Page 16 - QARANC Vol 20 No 3 2023

16 The Gazette QARANC Association
‘Seeing the graves at Ypres was both harrowing and moving’
Last April, a group of us from 208 Field Hospital embarked on a Battlefields Study Trip to Ypres, Belgium. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was not only a brilliant educational experience it was also a great opportunity to get to know people of all ranks, sample the local food and drink and see the sights.
One evening, for example, a few of us walked the Ramparts of Ypres. It was peaceful and a nice time to reflect on all the history we had learnt.
It was a jam-packed itinerary over the space of six days. My favourite day was travelling to the northern entry point of the Ypres Salient, starting off at the Zlein Zwaanhof Farm, a small museum giving us a historical introduction to what we would witness. As we had no tour guides, we downloaded an interactive app for our mobiles, which guides you to the traces of war whilst sharing soldiers’ personal stories.
Memorial trees are planted to visualise the front lines, with red baskets representing German, blue for allied. One particularly poignant moment on our walk was seeing the shear closeness at one point of the front lines and trying to imagine how terrifying it must have been for the troops; you could literally shout to one another.
One story that popped up on our walk was at the Colne Valley Cemetery. Captain Maynard Andrews and some of his men heroically left the awkward narrow trenches to carry one of his injured soldiers across an open field, whilst under enemy fire, to get him to a dressing station. He died in this heroic act.
A different day, at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, we found the grave of Nellie Spindler, who was a nurse in the Evacuation Hospital at Brandhoek. The hospital was bombarded on 21 August 1917 and Nellie died a quick death from shrapnel. Her story stood out for me because it highlighted that frontline or not, nobody is safe during war.
A final poignant moment (of many) was standing amongst a crowd in the Menin Gate on the last
Unit Members at the Zlein Zwaanhof Farm museum front left Lance Corporal David Davies and front right Major Janette O’Hanlon
Seeing the sheer number
of graves during this trip was harrowing
evening, where a service was being held by the local community. The Last Post was played, and we were surrounded by tens of thousands of names of soldiers who were lost but never found. An official wreath was laid by unit members.
Seeing the sheer number of graves during this trip was harrowing, but I took comfort knowing that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission take such excellent care of the cemeteries and preserve the stories of those who laid down their lives.
I would love the opportunity to go on another Battlefield Tour and would recommend it to anybody who hasn’t already been.
Corporal Annabelle Mathers
QARANC
Reverend Captain Richard Carter (Unit Padre) saying prayers at the grave of Captain Noel Chavasse