Great Pilgrimage 90 Review
By Dunmow & District Branch, Essex County
Outward Journey Day
The day had finally come where we would be travelling over to France to commence our Great Pilgrimage 90 tour. After months of waiting, our bags were packed, goodbyes to our loved ones given and off to the pick-up point we went. We arrived in good time, and soon were joined by representatives from fellow ‘C’ Group Branches; Takeley, Thaxted, Clavering Newport and Debden. Along with Saffron Walden, who were on a different coach to us, it meant six out eight ‘C’ Group Branches attended GP90.
The coach arrived on time, and the benefit of our pick-up point was that we were last to be collected, so it was now non-stop to the continent. Well, almost non-stop; we made a brief stop at Stop24 to collect our GP90 packs. Traffic was good, so after Stop24 we arrived in Dover in time for the ferry to Calais.
Upon boarding the ferry, it was becoming clear how big the GP90 event was becoming; rumour had it that there approximately 16 coaches had arrived onto the ferry, giving a feeling that the ferry had been completely overtaken by the Royal British Legion. Certainly, once up on the café and restaurant floors, there were Legion members everywhere, all talking and mingling like they had known each other for years. Something big and special was definitely happening.
After a reasonably good crossing, the ferry docked at Calais and we returned to our coaches, and made our way to what would be our home for the next five days; the Kyriad Hotel in Lille. Labelled a 3-star hotel, it was anything but. In desperate need of a refurb, the hotel was very basic. However, and probably most importantly, the rooms were clean and beds comfortable.
Once unpacked, we converged in the bar and mingled with other members prior to having dinner. After dinner, our excellent tour guide Mike Collins gave us a talk on the venues we would be visiting the next day, and arranged a lovely display of artefacts for us to view.
Day 1 (of the Tour)
The day started off at 8am for us in earnest, with blue skies and temperatures of over 35 degrees forecast. After a short stop to collect our packed lunches, we made our way to the Somme towards the Thiepval Memorial site. On the way, we paused temporarily at the Australian War Memorial at Pozieres. Whilst we did not leave the coach, we did have a moment to reflect upon the memorial and cemetery.
After a few minutes’ pause at Pozieres, we then continued our journey to Thiepval. Once at the site, we were the first coach there, we then made our way through the museum to the Memorial. Our main task whilst we were here was to find the names of the town’s Fallen and to lay a wreath with a message from the school children of Great Dunmow Primary School. Having done research prior to going to Thiepval, we quickly found the names of Rifleman Frederick Attridge, Private Arthur Greenleaf and Private Frank Willett, and then proceeded to lay the wreath accordingly.
Once the wreath was laid, and a short pause held to remember, we then viewed the museum before heading back onto the coach for our next stop, which was to be only a short drive away at the Connaught and Mill Road cemeteries, and Ulster Tower. Our guide, Mike Collins, took time to talk us through the events that had happened in the area.
Once we were finished spending time at Connaught, Mill Road and the Ulster Tower, we made our way towards Delville Wood. On the way, we stopped at Caterpillar Valley Cemetery to have lunch, which was where mostly New Zealand soldiers were buried. A small number of British graves were identifiable, including those of the Royal Welch Fusiliers. A memorial cross was laid at the grave of a Royal Welch Fusilier. After lunch, we arrived into Delville Wood memorial and cemetery.
After a short time in Delville Wood, we then made our way to Arras cemetery and Arras Flying Services Memorial. Unfortunately, whilst we were here we did not have time to find the names of Private Edwin Bush and Rifleman Harold McKenzie Scarfe.
Finally, after spending time in Arras, we made our last stop of the day to Vimy Ridge and the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park. Whilst here, we explored the trenches and tunnels used by the Canadian soldiers, and had an appreciation of how close the German soldiers were.
Day 2
The day started off in earnest once more, as we made our way into Belgium for our first stop, at Tyne Cot Memorial and Cemetery, which is the largest one for Commonwealth soldiers in the world. The sun was shining once more, with temperatures expected to top 38 degrees today.
Whilst at Tyne Cot, we found the names of Private George Cock, Private William Frederick Crow and Private John Joseph Walsh. George found a headstone bearing his namesake, and a few more Royal Welch Fusiliers headstone were found, although a question was posed to the CWGC team as why the spelling of ‘Welch’ was incorrect at Tyne Cot, but nowhere else.
After an extended stay in Tyne Cot, we then made our way for a brief stop to Crest Farm, Passchendale. Even though there is nothing left of the farm, there is a memorial to the Canadian soldiers.
From Crest Farm, we made our way to the Zonnebeke Museum a short drive away. Whilst the main group had their lunch, we made our way into the grounds to visit an exhibition, which was being held in one of the former chateau’s. From there, a walk was taken through the woods to each of the Poppy gardens, which are dedicated to the various countries involved in the conflict. Particularly moving was the New Zealand Poppy garden.
Once we caught up with the main group, we then proceed to make our way through the museum. From viewing the artefacts on the 1st floor, we then made our way through a reconstructed tunnel system before leaving the building via reconstructed trenches, which were constructed in the varying styles between different Armies.
