Big thankyou to everyone who made this trip so memorable with special thanks of course going to Clive and Neal.
Was good to meet up with old school chum Micky Nuttley (Nutz55) after 41 years. Luckily for Micky my playful boyish good looks havn't changed one bit since 1971 so it was very easy for him to pick me out. He on the other hand hasn't worn at all well.
Good to meet with our German addicks. Couple of good lads.
For the record I am Hertfordshire from a strongly SE London Family, spent my a fair amount of my yoof staying the holidays with family in Charlton, Deptford and Greenwich until they all either moved out or died, of my 4 Great grandparents, 3 were from SE London.
I never ventured as far out as Bromley though for some reason.....
Many thanks to Clive for his meticulously well planned itinerary, fitting in so many points of interest and with such a lot of variation, including the German cemetery. The way the whole action-packed event was kept running on time was a triumph in itself.
For the record I am Hertfordshire from a strongly SE London Family, spent my a fair amount of my yoof staying the holidays with family in Charlton, Deptford and Greenwich until they all either moved out or died, of my 4 Great grandparents, 3 were from SE London.
I never ventured as far out as Bromley though for some reason.....
For the record I am Hertfordshire from a strongly SE London Family, spent my a fair amount of my yoof staying the holidays with family in Charlton, Deptford and Greenwich until they all either moved out or died, of my 4 Great grandparents, 3 were from SE London.
I never ventured as far out as Bromley though for some reason.....
Surely you had at least 8 great grandparents?
Well my maternal family name is Addams so if you follow the words to our song maybe there was only 4, alltogether now...your sister is your.....
Big thanks to Neal and Clive for a superbly organised informative and enjoyable weekend.
For anyone who has not had the opportunity to see Clive "in action" I attach a few photos. Signing the Cwgc Register at Poperinghe Pontificating at Gheluveld Front line at Railway Wood Tyne Cot Oxford Road remembering Colin Blythe Kent and England Cricketer "Fraternising with the "Germans" at Langemarck German Cemetery A drink for Nobby at RE Farm
Belated thanks to Clive and Neal and fellow travellers for making this another memorable trip to Belgium. Good to see some familiar faces again and meet new ones. A great trip.
I am pretty sure it's tied in with the 100th anniversary of the Cambrai tank battle in November this year. I am sure Clive knows the detail but there were plans for the Deborah tank at Flesquieres which has been kept in a beautiful barn is to have a new public display and I thought Stijn,s tank was going to join the inaugural viewing. Here is a picture of Deborah! Perhaps Clive will enlighten us!!
Is anybody that was on the trip curious if Stijl managed completed the tank rebuild, the wife and I are, over to Clive I guess.
Is that the one at Pond Farm?
Yes
I was out there in April, met the mum, lovely lady, she gave us the tour of the Farm and showed us the WW1 Tank, still under construction. I love the history in and around Pond Farm and all those live shells just lying around, brilliant.
Just back from the Passchendaele Commemoration, pretty emotional few days. Thousands there for the main events but we were walking 10-12k with our group each day criss crossing the 'old front line' so found lots of space to ourselves.
With one of the group Robin, we followed in his grandfathers footsteps who commanded 3/Grenadier Guards, awarded a DSO & 2 Bars, 7 times Mentioned in Despatches, he was military attache to Berlin (signed thankyou photograph from A.Hitler!) in the mid 30's, Commanded a Division against him at Dunkirk and then led the Norwegian Resistance for the rest of the war.
Anyway it was a close but no cigar for Stijin, we saw him on the 31 July as I had another coach unveiling a memorial to the Hertfordshire Regt amd the tank was clad but no engine. It will be running for the Cambrai 100 late November. There is a pic of the tank here,
SE7toSG3 said 'Just back from the Passchendaele Commemoration, pretty emotional few days.'
It was pretty emotional just watching the main events on the BBC, who incidentally did a great job as always commemorating such events. The events at both Tyne Cot and the Menin Gate were particularly so having only visited them both two weeks previously. Looked like the town of Ypres did those who perished proud too.
And on tanks for @Imissthepeanutman Deborah has now been moved to her new purpose built home alongside her crew im Flesquieres Cemetery. Should be all open by November, I am with Philippe in a few weeks so will have a look
I was at the Churchill War Rooms for work today and I'm sure the feller on the tour who worked for Westminster Council walked past with his kids/grandkids
And on tanks for @Imissthepeanutman Deborah has now been moved to her new purpose built home alongside her crew im Flesquieres Cemetery. Should be all open by November, I am with Philippe in a few weeks so will have a look
Phillippe took me and Mrs Addickted to visit Deborah a couple of years ago. Fascinating story of how he spent over twenty years trying to find Deborah, knowing it was out there on the battlefield somewhere.
His total dedication to the project of finding, digging out and restoring the tank was really moving. He was brought up in the region yet he was sympathetic to the suffering of both the Tommy and Fritz.
Comments
Was good to meet up with old school chum Micky Nuttley (Nutz55) after 41 years. Luckily for Micky my playful boyish good looks havn't changed one bit since 1971 so it was very easy for him to pick me out. He on the other hand hasn't worn at all well.
Good to meet with our German addicks. Couple of good lads.
I never ventured as far out as Bromley though for some reason.....
: - )
If @LargeAddick does organise a similar Somme trip next year, I will be very interested.
For anyone who has not had the opportunity to see Clive "in action" I attach a few photos.
Signing the Cwgc Register at Poperinghe
Pontificating at Gheluveld
Front line at Railway Wood
Tyne Cot
Oxford Road remembering Colin Blythe Kent and England Cricketer
"Fraternising with the "Germans" at Langemarck German Cemetery
A drink for Nobby at RE Farm
http://www.depondfarm.be/en/introduction
or they have a facebook page
www.facebook.com/YpresSalientTanksP1917A/
I love the history in and around Pond Farm and all those live shells just lying around, brilliant.
With one of the group Robin, we followed in his grandfathers footsteps who commanded 3/Grenadier Guards, awarded a DSO & 2 Bars, 7 times Mentioned in Despatches, he was military attache to Berlin (signed thankyou photograph from A.Hitler!) in the mid 30's, Commanded a Division against him at Dunkirk and then led the Norwegian Resistance for the rest of the war.
Anyway it was a close but no cigar for Stijin, we saw him on the 31 July as I had another coach unveiling a memorial to the Hertfordshire Regt amd the tank was clad but no engine. It will be running for the Cambrai 100 late November. There is a pic of the tank here,
It was pretty emotional just watching the main events on the BBC, who incidentally did a great job as always commemorating such events. The events at both Tyne Cot and the Menin Gate were particularly so having only visited them both two weeks previously. Looked like the town of Ypres did those who perished proud too.
His total dedication to the project of finding, digging out and restoring the tank was really moving. He was brought up in the region yet he was sympathetic to the suffering of both the Tommy and Fritz.
Nice Range Rover as well!