Recent Updates

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Magicfingers
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View from the edge of High Wood looking south west towards the Bazentin woods. The 2nd Queen’s and the 1st South Staffs advanced across these fields towards us on the evening of 14th July 1916.

Bearing in mind the recent update to, and re-post of, the section on Newfoundland Memorial Park, you might like to know that the following Somme posts have also now had photos of stuff I missed first time around added to them.  I’ve mentioned before that old posts are always likely to be updated after return visits, and I am true to my word.  The following posts have had major extra sections added at the end: The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Ancre British Cemetery & Pozières Windmill.  Extra photos have also been added to the Albert post.

I thank you.

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Travels on the Somme Part Seven – The Battlefield of Beaumont-Hamel: Newfoundland Memorial Park incl. Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No. 2, Hunter’s Cemetery & Y Ravine Cemetery

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Magicfingers

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Half a mile south of our last visit to the Beaumont-Hamel battlefield, we now find ourselves just to the south west of the village, where part of the ground fought over was purchased by the Newfoundland Government soon after the war, and has been preserved ever since. Continue reading →

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The Trenches of Thiepval Wood

Posted on June 11, 2016 by Magicfingers

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This is the view that the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division would have had on the morning of 1st July 1916, as they left their trenches on the edge of Thiepval Wood and advanced towards the German lines on the crest of the rise, and the formidable Schwaben Redoubt beyond. Continue reading →

Posted in The Somme, Thiepval | 22 Comments

Thiepval – The Ulster Memorial Tower

Posted on June 9, 2016 by Magicfingers

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Thiepval Wood, looking south from the position of the German front lines in the summer of 1916.  Away to the left the Thiepval Memorial towers above all, and on the horizon just to the right of the memorial a small clump of trees grow on the site of the Leipzig Redoubt .  At the end of the track in front of us Connaught Military Cemetery is just visible in front of the wood, and the Ulster Memorial Tower can be seen on the far right of the photograph.  On 1st July 1916, the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division attacked from their trenches on the edge of the wood up this slope towards us. Continue reading →

Posted in The Somme, Thiepval | 3 Comments

Amiens – Longueau British Cemetery

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Magicfingers

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Longueau British Cemetery, on the outskirts of Amiens. Continue reading →

Posted in Amiens, The Somme | 14 Comments

Travels on the Somme Part Ten Addendum – Albert: The Somme 1916 Museum

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Magicfingers

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I’m not a great one for museums – every hour spent in one is an hour I could be out in the field – but if you’re in Albert, the Somme 1916 Museum is well worth some of your time.  And no, this isn’t it. Continue reading →

Posted in Albert, Museums, The Somme | 4 Comments

“In Flanders Fields the Poppies Grow…”

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Magicfingers

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Do you remember (how could you forget?) the poppy display at the Tower of London back in 2014?  I have finally put the two that I own on display, so I thought I’d show you.  But there is another reason for this post.  We are currently experiencing a few technical issues here at theBigNote, none of which should affect the site as you see it, but I’d be grateful if one or more of you out there who get the emails to let them know that I have uploaded a new post could let me know whether they have received one for this post.  Thankee kindly!

Update Monday early evening:  Good Sir Baldrick has worked his magic and things are not only back to normal, but, dare I say it, even better than before!!  Three cheers!  What would we do without him?  Seriously.

Posted in Miscellaneous | 4 Comments