Goodbye and Good luck!

Paris, Paris, Paris. What isn't beautiful about Paris? There is the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triumph, the Moulin Rouge and so much more.

The best part about Paris was the way that everyone came together on the last night and picnicked in front of the beautiful Eiffel Tower and well I got to see the sunset from the top. As everyone else watched it from the green grass grounds that surround the Structure.  The view from the tower was beyond spectacular and anything that I have ever seen before. The scene was incredible, a couple got engaged, others were kissing and to tell you the truth I was super jealous. But as we walked down the tower we got the experience the lighting up of the Eiffel tower first hand.  Oh I loved it so much.  But what I loved even more was meeting the people that I was privileged enough to spend the last twenty days with.

I just want to express the thanks and gratitude that I feel to have gone on this amazing trip and for having the opportunity to learn so much in so little time.

Thank you to everyone for making this a great trip. Thank you to Stephen for organizing this trip and thank you for Elizabeth for putting up with us all!

Hannah Perry

Remember Always...

The sights that we saw were incredible, some were overwhelmingly sad and others were a celebration of life, not just ours but of the soldiers that we were studying. We have had the opportunity of a lifetime; the chance to see first hand what so many men did and died for. We got to see the battlefields were courageous battles were fought, where fearless young and old men lost their lives.  We had the chance to dress up and attempt to feel as the soldiers once felt and the conditions they endured. We jumped into the trenches with the vigor and enthusiasm of so many young men, but we were there to study their sacrifice and to learn a valuable lesson in remembrance and why it is so important in this day and age.

We were able to see into the soldier’s lives through individual and group presentations, learning about their families and lives before they bravely enlisted. The reasons behind the men’s enlistment are varied, but what it comes down to is doing what they thought was right for their families.  Whether they needed money or just thought it would be a great adventure that would be over by Christmas.  

Every cemetery was full of stories that we had no idea of, what and why did they enlist? How did they die? Did the have families, wives, children? The questions we all asked ourselves each time we stood at the plot of a young soldier.  I wish that I could tell every soldiers story, not just Canadian soldiers, but of every brave man who fought, including the Germans. Every one them fought for a reason and the ones who lie in cemeteries paid the ultimate price, but why? Even the men who came home fought with nightmares, shell shock (Post traumatic Stress Disorder) and the fact that they watched the carnage of war first hand.

 

As I walked through each cemetery my heart sank, the inscriptions on the stones brought so many tears to my eyes, so many were of hope and of love. The respect that I felt for the men below my feet was immense. They had given up so much just so that everybody would be safe and the world would hopefully be a better place. This was supposed to be “The War to End all Wars”, but we know that it wasn’t.  I know that many people have thought that the World War one soldiers lost their lives in vain, but I think differently. I believe that every soldier was there because they had little choice; the pressure of society was too much to bear. You were considered a coward if you didn’t enlist. Many soldiers were poor and needed to something, anything to feed their growing families.

This trip has been eye opening and a beautiful lesson in remembrance and what truly happened in World War One.  We had insight into so many different places, including French and German Cemeteries. We also had the chance to visit museums and wonderful memorials. The monuments built for the men truly to give honour and valor to them.

By giving students the chance to see everything, gives us the chance to spread the desire of remembrance. The seed has been planted and I know that I personally will become a history teacher and I will focus on the importance of Remembrance. I will not make it just one day of the year but of everyday. Canadian Students must understand the sacrifice made for them, because they don’t have the chance to see the endless rows of graves, such as the British and French Students. It is our duty to the men that we saw to sow the seeds of history and let them grow in the minds of many.

Thank you for the invaluable opportunity and making me only want to become a Teacher more.

