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Loos Battlefield from the Double Crassier
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Loos Battlefield from the Double Crassier |
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04 January 2012
read and download echo des tranchées 30 in english (see menu)
11 november 2011
see a link a footballeur of Loos in newpaper
02 november 2011
picture Hill 70
29 October 2011
see the article of JF Derry Piper Laidlaw
15 October 2011
you can download "echo des tranchées number 29" in english
25 September 2011
remember Loos at: lone tree
18 19 September 2011
European Patrimony days and 96 th anniversary battle of Loos
An exhibition will take place at Loos en gohelle (médiathèque) form the 17th to the 25th september this will include the 66 water color by the German painter Max Gehlsen. Waters colours that show localites in the coal field. Also unpublished photos by Australian tunnellers in Loos (hill70) and graphitti left by the canadian soldiers on the underground walls and video montage inside the tunnels.
The exhibition will be open to the public on 17th to 18th september from 9:30am to 12:am from 2 to 4 pm and museum open also walks will depart at 18 september 9:am
19 th to 25th september from 2 to 5 pm (médiathèque)
all free of charge
19 August 2011
Chipping Campden 1914-18 Book de Paul R Hughes
3 men from Chipping Campden died at Loos in 1915. Tom Smith and Willie Hedges were cousins who lived next door to each other. They worked together and then enlisted into the Gloucestershire Regiment on the same day. They had their photogrpahs taken on the same day and with the same pose. After arriving in France in August 1915 they both lost their lives on the opening day of the Battle of Loos, 25th September 1915. Charles Hedges was Willie Hedges's cousin. He was a pre-war regular soldier and was wounded on the Aisne in October 1914 before being killed in action at Loos a year later. None of the 3 Campden men have a known grave and all have their names
P.R.H
04 july 2011
all of the battle of Loos
the Book "Niall Cherry"
Auchy 1914 1918 "hohenzollern redoute" in french
05 June 2011
Greetings to all of you,
Estimated duration for the walk : 1.30 hour Walk to Auchy Hohenzollern redoubt on Sunday 5th June. Departure for the historical walk at 9.30 am
** Meeting point at the Auchy memorial for the 46th division (for the
GPS : located at the end of rue de Dunkerque)
** group departure from Loos to Auchy, meeting point Place de la Mairie, 5th June at 9. 10 am.
Please reply only if you are coming .............
15 May 2011:
La route du Louvre (marathon) near double crassier
30 March 2011
You can download and read "echo des tranchées number 27 in english
December
You can read "echo des tranchées number 26 in english"
19 October 2010
You can download and read echo des tranchees number 25
25 September 2010
Programme 95 anniversary of the battle of Loos
** Museum is open (free) 18,19 and 25 26 september 2010 (journey patrimoine and 95 th battle of Loos)
** Exhibition in the church at Loos en gohelle Battle of Loos ( 40 panels ..) 18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26 september 2pm 5pm
21 July 2010
a story of Private J Nicholls thanks all family
20 July 2010
You can download "echo des tranchées number 24 in english"
19 July 2010
** The youngers guide canadians ( Vimy) in loos (visit museum and Hill 70)
**a few members of association "Loos grande guerre" was in a ceremony at Fromelles (new cemetery Australian)
9 May 2010
Walking in the battlefield 95 anniversary first battle of Loos (see web site in french)
April 2010
You can download echo des tranchées in english (see menu) and german
28 th March
see menu "the walking in Loos"
March 2010
A family of Scotland send to association a story of " Alfred Leeds Yelf" This man have fought in Loos 1915, 6 th Battalion London Rifles awared "Croix de Guerre"
You can read and download a story of the Héroe here
January 2010
You can download echo des tranchées in english number 22 (see menu echo ses tranchées)
November the 11th 2009 Hohenzollern redoubt
Monsieur Gloriant and Monsieur Dedourge was fixed a bench in wood near the monument 46ième division at Auchy les mines.
"Presented to the city 4 th Lincs Regt ( TA) Hohenzollern redoubt survivors association"
October 2009
Captain Sorley, a Scotsman, was one of the great poets of the First World War. He was killed by a sniper at the Battle of Loos on October 13, 1915. He was just 20 years old.
September 2009
Journée du patrimoine
07 july 2009
read and download in english
écho des tranchées number 20
15 may 2009
German painting "Max Gelhsen"
Fire Loos by night
Trench german in Lorette
10 may 2009
La route du Louvre 2009
04 april 2009
walk in the country side (see menu randonnée)
22 March 2009
read echo des tranchées in english number 19
17 March 2009
A research team archeologue discovered one coin indian (roupie) near the "toupois".
Saturday 21 February 2009
Echo des tranchees in german
Walk in the countryside Loos battlefields Mont de Vermelles 22 & 29 March 2009 (see menu the walking in Loos)
Sunday 8 February
the 'assemblée générale" de association Loos grande guerre
Wednesday 17 december 2008
You can read "echo des tranchées" number 18 in english
Saturday 15 November 2008
Walk around Hohenzollern redoudt in Auchy
Sunday 7 september 2008: Hill 70
Pose de plaques par l'association the british columbia sur le chemin des croisettes à Loos
Mickael James O'Rourke et Robert Hill Hanna 2 victoria cross
With us for this ceremonie M Robert Hanna, Sergeant Major Hanna's son ..
15 August 2008
Prix VIMY 2008
Silence in a british cemeterie in Loos
the young british french, canadian laureates of "prix VIMY 2008" are meditated in a british cemeterie in LOOS.
11 July 2008
Echo des tranchées in english
22 February 2008
Open in the town ARRAS " a Wellington tunnel"
for more information click here
10 February 2008
a new film of the book " my boy jack" with the actor Dan Radcliffe
" a link dailymotion" click
12 December 2007
Echo des tranchées number 14 in english
see menu" echo des tranchées"
02 november 2007
a new forum is open in this site. You can see a other site of the 3 battle of Loos, a books, ...
15 august 2007
90 th anniversary of the battle hill 70 loos lens
On the day, the participants much appreciated the remembrance walk led and commented by the president of our association.Along the route we did indeed follow the 1st German line, the no man's land, the 1st Canadian line and also we were able to see the famous Hill 70. In the British cemetery we stood a moment in silence at Perry and Stock's graves then the A-R-A-C-A association paid homage to the Amerindians at the tomb of Bernard. The ceremony was brought to an end with the laying of flowers by the elected members of the municipality, members of the Vimy foundation, of the Commonwealth and by the ex-consul of Belgium to Quebec.
