Western Front (part 4)

Our last visit to the Western Front was to Bellenglise. The nearby towns of St Quention and Bullecourt are well-known but the 4th Australian Division memorial is at Bellenglise because that was the point reached by the division before it withdrew for rest just before peace was declared.

We couldn't find the memorial and finally asked a local who hopped into his little van and led us down a rough track to the site. We would never have driven down the track! And there was only one small sign tucked away on a side street. It's not even marked on Google maps.

4th Australian Division memorial, Bellenglise 

4th Australian Division memorial, Bellenglise 

4th Australian Division memorial, Bellenglise 

We were particularly interested in the Bellenglise battle site because Phil's grandfather, Roy Phelan, was badly injured there late in 1918 (he was hit on his head with shrapnel but recovered fully despite losing a large piece of his skull). I've read his unit's diary and as far as I can work out Roy was near the present village of Pontruet at the time.

Swede harvest in fields at Pontruet near Bellenglise. 

Western Front (Part 3)

We travelled further south to the Somme valley and Villers-Brettonneux in particular.

The farmland was looking beautiful and it is difficult to believe the devastation of the war years in this area 100 years ago. The Australian National Memorial and the new Sir John Monash Centre (behind it and underground) were very impressive of course but I was particularly interested in finding a name on the memorial panels. My grandmother Dorothy Wyllie nee Taylor's brother, David Edgar Taylor' was killed in action at Pozieres 5 August 1916. His body was never identified so he is listed among the missing at Villers Brettoneux.

David Edgar Taylor, memorial panel, Villers Brettoneux

Australian National Memorial, Villers Brettoneux

The 1st Australian Division Memorial is at town of Pozieres and there is a very moving memorial at 'Windmill' just north of Pozieres.

1st Australian Division memorial, Pozieres

1st Australian Division memorial, Pozieres

Memorial at the Windmill site. The old village windmill was a significant site in the battle of Pozieres.

Dozens of small white crosses form the shape of the rising sun symbol next to the Windmill memorial at Pozieres.

Pozieres and ANZAC

We looked for, and failed to find, a military cemetery at Franvillers in the Somme valley. My grandfather Duncan Smith's cousin, James William Hillgrove was buried there in May 1918.

Western Front (Part 2)

About eight kilometres south of the Belgian border, in France, is Fromelles. In July 1916, in just one day, 5300 Australians and 1500 British men were wounded, missing or killed. This is the memorial at that site.

Australian Memorial Park, Fromelles with V C Corner Cemetery in the background.

Australian Memorial Park, Fromelles

We visited the Rue du Bois cemetery near Fleurbaix, about 3 km from Fromelles, to pay respect to Phil's great-uncle, David Ray Leed from a farm at Mologa in Victoria. He was killed in action 15 July 1916 aged 22.

Rue du Boix Cemetery, Fleurbaix

Butterfly at Rue du Boix Cemetery, Fleurbaix

Ray Leed's headstone, Rue du Boix Cemetery, Fleurbaix

Every war cemetery has a cemetery register and a visitor book, safely stored in a niche with a metal door. It's a very impressive arrangement. Phil signed the book at Rue du Boix Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

We then found 'V C Corner cemetery near Fromelles to find the name of my grandmother, Dorothy Wyllie nee Taylor's cousin, John Henry Brown from Cobden who was killed in the action on 19 Jul 1916. His body was never identified so his name is on a panel in this cemetery.

John Henry Brown, listed among the missing, on a panel at 'VC Corner' cemetery near Fromelles.

VC Corner Cemetery, Fromelles

VC Corner Cemetery, Fromelles. 

VC Corner cemetery in the background and the sign on the right says 'German Front Line 19-20 July 1916'

Sepia Saturday: Flowers and crosses

Two men in suits, yarning in the doorway of a coffee lounge. That's the theme photo for this week's Sepia Saturday. So of course I ignored the men and went with some of the signage on the wall.

On the left side of the photo there is a florists's sign that reads 'Wreaths and Crosses' and I'm following that link in this blog. In World War 1 a relative was sent an album of pressed flowers from the Holy Land and Jerusalem.  There are about 12 pages like those below. The album is about A4 size and has a cover made of olive wood. Some of the pages have crosses, some not. The flowers are in remarkably good condition and retain a lot of colour.

Also during the war a family member, David Ray Leed, was killed in France. This photo was sent to his parents.

David Ray Leed's cross, Rue-Du-Bois Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France

Private David Ray Leed, 23 Battalion,  Killed in Action Pozieres, Somme, France 15 Jul 1916;
Buried Rue-Du-Bois Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France.

About 15 years ago friends of ours visited the cemetery and gave us these photos as well as a pressed red poppy they gathered from a field there. As you can see, the cemetery looks much different now. It's under the care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Rue-Du-Bois Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France

David Ray Leed's headstone, Rue-Du-Bois Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France

At about the same time, between 1910 and 1920, this postcard was sent to a lady in Melbourne for her birthday. Now why would you put a cannon on a birthday card??? Even if it is covered in flowers.