Hannah Perry

Au Revoir

On May 6th we met most for the first time, but even though we started to get along with each other real well and by the time that we arrived in Ypres Belgium. We had already become friends. throughout our journey our bonds got stronger that we can joke around with each other and trust each other. As we celebrated our every step in our adventure we got nauseous by how much fun we were all having together. As we moved on to different cities groups started to form among our group of 24. But even though we were all having fun and learning a lot from our trip, we visited many cemeteries and it did not matter whether it was a german site, we were still respectful and honored their sacrifice. We enjoyed many meals with one another and not once did someone hesitate to share his/her food to someone. We started calling each other with nicknames, for example Patrick - "Patricia", Michael - "walking engine of chaos" and of course me "@$c%ing Steve". We went shopping together and spent our hard earned cash, some more than the other, we shared money to people who needed it. We enjoyed the company of our beloved bus driver Julian and he shared his culture with us. At some point it seemed that the bonds that we have sown was starting to wither but if you were there to see us on our last night in Paris, you would have thought we were the best of friends. It's sad to say goodbye but all good things must come to an end, but it's alright because the memories that we shared with one another will last a lifetime.

An applause for Stephen and Elizabeth for providing us with opportunity to create and share memories with one another. Thank you for doing what you guys did and with out you both, we would have never seen the western front the way that we did. Hoping for a WW2 western front field school or the pacific front.

Au Revoir

post by Stephen Rizada

The Sweetest Goodbye

WOW! The best word to be able to describe the light-up of the Eiffel Tower at night in Paris.
To create a perfect ending to a fantastic Western Front Field School, as a group we had an evening picnic on the grounds of the famous French Monument. It was a beautiful night.
On the menu were some sugar crepes, warm brownies, french pastries and a pink mystery pate from S. Davies' Greek Meal.
The pinnacle of my evening was when the Eiffel Tower began to sparkle. It felt nearly magical, and I have tons of photos!!!
It was the perfect goodbye, as everyone was to part their ways the following morning, bright and early. We have become almost like a family over the past 3 weeks, it will be sad to see them all go. We have been on so many different adventures, learning something new everyday, and expressing so many different emotions. This field school of the Western Front has been an epic journey into the past and present. I personally can't wait to share my new knowledge and experiences with my family, friends and future students.

-Katie Gaetz

Devonshire Cemetery

This cemetery is named after the Devonshire Regiment and the soldiers who were slain here on July 1, 1916. Duncan Martin was the Captain of the 9th Battalion Devonshire Regiment. Captain Martin led his men into battle on July 1, 1916 the first day of the Battle of the Somme, one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the First World War.
Martin had predicted that the German machine gun in the shrine located about a mile from their trenche would cause serious problems and kill many men during the attack. Captain Martin was aware that the German machine gunners would have a clear view of his men when they began the attack across the No-Mans-Land toward the German Front Line. He had gone as far as making up a plasticine model of the area and shown it to his superiors - who took little notice. He was told to move forward with the attack.
Within the first ten minutes of the attack, half the battlion had been killed. Captain Martin was among one of the many soldiers to die on July 1, 1916. The most upsetting aspect of this cemetery is to think about the entire village that was affected by the death of so many of their men. The Devonshire Regiment was a pals battalion, which meant it was created by region. The Devonshire Cemetery contains 163 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, ten of which are unidentified.
Before entering the Cemetery there is a plaque which states: The Devonshires held this trech, the Devonshires hold it still. These soldiers obeyed orders until their death and are buried in the trench where they rest today.