09 august 2007
thank you very much Madam Green for a translation "echo des tranchées"
to read here
18 July 2007
90th anniversary of the 3th battle of loos
Program:(free)
15 August 2007
Rendez-vous: rue Becquerel à Loos en gohelle 9:15 am ( near route de béthune)
"marche du souvenir " in the hill 70 during 1h30, you can "see " the first line german, no man's land, the line canadien, hill 70
photo
10 June 2007
The 90 th anniversary of the battle of Vimy
9th April 2007 : 90th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy
The Loos War Museum stand at Vimy attracted a great deal of interest from Canadian visitors to its display devoted to the Battle of Hill 70.
Brad Brown from Waverley, Nova Scotia, and his father, Harold Browne, from Ottawa, stand beside a montage dedicated to the life – and death – of Brad’s great-great uncle, Private Harold Barker, 5th Battalion, C.E.F. who was killed in the attack on Hill 70 on August 15th, 1917. Brad discovered the website of the Loos War Museum, whilst preparing to visit Vimy for the 90th anniversary. In ‘The Tunnel’ page, Brad found a photograph of his great-great uncle’s name, written on the chalk tunnel wall by him, as he passed through on his way to his battalion’s attack positions. After contacting the Museum, Brad, his brother Chris, and their father were taken down the tunnels, to see and touch Harold’s last words. After sharing some moments with the lost member of their family, Brad left his medal ribbons on the wall, close to Harold’s name.
After nearly 90 years in the darkness, Harold Barker’s last words are now joined by the medal ribbons of Brad Browne, his great-great-nephew
The battle for hill 70
FORGOTTEN VICTORY
The Battle of Loos was not the only huge offensive to take place in the
vicinity of Loos, nor was Vimy Ridge the only huge attack undertaken by
the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1917. This year sees the 90th Anniversary
of the Battle of Hill 70, on August 15th.
To read a new account of this battle, click here
13 October 2006
Hohenzollern Redoudt
inauguration of the monument in Auchy les mines
10th march 2006
Assemblée générale de l'association
Participation à la manisfestation
LA ROUTE DU LOUVRE
http://www.laroutedulouvre.fr/
31 january 2006
Film of the 90 th anniversary commemoration LOOS
The Great War association in Loos, has produced a film of the 90th Anniversary commemorations, covering all four scheduled events of the weekend, plus the confidential presentation of Piper Daniel Laidlaw’s Victoria Cross to the curator of the Scottish War museum. The film captures the sights and sounds of the weekend, with its Pipe Bands and soldiers and, it is hoped, will appeal not only to those fortunate enough to have witnessed the memorable occasion, but also those who were unable to attend to pay their respects to all those who had fought and died in the area. The film is 54 minutes long, and has been studio-edited to give it a ‘professional look’ and it includes titles and subtitles. It is available in DVD or video form from the event organiser, Peter Last, Sanderling, Chapel Lane, Great Wakering, Essex, SS3 0EH or via peterlastpost@onetel.com Cheques for £8 should be made payable to Peter, but all proceeds, less the cost of materials, post & packing, will be passed to the association,, here in Loos, to go towards our work in promoting the memory of the battle, and the British soldiers who fought in it.
THE BATTLE OF LOOS 90TH ANNIVERSARY OPENING CEREMONY AT ST.MARY’S A.D.S. CEMETERY A.M.SATURDAY, 24TH SEPTEMBER 2005
The Commemorations of the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of Loos were, in the words of the senior British VIP present, "an outstanding success". All four advertised events were well attended, and they turned out to be even more memorable than they promised to be. Reports and photographs relating to these ceremonies, plus a fifth one which had to be held behind closed doors, will appear on this site over the next few days. The weekend began with a wreathlaying ceremony at St.Mary's A.D.S. British Cemetery, which had been proposed by the people of the nearby town of Haisnes. This had been suggested to coincide with an exhibition on the Battle of Loos, which was being held in a local hall, in conjunction with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. As some of the British participants had not arrived at their hotels until the early hours of Saturday morning, there was a delay in the arrival of some of the coaches at the cemetery. However, when the contingent representing the London Irish Rifles finally arrived, their Band President, Mr.Jim MacLeod, immediately took charge of the proceedings, which were opened by the excellent local town band. Three buglers from the Light Infantry then played the Last Post, which was then followed by the lament 'The Flowers of the Forest', beautifully played by a magnificently uniformed piper of The Black Watch. This proved too much for the emotions of many of those present, surrounded, as they were, by so many white stones standing proudly over the bodies of so many fallen British soldiers. As the seconds of the Two Minutes Silence ticked by, more and more handkerchiefs appeared among the gathering. After Jim MacLeod had delivered the Exhortation, wreaths and flowers were laid by British and French representatives. Retired Colonel Bill Dawson, from the Royal Leicestershire Regiment Association, concluded the ceremony by thanking the French hosts for making the British contingent so welcome. He added that the large number of French and British people present showed that the sacrifice of all those who had fallen in the Battle of Loos had clearly not been forgotten. The Town Band then played the British and French anthems, before the more than thirty French standard bearers filed slowly past the Stone of Remembrance, lowering their tricolour flags in salute as they did so, while two local girls scattered poppies around the stone. The short, but very dignified, ceremony had clearly made an impression on those present, both French and British. I shall always remember being greeted afterwards by an emotional Scottish friend, with the words "That was wonderful, just wonderful!" and by an elderly French gentleman, who made a point of shaking my hand and saying "Thankyou for our liberty!" After the ceremony, most people drove to Haisnes, where, despite their
lack of sleep the previous night, a number of pipers and drummers from
the London Irish Rifles band formed a circle, in front of the exhibition
hall, and entertained a gathering of local people with a selection of
traditional melodies. Everybody then entered the hall, and enjoyed the
provided refreshments while they browsed among the displays of the excellent,
well planned exhibition. Peter Last
THE PIPER LAIDLAW, V.C. RE-ENACTMENT
