Menhir hunting

We had decided, as it was also the 100^th anniversary of the start of the First World War to pick up a few key sites on our way home… but first we went even further back in time to satisfy Glyn’s attachment to strange lumps of rock plonked in the countryside by our ancestors… yes, folks, we were Menhir hunting again.

Past readers of this blog will recall the time when we (eventually) found a previous standing stone… all two foot of it! But this time, we had bigger hopes… at least this one was signposted!

And then, round a bend & through the rain, there it was – pretty awesome, it has to be said… and then we found a map of more of them… unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit!

Moving forward to the First World War

So, we continued on our journey towards the town of Peronne – where a brewery & WW1 museum were calling us. But of course, with this being right in the area of the WW1 front lines, it wasn’t long before we caught site of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and then the first of a number of First World War cemeteries.

On the way to Thiepval, we stopped off at the interesting Ulster Memorial Tower.

At the Thiepval Memorial

Since my first visit many years ago, there had been many changes at the Thiepval Memorial, including a new visitor centre, but one thing that’s unchanged is the impact of seeing the 73,367 names engraved on the columns of the Thiepval Memorial. This Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

For added atmosphere – as if it was needed – in the distance a thunderstorm continually rumbled awakening thoughts of rolling barrages and gunfire sufficient to send shivers up & down my spine.

Relentless cemeteries

So, passing a relentless procession of First World War cemeteries, we arrived in Peronne… to be reminded that on Mondays, France seems to shut down… the brewery was certainly shut, as was the museum. Fortunately, there was a restaurant open next to the hotel with reasonably priced (for France) beer so we made ourselves welcome!

On our way, we passed an enormous poppy field & understood why this flower was chosen to remember the fallen of wars