Some gave all.

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Today was set aside for the Flanders Field bus tour. I wasn't too sure what to expect. My knowledge of the First World War is pretty limited - I did Wikipedia it and gained some insight. I do feel a connection to the history as my grandpa Sanders enlisted and fought in both Belgium and France, ultimately becoming a victim of Mustard Gas and eventually succumbing and dying as a result of that after returning home.

Ypres (pronounced like geepers with no g) was the epicentre of the fighting and there were several major battles fought there. This is also where Germany introduced chemical warfare which would later be used by the allies as well. It was a very somber day as we travelled through the many battle field sites and visited the endless graveyards - most of them with unidentified soldiers. Seeing the different memorials we were struck by the perfect conditions and beauty of each site - the respect and care that is show is quite humbling. The effects of the war are not over for the area as they continue to unearth unspent and live artillery shells etc. They also continue to locate and amazingly find soldiers and identify them. There are still about 60 thousand missing dead. They say it will take another 100 years to clear the rest of the artillery.

Our day ended at the field dressing station where John McRae wrote Flanders Fields. It was a filthy hovel that was located 300meters from the battlefield. the poem was writing after he lost a good friend in battle - he would later lose his own life in France. As we stood in the cold and grey waining light I took a picture of a lone poppy - a sad reminder of all that these men and woman gave for us.

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Photos

The brooding soldier
The is the Canadian memorial - located on what is called Vancouver corner.

Row on row..
The headstones seem endless. They are crafted from Mabel from Italy.