After the excellent start to the Anniversary weekend, a convoy of spectators travelled a few miles south to Loos-en-Gohelle, where they obtained lunch and refreshments, before gathering in front of the Mairie. Here, approximately 500 French and British people lined up behind a contingent of King's Own Scottish Borderers, led by Captain Ben Birkbeck. At the sound of the bagpipes, a seemingly endless column of happily chatting soldiers, regimental association members and civilians, moved off in the direction of the old front line. As the parade left the town behind, and the single-lane road to Vermelles rose steadily towards the old German positions, the incline, and the warm weather proved a little too much for some of the older veterans, who were forced to rest on the roadside banks. However, a number of cars were following the column, and these collected the 'stragglers' and transported them the rest of the way. As the spectators rested in the sunshine, three young men quietly left the group, and continued to walk along the road to the approximate location of the old British frontline. It was here, 90 years previously, that Piper Daniel Laidlaw had climbed out of the trench, and marched up and down the parapet, to encourage his young, inexperienced comrades, of the 7th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers, in their first-ever attack. The stirring tunes that he played soon had the Scots heading for the German positions, and, despite being wounded, Laidlaw went with them, armed only with his bagpipes, which he continued to play. He was finally silenced by a second wound, but, by the time he was collected by the overworked stretcher-bearers, he had the satisfaction of knowing that his colleagues had captured the German frontline and the strongpoint known as 'Loos Road Redoubt'. Piper Laidlaw's exploits were later recognised by the award of the Victoria Cross, and the Croix de Guerre. Ninety years on, the three young men reached the old British frontline, turned round, and immediately began marching briskly back towards the main group of spectators, who were so busy chatting that they were unaware of the historic re-enactment which was already taking place. However, a sharp clap of hands, and a chorus of hushes, soon silenced them, and the faint sound of bagpipes immediately attracted their attention to the trio marching purposefully towards them. As they drew closer, it was possible to see that the two outer pipers were men of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, but the piper in the middle, though wearing traditional Scottish dress, was not in military uniform. This young man was Kevin Laidlaw, great-grandson of Daniel, who, like his father Bob, and uncle, Victor Loos Laidlaw, had travelled from their homes near Edinburgh, to pay homage to their famous ancestor. Following a loud toast in Gaellic, the three men then drank a well-earned tot of whisky, before the surprise of the day was provided by Victor, when he produced a polished wooden casket. He opened this to reveal a row of medals, with the Victoria Cross at one end, and the Croix de Guerre at the other. Much to the astonishment of the young Scottish soldiers, they were invited to be photographed with the medals won by this piper of their very own regiment. Suitably refreshed, the three pipers then collected their instruments and headed back to town, playing another medley of Scottish tunes. They were followed by the smiling spectators, who had been privileged to witness this unique, and very appropriate, tribute to one man's bravery. I would like to dedicate this account to Isabelle Pilarowski, my co-organiser, who worked so hard, and so selflessly, to make the commemorations such a success, and, for whom, this re-enactment provided the most moving, and memorable experience of the weekend. Peter Last.
THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL SERVICE AT LOOS BRITISH CEMETERY.A.M. SUNDAY, 25TH SEPTEMBER, 2005.
Photographie de Peter Boalch
The night of 24/25th September, 1915, had been damp and miserable for the thousands of British soldiers waiting nervously in their trenches. Composed not only of regular and territorial soldiers, but also men from Kitchener's first 100,000 volunteers, many of the nominated attacking force would be seeing action for the first time. For all too many, it would also be the last time….. Ninety years later, the mood of the military personnel in the vicinity of Loos was entirely different. In the grounds of the Hotel Campanile on top of the infamous Hill 70, musicians of the band of the London Scottish Regiment were enjoying a relaxed practice session in the evening sunlight. At the nearby Lensotel, the London Irish Rifles were hosting a 130-seat Regimental Dinner for members of their regimental association, a party of their serving soldiers, and also their band. Time was taken, after the meal, to remember the men of the regiment who, as part of the 47th (London) Division had fought and fallen in The Battle of Loos. As the band members were staying in the Hotel Moderne in the centre of Arras, they had to take their leave relatively early, so that they could make final preparations for the morrow. For some of them, this meant staging an impromptu concert in front of the hotel! The sound of their pipes and drums soon attracted an appreciative audience of local residents, as well as the local police. A patrol car pulled up, the policemen had a quick word and then drove off, never to return, and the musicians continued until about 2 a.m! The following morning, their mood was more subdued as they assembled in front of three thousand graves of men who had fallen in the area, many of them exactly ninety years before. The united bands of the London Scottish Regiment and The London Irish Rifles were the first to form up in the open central area of Loos British Cemetery, close to the Cross of Sacrifice. The incredible sound from the forty pipers and drummers heralded the entrance of more than a hundred serving soldiers in the multi-coloured 'Number Two' uniforms of twelve different regiments. As they formed up along one side of the enclosed area, they were followed by well over two hundred members of many different regimental associations. These men were dressed in a wide variety of coloured blazers, caps, kilts and trousers, most of them proudly displaying rows of medals on their chests, just above their regimental badges, and they formed up on the other side of the enclosure, facing the uniformed soldiers. Her Majesty's Consul-General, Mr.Clive Alderton, then led the V.I.P.s into position, just in front of the Stone of Remembrance. These included the Sous-Prefet of Lens, Monsieur Roger Reuter, the Mayor of Loos, Monsieur Jean-Francois Caron, and the British Military Attache in Paris, Brigadier Tim Gregson. Conducting the Service of Remembrance was the Reverend Roy Farrar, from Christ Church, in Lille. As he approached the Cross of Sacrifice, he walked slowly past the three drums which had been stacked to symbolise the make-shift altars which would traditionally have been erected by British soldiers, on the eve of past battles, so that their padre could conduct a 'drumhead service' for them. Before commencing the service, Roy invited all present to take a moment to think of those men who, exactly ninety years before, would have been fighting in The Battle of Loos. He then opened the service with introductory prayers which led to the singing of the familiar hymn which concludes with the painfully appropriate words…….
