It is often remarked that “the sun shines on the righteous” and, given the Biblical origins of the phrase, it was perhaps not inappropriate that beautiful weather and constant high temperatures greeted our particular band of Pilgrims throughout their journeys around the battlefields of Ypres and The Somme. Initial fears of delays at the Port of Dover proved unfounded and an earlier than planned ferry crossing allowed our travellers an early glimpse of the gleaming Cloth Hall and the vibrant bustle of the centre of Ypres.
Our first full day on the battlefields saw us joined by the Chaplain of St George’s, Reverend Richard Clement, and Church Warden Carine Sinnaeve as we ventured south, through French Flanders and on towards Picardy and our main focus of the day, the 1916 Battle of the Somme. En route to Estaires Communal Cemetery, our first scheduled visit, commentary from Tour Guide David Humberston included the story of Captain Laurel Oldfield, 12th Rifle Brigade, who fell in action in September 1915 and whose mourning mother purchased an adjoining plot in the Cemetery to lie forever as near to her son as was possible. This was followed by our first requested visit of the day, to the picturesque Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, where Peter Armory reunited Private Robert William Bruniges, 8th Battalion East Kent Regiment, with his medals whilst Gary Hill paid his respects to his great uncle, Private Sidney Maule, 11th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.
Our final stop of the morning, Bucquoy Road Cemetery, near Arras, served as a reminder of the number of different nationalities who fought and died in the conflict. Amongst the Canadian burials there is one Private Joseph Standing Buffalo, reputedly the grandson of Chief Sitting Bull, victor of the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. Over 4,000 Native Canadian Indians are known to have served in the Great War, with some 300 being killed. Many excelled as either guides or snipers. A short journey then brought the party to “Ocean Villas” where we were warmly greeted by Avril and Mark Williams and a most welcome lunch was enjoyed.
The afternoon itinerary began with a battlefield walk to the 38th (Welsh) Division Memorial at Mametz Wood, a gleaming red dragon unveiled in 1987 on the 71st anniversary of the Battle. We had timed our arrival to coincide with the 110th anniversary of the assault and, despite temperatures that afternoon reaching 40oC, those who completed the walk were in agreement that the effort was most worthwhile. Equally rewarding was our next visit, to the emotive Devonshire Cemetery, Mametz, to remember those men of the 8th and 9th Battalions cut down on 1st July 1916 and whose Chaplain, Reverend Ernest Crosse, marked their mass graves with a wooden Cross stating “The Devonshires held this trench – The Devonshires hold it still”.
Our final visit of the day was to Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt, which allowed Mike and Richenda Parr to pay their first ever visit to Mike’s relative, Private Edwin Bellis, 1/5th South Lancashire Regiment, before sanctuary from the heat was sought in our air-conditioned coach as we made our way back to Ypres.
The third day, Sunday, began with the Morning Service at St George’s Memorial Church, where we were again warmly greeted by Reverend Richard Clement. Many of the Pilgrims chose to attend, with two, Marguerite Beatson and Jonathan Varley, departing straight after the Service to pay a personal visit to Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, where Marguerite’s great-uncle, Corporal Albert Moore, 8th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, is amongst the fallen. An optional excursion was offered for the afternoon allowing some of our party to visit Spanbroekmolen
Crater and two nearby cemeteries, Lone Tree and Spambroekmolen British, before a brief visit to Elzenwalle Brasserie Cemetery concluded our activities.
Having returned to Ypres, a wreath was laid that evening on behalf of The Friends, during the Last Post Ceremony by Honorary Pilgrimage Secretary Valerie Jacques. She was escorted by Tour Guide David Humberston and his cousin Steve Wilmot, whilst Paul Bardell recited “The Exhortation”.
