After the two days in delightful Bruges we moved on to the more sombre part of our trip as we visited the WW1 battlefields of Belgium and northern France. Many choir members would be visiting graves of relatives or graves on behalf of Bunbury people whom had responded to the choir's offer to visit their relatives who were buried there. Our first stop was Fromelles - scene of the heaviest loss of life ever in an Australian battle. We arrived as the rain started to pour down, and visited the memorial and then the new museum. Back on the coach we then visited other towns and memorials, each with their own graves and memories. Where we were visiting a specific grave we would pay our respects with a small ceremony, laying of poppies and a song. The last memorial to visit was Tyne Cot, NE from Ieper town centre. The sheer number of graves was overwhelming. The evening saw us at Menin Gate in Ieper for the Last Post ceremony that that has been held at 8.00pm each day since July 1928 - except for the period Ieper was occupied in WW2. John, Ian and Greg laid a wreath on behalf of the choir, and after the ceremony we sang under Menin Gate itself - a moving experience. After such a sobering day once back at the hotel some of us stayed up and watched the soccer before retiring.
Next day we headed off again , first visiting the grave of the great-uncle of a choir member, then driving to Herleville where Australian troops had liberated the town during the war and are still fondle remembered. There we were part of a commemorative service at the local memorial and afterwards sang for the townspeople in the adjacent church. We were then given a mayoral reception and
vin d'honore with champagne and canapes where we presented a shield from teh City of Bunbury. Then we were off to Villers-Bretonneur, another town with strong Australian ties. We were given another
vin d'honore - more champagne - before walking down to a town hall where the local ladies had prepared us lunch. It was then a short walk to the local church for a rehearsal before a concert for the town later in the afternoon. There was just enough time for a visit to the museum and Victoria school and travel to the nearby Australian Memorial where we sang from the top of the tower. Finally it was back to the Town Hall for a three course dinner prepared again by the town, before leaving at 9.00pm for the 90 minute trip home - then straight to bed.
Next day we headed off again , first visiting the grave of the great-uncle of a choir member, then driving to Herleville where Australian troops had liberated the town during the war and are still fondle remembered. There we were part of a commemorative service at the local memorial and afterwards sang for the townspeople in the adjacent church. We were then given a mayoral reception and vin d'honore with champagne and canapes where we presented a shield from teh City of Bunbury. Then we were off to Villers-Bretonneur, another town with strong Australian ties. We were given another vin d'honore - more champagne - before walking down to a town hall where the local ladies had prepared us lunch. It was then a short walk to the local church for a rehearsal before a concert for the town later in the afternoon. There was just enough time for a visit to the museum and Victoria school and travel to the nearby Australian Memorial where we sang from the top of the tower. Finally it was back to the Town Hall for a three course dinner prepared again by the town, before leaving at 9.00pm for the 90 minute trip home - then straight to bed.
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