Caitlin Brice

Lightning Strikes at Vimy Ridge

Today I cried tears of awe, tears of sympathy, and tears of disappointment.
We arrived at the majestic monument on a windy day in May. My heart fluttered when I saw the beautiful pillars reaching for the sky from the distance. I could believe that I was finally getting to see, touch and get up close and personal with this famous Canadian Landmark. When I got off the bus my eyes filled with water. Now I'm not too sure if it was for the wind or the fact that I was actually there. As I walked up to this beautiful white monument, I felt so small. There are over 20 statues on Vimy Ridge, my favourite is that representing Canada. A mourning woman, looking over a tomb representing the 11,422 soldiers whose names are engraved upon the walls. It brings such emotion to the entirety of remembering those who died in the Battlefields.
My tears of sympathy came with Jen's presentation of her individual soldier. A young boy whose last letter to his parents was written with humour, but unfortunately did not reach his parents until 12 years after his death. Tears flowed through the entire Field School as we listened with open ears and breaking hearts. Even our Professor, Stephen Davies, was wiping his eyes. It was a beautiful moment.
Before we had lunch, our last stop before heading to the Beaumont-Hammel Memorial, was to walk through the tunnels at Vimy Ridge. Another point of anticipation for me. We were split into 2 groups, myself being in the 2nd group. As we got our safety presentation and small history lesson from our Canadian Student Guide, we waited for the 1st group to exit the tunnel. Just as we reached the door, a radio announcement stopped us in our tracks. Lightning had struck in the region and the tunnels had to be closed for 1 hour; according to health and safety. This brought on the tears of disappointment. Were we going to have come all this way to not be able to view this essential piece of the Vimy Ridge Memorial?!
Stephen was not going to have any of this, and booked us the first tour, one hour from then. Needless to say, even though we had an appointment 2.5hrs from then, to be at Beaumont-Hammel; and the drive was 1hour, we got to go into the tunnel. I think it was actually better waiting, as the 1st group didn't get as much detail or as much time 8 meters underground, like we did. The maximum time a group can be underground is 25 minutes, we got to be in there for 17 minutes. I made a video of the entire thing, something I can't wait to share with anyone who will watch it.
Vimy Ridge was a fantastic day, with extreme emotion. Definitely a day I will never forget!

-Katie

Some Things Are Overrated, Some Exceed the Hype

Some Things Are Overrated, Some Exceed the Hype
When I arrived at Notre Dame Cathedral during our walking tour I saw just another Cathedral. Someone had to tell me it was Notre Dame. This is not to say that it was not impressive, even beautiful. It was simply routine. I have seen many cathedrals and Notre Dame does not especially stand out. It was crowded. In other cathedrals I could walk around at my leisure and stare up. At Notre Dame I would be knocked over.
There were smaller churches that interested me more. The Cathedral in Triere was older, had no stained glass windows and was really interesting. There were several catholic churches in Paris that were also worth seeing.
At the Louvre I saw the Mona Lisa. It is overrated. Truth be told I do not consider it to be an exceptional work of art. It is small, dingy and famous for being famous. There were many more impressive paintings there. There were two sided paintings, one was of David slaying Goliath and it depicted the seen from the back and the front. Both looked good.
The group I was with stopped outside of a club called Moulin Rouge. Before then all I knew was it was a title of a movie I had never seen that I was pretty sure had Nicole Kidman in it. After we visited the Eiffel Tower on our last evening here everyone wanted to go look at the outside of it. I didn’t get the appeal. It’s a place with a windmill on top. We saw a very nice looking café in the Arts District that had a windmill on top.
Other things lived up to the hype. The Eiffel tower was amazing. Some of us climbed it and it was worth it. The first stop was large; it had a cafeteria and little park area. Further up there was an area with a souvenir shop and the staging area for the elevator to the top. Both had incredible views. The final stop, at the top, had two levels. The first was glassed in and had signs above the glass showing the direction and distance of various cities. The second level was open and had a small stall selling champagne for about 15 Euros/100 mL.
Seeing the Eiffel Tower at night was equally impressive. We came down after it was dark and the lights made the building even more beautiful. There was a five minute light show on the hour after sunset that had large lights like camera flashes light up the building in dizzying patterns. I had expected them to all flash at once at the end but they didn’t. They just went out and that renewed the wonder in the tower’s beauty.
The Louvre itself was impressive. It was immense, it would take at lest a day to walk through every room. Viewing each object with more than a passing glance would take days or even weeks. Appreciating each object, or even most of the objects would take weeks or months. There were paintings that towered above the viewer and Egyptian artefacts smaller than the hand.