The Consul General read The Lesson, St.John 15, verses 9 - 17, in English and French, and, following further prayers, The Lord's Prayer led to The Act of Remembrance. The Last Post was played by three immaculately dressed buglers of The Light Infantry, which now encompasses so many historic regiments of the British Army. As the last sounds of the bugles died away, they were replaced by the first haunting notes of 'The Flowers of The Forest', sensitively delivered by the traditionally-attired piper from The Black Watch. As he walked slowly away from the ceremony, the poignant final notes of the lament faded into the stillness which followed. There can surely be no more appropriate a place in which to observe The Last Post, than in the middle of a British military cemetery, surrounded by the equally silent graves of so many men destined to never return to their homes and loved ones. For those of us fortunate enough never to have placed our lives in danger in a war zone, it was a privilege, and an honour, to share this moment with so many British men, whose be-medalled chests proclaimed that they had served their country in overseas conflicts. These were not just the veterans of the different regimental associations, but also the young men who had been under fire in such places as Kosovo and, latterly, Iraq, to where, regrettably, some of these men would shortly be returning. The sounding of the Reveille brought a brief respite from the solemnity, but then the achingly-familiar words "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old…" reminded us why we were all gathered there. Unusually, these words were read by an unmistakably young French voice, as the local school had very kindly agreed to allow one of their students to pay this tribute to the men who had journeyed from Britain, only to die whilst trying to liberate their homes. So bravely, and so distinctly, did 11 year-old Pierre Zibret deliver these words, which were so unfamiliar to him, but so familiar to his audience, that, for many, it was one of the more memorable moments of a very memorable occasion. After the assembly had responded with the words "We will remember them", the VIP's walked slowly forward to lay their wreaths and flowers on the top step in front of the cross. These were followed by representatives of the serving regiments and regimental associations until the cross was completely encircled by the tributes. The Reverend Roy Farrar then returned to deliver the Blessing, to bring the ceremony to a close, and hand the proceedings back to the military.
Photographie de Andy Pay
The Parade was brought to attention, and the assembled Pipes and Drums struck up a rousing tune to accompany the soldiers and veterans as they marched proudly out of the enclosed area, before assembling again in the road outside the cemetery. The band, now augmented by pipers of the King's Own Scottish Borderers and The Black Watch, then took up their position at the head of the column which now extended for well over a hundred metres up the road, towards what had once been the enemy positions. It took so long to assemble this huge gathering that, regrettably, the Parade began to march down the Rue Roger Salengro before the large contingent from the local Fire Brigade was able to take its traditional place near the front of the column. The unfamiliar sound of the bagpipes brought many of the local residents to their front-doors and windows, and they smiled as the stirring music, and the sight and sound of the seemingly endless column of marching soldiers and veterans, passed them by. They were brought to a temporary halt at the Town War Memorial, where the proceedings were quite properly passed to local care, and a very sensitively arranged ceremony was presented in memory of the many local residents who had died during The First World War. The excellent local band and choir had obviously gone to a great deal of trouble to arrange and present a memorable performance of 'Amazing Grace'. After the speeches and wreathlaying, the local band played the National Anthems of both countries, before handing the formalities back to the British for another playing of The Last Post, performed this time by buglers of the London Irish Rifles. After a further two-minutes silence, and Reveille, the buglers rejoined the band, who recommenced their musical march towards the centre of town, with the rest of the parade following closely behind, including the VIP's. After passing in front of The Mairie, with its display of French Tricolours and British Union Jacks, the parade was finally brought to a halt, and, after marching for a mile in the unseasonably warm weather, the weary participants were, at last, able to relax. The Mayor and people of Loos had very kindly arranged a Civic Reception in the spacious surroundings of the Salle Varet sports hall, which, very appropriately for the occasion, had been erected immediately next to the site of the famous 'Tower Bridge' twin-winding tower. This enormous construction had once been a familiar sight to all the soldiers who had served in the Loos area, before finally being destroyed in 1916. Once everybody had entered the hall, the Mayor of Loos welcomed the VIP's, guests, and all those who had taken part in the mornings proceedings. He then made special presentations to the family of Piper Daniel Laidlaw, V.C., mentioning the re-enactment which had taken place the previous afternoon, and also to the family of John Young Brown, of the Cameron Highlanders, whose long-lost remains had been found, identified, and re-buried, the previous October. (They had journeyed back from Scotland, not only for the 90th Anniversary of the battle, but also the 90th anniversary of John's death on 26th September 1915, which had also been his twentieth birthday.) The Mayor pointed out that the 25th September, 2005, was not only the 90th anniversary of The Battle of Loos, but also the 90th anniversary of the liberation of Loos-en-Gohelle, and that the men who had fought here would always be remembered by the people of the town. He then went on to thank all those who had played a part in arranging the commemorations, including the members of the local historical association 'Sur les traces de la Grande Guerre', and emphasised the importance he attached to remembering the Battle of Loos, by announcing that he intended to expand the excellent local war museum. He made a special point of thanking the invaluable Isabelle Pilarowski, who had been translating Monsieur Caron's speech into English, and then had the embarrassing task of delivering, in English, a clearly modest abbreviation of his appreciation of her hard work! The Mayor then concluded his speech by presenting Isabelle with a large bouquet of flowers. The Consul-General, Clive Alderton, speaking in French and English, then thanked the Mayor for holding the 90th Anniversary Commemorations in his town, and for the welcome that had been extended to the many British visitors who had come to Loos for the occasion. He then reminded the assembly of the importance of the Battle of Loos to the British people, and to the British Army, and emphasised the huge numbers of men who had taken part, and then fallen, in the conflict. He echoed the Mayor's appreciation of all those who had played a part in organising the commemorations. The formalities were concluded by an impassioned speech by the honoured guest, the Sous-Prefet of Lens, Monsieur Roger Reuter. The speeches over, the hundreds of soldiers, bandsmen, veterans and others who had been taking part in the morning ceremonies were invited to a very generous lunch and refreshments, kindly provided by the Mayor and his staff, and enjoyed by all.
