| Lille to Ypres (2) |
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| Now when I said 'ditch' , I didn't mean get rid of. I meant that suddenly he was there and then suddenly he wasn't!. I'm not sure how he achieved the feat, but next thing we knew, instead of cycling adjacent to the roadside ditch (now full of muddy water) he had cascaded posterior-wards into it, and managed to wedge himself in a 'v' shaped position. Paul tried to help him out, but the consequence of his intervention was entirely predictable - as you can see! |
| Time for lunch - a lucky find in a town just by the Belgium border, Frelinghien. I couldn't resist including this photo. Brian was inadvertantly mirroring Marilyn Monroe's laughing smile, while Jim seemed to be emulating Audrey Hepburn (actually he was on his mobile!). Great to have our first helping of Belgian beer and to get some warm food inside. Not a place at which to leave the map behind, though, although I managed, nonetheless! |
| As we set off following lunch, we soon came across the first of the many military cemetaries we were to see this trip. This one (pictured on the left) was the London Rifle Brigade Cemetery just south of Ploegsteert village (or Plugstreet as it was called by the British troops). This is a relatively small cemetery, yet is still home to over 350 soldiers' graves, including those of 18 German soldiers. The London Rifle Brigade served with the 4th Division in 1914. |
| A few miles further north, and the other side of Ploegsteert village is Ploegsteert Memorial to the missing. Situated at a location known as Hyde Park Corner, it records the names of 11,447 British soldiers who died in the Ploegsteert Wood area during the course of the war. The design, by one Sir Gilbert Ledward, is very much of the art deco period with its bold lines and stylised lions. It was unveiled in 1931 |
| With so many memorials to the missing in this area of Belgium, it is probably not surprising to discover that some men were commemorated on the wrong memorial. In the early post war years the Imperial War Graves Commission faced a huge task of compiling the records of all those lost during the war - there are soldiers names still recorded at the Ploegsteert Memorial who rightfully should have their names recorded elsewhere. Even now mistakes are being discovered and corrected. |
| The Ploegsteert Memorial was actually only added after the war, and this site is primarily that of the the Royal Berks Cemetry which now lies either side of the Memorial. The cemetery itself is a testimony to the adventurous young, so many of whom lost their lives during this conflict. Graves in the cemetery show several aged bewteen 18 and 20 years. There are even two who are younger. |