Once we were finished in Zonnebeke, we made our way to our final battlefield for the day at Hill 60. Untouched since the War, it had a certain feel about it and as with Vimy, the closeness of the battle lines was evident to see.
From Hill 60, we made our way into Ypres and made the most of the opportunity to view the route for the parade the following day. We also took time to visit the Cloth museum and make our way to the top of the tower; some 261 steps!!
Day 3 - The Parade
The day of the parade was finally upon us. An early breakfast, and we departed the hotel sharply at 8am to ensure we got to Ypres in good time and to ensure a good coach parking spot. Thankfully the weather today had cooled considerably, dropping to a more comfortable 24 degrees. Upon arrival, the number of Standards already on display was amazing, and there wasn’t yet a quarter of the Standards expected. We waited in the holding area, as more and more Standards arrived. To see so many Standards on parade was something special, a sight most likely never to be seen again.
At around 1030am, the order was given for the Standards to start forming up. Once all Standards had left to form up, the Wreath bearers were given their order to form up as well. To see the Standard and Wreath bearers paraded as one, in ranks of four and columns of 120 (thereabouts) was an impressive site.
The parade was then given the order to march, which we did through the centre of Ypres towards the Menin Gate. A feeling of pride and honour as we marched through the town, with people shouting out ‘Thank You’ as we marched past and making us feel we were two inches taller. The Standards Bearers marched first, and stopped as the last rank passed through the Menin Gate. Here, they then turned 180 degrees so that the rear column was now at the front, with a prime viewing point for the service.
The Wreath Bearers were diverted into ranks of two as they approached the Menin Gate, and marched respectively along the left and right-hand roads just short, so that the Standard Bearers would be one side and the Wreath Bearers the other side of the Menin Gate. As a result, this then meant that the last few ranks of Wreath Bearers were now at the front of the Wreath Bearers, and also had a prime viewing position of the service. One of these Wreath Bearers was myself, along with the Takeley Wreath Bearer, and to be able to see the service and subsequent Poppy drop was extraordinary special.
Now at the front of the Wreath Bearers, we were in the second row of Wreath Bearers to lay their Branch wreaths. The wreath laid, a pause given and then a march out of the Menin Gate to the upper ramparts to form back up on the road adjacent. Once all wreaths had been laid, the impact of seeing a sea of wreaths and Standards was stunning.
Once all wreaths were laid, the orders were given for the parade to once again march back through the town to the start point. Despite a few wobbles, all Standard and Wreath Bearers marched back with pride, knowing that they had done themselves, their Branches and Counties proud.
Once the parade had been fallen out, it was back to the coaches for a quick lunch. Then, once watered and fed, it back to the square to see Newton Newton to drop of the Standard, and then to the nearest bar for a well-earned pint of Belgium’s finest beer, even having an opportunity to have our picture taken by the RBL’s photographer whilst doing so. In case the Chairman reads this, it was just the one pint…
Back to the coaches for 5pm, and a sigh of relief given knowing that we had accomplished what we had set out to do and an opportunity to take the weight off our feet. Once everyone was back, and the coach ready to depart, our guide Mike informed us that as a “treat”, we were going to make one unscheduled cemetery stop on the way back to the hotel. The cemetery we were to stop at was the German Cemetery at Langemark, and this visit was a vastly different experience to other cemeteries and memorials we had been accustomed too.
The cemetery, which was only a short drive from Ypres, was very dark in comparison to the Allied Forces cemeteries and memorials, mostly due to the trees that had been planted within the cemetery. There was a mass grave near the entrance, which contains the remains of just under 25,000 German soldiers. The surface area of the mass grave was marginally bigger than a tennis court, leaving the majority of us unable to comprehend the scale of soldiers actually buried in a such a small area as well over 19,000 soldiers buried in the rest of the cemetery, including two British servicemen who died in 2018. Also, to increase the feeling of sombreness was knowing that 3,000 school students were also buried there too.
Visiting the German cemetery gave a completely different view and perspective.
The Return Journey Day
After an early rise and breakfast, it was back to the rooms to complete the final packing in readiness for the journey home. As if the Gods had planned the trip, the weather was typically British; a deluge of rain shower after rain shower and almost as if the Gods wanted us to reacclimatise ourselves for the weather back home in the UK.
After a coach team photo, we boarded the coaches and waved goodbye to our stay at Lille. A busy, action packed five days. We joined the coach not knowing anyone, and left Lille knowing everyone. The whole tour had been a success, and to leave Lille having made so many new friends and forged new links with other Branches, was amazing.
The journey to Calais was straight-forward, and very quick; so quick, we managed to get on an earlier ferry, a whole hour earlier. Once again, it was rumoured that there were over 16 coaches on the ferry, which seemed apt that so many Royal British Legion Members would be together on the ferry home, the ferry which was called the Spirit of Britain.
On the ferry home, stories of the week were recalled and shared. People laughed, people cried, people reminisced; all as one and as part of the Royal British Legion. A great week, one which made us all proud and made appreciated even more the sacrifices made by our Servicemen and women throughout World War One and all conflicts since.
Kevin May
Branch Secretary
Dunmow & District Branch
