The Glorious Dead

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Magicfingers

Image courtesy of the CWGC

A recent comment on a post I published back in January about young Valentine Joe Strudwick piqued my interest; all your comments are interesting, of course they are, but you’ll see why I mention this one in particular.

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Travels on the Somme Part Thirteen – La Boisselle: The Glory Hole

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Magicfingers

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At the south western edge of La Boisselle, a right fork off the main road leads us on to the road to Contalmaison, a very short distance up which, on the right side of the road, and easily missed, actually, if you are unaware they’re there,… Continue reading →

Posted in The Somme | 2 Comments

Travels on the Somme Part Twelve – La Boisselle

Posted on April 10, 2016 by Magicfingers

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La Boisselle, 2015.  It’s difficult to imagine the carnage here a hundred years ago.  But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.  Let’s backtrack a couple of minutes. Continue reading →

Posted in The Somme | 6 Comments

An Aussie in Flanders

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Magicfingers

DAD ARTHUR BREEDEN - German plane canvas 1917 outer side

A strip of camouflaged canvas from a downed German plane. Continue reading →

Posted in Memorabilia, Ypres (Ieper) | 4 Comments

Travels on the Somme Part Eleven – Bapaume Post Military Cemetery

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Magicfingers

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Bapaume Post Military Cemetery is sited about a mile north east of Albert, immediately alongside the main road to Bapaume, some eleven miles away. Continue reading →

Posted in The Somme | 2 Comments

Twenty Minutes After

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Magicfingers

123005A few years back now, I showed you a couple of pieces of artwork by Lieutenant Hugh Mossom Boyd of the Royal Engineers that I was kindly allowed to scan and publish, and I thought you might like to see another unpublished piece he painted whilst serving in Flanders in the summer of 1917. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Documents, Maps & Artwork, Messines | 4 Comments

Travels on the Somme Part Ten – Albert

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Magicfingers

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The rolling plains of Picardy. Continue reading →

Posted in Albert, Demarcation Stones, French War Memorials, The Somme | 17 Comments