Passchendaele Anniversary Tour - Battlefield Tours - Leger Holidays

[McConius]

i remember visiting those places when i was 18. one hell of a sombering outing but i was grateful for the chance to see these places.

[srebuck]

My great uncle died at Passchedaele. He was a runner, doing the same job as Corporal A. Hitler on the other side of the trenches during this battle. His body was never found, and his name is on the Menin Gate. An unconscionable catastrophe.

[teebee1984]

My Grandfather won the Military Cross and Bar in the Battle Of The Somme and was mentioned in despatches for bravery. He lived well into his 80's.

[WesternFront1916]

I visited all of these places mentioned just over a week ago, and I saw 'The Last Post' at Menin Gate. It was one of the best and most interesting trips I have ever been on and I shall never forget it.

[TheSanityInspector]

Good e-tour, thanks for posting.

[gert83]

My great uncle died on the 2nd day of Passchendaele and is on the Menin gate - he was Scottish. My great grandfather also died in Flanders. He was German.

Even though I am 3 generation removed, I knew my grandmother and I knew my great grandmother, and this fact weighed on me like a millstone until I visited the place in 2000. I wonder if others have felt like this too?

[dunkindutchman]

The reason for so many graves at the Tyne Cot cemetary is, I believe, because of the bunkers at the site. They are supposed to be used as a foreward battlefield aid post. Any one who can confirm this?

[dediertje]

bunkers weren't used that much during the WWI; but what I know for sure -because I live in Ypres- is that there was a field hospital in opposite of Tyne Cot and the dead where buried there in rows, side by side. That's how Tyne Cot was formed.

[CaptainVandorian]

There are a lot of bunkers in the Salient, so I gather they WERW actually used during WW1;)) However, in the case of the 'block houses'in Tyne Cot, I havent that much information apart from that they were used as an advanced dressing station by the British. I live in Ypres too, so probably I ll get a closer look at them and find out.

Also I heard that Tyne Cot actually derives from the Flemish 'Tyne' and 'Cot' which might have a different meaning. Of course, the english reference works as well.

[towisuk]

The Cross of sacrifice is built on top of a bunker that was used as a dressing station. Soldiers who died were buried around this bunker during the fighting. After the war the cemetery was created from Battlefield clearances, and moving the dead from numerous smaller cemeteries to this concentration cemetery,

the largest CWG cemetery in the world..

[PeterFV]

"Tyne Cot" was the name given to the place by some soldiers from Newcastle on Tyne because the cottages in the area resembled some near Newcastle.

[CaptainVandorian]

Ues, but 'Tyne' is an old flemish name for girls, and cot is a rather primitive building, more like a shed, so I could have it's roots somewhere in that direction rather than the familiar connotation referring to the Newcastle are. Of course, it fits both ways.

[ctgypsy]

An interesting book to read on this subject is called "Back to the Front" by Stephen O'Shea and describes his walks along the Western Front from the Channel to Switzerland between 1985 and 1995.

[myCanadawest]

My great uncle was killed at the Battle of Mount Sorrel. The trenches he shows in the video are at Mount Sorrel. I spent some time walking all through the battle fields around Ieper last fall. It was a very interesting experience and I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in WW1.

[brumelvis]

8 British, 3 Australin and 1 New zealand divisions attacked on 4 oct 'airbrush the British army in for credit is misleading' oh dear, and 12 oct 5 British, 2 australian and the NZ division were in action, do you think the British army did not suffer? and as for the usual'idiot British generals ordering men to their deaths' what about the german troops? who do you think had the artillery and mg's?

[halfam]

I feel your anger my fellow friend. I must also say the Germans suffered heavy casualties too. I give all my honors to my German ancestors.

[eurotv2]

HUH? you won't get any kiwis on this tour mate! Not unless you give credit where it's due!

The ridge was captured by Australians AND New Zealanders on October 4th. Your attempt to airbrush the british army in for credit is misleading. 500 kiwis died that day. Then the idiot British generals ordered a thousand kiwis to their deaths in two hours on October 12th. Two thousand more were wounded.