You know you are getting old when you go on stag weekend and instead of getting beered up in Dublin you spent the weekend walking the Somme battlefield in France.
But this is what happened to me last weekend. My friend Chopper is getting married and he want to walk (well if I am honest, we drove) to places, which up to now had only been names in a book to me.
I stood in the remains of old trenches home to the troops for years on end. Home, only able to see the sky, earth and each other.
Then in the evening took in the delights of Lille and the various beers and hospitality that fine city could offer. I gather Lille is Frances 3rd city and is a beautiful place to visit.
WW1 has always had a special place in my heart and of course the Somme is down in British history the same way as the Australians remember Galipoli and the Americans think of the Alamo.
One of our stag party had a relative who died on the Somme and it was great that the name Tommy Oliver was mentioned so many times. Probably the first time in decades had this fine solider had his name said out loud. By chance the area where Tommy Oliver entered the battle has been preserved, so our friend Nigel, Tommy Oliver’s living relative was able to stand close to the point where Tommy spent his last hours on this earth.
So today, say the name Tommy Oliver as a thank you to all the brave soldiers who fought so we did not have to.
Harry
But this is what happened to me last weekend. My friend Chopper is getting married and he want to walk (well if I am honest, we drove) to places, which up to now had only been names in a book to me.
I stood in the remains of old trenches home to the troops for years on end. Home, only able to see the sky, earth and each other.
Then in the evening took in the delights of Lille and the various beers and hospitality that fine city could offer. I gather Lille is Frances 3rd city and is a beautiful place to visit.
WW1 has always had a special place in my heart and of course the Somme is down in British history the same way as the Australians remember Galipoli and the Americans think of the Alamo.
One of our stag party had a relative who died on the Somme and it was great that the name Tommy Oliver was mentioned so many times. Probably the first time in decades had this fine solider had his name said out loud. By chance the area where Tommy Oliver entered the battle has been preserved, so our friend Nigel, Tommy Oliver’s living relative was able to stand close to the point where Tommy spent his last hours on this earth.
So today, say the name Tommy Oliver as a thank you to all the brave soldiers who fought so we did not have to.
Harry
