The Royal Green Jackets Associa on
Fire up the Mercedes Viano! By Tiny Adams (With apologies to the Audi Quattro, Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes)
Well it might have been a blagger’s bullet that sent DS Sam Tyler back to 1973 there to eventually meet his nemesis in the form of DCI Gene Hunt but in my case it was a Westclox alarm rattling my brains awake at 0415 hours in the morning which sent me back even further in time. Let me explain. It’s Monday 1st June and after calming my racing heart from that damned alarm clock I fall out of bed and wash, shave and because I laid out my gear the night before I dress in the no time - old habits die hard don’t they? 05.00hrs (what the hell am I doing up at this naffing time?) I fire up the old Mercedes Viano but not for work this time. Oh no - on this day of days it’s going to be a bit ‘me’ time and I have a train to catch so onwards Germanic steed to Leper (Ypres) and all the battlefields of Northern France. On route at Eastleigh I pick up the first two of my travelling companions Lyndon Harper (a Rifleman in his previous life) and Ian Mason a copper from the midlands whose knowledge of the battlefields is second to none and finally onto Basingstoke for Pat Low and Derek Randall both Riflemen in every sense of the word. From there it’s nonstop to the Channel Tunnel for a full English and a rest before parking up on the train where it’s hand brake on, engine off, and away we go! Now at Calais and to the squawking strains of a typical French accordion its full speed ahead out of the tunnel whilst avoiding the migrants and trying to remember to keep to the right. Oh yes and driving straight onto roundabouts but giving way to other drivers coming on to them! Talk about daft – but then this is France.C'est la vie! First stop is the CWGC Military Cemetery at Lijssenthoek. The sight for first time visitors can be a bit of a shock simply because of the numbers involved. So many graves – it is really hard to get your head around it. The first one we saw (1A) was for 2Lt Henriques KRRC aged only 20. Although he was the first we saw from our antecedent regiments he was far from the last. But then Riflemen love a good scrap don’t they? This was also the final resting place of Staff Nurse Spindler (the only woman in the cemetery). A short drive away was the town of Poperinge where we visited the Café de Ranke, the Condemned Cells and Execution Post. The post was a bit strange as it had been moved from its original position and was now made of steel. Not sure what’s been going on there but a bit odd to say the least - but then that’s symbolism for you I suppose. Finally on to Talbot House and Museum (Toc H) which all troops used for R&R regardless of their rank. Another short drive away is Poperinge and Brandhoek New Military Cemeteries the latter being the final resting E-Zine 2015
place of Capt Noel Chavasse VC & Bar, MC. Again so many graves but all maintained to perfection. Day 1 drawing to a close so it’s off to our hotel (The Ariane) in Ypres to settle in and have a few drinks then off to the Het Moment restaurant for some scoff and a chat about old times and the days events. Bed by 21.00? Not! Day 2 Up early(ish) and RV for breakfast at 08.00 where my companions and I again selected another healthy breakfast option - Anglais Complet! Well we need the fuel we can get as today we are off to Mons. Our first stop is at a place called Nimy Canal Bridge where the first VC’s of the war were awarded to Lt MJ Dease and Pte SF Godley of the 4th Bn Royal Fusiliers who defended the bridge and town of Mons from the German advance for a while with machine guns. Just a short distance away along the canal was a swing bridge which had been left open by the British to slow the enemies approach but a lone German soldier (Oskar Niemeyer) had swam to the centre of the canal and opened it under a hail of fire. Sadly he was killed. However it does go toshow that no nation has the monopoly on courage. Although this location was a devil to get to (anything larger than a car would have got stuck) it was well worth the effort to do so. Onward now to the roadside memorial dedicated to the very first shot fired in WW1. This was also the location where the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards charged down the hill on horses with swords extended ready to kick seven bells out of the Germans. Foolhardy but it must have been an impressive sight nevertheless. A quick life and death run across the busy road now takes us to the very spot where the 116th Canadian Infantry Battalion stopped upon the final ceasefire on the 11th November 1918. Back into the Merc now and off to Obourg Railway Station where the Middlesex Regiment fired the first shots of the battle of Mons and where an unidentified British soldier paid the supreme sacrifice by covering the retreat of his comrades. Can’t help it but it does tend to bring a tear to the eye and make the chest swell with pride. However mustn’t dwell on it too long as another cemetery awaits us. Eventually we arrive at St Symphorian Cemetery which is the resting place of Pte J Parr who is believed to be the first Commonwealth soldier to be killed by enemy fire in WW1. Spookily it is also the resting place of Pte G Ellison 5th Lancers who was killed 90 minutes before the armistice came into effect on the 11th Nov 1918 - poor (To be con nued on next page) Volume 7 Issue 1 | 43
