undergrowth and painted bright colours, mainly orange or red along with any markers painted also. She got so excited when we stopped near the destroyed village of Craonne and walked around the wooded area of the California Plateau when she spotted a bright orange blob painted on the grass at the base of a tree, after approaching with caution, me being ex forces, so didn't want her to get too close incase there was a UXO there, she was rather disappointed to find that the bomb disposal team had already been and removed the item. So know every where we ride she is looking in the undergrowth at the edge of the road for red or orange paint.
We have also visited the CWGC cemetary at La Ville aux Bois which is close to where the 2nd Devonshire regiment made their last stand against the advancing german stormtroopers, and were almost to a man wiped out with very few survivors, who were taken prisoner as POW's.

Great photos my family has links to that Regt from the 70,s.

 

[The Forester]

More photos from our 16 days in Europe along the Western Front.
The first four photos are from Bucy le Long a small village where there are a number of caves within the woods that were used by both British and French troops during WW1. Access to the caves was either very difficult or impossible due to the amount of undergrowth, a return trip could be required in the autumn or early spring when there is less to restrict access etc.

The next nine photos are of the area of the Martyred village of Craonne which was completely destroyed by artillary fire from both sides during the conflict as the area changed hands on numerous occassion throughout the war.

The final set are of the area known as Californie Plateau. an area of high ground overlooking the Aisne valley below. This area also changed hands on a number of occassions over the duratiion of the war.
The cut down tree section is marked with a red cross to indicate that there is a UXO below that requires removal by the bomb diposal team who visit the areas on a regular basis to remove any that are found for safe detonation. On this occassion the UXO's had been removed but the red markings still remained. I had previously warned my wife that if she saw or found anything marked in either red or orange paint to leave well alone, she was really disappointed when there was no UXO there.

Great photos my family has links to that Regt from the 70,s.

My great uncle joined up with the Sherwoods in France on 9th April 1918, took part in the battle to retake Villers Bretonneux on 26 and 27 April along with the Australians during which both the Sherwoods and the Aussies suffered heavy casualties. The Sherwoods were then sent down to the Soissons area toe rest and recover after that only to be caught up in the German Spring Offensive and suffer massive casualties along most other British regiments in the area. This was maily down to the pig headed attitude of the French commanding officer who despite protests from British High Command in relation to placing all troops in the trenches on the far side of the both the River Aisne and the adjacent canal refused to defend on the near bank and destroy thre bridges crossing both the river and canal. This then resulted in the massive losses suffered by the British divisions on the far bank. It was at this time when the 2nd Devons made their stand near Pontavert and which resulted in the battalion been awarded the Croix de Guerre for their bravery and ultimate sacrifice.

 

[catcher]

This kind of exploratory trip really drives home the immensity of losses in war. A few years ago, I visited a graveyard in the Netherlands; all Canadians, all dead.

 

[The Forester]

This kind of exploratory trip really drives home the immensity of losses in war. A few years ago, I visited a graveyard in the Netherlands; all Canadians, all dead.

I've been wanting to make this trip for a number of years, especially around the Soissons area as this is where my great uncle was when his was KIA and his body was never recovered, but for one reason or another it hasn't been possible until now.
The amount of small localised cemetaries and family memorials is unbelievable until you actually drive along the roads in the areas, it is a real eye opener.
This was my wifes first true battlefield tour other than a guided tour around the Flanders area, she actually said that the way we did this one was better than the guided tour, as we did it at our pace, not rushed around by a guide, went to locations where we wanted to go that were actually relevent to us.
I had warned her before we left home that if she found or saw something marked in either bright orange or red to stay away and leave alone as there was the possibility of the prescence of a UXO, much to her disappointment all the areas we visited that had the markers visible/present had had the UXO's removed by the bomb diposal teams, but it didn't deter her from looking for more markers.

 

[The Forester]

These next pictures are from the French National Monument des Char's D'Assault (Tank Regiment) who died in the area between 1917/18 and have no known grave. Also on this monument are the names of tanks crews who also died during WW2.

As we departed the Aisne area we made a detour to the disused race circuit at Reims-Gueux which still has the grandstands, pit buildings and some of the other structures that were part of the circuit. As this is on public roads and is a very popular tourist attraction the police are rather keen on making sure that the Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton wanna be racers behave themselves.

Also while we were in Northern France before we left the area we went to meet a friend from when we were teenagers who moved to Bermuda way back in 1984. His daughter was taking part in the Paralympics so we had two days in Paris at the Stade de France.

 

[The Forester]

After leaving the Aisne area and visiting the disused race circuit we headed East towards the Verdun area. We initially planned to visit the Verdun battlefields but due to time etc we would save that for another trip. We decided with not visiting Verdun and given that the missus wanted to see some as she put it "proper" trenches unlike the ones around the areas we had already visited which due to them been over 100 years old and located in wooded areas nature had begun to reclaim the area. We rerouted to Massiges where there is atrench complex on top of a hill overlook the lower land below. This hilltop was fought over from virtually the first day of the war until the last.
Unlike the "restored" trenches in the Flanders areas which in my opinion have been "clinically" restored these trenches have had the minimum work done to them by the removal of the infill to reveal the trenches system as it was the day the war ended.
All items of equipment and materials were discovered during the excavations to remove the infill, including weapons, wine bottles, water canteens, shovels and even beds, tables and chairs. In addition to these item the bodies of fallen French and German soldiers were also found buried within the trenches, as was the common practice. these men have been removed with the dignity deserved and returned to their country of origin for a full military funeral as befitting the sacrifice.
The steps in the 4th photo are actually formed using shell casings that have been verified as safe.
Also the crosses used as grave markers are actually the original markers used to mark the graves including the helmets placed on the top of the cross are located in their original positions. The bodies of the soldiers have been properly exhumed and given the funeral fitting of their sacrifce.