THE
BAND PARADE AT AUCHY-LES-MINES
Photographie Andy Pay
After the very successful Memorial Service, and parade through Loos, in the morning, and the hospitality enjoyed by all at the Mayor's Civic Reception, the next challenge facing the hundreds of bandsmen, soldiers and veterans, was to find their way to Auchy-les-Mines, for the afternoon parade. Although this was only 5 miles away, and adequate maps were provided, the fact that the participants were travelling in a variety of vehicles, from cars to 50-seater coaches, meant that it was inevitable that some would go astray! This placed an additional burden on those in charge of the parade, as the time scheduled for the event was already expected to be tight. However, some coaches managed to arrive at the planned assembly area so early, that the passengers rapidly disembarked and disappeared into a number of nearby bars and cafes. When the party of the London Scottish Regiment arrived, and the organising sergeant-major learnt of the absentees disappearance, his response was unprintable! A small group of 'amateur Provost Marshals' was quickly organised, and they managed to round up the missing men with plenty of time to spare. The parade then began to take shape, with the massive contingent of Pipes and Drums spread right across the road, and the soldiers and veterans falling into the positions planned by the Parade Commander, Major Conrad Giles, and Company Sergeant-Major Adrian Cornell, of the London Scottish Regiment. However, one small group of soldiers of The Black Watch, was still missing, and, importantly, this included the piper nominated to play the final lament of the weekend. Fortunately, after a hasty discussion, Jim McLucas of the London Scottish band agreed to temporarily abandon his duties as Pipe-Major, to play the lament instead. With just minutes to go, I went back to the square to have one last look for The Black Watch party, and, fortunately, caught sight of the tall figure of Captain John Bailey of that regiment, so I knew the piper couldn't be far away. Sure enough, he immediately appeared, ready to play, so I, literally, ran back to the assembly road, to advise Jim McLucas, but I was too late to tell Major Giles, who was, just then calling the parade to order. To the stirring sound of the combined Pipes and Drums, the extended column immediately set off for the High Street, before right-wheeling into the main square, past the local War Memorial, and Mairie. As the band approached the church at the far end of the square, Major Giles brought the rest of the parade to a halt, and ordered them to face left, so that they were facing across the square to the platform, where the VIP's were standing. These included Her Majesty's Consul-General, Mr.Clive Alderton, the Sous-Prefet of Bethune, Monsieur Francis Vuibert, the Mayor of Auchy-les-Mines, Monsieur Jean Clarisse, and the British Military Attache from Paris, Brigadier Tim Gregson. As the plan was for the formal ceremonials to take place first, the VIP's were led from the platform, to stand in front of the War Memorial. Band President Jim MacLeod then ordered the three buglers from the Light Infantry to play the Last Post, for the last time. This was, once again, followed by the Black Watch piper, playing 'The Flowers of the Forest' for the third and final time of the Anniversary weekend. As before, half way through the lament, he began to slow-march along the High Street, away from the Memorial. As he disappeared from view behind the tall buildings, the sound faded with him, and finally died away to introduce the Two Minutes Silence, although, so moving was his performance, that it was followed by a smattering of applause from a handful of well-meaning local people. The sound of Reveille from the buglers, followed by the Marseillaise, played by the town band, was the VIP's cue to return to their positions on the platform. The Mayor, Monsieur Jean Clarisse, then made the first speech, translated into English by Isabelle Pilarowski, welcoming his guests and the British contingent to his town, and continued with some very impassioned words about the Battle of Loos, and the tragedy of warfare in general. This was followed by an appropriate response from the Consul-General, who thanked the Mayor for welcoming the British contingent to Auchy, and thanked all the assembled soldiers, bandsmen and veterans for making the Anniversary Commemorations such a success. With the formalities over, the Parade Commander, Major Conrad Giles, then asked permission, from the Consul-General, to continue with the parade, following which, the combined Pipes and Drums of The London Scottish Regiment, and The London Irish Rifles, began their parade, marching up and down the square, whilst playing a medley of stirring traditional melodies. All too soon, the entertainment was over, and Major Giles once more approached the platform, for permission to dismiss the parade for a final time. He then brought the assembly to attention, took his position at the front of the column, and, to the accompaniment of the band, proudly led his men past the platform, saluting the gathered VIP's, as they did so. As they proceeded along the square, and left-wheeled into the High Street, they were rewarded with continuous applause from the French and British spectators. This was no more than they deserved, as the combined London Regiment band had, literally, played a part in three of the weekend events. The Black Watch piper had played the lament at three of the ceremonies, as well as joining the massed band for its triumphant parade through Loos. Whilst speaking of the pipers, I must pay full credit to the two excellent musicians, attired in the traditional pipers uniform of The King's Own Scottish Borderers, Corporal Michael Hogarth and Lance-Corporal George Smith. They had attended all five events, and very willingly played at four of them. Everywhere they went, the squad of soldiers also went, and I would particularly like to thank their officer commanding, Captain Ben Birkbeck, for his enthusiastic support throughout the weekend. Any time I asked if he could do something for me, he would reply "Peter, you just say where you want us to be, and what you want us to do, and we we'll be there" - and he was! (Interestingly, they are now in the Falklands, but that wasn't my idea!) So many individuals helped us over the weekend that they are too numerous to list, but I must single out two men who came to my rescue by agreeing to take over the concluding Auchy parade, at a very late stage. Jim MacLeod, President of The London Irish Rifles band, had already 'saved the day' at the opening ceremony at St.Mary's A.D.S. cemetery, but he also helped to organise the combined bands display at Auchy, as well as The Light Infantry buglers sounding The Last Post and Reveille. He really committed himself to ensuring that the musical part of the Auchy ceremony was the huge success that it turned out to be. In overall charge of this final event, was Major Conrad Giles, Commanding-Officer of The London Scottish Regiment. He, like Jim, left 'no stone unturned' in his meticulous planning of this parade, and his obvious admiration of the band, and co-operation with them, all played a part in bringing the weekend events to a memorable conclusion. One of my main objectives for the Commemorations was that the men who fought and died at Loos would be remembered by representatives of their own regiment, no matter what that might now be titled. Instrumental in producing the names and addresses of those regiments, in their current guise, providing additional background information and history, and also writing to some of them, was fellow First World War enthusiast, Andrew Thornton. I am very grateful to Andrew, for all the time he saved me, and I was delighted that he was granted special dispensation from his job, at a very busy time, so that he could travel to Loos, to witness the spectacular results of his labour. Finally, I would like to record my appreciation of the help and support of Her Majestys Consul-General, Mr.Clive Alderton. He had already demonstrated his commitment to the preservation of our First World War