Amiens

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Monday, 29th September, 2008

Wow, what a day.

Woke up and got moving quite early for us.

Left, Bethune with a heading of Amiens, with a planned stop at Thiepval. We had booked our next night in a Premiere Classe in Amiens, so this was our destination for the day.

Popped into a supermarket for bits and pieces.

Visited The Notre Dame De Lorette, French cemetery, truly massive, containing 40,051. I may have said it before, but a photograph does not convey the sheer size of some of these cemeteries, with the grave markers stretching off into the distance, this place was big.

Stopped at the local Estaminet and had a coffee, the place is filled with Trench Art and memorabilia. The little dog continually tries to get your attention to play with his toys, very amusing.

La Targette is a large French cemetery, several thousands, with British one attached containing about 600.

Had Lunch in Bapaume, La Romance, a plat du jour, A Tartiflette - Potato's, Cheese and Ham, with a Rhubarb dessert and coffee, all for 12 Euro's each.

Stopped at the Australian Memorial at The Windmill site and opposite is the Tank Corps Memorial.

The Thiepval memorial to the 76,000 missing on the Somme, really got to me. I am simply unable to describe in sufficient and appropriate words how I felt, the memorial is absolutely splendid and truly fitting, the sheer size and scope of numbers of fallen is simply overwhelming and I have to admit to being near to tears. The visitors centre is excellent.

Very much off the beaten track we visited the Mill Road Cemetery, with 1304 British fallen, glad we have the RAV4. Some of the grave markers are flat on the ground, which is unusual.

The Ulster Memorial came next, a very pretty site, almost Disneyesque.

The Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial again is another outstanding place, like the Canadian Memorial, the land has been left largely as it was at the end of the Great War, so gives you an idea of how it really was, again the visitors centre was excellent and the staff were extremely helpful. The centrepiece being the Caribou overlooking the site.

Inside the park we visited the Y Ravine cemetery, with 428 fallen, a memorial to 51st Highland division, the Hunters Cemetery with 46 fallen, then Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No. 2, with 214 fallen.

A remarkable day and by this time it was about 5, so we head for Amiens, which was about 20 or so miles. Went through Albert and straight on to Amiens. Found the Hotel easily, we must be getting better at finding our way around.

I don't wish to sound glib, trite or in anyway diminish the ultimate sacrifices made, but we must have visited sites containing nearly 150,000 dead or missing today!

Dinner in the Campanille next door for ease.

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