Battlefield Pilgrimage April 24th to 28th 2014

‘The Alan Fradgley Pilgrimage’

To gain an overview of the Great War and visit the last resting places of some of the Old Blundellian’s who gave their lives 1914-1918 on the Western

Front.

Tim Courtenay (OH 54-59)

Tour General Information:

Alan Fradgley Pilgrimage: The late Major Alan Fradgley MBE, RE, (NC 34-39), laid the foundations for this special Pilgrim-age through his detailed work and production of ‘The Roll of Honour’ in 2007. In this task he was ably supported by Janet A’ Lee, a member of Staff who sadly also died shortly afterwards. Alan passed away on 12th September 2012, in honour of his dedication we have decided to name this tour ‘The Alan Fradgley Pilgrimage.’

Major Alan Fradgley MBE, RE, (NC 34-39) presenting the Blundell’s Plaque to the

British Columbia Regiment Vancouver Corner, Ypres General Information: The programme for this tour is to balance not only a historical overview of the Great War, the epic battles and events, but ensure we visit as many OB’s who paid the ultimate price, their graves and memorials. Also allowing time to wander the towns and villages and cater for those of shop-ping, gastronomic and cultural interests!! Finances: Please bring some loose change (Euros) to meet incidental personal expenses (i.e. lunch breaks and entry fees to various sites). Tim will be negotiating ‘Group’ entry prices and may pay when necessary in full, reimbursement is required on these occasions. Drinks & Meals at the hotel can be put on room bills, those in twin rooms need to agree an equa-ble share!! or pay cash over the bar. Hotel bills can be paid with plastic. Hotel Rooms: Double /Twin Room 70 €= £64 per room (inc breakfast) or Single Room 63 € = £57 per room (inc breakfast) Clothing: During the day, ‘beagling’ kit with good walking shoes and waterproofs is recommended. During the evening comfortable casual wear with or without ties and jackets is suggested. At the Menin Gate Ceremony in Ypres, an OB tie would be appropriate (OB ties are available from the School Shop). Personal Insurance: Please ensure you have some personal insurance cover. Our hotel is alongside the largest and most modern hospital in Northern France, so we are but a wheelbarrow’s ride away!!

Passports: Please ensure your passport information is up to date. Please bring a photocopy as a precaution. Medication: Please remember to bring whatever is needed. Wreath and Remembrance Crosses: Blundell’s School have donated two wreaths; one to be laid at The Menin Gate and the other at The Thiepval Memorial. Remembrance Crosses will be available to plant wherever and whenever you wish. We will of course try to include visits to family graves and memorials as we traverse the battlefields, but this is a tight programme which must be to the benefit of the majority. Hotel & Communications: The Hotel has all modern amenities including computers & phones to make contact at home. All Staff speak English and our Hotel is ranked #1 on Trip Advisor! The owner, Philippe Gorczynski and his wife Sandrine are well supported by David, Maryse and San-drine on the front desk. Philippe is an expert on the great Tank Battle of Cambrai. He has written the definitive book “Following the Tanks” (Out of print in both French and English). He also found and recov-ered the last known tank from this battle. “Deborah” having been excavated, now rests on a plinth in Flesquiers the village where she was knocked out. For his dedication and devotion to this he was made an honorary MBE. The Reception phone number is 0033(0)327 814570 (please give this number to your emergency contact) or visit for more information www.beatus-cambrai.com. Coach & Pick Up Locations: The Coach will be picking up passengers in the parking lot behind Big School, Blundell’s at 8.00am on Thursday 24th. Travellers are welcome to leave their cars in the parking lot (parking is at your own risk). The coach is equipped with air con and a loo. For those that are travel sick please make yourself known to Tim who will ensure a front seat is made available. Tim will give daily briefings with background his-tory on the coach each day supported by DVDs. Passengers will be picked up/dropped off along with A303 & M3 on the East Bound side. Amber Oliver will be calling passengers 1 hour before their ex-pected pick up. Ferry Crossing: 24th April - 1355pm Dover to Calais Crossing. *Dover Crossing Passengers: Please meet at the Dover Passenger Terminal at 1230pm 28th April – 1605pm (French Time) Calais to Dover Crossing, arriving at Dover at 1630/1700pm (UK Time).

Contact Information: Tim Courtenay is the Tour Organizer and his mobile is 07983 971651. Amber Oliver will also be assist-ing and her mobile is 07825 734440. The Development Office is running the administration for the tour and can be contacted at devoffice@blundells.org or 01884 243262. The Driver for the tour is Steve Cash. Dinner On the first evening we will all be dining at the Hotel,. Each day please let Tim know your plans for din-ner particularly if you plan to dine at the Hotel as the restaurant is not usually open unless there are suf-ficient numbers. Both Tim and the Hotel Reception have some suggestions in the local area.

