World War One Battlefields

This was a full day trip from Brussels. Leaving at nine in the morning and returning around ten at night. A very long day, but it incorporated several major war cemeteries, views of some World War One battlefields and the Last Post at Ypres.

German Military Cemetery of Vladslo

Our first stop was the German Military Cemetery of Vladslo, a peaceful area that features the famous sculpture by Käthe Kollwitz, Grieving Parents.

Over 25,000 German soldiers are buried here.  It started drizzling while we were there, adding to the somber atmosphere.

Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery

Our second stop was at Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery where 35,000 Commonwealth soldiers are buried.  The Cemetery also contains a Memorial to the Missing, naming over 33,000 officers and men whose remains were never found.  The whole area is very peaceful and everyone there acted with the respect it deserved.  It was great to see many school parties there, learning about the events over 100 years ago and their consequences.

Essex Farm Field Hospital

We next went to Essex Farm Field Hospital to view the remains of the bunkers and the graves of those who died in the area.  Then we went to the Memorial to the Australian Fifth Division.  This was especially significant as this was the one hundredth anniversary of the battle at Polygon Wood.

Hill 60

The final stop before going to Ypres, was the Hill 60 area.  It was here that Australian miners constructed tunnels under the German positions and then filled them with explosives, causing great devastation.  Several of the craters are still visible today in the area, giving an idea of what force was unleashed.

We found this very interesting as many of the miners came from where we live.  There is a commemoration plaque in Cessnock for them.

Last Post at Ypres

The highlight of the tour was Ypres and the Last Post.  We started with a tour around the Flanders’ Fields Museum. The museum shows the war from the human perspective as well as showing the historical military detail.  A very interesting place and worth the visit.

We had a short time to ourselves to have dinner at one of the many restaurants in the city-centre and then we went to the for the Last Post.  This was a very sombre moment.  The ceremony is simple and quite short and it was great to see how well it was attended.  Many school children were also there, some laying wreaths, and on this occasion a choir sang.

Our Thoughts

Although a very long day, the experience of visiting the World War One Battlefields and especially the Last Post was memorable.  The tour guide provided a huge amount of in-depth knowledge throughout the day.  Being able to see the innumerable graves in the cemeteries gave us an insight into the huge sacrifices made. If you visit Belgium or Northern France this is a stop worth taking.