I have just returned from the Somme after a four day battlefield tour. It was absolutely facinating. We visited the Xpres salient, Tyne Cot cemetary and Pascendale the first day then travelled down to the Somme on the second day where we visited various battle sites and memorials to the dead and missing. We had our own guide who knew absolutely everything about the area and he made it very interesting. If anyone is thinking of going, I can highly recommend one of these tours.
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That sounds like a really interesting, and different, holiday Jenny. And one that gave you a lot of food for thought I should think.

Tell them about the sheep, Jenny!

PS I thought it was 'Paschendale'...?... My grandfather, Henry Bolan was a sergeant in the Border Regiment and was blown up (literally) in the Somme. However, although he lost parts of a couple of fingers in his left hand & had his wrist badly damaged he survived until 1982 when he died aged almost 90 years old.

He said very little about his appalling experiences except that it was hell on earth. I recommend the novel, "Birdsong" by Sebastian Faulks to anyone half-interested in learning about this abominable episode.

Karrow, it was a very interesting, but very moving experience. You could hear a pin drop in the cemetaries, it was so quiet. People were very respectful.

Yes Ritz, the sheep!

There is a memorial park just outside the small village of Beaumont Hamel on the Somme. The entire park is a memorial to all the Canadians killed on the Somme. There are miles and miles of trenches and tunnels in the park, all perfectly preserved. This area was 'no mans land' during the battle. The general public cannot access them because they are enclosed by barbed wire. When we asked why, our guide explained that there were so many unexploded mines and shells buried there it is far too dangerous. So dangerous in fact, they cannot even mow the grass so they let sheep graze the area to keep the grass down. Every so often, a sheep blows up because it has disturbed one of the mines. The last lambplosion happened just over a year ago! It is Paschendale Ritz, sorry, slip of the fingers!

Nice one, Jen! Whilst exploding sheep is not in itself a cause for merriment, I think, overall, that it does have its funny side...beats the original situation, anyhow...

...oh, and by the way, Jen, Xpres is actually spelled Ypres
(I should have spotted that eight months ago...)

I was just seeing who was awake!