Tour Programme Thursday 24th April 0800 Depart Blundell’s by Redwoods 56 seat Coach. 0800-1300 Drive to Dover Ferry Port via A303 & M3. Pickup points en route as required. 1355 Ferry Dover to Calais eta 1545 (local time) Drive to Hotel Beatus in Cambrai. Possible visit en route to a German V1/V2 Rocket launch site (WW2) at La Coupole or Le Blockhaus d’ Epercules (Entry Fee payable). 1800 Arrive Hotel Beatus. 1930/2000 Joint Dinner at hotel. Menu below, please pre-order your Starter & Pudding. Dinner is

€32pp which includes 1 bottle of wine (Red or White) per 3 people and water; costs can be added to your room bill.

MENU

Aperitif

Hors d’ouvre

Assiette de Charcuterie avec Salad

Ou Potage ,Veloute de Potiron a la crème fraiche et Chataignes

***

Blanc de Poulet aux pommes deglacees au cidre sauce crème et legumes

*** Tarte au Pomme

Ou Crostillant chocolat ,Biscuit chocolate Mousse au caramel

***

Café Friday 25th April 0730-0830 Breakfast. 0900 Depart for the day, please bring all clothes, medication and money. AM. Notre Dame de Lorette the scene of the initial French battles of 1914 around Arras, Souchez and the Vimy Ridge. Briefing and orientation, the defence of Arras by General Barbot his Chasseurs and Alpini Troops and retaking of the Notre Dame Spur. Visit the Chapel, Lanterne de la Mort, French Cemetery and Front line trenches as well as an excellent private museum (entry fee). There is also a Restaurant and Loos!!! See Photo A & C. PM Drive to the Loos Battlefield and Dud Corner Commonwealth War Graves site. The history and background to the CWGC. The story of the first British gas Attack of 1915 across the Loos Battle-field, the mystery surrounding Lt Jack Kipling IG, his death and subsequent search by his parents for the truth. Visit St Mary’s Advanced Dressing Station Commonwealth War Graves Commission (abbreviated CWGC.) See Photo B. We have 5 OBs buried or commemorated at Dud Corner. Old Blundellians - C Mackinnon (OH 12-14), M Windle (W 07-11), G Tracey (NC 14-17), R Rawlinson (OH 08-11), C Eyre(P 1892-1895).

Friday 25th April Cont. A/R return to Hotel. Dinner as required either in Hotel or walk into Cambrai (10 mins) where there are a wide selection of hostelries. (Please inform Tim each morning as to where you wish to dine that evening so that the hotel chef can be ad-vised. The hotel does not normally run dinner on Saturday or Sunday unless there are sufficient takers). Saturday 26th April 0730-0830 Breakfast. 0830 Depart for days visit to Ypres. This is an hour and a half journey, visiting one or two sites en route. Polygon Wood the site of the final defence by the Worcester Regiment against the right wing of the German ‘Von Schliffen Plan’ drive to the channel ports. The War goes static and underground. Visit Sanctuary Wood original WW1 Museum and trenches. Café, and loos (entry fee €5). Also visit Sanctuary Wood CWGC and the memorial to G.M. Paddison (DB 06-12), one of two brothers kia, this is only 100yds from the café. (We will not return until 2200 so please bring all kit needed for the day) Lunch break as required PM Essex Farm CWGC and advanced dressing station run by Capt John McCrea RCAMC, writer of the poem “In Flanders Fields”. Drive to the German Cemetery at Langemark via Artillery Wood CWGC and the grave of H J Paddison (DB 10-15) MC See Photos E, F, G & H. Onward to Vancouver Corner and the great Canadian Memorial, close by the site of the action by Lt Edward Bellew (OB) where he won his Victoria Cross in April 1915 during the first German gas attack. Finally a visit to Tyne Cot CWGC, the largest CWGC in the world with some 12,000 graves and the names of 46,000 missing on the surrounding walls. See Photos I, J, K & M. 1700 approx Return to Ypres. Visit The Menin Gate for briefing. “Downtime” to include chocolate shop at Leonidas where Hans and Stephanie will welcome you and offer goodies at discounted prices as a member of ‘Tim’s Tour!!’ Time to walk the old town and possible sites include St George’s Church, The Cloth Hall, Flanders Fields Museum and The Cathedral. (Please don’t forget evening meal at whatever “Estaminet” takes your fancy, recommend curry Moules at Den Anker!!) 1945 RV at the Menin Gate for the Last Post Ceremony. We will lay a wreath on behalf of Blundell’s, three volunteers needed. O/C approx. 2030 Return to coach for return to Beatus eta 2200hrs. Sunday 27th April 0730/0830 Breakfast. 0900 Depart for the day to the Somme Region. Bring all personal bits needed. 0930 Visit the HAC CWGC where the OB poet AG West is buried. See Photo L. He was one of the Great War “Coterie” of poets. Following his death on 3rd April 1917, his friend and pacifist C EM Joad (OB) edited and produced the book, “The Diary of a Dead Officer.”