Aaron Sauve

joke anyone?

Just a light joke to help everyone through their last days here in Europe:

If the guy walking into the washroom is Canadian and the guy walking out of the washroom is American, what nationality is the guy whose IN the washroom.... EUROPEAN.

Caitlin

The Last Tree

It says something significant about a war, a campaign or a specific battle, if, at the end of it there is a need to honour the one tree still standing. At the South African monument in Delville Wood in France there is just such a tree, a Hornbeam, deformed by bullets (presumably) and surrounded by a fence with a plaque explaining its significance. I don’t think that I can adequately explain the impact of visiting one of the most beautiful monuments I have ever seen, situated idyllically in the middle of a sweeping wood, and to see a single tree revered.
The first impression I had upon entering Delville Wood was one of peace and serenity. We went on a beautiful, sunny day in May. The trees shaded the manicured paths, the birds sang above us, and a gentle breeze made the shady dell seem to be a true paradise. The only obvious signs of the bloody battle fought there nearly a hundred years before were the white stone markers on each path bearing their original names from battle maps of World War 1 such as Rotten Row or Cape Town. I began to notice as I walked that the forest floor has an odd landscape, with small but distinct hills and valleys that make the wood look oddly like a green ocean on a choppy day. It was with chilling awareness that I realized that these were the scared remains of a violent battlefield, complete with shell holes and trench lines that at one time made this beautiful landscape a barren wasteland.
As we emerged from the trees, the wall surrounding the monument extended its arms out, seeming to offer sanctuary to any who enter. Past the wall is a white, circular building with etched glass windows surrounding the Cross of Consecration, a break from the traditional Commonwealth cemetery symbol of the Cross of Sacrifice. Inside you read about how the 1st South African brigade went into the wood with 3,153 men on July 14th, 1916 and, told to hold the wood at any cost, walked out six days later with 143 men. The amazing carvings within show various aspects of the battle and the regiment, but the most poignant for me was the bronze entitled “the Sixth Day” showing the bedraggled and devastated remains of the South African brigade leaving the cursed battlefield with the skeletons of the trees surrounding them. It is within this context that we went to see “the Last Tree.” With the memory of a haunting landscape so opposite to the lush greenery surrounding us we were then able to feel the due appreciation of a single tree in the middle of a huge forest. Much like the forest was decimated, so too were the troops sent in to hold the wood against terrible odds. The realisation did not come quickly but, as I stood there with the warm spring breeze blowing my hair I understood that all of Delville Wood is now a cemetery for the thousands of men who still lie buried beneath the lush soil. It is perhaps the most beautiful cemetery that I have ever been in, but also the most horrifying. The remaining tree stands as a testament to the battle fought there and the heavy cost it bore.
Jennifer Fink

Commonwealth Gravestones and American Crosses

Having seen countless cemetaries let alone thousands of graves of many different countries. I going to describe the differences and my thoughts on them. The most common and majority of the cemetaries were Commonwealth ones which included all nationalities in them including the odd German, but were predominantly filled with the British and its colonies and allies like the Scottish, Canadians, Australians, and Belgians. There are over 700 of these scattered across the front and range from a few dozen soldiers to thousands like Tyne Cot. At the entrances of one of these cemetaries are always a registar book listing all the men barried there and any information on them such as the gazetted clips on how they won their VC, who their parents were, or how they died. The stones are white sandstone and include at the top a picture of their regimental emblem, then their name, rank, regiment, age, and date of death, if this information is available. Then there is a cross in the middle which could have been removed if requested by the family. At the bottom families had 66 characters to write what they liked if they wished. The stones could be very orderly if it was a concentration cemetary or they could be slightly disorderly if it was a battlefield cemetary or hospital cemetary. When more then one man was killed by a shell and it was not possible to identify what body part was whose but the identity of the men was known then the stones would be touching together indicating that. However the stones are layed out their are flowers and rose bushes and such all along the graves so each man alawys has flowers at his grave regardless if anyone comes to leave some or not, hense why Commonwealth cemetaries resemble English gardens.