heritage, by attending the military funeral, last October, of John Young Brown, of the Cameron Highlanders, and then playing an active role in the negotiations over the site of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. When I first approached him regarding proposals for remembering the 90th anniversary of the battle, he immediately offered his full support and, from that day through to the anniversary weekend, he was as good as his word. On the 25th itself, he read the Lesson at the Memorial Service, and made a very good speech at the following Civic Reception, both being expertly presented in French and English. In the afternoon, he also gave a bilingual speech at the Auchy ceremony in front of the two French VIP's with the most say in the future of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. Having worked with him so closely, for so long, and witnessed his undoubted diplomatic skills at first hand, I, personally, have no doubt that British interests in northern France could not be in better hands. Our Military Attache in Paris, Brigadier Tim Gregson, once alerted by Clive, also offered his full support, and guided me through the procedure for obtaining permission for British soldiers to wear uniforms on French streets. Although Tim was not required to make any speeches, he took the trouble to come from Paris, to attend both events on the Sunday, and to play his part in mixing with the French dignitaries. So ended the most memorable weekend of my life, and, I suspect, a great many of those taking part or spectating. I have received numerous letters and emails from units and individuals, thanking Isabelle and myself, for all the work we had put in over the preceding eight months. Once 'the ball was rolling', there was no question for me that I owed it to all those who had fought at Loos that I had to see the project though its conclusion. Being 'early-retired' and British, I, at least, had the time and inbuilt patriotism to do this, but for Isabelle, it was different. She has a full-time job running the First World War association and museum, as well as the BMU mining heritage organisation, and, despite her obvious commitment to the remembrance of the soldiers who fought in The Battle of Loos, she assures me that she has no British blood in her veins! Therefore, she has had to resort to helping me with planning and organising so many things by doing most of it in her own time. This has necessitated making great sacrifices in her social and personal life, and going without a holiday for eight months. I would like to think that her unselfish contribution to this British cause will be recognised by an increase in the number of British visitors to her excellent museum in Loos, and requests to experience the spectacular view from the Double-Crassier - where else can you actually get a bird's-eye view of a real battlefield? As I said at the beginning, hopefully, this series of accounts will not only bring back some special memories to those who attended the commemorations, but also give those who missed it, a chance to share some of the experiences. As I watched the plans unfold into a visual and aural spectacle, a phrase from an account of another military event, which also took place on French soil, kept coming into my head……….
"Gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves accurs'd
they were not here."
25 september 1915 2005
90 years ago .....
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THE BATTLE OF LOOS 90TH ANNIVERSARY
The busy programme of events scheduled for the Anniversary weekend, 24/25th September, has, at last been finallised. Nearly 400 soldiers, bandsmen and veterans from 20 regiments will be taking part. The music throughout the weekend will be provided by 40 members of the excellent Pipes, Drums and Bugles of the London Regiment, enhanced by pipers from the King's Own Scottish Borderers and The Black Watch, and up to nine buglers from The Light Infantry! Peter Last 18.09.05 SATURDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER.
1.Haisnes / St.Mary's A.D.S.Cemetery. The people of Haisnes are holding an exhibition on the Battle of Loos, in conjunction with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This will be open from 10 a.m. In addition, they plan to hold a wreath-laying ceremony at St.Mary's A.D.S.Cemetery at 11 a.m. This will be attended by the Mayor of Haisnes, his deputees, local people, and the town band. They have invited British soldiers and veterans to join them in these commemorations, and the Pipes of the London Irish Rifles will add their music to the occasion. Buglers will then play The Last Post and Reveille, which will be followed by a Lament played by a Piper of The Black Watch, as a tribute to the many men of his regiment who still lie within the cemetery walls. The participants will then drive to Haisnes, where they will be welcomed to a 'Vin d'Honneur' reception by the local Mayor. (Please note that, in order to avoid parking difficulties at the cemetery, it should be possible to go to Haisnes first, from where coaches will be operating a 'Park and Ride' service to St.Mary's A.D.S., and where they will collect you afterwards, and return you to Haisnes.).
2. Tribute to Piper Laidlaw V.C. At the opening of the Battle of Loos, Piper Daniel Laidlaw, of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, climbed onto the parapet of the British line and played the bagpipes to encourage his comrades attacking the German front-line. He then turned, and advanced with them, still playing, and it was only when he was hit a second time that he stopped. The attack was successful in breaching the enemy line, and he was awarded the Victoria Cross in recognition of his famous exploit. A piper from his regiment will be paying homage to his bravery, by playing the same tunes, as he advances towards the old German front-line. Two of Daniel Laidlaw's grandsons will be present, and it will be an emotional experience for them, and the rest of us, as great-grandson, Kevin, himself an accomplished piper, will also play his pipes, as he follows in his famous forefather's footsteps! Anybody wishing to attend this unique event should assemble at 2.30 p.m. on the square in front of the Mairie (town hall), in Loos, before taking a 20 minute walk to the old German lines. The Great War Museum in Loos, which is located on the left side of the Mairie, will be open for most of the weekend, and, apart from possessing an excellent collection relating to the battle, it should be possible to arrange guided visits from there to the site of the famous 'Double Crassier', from whose 85 metre height, most of the battlefield may be viewed. Binoculars will be useful! SUNDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER
3. Loos British Cemetery The bands will arrive at the cemetery at 9.00 a.m. The British military contingent will then climb back into their transport and head north to Auchy-les-Mines, the closest town to the site of the notorious Hohenzollern Redoubt.
4. Parade and Beating the Retreat in Auchy-les-Mines town centre They will reassemble in Auchy and, at 3.30 p.m., they will march onto the Town 'Square' in front of the Mairie, under the command of Major Conrad Giles of The London Scottish Regiment. The bands will then take over and present a Musical Display, based on the famous 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony, followed by The Last Post and Reveille, performed by the assembled Buglers. A Lone Piper will play a final Lament, whose last, plaintive notes will bring an end to what will, hopefully, be a very busy, but memorable weekend for everyone fortunate enough to be there, and which will, hopefully, be a worthy tribute to all the men who fought in The Battle of Loos - especially those who never went home……….
CAFES & RESTAURANTS HOTELS Some of the hotels in the area are already full on the Saturday night. The Lensotel in Centre Commercial Lens 2 and the Novotel at Noyells-Godault are both full, but the Campanile at Hill 70 on the Route de la Bassee (tel.no. 0033-321-28-82-82) might have a few double-rooms left. There is another Campanile not far away at Noyelles-Godault (tel.no.
