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This
year’s tour took us back to the days when the minibus was the staple form
of transport (no flights for us). Tour kicked off outside Tonsley Wimbledon with
the short trip to Dover. And like school times, attitudes never changed –
the bun fight was on for the bestest tour seats. Barl and Rupert fighting over
who got to sit next to Claire Bear. Claire Bear fighting to find somebody interesting
to sit next to. Everyone fighting to sit near Chingu who had the most sweets and
pastry based products to tuck into. Everyone fighting to avoid the broken seat
by the door. Floody and Joe fighting over who got to drive (“only insured
people can drive Ed”, according to Floody. “Really”). Rupert also
took the time to demonstrate his latest technological acquisition - an iPhone
and in particular a video of 'great interest'. Leaving
Calais, first destination was Reims. First stop on the tour were the trenches
and tunnels at Vimy Ridge. Just north-east of Arras, the ridge was occupied by
the Germans in 1914 who built a series of artillery-proof trenches and bunkers.
Despite efforts by the French to take the ridge in 1915, it was not recaptured
until 1917 when the Canadian army took it. Heavy losses were inflicted on both
sides. Large sections of the tunnel systems are still accessible today and 'new'
sections of tunnel continue to be revealed. Whilst only small sections of the
trench areas exist, their proximity and closeness provides insights to the atmosphere
of what this place must have been like. Today the site is now an official Canadian
war memorial and is dominated by the Canadian National Vimy Memorial. Carved on
the walls of the monument are the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who were killed
in France and whose final resting place was then unknown. | | Leaving
Vimy, the bus set sail for Riems. “Bring on the champers. And make them Magnums.”
Dinner in Reims was at a rather nice fish restaurant recommended by the tour's
gastronomic connoisseur, Anton Barlow Esq. Food was apparently great – fish,
dead things and live things all served on a rather nice ice tray. Ring of Fire
later took place in a rather busy bar (and to the bewilderment of the natives).
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| Saturday kicked off with the short trip to Verdun –
and to meet up with our guide (Florence La Mouse - AKA Chocolat Mouse) for the
weekend. Meeting location - Verdun rail station. Code name – Chocolat. Disguise
- distinctive large red beret. Mode of transport – large white sherpa bus.
Anticipation in the bus was high. Yours truly sat in the front seat (Floody still
wouldn’t let me drive as I still wasn’t qualified). ‘Humour’
in the back was still reminiscent of one's school days. I think it’s fair
to say that not only did Chocolat offer knowledge and insightful commentary throughout
the day but many photographic opportunities for Floody. I could not understand
it myself [Ed: come off it].
First visit on the days agenda was
the Fort at Douaumont. Originally built in 1875 as an army barracks, the Fort
was later covered in layers of concrete and earth barriers turning it into effectively
an encased 'hill'. Today the ground around the Fort still remains a jumble of
craters, mounds, protruding metal and concrete. The ‘Red Zone’ around
the Fort marks areas where live and unexploded munitions still lie. A tour of
the Fort’s interior was a dim, damp and rather chilly experience. The base
workings of the Fort’s gun platforms still protrude from the external hill
turrets above and many rooms and chambers used at different times during the Fort’s
history are still accessible. “Plenty of scope for conversion into flats”,
someone in the trade was heard to comment. Signs on walls written in French and
German provide testament to the exchange in ownership of the Fort between German
and French hands through the war. A walled gallery in one of the chambers behind
which are buried the remains of 679 German soldiers killed when a grenade store
exploded. | | 
| | Saturday
afternoon took the tour to the Ossuary of Douaumont. The Ossuary’s 150-foot
high tower overlooks rows of white crosses within the vast National Cemetery where
15,000 French soldiers are buried. The Ossuary itself contains the combined (and
unidentified) remains of 130,000 soldiers – both French and German. Over
the years, the TTT have visited many military cemeteries – all perfectly
maintained and respectful. This cemetery was absolutely no exception - pictures
and words can never capture the vastness and atmosphere of this place. All very
poignant and one which leaves lasting memories. Memo
to Corin (whom was spotted hanging by one leg from a tree capturing one particular
image as the sun went down), please can we see the results of your photographic
exploits? | |
| Tour
dinner took us to the Château des Monthairons in Dieue sur Meuse. Dating
from the 1870s, the Château and its restaurant was rather nice and certainly
exceeded my expectations. Yours truly was awarded his Tonsley Colours. I recently
sported the said tie at a client meeting (my other tie had a gravy stain on it).
“Military, old chap?” said ones client. “Wrekin College CCF 1983
to 1987,” I replied. “Really” he said. Accommodation
for the night was the curiously named Coq Hardi Hotel (I researched this to make
sure this was not one of those 'hotels' that Joe tells us all about). This hotel
occupied a prominent role during both wars and, judging by the standard of the
décor, was still very much respective of those times. It’s still the
only hotel I’ve ever stayed in where the ‘door’ for the en-suite
bathroom was a curtain. Not a comfortable environment when you are sharing a twin
room [Ed: particularly with Barlow I should imagine!]. As
ever, prior to retiring for the evening, sampling the local night life in Verdun
was required. It’s fair to say that Verdun cannot be known for its nightlife
- hostelries and nightspots were somewhat thin on the ground. Alas the only bar
we located made memorable when Gilo engaged the local bar owner in a bit of the
old Portuguese gibberish. “You’re talking nonsense” said the owner.
He had your card marked, Gilo. Sunday kicked off with the team presented with a number
of choices to visit local sites and locations of historical significance. Each
potentially within easy access of Verdun and all allowing for a leisurely lunch
and comfortable journey back to Calais. Somehow we ended up at what was apparently
a WW1 German concrete factory called Camp Marguerre in a wood near Loisin. An
absolute ‘must’ it said on the packet. Off set the troops in anticipation.
Alas it was 2 hrs away. In the wrong direction from Calais. And transport was
a rather uncomfortable bus. To those of us who still remember that journey –
try not to think of the pain. Think of the intellectual knowledge acquired - knowledge
and insights you can share at your next dinner party. Eddie
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