Above- Paul Bardell preparing to recite "The Exhortation"
The party would return to the Messines Ridge the following day, having first considered the gallantry of the Indian forces at the village of Hollebeke in 1914 and, in particular, Sepoy Khudadad
Khan, who was awarded the first Indian V.C. of the War. A brief stop at the Indian Memorial on the outskirts of the village was followed by a visit to Oak Dump Cemetery, where Lieutenant Kenneth North, 8th Hussars, who had saved his machine guns by loading them into a commandeered wheelbarrow before withdrawing from his position, was amongst those remembered.
A trio of small Cemeteries between Wytschaete and Messines were now visited in turn and proved to be a popular feature of the Pilgrimage. Thankfully the livestock in the adjoining fields were not in any way inquisitive and the absence of the resident bull at Torreken Farm No 1 Cemetery also met with approval from certain parties! Following visits to Cabin Hill and Derry House No 2 Cemeteries, a short walk began from a position known to the lads as “The Piggeries” where Albert, King of the Belgians, had previously kept his prized herd of pigs. Here, Valerie recalled the story of Canon Frederick George Scott, padre to the 1st Canadian Division, who in the autumn of 1915, chose to halt one of his services to watch a fight which had broken out amongst his congregation. We then skirted the foot of Hill 63 before concluding at Underhill Farm Cemetery where our respects were paid to, amongst others, men of the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Corps.
Above- Pilgrims Russell Napier, Elaine Merryfield and Nigel Atter enjoy some shade
After a most welcome lunch at Café de la Grande Place, Ploegsteert, our next stop was Pont D’Achelles Military Cemetery, a site where Stephen Grady, a former pupil of Eton Memorial School, adjacent to St George’s, hid a substantial cache of arms in the Second World War for use by the local resistance. Postwar, Stephen gave many years of loyal service to the CWGC. A lengthy visit to Bailleul Communal Cemetery and Extension was our penultimate stop of the day and it was here that Nigel Atter laid a wreath to Lieutenant Colonel Harold Roffey, attached to the 2/5th Lincolnshire Regiment and, once again, Peter Armory reunited Private William James Garlinge MM, 8th battalion East Kent Regiment, with his medals.
At Dranoutre Churchyard, our final visit of the day, David recounted the story of two Solicitors from Boston, Geoffrey and Meaburn Staniland, who served in the 1/4th Lincolnshire Regiment. Geoffrey Staniland was killed in April 1915 and buried in the Churchyard, but when his brother
Meaburn fell three months later, considerable efforts were then made to bring his body to Dranoutre to lie beside his brother. Whilst subsequent burials prevented them lying side by side as intended, the two graves are as close as circumstances allowed. Also buried there is 2nd Lt. George Wyndham, related by marriage to Dorothy Brooke who, after witnessing the terrible state of the old war horses that had been left behind in Egypt, founded the now internationally renowned equine charity, The Brooke. A group evening meal at the ever-obliging Captain Cook Restaurant in Ypres brought the day to a close.
On our final morning, a visit was made to Coxyde Military Cemetery, only two miles from the channel coast. As one might expect from its proximity to the sea, a number of Naval graves can be found here, and also 16 pilots from the Great War and a further 43 from the Second. Lt. Horace Allenby M.C., “T” Battery Royal Horse Artillery, the only child of General Edmund Allenby (particularly known for leading the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Palestine) is also buried here.
Following another uneventful experience with Passport Control at Calais, the Pilgrims then journeyed home, with many old acquaintances renewed and new friendships forged. The contributions made by our Honorary Pilgrimage Secretary Valerie Jacques, Tour Guide David Humberston and Coach Driver Martin Baker must be acknowledged and our thanks also go to all our Pilgrims, in particular those who shared their personal stories with the group. The presence of Reverend Richard and Carine, the latter accompanying us on all our visits throughout the Pilgrimage, was most welcome and both appreciated and enjoyed by all who travelled.
If anyone would like to express interest in next year’s Pilgrimage, even at this early stage, please do not hesitate to contact our Honorary Pilgrimage Secretary, Miss Valerie Jacques, details as follows:
Email: foft@live.co.uk – Mobile: 07908 003398
or write to 21 Britford Avenue, WIGSTON, Leicestershire, LE18 2RF
