Today we have decided to go to Lille by train and do a tour of some WW I sites. As you maybe aware, if you have followed us in the past, we like to make a tour of at least one WW I or WW II site, in order to pay homage to the men and women who fought and died for the freedoms we enjoy today.
We chose Lille, because it was a direct train link from CDG (Charles de Gaulle Airport), was near many WWI sites and there was a small tour offered by the Office of Tourism in Lille. It was a quick ride, under an hour, after a 15 min delay in leaving. We had about an hour and a half before our tour started so toured the town center a bit and had some lunch. It is a town I wouldn't mind returning to to see a bit more of.
We met our guide at 1 PM and were the only ones touring this day so essentially had a private tour. We left Lille and our fist stop was Fromells. The battle that took place here caused the greatest numbers of Australian deaths in action in 24 hours - July 19 and 20, 1916. The 5th Australian Division lost 5,513 casualties. German casualties in the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division were 1,600–2,000 men. Allied soldiers killed in the area that was re-taken by the Germans, were buried shortly after the battle. The burial pits were photographed from a British reconnaissance aircraft on 21 July but marked as dugouts or trench-mortar positions. The bodies were taken by narrow gauge trench railway on 22 July and buried in eight 32.8 ft × 7.2 ft × 16.4 ft pits.
Most war graves on the Western Front were discovered by official surveys during the 1920's; British and Empire dead were reburied in Imperial War Graves Commission cemeteries. Four hundred unknown Australian soldiers killed in the Battle of Fromelles, were re-buried at the V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial, 2-kilometre north-west of Fromelles (the only large exclusively Australian cemetery in France). Mortal remains of those killed in no man's land were recovered after the war and buried at V.C. Corner British Cemetery. In 2002 research had suggested that there was a yet to be found unmarked mass grave near Fromelles and a search was undertaken. The site was found at "le bois au fond du village", known as Fasanenwäldchen (Pheasant Copse/Pheasant Wood) by the Germans.
In 2007, a geophysical survey was commissioned by the Australian government. The survey indicated that the pits had been undisturbed since the war and contained the remains of 337 soldiers. From 23 May – 13 June 2008, an exploratory dig found human remains, personal effects, webbing, brass fitments, uniform badges, buttons and British .303 ammunition in five of six pits, which were then refilled. Exhumations took place from May to September 2009, which recovered the mortal remains of 250 Allied soldiers, approximately 173 of whom were Australian, from which DNA samples were taken. The original burial site was unsuitable and a new CWGC war cemetery, was built about 120 metres (130 yd) away. On 30 January 2010, the first body was interred at Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery and the remaining bodies were buried in individual ceremonies, by the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Australian Army. In March 2010, it was reported that 75 Australian soldiers killed at Fromelles, had been identified from DNA. On 19 July 2010, the 94th anniversary of the battle, the last soldier (who remained unknown) was buried. The cemetery was dedicated in a broadcasted public ceremony.
The Pheasant Wood Cemetery - first CWGC war cemetery built in 50 years. here is a link to information about it http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/5001073/FROMELLES%20(PHEASANT%20WOOD)%20MILITARY%20CEMETERY
There are several memorials in the Fromelles area commemorating the battle. The V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial was built in the early 1920s, the Australian Memorial Park opened in 1998 and the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery was completed in 2010. There are other small cemeteries in the area with burials from the battle. In Fromelles Town Hall, there is a museum (Fromelles Weppes Terre de Mémoire), run by the Association pour le Souvenir de la Bataille de Fromelles (ASBF). A new museum called 'Musee de la Bataille de Fromelles' is under construction. The plaque in it pays tribute to the pioneering work of Robin Corfield and Lambis Englezos in gaining wider attention to the battle and the loss of life of so many Australians, as well as British soldiers. The museum was originally scheduled to be opened on 19 July 2013 to coincide with the unveiling of some new headstones in the cemetery to mark other soldiers whose remains have been identified.
In 2016, plans to hold a memorial event at the Pheasant Wood military cemetery were announced with the controversial decision to exclude British attendees from the ceremony. The move provoked anger amongst some families of the approximately 1,500 British casualties. In response, the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs said that a decision had been made by the Australian Government to prioritise Australians and French indicating "This is not to diminish the role of other nations but simply a recognition of the Australian focus of the event we are organising".