0033-321-76-26-26) and there is the 2 Star Artois Hotel at Rond Point
d'Eleu (tel : 0033-321-13.46.46) and the 3 Star hotel 'Espace Bollaert'
between Loos and Lens (tel : 0033-321-78-30-30)
16 September 2005
Loos Programme
If you want to have more information about the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Loos, you can download
this file:
21 June 2005
THE BATTLE OF LOOS - 90TH ANNIVERSARY
The association 'sur les traces de la grande guerre' is very pleased to announce that, on the weekend of 24/25th September, this year, the people of Loos will be welcoming the British Army back to the town. Exactly 90 years from the day when British soldiers fought their way through the rubble-strewn streets of the town, to free the citizens from almost a year of enemy occupation, a Memorial Service will be held on Sunday 25th September. This will be one of a series of events being planned for the weekend, and details of these will appear on this website, as they are confirmed. The two main ceremonies will take place, on the Sunday morning in Loos, and, in the afternoon, in Auchy-les-Mines, at times to be confirmed. The morning Memorial Service will be held in Loos British Cemetery, which contains the graves of nearly 3,000 men, most of whom died in the Battle of Loos. This will be attended by men of many different regiments, which fought at Loos, and they will provide pipers to play laments, and buglers to play the Last Post. Following the service, there will be a parade through the streets of Loos, via the Town War Memorial, by soldiers, and Regimental Association members, who will be accompanied by two Pipe Bands. The parade will end at a local hall, where those taking part will be welcomed by the Mayor of Loos, Monsieur Jean-Francois Caron. In the afternoon, in Auchy-les-Mines, there will be a ceremony
to remember the men who fought at the nearby Hohenzollern Redoubt, and
in the northern half of the battlefield. This will be followed by a parade
through the streets by the Pipes and Drums of the regiments, together
with soldiers and Regimental Association members, to a destination to
be confirmed, where they will be received by the Mayor of Auchy, Monsieur
Jean Clarisse.
10 April 2005
Following the successful identification of the remains of a soldier of the 6th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, and his funeral with Full Military Honours in October, a special display has been created in his memory, in the museum here in Loos. This is in the form of documents, letters and colour photographs, and covers an extensive area. The discovery of the remains, and the research which led to the identification of Lance-Corporal John Young Brown, is described in the latest issue of the Western Front Association magazine, 'Stand To!' If you have not read this article, you can access it by clicking here…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 2005
a good link of the battle of Loos Paul Reed see the link Andrew Thornton
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 29 October 2004
The Grandsons of Major General Thesiger visited Loos battlefield on 18th/19th September 2004
On
25th September 1915, six divisions of the British Army attacked
the German front line stretching from the La Bassée Canal to Lens. The
most significant objective was a flat-topped slagheap, known to the British
as ‘The Dump’ which, although it was only 20 feet high, gave excellent
views in all directions. As this was so close to the front line, the Hohenzollern
Redoubt was created as a formidable strongpoint jutting into No-Man’s
Land. The
unenviable task of capturing The Dump fell to the 9th (Scottish)
Division under their new Commanding Officer, 46 year-old Major-General
Thesiger. Despite
heavy defensive fire, the Scottish soldiers stormed through these two
positions and, within an hour, both were captured. However, heavy casualties,
especially on the flanks of the 9th Division, brought the advance
to a halt. This gave the enemy the chance to recover and they were soon
mounting counter-attacks which were repelled until, in the early hours
of the 27th, combining a head-on assault with bombers working
their way along the trench systems with their vastly superior grenades.
The weary defenders were eventually forced to withdraw back to the Hohenzollern
Redoubt. Learning of these reverses, Major-General Thesiger, who had only
taken over the division on the 9th of September, went forward
to assess the situation for himself. This brave initiative was doomed,
however, as he was killed at the eastern face of the Redoubt, and his
body lost. Many
years later, there was a poignant sequel when two of his grandsons were
welcomed to the area by Jean-Luc Gloriant, a member of our association
who had been researching the fighting in the area for the last ten years.
The two Buckley brothers, and their wives, first visited the chateau at
Sailly-Labourse, where the 9th Division had their headquarters.
They then visited our museum in Loos, followed by the nearby Dud Corner
cemetery, where they laid a wreath beneath the name of their grandfather,
on the Memorial Wall to the Missing. The following day, they were taken to the site of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, where Jean-Luc showed them the place where the Major-General had lost his life. The brothers were then received by M.Jean Clarisse, mayor of the nearby Auchy-les-Mines, who stressed the commitment of the partnership of his town with Loos to remember the sacrifice of the British soldiers who had fought and died in the area. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
26 October 2004
Funeral of Lance Corporal John Young Brown
6th
Battalion The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders Wesnesday
20th October 2004 Loos British Cemetery, Loos-en-Gohelle, France Peter
Last
The
whole ceremony went quite superbly – nobody can perform ceremonial occasions
like the British Army, here represented
by the latest ‘evolution’ of the highland regiments, now called The Highlanders,
who provided a piper who played laments and also accompanied several hymns,
a bugler in traditional uniform, two bearer-parties and a six-man firing
party. The Army was represented by several high-ranking officers and the
military attaché in Paris. The
main British guests were, of course, the family of the identified soldier
John Young Brown and the other British representatives were led by Her
Majesty’s.Consul-General for Northern France, Mr.Clive Alderton, plus
Miss Vicky Parkinson, head of the Post Office Heritage Unit who had provided
vital information in the identification of John Young Brown, and WFA member
Peter Boalch who laid a wreath on behalf of the Post Office workers union,
originally championed by the Postman’s Gazette magazine, edited by Brown’s
relative.
Unfortunately,
there was very disappointing support from the U.K. The only WFA member
I saw there was Tony Froom, who summed up the occasion very succinctly
by saying “It wasn’t a pleasure to be there – it was a privilege!” Fortunately,
some compensation for the absence of British spectators was the large
numbers of local French citizens, including school-children, who ignored
the damp weather to turn out in good numbers. They all observed the proceedings
with due solemnity. The
ceremony was followed by a ‘vin d’honneur’ at the Mairie, kindly hosted
by the Mayor, who referred to the courage and sacrifice of the British
soldiers in WW1 and stressed the importance of this in their local heritage,
particularly towards the young. Isabelle Pilarowski, Francis Roger and
I, with our wives, were then invited, together with the mayor and V.I.P’s
to an excellent luncheon in Bully-les-Mines. For those unable to attend, Isabelle has since arranged an excellent presentation at the Museum which displays the photographs and papers which led to the identification of one of the soldiers. There will also be a display of photos which will try to recapture the splendid occasion when he and his unknown colleague were finally laid to rest alongside their fellow-soldiers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 October 2004
Franco-British Alliance Leads To Identification Of Lost Scottish Soldier!