German cemetaries are based more on nature and so have trees growing amongst the stones. The walls are low in order to see the horizon. German cemetaries often consist of mass gravesites along with either dark stone crosses or flat dark plaques level with the ground listing the men. Very little information is given about the men besides their date of death and name. Often 4 German names can be found on one cross.

American cemetaries resemble private estates and golf courses to me. They are massive concentration cemetaries and each cross is placed in row in its exact location perfectly. The grass is immaculate and there are no flowers or plants by the white marble crosses indicating their name, age, date of death, and state they were from. There is no registry at American cemetaries.

That is my brief overview of three different main cemetaries. Now what I think on them. The American cemetaries seem very en mass and impersonal, no regiment emblem, no family words, no flowers, and very little information on the men on the stones and the lack of a registry does not allow for any additional information. Also the fact that the crosses are all layed out perfectly not together indicating how they died, I find is impersonal. I like that Commonwealth cemetaries have flowers because regardless of whether or not that soldier ever has anyone to visit they will always have flowers at their graves. I also like how families still got the chance to write something on it and how Commonwealth soldiers were not allowed to be taken home but had to rest with the men they fought with. The American cemetaries however are missing 40% of the men they fought beside as they were allowed to be repatriated. The American ones do like the others show the Star of David for Jewish graves and mosque shaped ones for Muslims, however everone else got a cross regardless and I do not think that is right at all for those who were not religious or of a different religion then Judaism or Muslim. I do like how the German cemetaries are much more based on nature they almost seem more peaceful and calming then the others although the lack of information and more than one man per cross is not exactly right in my mind. Those are my thoughts on the cemetaries and their differences.

Michelle Pearce

Our General

After coming up with the totally unique idea of writing a blog about our last day, I was totally shocked to see that others have already blogged about it.

Ingenious.

As for my post, I'd like to blog about the leadership of this trip.

Its incredible the sites we've seen, and the things we've done. Yet realistically, Stephen put long hours into preparing this trip for us. Not only has his leadership been strong as he prepared all of us students for an experience of a lifetime, but it continued on the trip. Stephen has put up with whining and complaining from everyone at some point or another (even if it wasn't verbalized) yet he pushes onwards and makes our experience the best it can be. Even when things don't go according to plan and our trip to Versailles is cancelled, thinking on his feet, Stephen puts together an amazing walking tour of the French Quarter.

Then we have Elizabeth. Elizabeth took on the nightmarish job of hearing our complaints day in and day out. She also played the mediator and kept the rising drama on this trip at bay. For me, Elizabeth's role on this trip made the entire experience a much happier experience.

With two great examples of leaders, it really gives us an example of what a great teacher is capable of. It gives those aspiring teachers a place to look up to, a mark to shoot for.

After nearly 3 weeks of travelling Europe, I can truly say how grateful I am to have such awesome leaders. We couldn't have done this without them, and they went above and beyond the call of duty.

In my books, they deserve VCs.

-Michael Cantwell

Rats and Other Vermin

As we did not have access to internet in Verdun I am posting now on what it would have been like living inside Fort Doumont. On May 19th we had a guided tour of the fort built by the French a few years after the Franco Prussian war of 1870 to 1871. It was one of 38 forts perched on the hilltops surrounding Verdun, France. It was held,obviously, by the French, but also by the Germans for a time. However, the history of it is not what I want to write about. Our Guide in one of the rooms where rain water was collected and stored told us about the rats and other vermin while we stood shivering in the cold and wet chamber filled with stallactites. Some in the group were squimish and wanted her to stop, but I found it interesting and horrifying at the same time.

