Page 11 - QARANC Vol 17 No 2 2019

The Not Forgotten Association Great War Commemorative Tour 2018
Thanks to the generosity of The Not Forgotten Association three members of QARANC Association, Sergeant Dave Cartwright, Diana McCrea and Denise Mellor, were invited to join a Commemorative Great War Tour of French Battlefields in late October. A fourth QA, Jan Foster, was also in attendance, accompanying her ex RAMC husband.
Along with veterans from other Services, Regiments and Corps, we had a busy few days. We were based in Arras and visited a great number of sites over four days. Our first stop in France was at Dud Corner Cemetery where many who lost their lives in the Battle of Loos are laid to rest. There was row upon row of white headstones catching the afternoon light. The saddest things for me, were the headstones which just said “A Soldier of the Great War”. Who was he? Who was waiting for news of him? A wreath was laid and there was a reading by veterans from The Royal Navy.
The next stop was St Mary’s Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery, also for casualties of the Battle of Loos. Many of the staff working here had trained in St Mary’s Hospital London, hence the name. Over 30,000 casualties were treated there.
The following morning, with our fantastic guide Colonel Piers Storie Pugh, we visited The Royal Flying Corps Memorial where past members
Sergeant Dave Cartwright laid an Association wreath commemorating all the Canadian nurses who lost their lives during the Great War
of The WRAF gave readings and laid a wreath. We then went on to Wellington Tunnel Museum, a memorial to The New Zealand Tunnelling Company. A very simple but evocative memorial stands near the entrance. The inside of the head has dozens of small carved faces of soldiers, an amazing sight!
We then had time to explore the Canadian Visitor Centre at Vimy Ridge and the many references to Canadian nursing and medical staff, including Lieutenant Colonel McCrae and his poem ‘In Flanders Fields’, before visiting the splendid Memorial. Sergeant Dave Cartwright laid an Association wreath commemorating all the Canadian Nurses who lost their lives during the Great War. Diana McCrea gave a reading of ‘My Boy Jack’, which is a 1916 poem by Rudyard Kipling who wrote it for Jack Cornwell, the 16 year old youngest recipient of the Victoria Cross who stayed by his post on board ship during the battle of Jutland until he died.
On the following day we visited Bagneux British Cemetery, deep in the French countryside. Several Canadian nursing sisters lie here beside their medical colleagues and some RAMC men, who died when their hospital took a direct hit. Together with members of The RAMC we planted crosses at the relevant graves.
The afternoon was spent in Albert, visiting the Basilica and the
A Soldier’s Kiss written by Henry Chapell, and The Final Inspection written by Sergeant Joshua Helterbran being read by Diana McCrea and Sergeant Cartwright
Members of QARANC and RAMC Associations planted crosses at the relevant graves at Bagneaux Cemetery
Underground Museum which is housed in centuries old tunnels running under the town. The steeple of the Basilica was hit during an air raid and the statue of Mary and Baby Jesus which sits on top was tipped over. It was said that when the statue fell the war would end. It fell in April 1918.
We then proceeded to La Boiselle and Loch Nagar Crater, a formidable site. The walkway around the crater rim now has brass memorial plaques on the slats, including one to Edith Cavell. A bench dedicated to all nurses and VADs has been donated by the Wenches in the Trenches organisation and provides a welcome place to rest and reflect.
Our final day started with a visit to the Royal Tank Memorial and the Animal War Memorial at Pozierres. From here we travelled the short distance to Thiepval memorial. Following a look around the visitor centre we made our way to the enormous memorial. It was sobering to see the names of so many who died on the Somme and have no known burial place – thousands and thousands of them. Again wreaths and crosses were laid by members of the party before the final readings. Diana McCrea and Sergeant Cartwright both did readings – A Soldier’s Kiss, written by Henry Chapell, and The Final Inspection, written by Sergeant Joshua Helterbran (US Army).
Following a quick visit the Newfoundland Memorial at Beaumont Hamel where some of the old trenches are still very obvious, we had lunch at Auchenvilliers Café on the Somme, known to troops during the war as “Ocean Villas” as it was easier to pronounce!
Thank you to The Not Forgotten Association for inviting members of the Association on this wonderful trip.
Diana McCrea
The Gazette QARANC Association 9