The
association here in Loos is very pleased to announce that the remains
of a soldier from the 6th Cameron Highlanders have been identified
following close co-operation between two members of our association, Francis
Roger and Isabelle Pilarowski, and our good friend, and Western Front
Association member, Peter Last. The
soldier will be re-buried, with full military honours, at Loos British
Cemetery at 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday 20th October, in the presence
of four members of the soldier’s family, including his only brother’s
two daughters. A detachment from The Highlanders Regiment will provide
the Bearer Party, a piper and a bugler. The
soldier’s remains, together with another as yet unidentified, were discovered
by Francis Roger, a local amateur archaeologist, in July 2001, at roadworks
at the junction on the Lens/La Bassee Road, between Chalet Wood and Puits
14bis. On 26th September 1915, this area was the scene of the
6th Camerons first action, when they gallantly stemmed the
advance of superior enemy forces determined to regain the ground lost
to the British on the first day of the battle. The battalion commander,
54 year-old Lt.Colonel Angus Douglas-Hamilton, posthumously awarded the
Victoria Cross, repeatedly led counter-attacks against overwhelming odds
until he and a hundred of his men were killed and all of their bodies
lost – until July 2001. When
Francis Roger discovered the remains, he carefully listed the items found
with each man and Isabelle forwarded this, together with digital photos
she took of the artefacts, to Peter in Essex, England. Thus
began a search through archives in England and Scotland, appeals were
made in Scottish newspapers and the WFA magazine, and experts were consulted.
The breakthrough came via the fountain-pen, found on one of the soldiers.
This was embossed with the words ‘Postman’s Gazette Pen’, which prompted
Peter to contact Peter Boalch, a member of both associations, who held
a senior position at the Post Office headquarters in London. He passed
the enquiry to their excellent Heritage Unit, who confirmed that there
had been a magazine called ‘The Postman’s Gazette’ and, when they compared
their records of employees who had served in The Great War, with the names
of 6th Cameron men who had fallen on the 26th September
appeared, they found just one name on both! The
Heritage Unit also volunteered that the soldier’s surname was the same
as the man who had been Editor of the Postman’s Gazette for twenty years,
until June1915. A
visit to the PRO at Kew yielded the soldier’s papers, which revealed that
his address was the same as that of someone who had made a poignant appeal
in the magazine for news of the missing soldier. The address was that
of the retired editor. At
this stage, the C.W.G.C., who had been kept informed of progress, asked
for the research to be passed to the Ministry of Defence department responsible
for casualty identification who, in the meantime, had received the forensic
report on the two bodies, which included estimates of the soldier’s age
and height. The
private research continued with a visit to the soldier’s village, and
house-to-house enquiries and referrals provided further Post Office connections
with the soldier. It also led, eventually, to locating the soldier’s living
relatives, who had been well aware of the lost uncle and had even previously
visited the Memorial Wall to the Missing at Dud Corner. After
careful consideration of all the evidence presented to them, the Ministry
of Defence finally decided that the soldier was S/12807 Lance-Corporal
John Young Brown. He had volunteered on 8th September 1914,
the day of the formation of the 6th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders.
He had written his age as ‘19’ on his Attestation Papers, whereas he was,
in fact, still 18. He
died on 26th September 1915 -- exactly twenty years from the
day he was born. The
Loos association sur les traces de la Grande Guerre are very pleased and
proud to have helped to provide these brave soldiers with a proper burial
place, alongside their comrades, in the village they were both trying
desperately to protect from re-capture. Anyone
wishing to pay their respects to these two men will be welcome at their
burial. A montage of photographs and papers relating to Lance-Corporal
Brown will be available for viewing at the museum for at least part of
the day of the funeral, and also thereafter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Double-Crassier Now Accessible For Viewing The Loos Battlefield.
26th may 2004 The
enthusiastic local members of the Great War remembrance group in Loos,
the Association sur les traces de la Grand Guerre, recently held
a meeting attended by the mayors of Lens and several nearby villages,
representatives from the French Defence Ministry, plus well over a hundred
local citizens. The
mayor of Loos, M. Jean Francois Caron, announced that the Great War Museum,
created by the association, had now doubled in size in order to accommodate
additional displays and themed presentations designed to reflect the lives
and sacrifices of the soldiers who had fought, and died, liberating Loos
and the surrounding area. These new collections include letters, written
by British soldiers describing their wartime experiences in Loos, together
with other memorabilia kindly donated by visitors. M.Caron emphasised
the importance of preserving this local heritage for present and future
generations. He felt that, while the cost of developing and maintaining
the museum was largely borne by the citizens of Loos and a number of national
bodies, their contributions had been worthwhile because of the interest
shown by increasing numbers of visitors from both France and Great Britain.
The mayor expressed his regret that the British tunnel system was still closed, while safety issues were being reviewed, but he announced that the Association was now able to offer an alternative facility to battlefield enthusiasts. For
the first time, visitors to the museum are being offered the opportunity
to visit the pair of huge slagheaps which tower over the surrounding area.
These are located on the site of the two long piles of mine-waste known
to the British forces as ‘The Double-Crassier’ and, from a viewing area
which is 80 metres high, it is now possible to view most of the Loos battlefield
of 1915 and pick out many landmarks, including the infamous Hohenzollern
Redoubt and Hill 70 won, and then, lost at such terrible cost. The height
of this vantage point, even greater of course than Hill 70, also makes
it easy to see the white lines of the trenches which once crossed the
fields far below. As
the viewing area is easily accessible to coaches it is hoped that larger
parties of visitors will be able to enjoy this facility, as well as the
expanded museum area. The cost of admission to the museum only is 3 euros,
while the cost of a combined visit to the museum and the Double-Crassier
is 6 euros, based on a minimum of 5 persons. N.B. smaller groups of enthusiasts
can be catered for at a minimum charge of 30 euros per party. All visits
to the Double-Crassier are accompanied by a member of the association.
(Don't forget your binoculars)
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téléphone : 0033 3 21 78 31 29 (0033: from England) |
fax : 0033 3 21 69 88 79 |
email : a.villedieu@wanadoo.fr |
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for further information please contact the association "sur les traces de la grande guerre" |
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