Sunday 27th April Cont. 1100 Visit Serre and Sheffield Park front line trenches of the “Pals” Battalions on the 1st July 1916. Day one of the Battle of the Somme. The tragedy and destruction of Kitchener’s Vol-unteers, “six months in the making, six minutes in the destruction”. Drive across Redan Ridge, “en passant” the site of Wilfred Owen’s “Old Boch Dugout”, onto the Sunken Lane, site of the Lancashire Fusiliers attack and the first approved filming by Mallins of the realities of War and firing of the Hawthorne Crater. We have two OB’s in this area, R Leacroft MC and C Beddow. See Photo N & O. Comfort Break Auconvilliers and The Ocean Villas Café for refuelling and comfort break!! Including lunch (own expense). PM To Beaumont Hamel, and the Canadian National Park where on 1st July the Newfound-land Regiment suffered 80% casualties, thence traverse the Ancre River where later in 1916 the Royal Naval Division fought with great bravery and Lt Col Freyberg won his VC. Onwards to the Ulster Tower where the Ulster Division won the greatest territorial gain of the 1st of July. Then to the great Thiepval Memorial to the missing of the Somme, here are engraved the names of 76,000 men who have no known grave. (15 OB’s are commemorated here and we will lay a wreath in their memory). Thence to Poiziers and the Memorial to the missing. 2 OBs-G Tagg (OH 11-15) and B Beckingsale (NC 03-05) and onwards to Lochnagar Crater (Read Birdsong). Then on to Delville Wood and the South African Memorial via Fricourt, (The Chilcotts Family grave of H L Twite). See Photo P. At Delville there is a wonderful SA memorial to all SAs killed in Europe over both World Wars and the grave of A L Levick (P 03-12) kia 15th Sept 1916. If time allows, we will visit the Devonshire Trench, “The Devon’s held this trench, the Devon’s hold it still”. At Blundell’s we wore the Devons cap badge in the CCF until circa 1965. See Photo Q. Return to Beatus via the Louverval Memorial and the graves of GS Hall (NC 00-03) and S L March Phillips (OH 06-11), OC “Incomperable” at the Cambrai battle. See Photo R. PM Evening meal as required. (As it is our last night together it is suggested the group dine together?)

Monday 28th April

0730/0830 Breakfast. 0900 Depart having settled bills. The Battle of Cambrai, follow the stages and Flesquiers Memorial. Visit Deborah, the MkIV Female tank unearthed by Philippe Gorczynski MBE our host at the Beatus.See Photo S & T. 1100 Leave for Arras and the CWGC at Fabourge where we have 5 OB’s. 1230 Into Town for lunch and shops. 1400 Depart for Calais. 1605pm (French Time) Calais to Dover Crossing, arriving at Dover at 1630/1700pm (UK Time).

Deposit travellers to various destinations the rest return to Blundell’s. 2200 approx. Arrive at Blundell’s School.

Photo A: French ‘Pilou’

Photo A: French ‘Pilou’

Photo B: Vimy Ridge & Loos Battlefield

Photo C: French 75mm Field Gun on the Battlefield

Notre Dame de Lorette

Photo D: British

Solider Memorial at

Flers on the Somme

Photo B:

Photo E: ‘In Flanders Field’ Poem

Photo E: "In Flanders Fields" is a war poem in the form of a

rondeau, written during the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.

He was inspired to write it on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of friend and fellow soldier Alexis Helmer, who died in the Second Battle of Ypres.

According to legend, fellow sol-diers retrieved the poem after

McCrae, initially unsatisfied with his work, discarded it. "In Flan-ders Fields" was first published on December 8 of that year in the London-based magazine

Punch.

Photo F: German Cemetery at Souchez

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Photo I: Canadian Memorial

Photo J: Vancouver Corner Ypres. Canadian Memorial

near where Captain Edward Bellow won his Victoria Cross

in 1915

Photo K: ‘Pro Patria Populoque Grave’

‘Pro Patria Populoque Grave’ of Thomas Fuller

Stocker (OH 08-11). Second Lieutenant, 171st

Company Royal Engineers. He was recommended

for his lieutenancy ‘under exceptional circumstanc-

es.’ Later killed in action in the trenches nr Ypres,

19th May 1915 (aged 20)

Photo L: A.G. West (SH 05-10) Cap-

tain, 6th Battalion Oxford & Bucks

Light Infantry. Died 3rd April 1917

(aged 25). One of the celebrated Great

War Poet.

