When arriving at the Hotel yesterday we had seen a pamphlet outlining a tour of the First World War historic sites and so we decided to take an organised tour rather than flounder about looking for something. So at 0945 'Jacques' our tour guide turned up and it would appear that only the four of us were on this particular trip. Jacques was an excellent guide and had an enthusiasm which rubbed off on us and it made the complete morning with him very interesting indeed. He has previously become involved in the BBC series 'Who do you think you are' where Eamonn Holmes researched his past and his grandfather who died in Belgium in the Great War..
We went first of all to Essex Farm which was an advanced field dressing station where the injured were brought to dress their wounds, the conditions were so bad its quite difficult to contemplate. From there we wntr to Vancouver Corner to see the Canadian Memorial where there is the 'Brooding Soldier'. During the tour he explained how the Germans used gas to kill thousands of Allied troops and the death process was appalling where the gas made you drown in your own liquid caused through inhaling
The following link explains more detail. http://www.firstworldwar.com/diaries/firstgasattack.htm
We then made a visit to the Tyne Cot Cemetery where not only Allied troops are buried but several Germans as well. This is an impressive site and very well cared for. We understand that there about 160 cemeteries containing First World War victims and hundreds of thousands of Allied troops died, and for what??
On to Hill 62 in Sanctuary wood and the trench museum. The Belgian countryside is very flat and the troops used to distinguish the various small hills by they metre height about sea level and so Hill 62 was 62 metres above sea level.
The trenches are not quite how they were in the museum and of course in the winter they were wet and muddy and extremely cold. This was a very interesting morning and well worth the expense of a knowledgeable guide.
http://www.ypres-fbt.com/After lunch we headed of to Bruges where we arrived mid afternoon . It was planned to be a free day but we met several people in the bar before dinner prior to leaving for a quiet dinner for two. The restaurant we found was very good food and we would go there again.
And so to bed
