The Western Front

Another early morning and by today everyone felt pretty tired. That didn’t seem to stop anyone though. It’s not everyday that you are walking the very paths that so many of our ANZACs walked and trying to comprehend the events that caused so many of them to lose their lives.

Today was really our introduction to the Western Front. We have experienced the overwhelming sense of sadness and loss before. It was impossible to visit Gallipoli without experiencing it. But today we were confronted with not only the sadness and sense of loss. We had to try and comprehend the sheer magnitude of deaths that occurred around Ypres and the Salient.

Here so many of the Allied soldiers fought and were killed that it is not as easy to isolate the ANZAC story from the stories of members of the other allied forces, such as the Canadians, Indians, South Africans and, of course, the many parts of Britain.

To put some of the places we visited today into perspective, many of the cemeteries contain the graves of more than 10,000 troops. It’s impossible to imagine that the number of people killed in just one small battle is the same as wiping out the population of an entire town.

In stark contrast to Gallipoli, the places of pilgrimage that we visit here in France and Belgium are beautiful and green. The cemeteries appear welcoming, they are meant to be visited. Perfectly manicured and peaceful grounds are what await so many Pilgrims, comprehending the fact that 90 years ago the places where the cemeteries are situated were littered with the carnage of war is unbelievable.

For the people who live around this area the reminder of a war now gone is still alive. It is impossible to drive through Ypres without recognising the signs to so many cemeteries. The cloth hall in the centre of town is a fantastic representation of resilience from all people. The huge structure of the Menin gate is another reminder of the war and one that continues to command respect for all those who were lost.

The Flanders Field’s museum was a fantastic presentation of so many sides of the war. It was enjoyed by all and I think that afterwards everyone agreed there was a specific piece within the museum which really moved them; from John McCrae’s poem to the gas masks on display.

A quick change was required after our visit to the museum so that we could attend the reception hosted for us by the major of Ypres. Surprisingly it was the boys who took the longest to change and dress. The reception was a fantastic opportunity to mingle with other Aussies travelling the battlefront and understand the reasons for other people’s journeys.

All dressed up as we were, we had a quick dinner before attending the ceremony at the Menin Gate. Our group was represented by several members whom laid wreaths on the memorial while, Hadley played the Rouse and Tom played Waltzing Matilda on his pipes. The look on so many of the Australian’s faces in the crowd when they recognised the tune of Waltzing Matilda was amazing. It was a fantastic reminder of how Australia and the ANZAC’s are so clearly still linked with Ypres and the ceremony at Menin Gate.

To finish a huge and greatly moving day, we travelled back to our hotel in Lille. We had a bit of a wind down card game together before breaking curfew and being sent to bed with our tails between our legs. The day was full of emotional upheavals and it was impossible not to shed a tear or even a few hundred in some cases and as I laid in bed it was impossible to sleep for several minutes as the memories created and events of the day continued to wash over me. Another day the same, I’m sure none of us will experience again.