Cobbers
Day 2
After a very restful night we joined Colin and Lisa for breakfast in the main house. Since we were a little late rising on this morning we decided to take a short walk down to the centre of town and make a phone call back home. The weather was still very cold, made especially so by the strong wind that was blowing.
We started off on our trip to Ypres in Belgium to take in all the points of interest there. Our first stop was just outside Fromelles to see the VC Corner Cemetery and the Australian Memorial Park, better known as Cobbers.
Cobbers
In 1916, the Australian 5th Division, along with the British 61st Division, were tasked to attack the German strong point outside Fromelles.
Once again the general area of the battle now gives you no indication of the violence that once took place here. Just before the "Cobbers" memorial is the only all-Australian Cemetery of the area, known as VC Corner.
VC Corner Cemetery
Another unique thing about the cemetery is the fact that there aren't any gravestones. The unidentified bodies of 410 are buried in the lawns, each marked by a rose bush. The cemetery was situation in no-man's land between the Australian and German lines in 1916. The screen wall at the back of the cemetery at the rear are the names of 1,299 Australians who dies in the battle and have no known grave.
A few hundred metres further along is the Australian Memorial Park with the "Cobbers" statue.
Australian Memorial Park - Fromelles
The most striking aspect of the park is the "Cobbers" statue situated in the centre. Towards the rear of the park you will find the remains of German fortifications that were captured by the 14th Australian Brigade and held overnight on the 19 - 20th of July 1916. The park also contains a battle exploit plaque which states :
" In this brief action the British suffered 1,547 casualties, the Australians a devastating 5,333. It was the only time in France that the Australians failed to take their military objective."
The "Cobbers" memorial here is unique in that it honours the many individuals whose selfless acts saved many of their mates from death.
"Cobbers"
In what is now a peaceful field Colin gave us a complete run down of the battle and pointed out all the relevant locations nearby where events transpired.
We now continued north toward Ypres stopping firstly at the Canadian National Memorial at Vimy Ridge.
Monument at Canadian Memorial Vimy Ridge.
It was here in 1917 that the Canadian captured a strategically important ridge that over looks the plain towards Lille. At the southern end of the park you will find the remains of the trenches. It is still possible to take tours of the extensive tunnel systems that still remain, however we were running on a tight schedule so we had to give it a miss - unfortunately.
Looking from Canadian trench line towards German trenches
Further north, on what was Hill 145 the highest point of the Vimy ridge line stands the Memorial. At day break on April 9, 1917, all four divisions of the Canadian Corps, fighting together for the first time attacked the German positions on the ridge. Assisted by good planning and artillery support, the Canadian continued to advance and by mid-morning had taken the whole ridge except Hill 145. It would take then another three days before they would capture it. The action cost the Canadians 10,602 casualties of which 3,598 died.
Memorial on Vimy Ridge
The Vimy Ridge Park now stands as memorial to all those Canadians who died or risked their lives to fight for the Allies in the First World War. The monument was designed by Canadian sculptor and architect Walter Seymour Allward and took over 11 years to build. It sits on 11,000 tonnes of reinforced concrete. A cloaked figure stands at the front facing east over looking the Douai Plain. It was carved from a single 30 tonne block. On either side of the front walls at the base of the steps are the Defenders : two groupings of figures known as the Breaking of the Sword and Sympathy for the Helpless. Carved on the walls of the monument are the names of 11,285 Canadians who where killed in France and whose resting place is unknown. Altogether 66,655 Canadians died in the First World War.
The twin white pylons, one bearing the maple leaves of Canada, the other the Fleurde-lis of France, symbolize the sacrifices of both countries. At the top figures representing Peace and Justice, with Truth, Knowledge, Gallantry and Sympathy below them. Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of the pylons. In the centre, at the base of the pylons, a dying soldier, the Spirit of Sacrifice, throws the torch to his comrades. Two other mourners, a man and woman recline on each side of the steps on the western side.
Looking over the Douai plain from Hill 145
Today Vimy Ridge is seen much the same way that Australians see Gallipoli. It is probably the most striking memorial that we saw during our trip. When you compare this memorial to the one at le Hamel, when all Australian Divisions fought together, we should hang our heads in shame. There is no more fitting and striking national memorial in the region that better serves to honour those who gave their lives and stir the emotions of all those that visit. No matter what nationality you are a visit to Vimy Ridge is very worthwhile.
We now continued to the Messines ridge, scene of Australian activity in June 1917. A bulge ( or salient ) had developed south of Ypres that needed to be removed before actions around Ypres could be continued. During the preceding months a total of 21 huge underground mines had been constructed under German trench lines. At 3.10am on 7th June 1917, they were all detonated simultaneously. The result on the front line German troops was devastating and Australian, New Zealand and British troops were easily able to achieve their objectives.
New Zealand Memorial
The town of Messines, in the south of the salient, was actually captured by the New Zealand Division that was then attached to II Anzac Corps. On the outskirts of the town is the New Zealand Memorial Park, from here you get excellent views of the direction of attack for II Anzac. The small park also has the remains of a few German blockhouses, seen for the first time by the Anzacs.
