Margot says:
Yesterday (Friday 23 May) we toured the Battlefields. Adorned with Dad's (Cyril's) medals, his photo and citation, along with details of the grandfather (Albert Roth, killed 30 June 1916) of my friend of more than 50 years,Val Day, we set out with a guide and another couple, Bob and Deborah from Sydney. It was a most emotionally charged day.
Early in the morning we visited the Amiens Cathedral just across from our hotel. I imagined Dad (Cyril) paying a visit in 1917, not because of his religious beliefs but just because his dear Mum would have expected it! We lit a large candle for all our families.
The next stop was the Villers Brettonneux Memorial where we saw Val's grandfather's name and placed a poppy, said a prayer and cried some. The tragedy of all those lives lost, many so young, in the prime of their lives. The guide, Barbara LeGrand, was most interesting and passionate about the role the Australians played in the area. She personalised the tour to revolve around Dad. Bob and Deborah said it made the trip much more meaningful. I gazed at the strip of land which was the actual no-mans land where Dad would have driven the ambulance and retrieved the fallen. It was spine tingling. We walked in Hamel wood where the Germans holed out. It is now a peaceful, lush green heavily treed space that is mainly used for hunting. Apparently all the shell holes are still evident but we failed to see any. We placed a Cross and Poppy on behalf of Cyril and offered several prayers. We were all tearful.
Catherine has lots of amazing photos to share when she has more time to upload them to Flickr.
The weather is pleasant and of course, days are long as it is still light at 10pm. Tomorrow will be a rest day after all the emotion and on Sunday we drive down to Puisserguier (south of Beziers in South East France). We have 2 weeks based there.
I find it hard to believe I am actually in France at last!
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