Greetings ZoRob Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. Can be seen from the Windmill site, it honours the 72,367 from Britain and South Africa who have no known Grave. It is very large, and the wind whistles and moans around the arches and legs. The visitor centre next to it is very good. The visitor center at Tyne Cot, near Paschendale, is very austere. Inside it has a non stop-recording going of the names and units of all the soldiers killed, it also shows a picture of the soldier. This can be heard outside faintly and also is quite eerie. Apparently it takes 69 days to read all the names if it was played 24/7 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thats it! I will certainly be going there when i return, i also went to Tyne Cot but i think a new visitors centre was constructed since i went. I have been looking at a great website since reading this thread www.ww1battlefields.co.uk . On it i found the barkless tree i was talking about known as the 'danger tree' which i had mixed up with the tree at Delville Wood. The 'danger tree' was actually located at Newfoundland Memorial Park which is a good place to visit if you have not been. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks for that link to the War Graves Commission. I think I just found one of the relo's that fills in a blank. Only AIF member buried in County Cork.
We're not sure. The 23rd Bn AIF was meant to be in Bullecourt, north France through May/June/July 1917. Somehow, Jack ended up dying and being vuried in COunty Cork (which is our origin anyway). His mum told a story to my grandmother once how they made her Jack fight the "boys back home" which we assume to be dealing with the Irish uprising of the time. But then there's no record of AIF units fighting in Ireland in 1917. There are records of this happening in 1916 although the army used to deny this until recently. Someone wrote an interesting book on the subject as it had a lot of political ramifications back here at the time.
That is interesting. First I've heard of that. Do you have any clues that'd help track down the book you mention?
http://www.nla.gov.au/openpublish/index.php/ras/article/download/764/890 Should take you to a review of the book. The British Govt was generous in handing out leave passes to Ireland around this time. Many units who thought they would be taking a rest found themselves with a gun in their hand quelling domestic uprising. This went on past the end of the war up until the Irish Republic was created. http://www.anzacday.biz/anzac_day/gallipoli_2008/news.asp?index=648 And people don't believe today that this sort of thing ever happened or could happen again.
Certainly could happen again. The notion 'it could never happen here' amongst australians has always seemed a little too complascent. There was a lot of blind allegiance back then. Of two great uncles who served in the AIF, the one who came home, twice wounded, after serving as a medic in the Somme, amongst other things, was treated pretty shabbily (from my perspective) by the family motivated primarily it appears by a fear the local community might think him a conscientious objector. Thanks for the links.