Remains of a German blockhouse
A short distance from Messines is Spanbroekmolen Crater, which was the larges of all the mines detonated on that June 7 attack. It blew a hole 129 metres in diametre and 27 metres deep. The crater has since filled with water and is now known as the "Pool of Peace".
Lone Tree Crater now known as "Pool of Peace"
Further north is Hill 60 and the memorial for the Australian Tunnelling Company. The Australian 1st Tunnelling company became responsible to keep in tact the mines that had been laid under Hill 60 at Ypres. Much of this protection involved fighting underground.
Looking from Hill 60 towards Ypres
Memorial to 1st Australian Tunnelling Company
Hill 60
From Hill 60 we now proceeded into Ypres.
After seeing many pictures of Ypres in rubble it is difficult to imagine what it must have been like for the Australian troops as they came up through the town and out onto the battlefield. We stopped at the town square and took a moment to look at the Great Cloth Hall. There is apparently an excellent museum ( In Flanders Fields ) within the Cloth Hall, that requires about half a day's attention, unfortunately we decided to forgo this for other sights today.
Great Cloth Hall
A short walk from the square is the famous Menin Gate. The Menin Gate did not exist at the time of the War but stands as a tribute to all those that passed by on their way to the battlefield, never to return. One of the most haunting paintings that I have seen hangs in the War Memorial and Canberra and shows the Menin Gate at night with all the ghostly soldier figures still proceeding out onto the battlefield. To be actually standing at the Gate after seeing that painting is something quite unique.
Menin Gate
On the inside of the Menin Gate are the names of about 55,000 soldiers who have no known grave, of these about 6,200 are Australians. On either side of Gate are ramparts that you can access from inside the Gate. During the War many soldiers actually slept here before proceeding out into battle. You can stroll around the ramparts that provide, excellent views of the town and surrounding area.
Hall of Memory inside the Menin Gate
Every night at sunset the local fire brigade attend the Gate and play the Last Post as a mark of respect for those that died. Unfortunately our schedule didn't allow us to attend, however I have read that it can be a very moving ceremony. As we strolled back from the Gate we stopped at one of the many chocolate shops that lined the road for some indulgence in the world renown fine Belgian product.
Back in car, we proceeded through Ypres and out onto the flats that face the town. As we headed towards Tyne Cot cemetery we passed what was known back during the war as "Hellfire corner". Since this point was flat and exposed to observation the Germans were able to accurately sight their guns on it so that when traffic passed it attracted heavy and extremely accurate fire. All passing traffic had to run the gauntlet to pass in or out of Ypres on the Menin Road. These days there isn't much remarkable about the spot, except being a large round about.
Our next stop was the largest Commonwealth cemetery on the Western Front - Tyne Cot.
This cemetery has 11,956 graves and covers an area of 35,103 square metres. It also contains 8,366 graves of unknown soldiers. Over 1,368 Australian servicemen are buried here in the largest Commonwealth cemetery of the War. In the centre of the cemetery is the usual cross of sacrifice, however this time it sits atop a German blockhouse that was captured by Australian 3rd Division on October 4, 1917.
Blockhouse captured by Australians
Being the largest of all Commonwealth cemeteries it is not surprising to find a great many more tourists here. As with all Commonwealth cemeteries it is immaculately kept. Colin was once again able to point out some interesting facts about the cemetery and how it grew in importance over the period.
Towards the front of the cemetery you will find the remains of other German blockhouses and just behind one of these you will find the grave of Captain C. S. Jeffries who won the highest Australian commendation, the Victoria Cross. One of the most remarkable features about my whole study of the Australian involvement in the war are the remarkable feats of bravery performed by "ordinary" Australians. The story of most Victoria Cross winners are inspiring and I commend to you further study of the ones awarded during the War.
Grave of Captain C. S. Jeffries. VC
So far our trip had really only covered Allied cemeteries and memorials, I had not seen any German ones at all. I asked Colin and he said that since the Germans were the defeated power and considered an "invading force" their memorials are not nearly as many or as grand as those of the allies. To demonstrate this fact to us he took us to Langemark, a German cemetery not far from Tyne Cot.
Mass grave that is now a rose garden at Langemark.
In contrast to the throng of people at Tyne Cot, when we arrived at Langemark there was no one. This place is very, very different from any other cemetery we visited during our whole tour. The place has a much darker and sombre mood about it and feels very cold and lonely. Upon entering, the first thing that catches your attention are four silhouetted figures at the rear of the cemetery. Seeing these figures in the distance and the fields beyond is a very creepy feeling and creates a very dramatic effect.
The next most noticeable feature is the huge rose garden just in front of the entrance. Colin told us that this garden was actually a massed grave that held between twenty and thirty thousand German soldiers. After many battles German forces were not given much time to bury their dead so mass graves became the order of the day.
The remaining layout of the cemetery, as you can see from the above image, is just equally spaced grave markers. On closer inspection of these grave markers you may find up to eight men buried in a grave, a stark contrast to all the previous Allied Cemeteries that we saw.
From here we now proceeded back to Colin's bed and breakfast in Martinpuich. After a couple of hours on the road we once again dined at the same local restaurant we ate at the previous night. After this we once again returned to Colin's cottage to settle in for our last night in the battlefields of the Somme.
Australian 3rd Division Memorial - Sailly-le-Sec
Photo courtesy of Nicolas Goret
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