Artifacts found in the area
Cobber's statue
At the Australian Memorial Park is a statue called ‘Cobbers’. It shows Sergeant Simon Fraser, 58th Battalion, carrying in a wounded man on his back. Why ‘Cobbers’? It is an old Australian word for mate but is little heard today. In 1916 Fraser used it in a letter describing his rescue of two men: ‘Then another man about 30 yards out sang out, “Don’t forget me, cobber”. I went in and got four volunteers with stretchers, and we got both men in safely’. So it is not the memory of the military disaster of Fromelles which is remembered here, but rather the courage and compassion of those who risked their lives to help the wounded.
German front line with the Australian Memorial Park in the background. The Allied line was just behind the Memorial.
Australian Memorial Park - the two large squares on either side of the picture are the sites of mass graves. On the Memorial Wall in the background are the names of all the dead and missing Australians. As remains are positively identified, the names are removed from the wall. The remains are intered and a grave marker is placed in the Pheasant Wood Cemetery.
Ploegsteert Wood Military Cemetery and the Christmas truce of 1914
Ever heard the story of the Christmas truce when the German
and Allied forces joined in the singing of Silent Night and played a game of
soccer in the “No-Man’s Land”? Well,
this is where it took place.
Once thought maybe to be a fictional story, with a bit of
detective work, it has since been determined to be a factual story. Letters written by both German and Allied
force members, each describing the same situation, down to the soccer game
score, although the German members indicate they won 3 to 2 and the Allies
indicated they won 3 to 2; correlation of map coordinates of the location of
each of those soldier’s regiments on that date; and, combined with the fact
that it is at one of the narrowest locations along the line has led to this
being determined as the location.
After the 24-hour truce, both sides went back to fighting
for what each thought was right.
A reconstructed German block house with a small cemetery in
the background. There is also a small
cemetery to the right of the picture behind the hedge.
A reconstructed Allied trench – it was interesting that the Allied trenches were built in an alternate block or dentelle pattern
A reconstructed German trench - – the German trenches were built in a zig-zag pattern. These two trenches are less than 100 feet apart and are on the actual former defensive lines
Royal Berks (Hyde Park Corner) Cemetery, Berks Cemetery Extension and Ploegsteert Memorial Wall
Royal Berks (Hyde Park Corner) Cemetery
Hyde Park Corner was a road junction to the north of Ploegsteert Wood. Hill 63 was to the north-west and nearby were the 'Catacombs', deep shelters capable of holding two battalions, which were used from November 1916 onwards.
Berks Cemetery Extension
Berks Cemetery Extension is separated from Hyde Park Corner Cemetery by a road. The extension was begun in June 1916 and used continuously until September 1917. At the Armistice, the extension comprised Plot I only, but Plots II and III were added in 1930 when graves were brought in from Rosenberg Chateau Military Cemetery and Extension, about 1 kilometre to the north-west, when it was established that these sites could not be acquired in perpetuity. Rosenberg Chateau Military Cemetery was used by fighting units from November 1914 to August 1916. The extension was begun in May 1916 and used until March 1918. Together, the cemetery and extension were sometimes referred to as 'Red Lodge'.
Berks Cemetery Extension now contains 876 First World War burials.
Berks Cemetery Extension now contains 876 First World War burials.
The British Lion to the left of the Memorial– there were
several Canadian graves in the area behind him.
The Lion of Flanders to the right of the memorial – his
teeth are bared showing he is in a defensive posture
Ploegsteert Memorial Wall
Within Berks Cemetery Extension stands the Ploegsteert Memorial, commemorating more than 11,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known grave. The memorial serves the area from the line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood.
Those commemorated by the memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere.
Those commemorated by the memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere.
Canadian graves on the right
tiny wooden memorial crosses placed around the memorial and at gravesites
Menin Gate - Ipres (Ypres)
The Menin Gate in Ypres, where the names of 55,000, I repeat, 55,000 individuals (and this is only just one memorial) who lost
their lives are listed. Ever since its
creation in 1928, a nightly Last Post ceremony has taken place here. It was only ever interrupted by WWII. What is remarkable for me, is that it is an all
volunteer’s initiative and has been since its inception. Just the people of the region continuing to
say thank you to all those who sacrificed and lost their lives in order that
they could have their freedom.
All in all, it was a very interesting day. We spent just over five hours on this tour,
visited about 6 different memorials and saw many, many graveyards as we drove
long our route.
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