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty near Keerselacre on April 24, 1915, during the

German attack on the Ypres salient. Capt. (then Lieut.) Bellew, as Battalion Machine Gun Officer,

had two guns in action on the high ground overlooking Keerselacre. The enemy’s attack broke in

full force on the morning of the 24th against the front and right flank of the Battalion – the latter

being exposed owing to a gap in the line. The right Company was soon put out of action, but the

advance was temporarily stayed by Capt. Bellew, who had sited his guns on the left of the right

Company.

Reinforcements were sent forward, but they in turn were surrounded and destroyed. With the ene-

my in strength less than 100 yards from him, with no further assistance in sight, and with his rear

threatened, Capt. Bellew and Sergt. Peerless, each operating a gun, decided to stay where they were

and fight it out. Sergt. Peerless was killed and Capt. Bellew was wounded and fell. Nevertheless, he

got up and maintained his fire till ammunition failed and the enemy rushed the position. Capt.

Bellew then seized a rifle, smashed his machine-gun, and fighting to the last, was taken prisoner.

Photo M: Edward Donald Bellew, VC Captain of the 7th British Columbia Regi-

ment, CEF was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most

prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

British and Commonwealth forces.

Photo N: RJR Leacroft ( W 03-11) at Redan Ridge-CWGC

` Photo O: Redan Ridge Cemetery

Photo R: Second Lieutenant, March-Phillips (OH 06-11), at ‘A’ Battalion Tank Corps, com-mander of ‘Incomperable.’ Killed during the advance on Cambrai while attempting to cut wire from his tank on 20th November 1917. Cambrai Memorial, Louverval Military Cemetery, Nord,

France

Photo Q; Devonshire Trench Memorial Photo P: Delville Wood South African National Memorial

Photo S: Iron Harvest

Photo T: D51 MK 4 Female Tank ‘Deborah’ discovered in 1998 by Philippe Gorczynski on the

Cambrai Battlefield of 1917.

Photo S: The iron harvest is the annual "harvest" of

unexploded ordnance, barbed wire, shrapnel, bullets

and congruent trench supports collected by Belgian and

French farmers after ploughing their fields. The harvest

generally applies to the material from World War I,

which is still found in large quantities across the former

Western Front

Photo U: Major Michael (SH 47-52) & Mrs Heath at the grave of his uncle, PL Heath (01-03) at Arras. Private, 1st Battalion

Grenadier Guards. Killed in Action on 30th March

1918 (aged 31).

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The Map Depicting the war of movement on

the Western Front in August and September

1914. The Black lines depict the march of

320,000 men of General von Kluck’s I Army –

the powerful right hook of the Schlieffen Plan

that was designed to knock France out of the

war in the six-week Blitzkrieg. The red lines

show the Allied positions at the beginning and

the end of the 13-day retreat that culminated

the the ‘Miracle of the Marne.’ The position of

Mons is clearly shown.

The German Invasion of France 1914

Memorial Scrolls were sent to the Families

of all those killed in The Great War.

The three Great War Medals, affectionately known as “Pip,

Squeak and Wilfred” after comic characters of the period.

There were two types of the Star, that for 5th Aug to 22

Sept 1914,often known as the Mons Star with the dated bar. A second version with date

1915 only. The centre medal is the British War medal in silver.

The far right is the Victory Medal. All had the name and regimental number of the re-cipient engraved on the back

or rim.

This is the Memorial Plaque that was sent along with the Scroll to the next of kin of all those killed or died in action. The name of

the serviceman being engraved on each plaque. These were often known as ‘The Death Plaque.’

‘Mentioned in

Dispatches’ Scroll for

‘Gallant and

Distinguished Service’

signed by Winston

Churchill

By the end of 1914, both sides realised that

the war of movement had come to an end.

Each side needed continuous lines of de-

fence to prevent the other side from out-

flanking them. The stalemate of trench war-

fare had begun and an unbroken front

stretched from the Belgian coast to the Swiss

Frontier—over 400 miles. The stalemate was

eventually broken in 1918 with new weapons

& improved techniques.

Trenches were usually around 7 feet deep

with a fire step 2 or 3 fee high so that troops

could fire over the parapet. Draining the

trenches was a major problem and constraint

maintenance was needed to prevent the walls

of the trenches from collapsing.