Rats were a huge problem for soldiers all along the front including inside the walls of the fortress. Our guide told us of a story passed on to her by another man in another one of her tours through the fortress that his grandfather stayed in it and this is what he recalled. While sleeping at night they got used to the rats feet crawling all over them, but it was when their tales slid across their faces that they could not stand. He had nightmares every night thinking the rats were coming to get him for the rest of his life.

For wounded soldiers it was worse because the rats were drawn to the decomposing flesh and open wounds. Another soldier with a badly wounded arm was missed on the battlefield outside the fort by the stretcher bearers, so he was left on the field over night in danger of being hit again by another shell. They found him the next day. The rats had been eating away at his arm while he was stranded on the field. When he was carried in on a sheet, because actual stretchers would not fit in some of the tunnels, to the hospital room in the fort they had to remove his arm. This was done with no anesthesia. The man would not have been safe from the rats once inside. Wounded soldiers had to be kept under wire mesh weighed down with large rocks so the rats would not get at their wounds.

Rats were not the only problem in the walls of Doumont. Soldiers thick wool uniforms could be worn for days without being washed. When the water ran out 50 to 60 soldiers at night would have to walk 4 km under fire to fill buckets of water. This meant each soldier only got one cup each, because this was all they got they drank it and could not use it to clean themselves or their uniforms. After days of fighting their uniforms would have been very heavy and smelt awful being caked in mud, excrement, blood,and sweat. Their clothes also were a favourite spot for lice, which no matter what they did they could never be rid of. The lice they sais were born at lunch time and by dinner they were grandparents. The men would have constantly been scratching the bitting lice all the time.

So soldiers in the fort had to deal with thousands of rats, being completly filthy, and constantly bitten by lice, but that was not all. 2000 shells a day burst around the fort with deafening bangs, shaking the fortress and causing dust to fall from the ceilings. Added to that noise were wounded soldiers being carried in moaning, and crying. Those in the hospital like the man I talked about earlier would have been screaming being operated on fully conscious. The smell of hundreds of unwashed men, excrement, blood, and decaying flesh must have been stomach turning. The fort still today was dark, damp, and dirty, with the stench and screams of men and shells, and flesh eating vermin it must have been a living nightmare. Some soldiers even though they were much safer in the forts still preferred to be outside in the open, where death was more likely. The soldiers had no choice they lived in hell either way.

The point of writting this was that going through the tunnels they seemed neat and cool, but that is not how they would have been and I had forgotten as I am sure others have as well everything else that was going on in those tunnels and that the men had to deal with on a daily basis. We only see what is left but we can try to imagine the sounds, smells, and feelings the soldiers had.

Michelle Pearce

The Final Day

The field school has been an excellent and unique experience. Driving through the French and Belgium countryside, it was interesting to see how different the landscape changes in such a short distance. In some areas you could still see where the damage of the war was too much to completely restore. What struck me most about these areas was the cemetaries that seemed to be everywhere. It really puts into perspective the great loss of life when you drive down a road and there are literally dozens of cemeteries and memorials, some right up against the road others far off into the farmer's fields. By going to such a wide variety of cemetaries, it was interesting to see the variations from the German, French, Commonwealth and American cemeteries. I thought that the American graves were very facinating as they were beautifully constructed and landscaped. It is shocking when seeing an American cemetery and realising that there were actually so many more who died in such a short period of time since 60% were brought back to the United States to be buried, yet the rows of headstones goes on for such a long ways.

Meuse- Argonne American Cemetery

Christina

Le Dernier Jour

Today is the last day of the field school and our last day in Paris. After nearly three weeks studying the western front, the expertiece than I have gained has become apparent. This trip has given me first-hand experience with the western front, and the individual soldiers that were involved in the war. The personal aspect that all the students have gained, in my mind is extremely valuable. «additionally, by looking at the individual soldiers and their experiences «i have developed a new and more intimate way of looking at the war.

Being the last day today, the rush in on to see all the exciting sites that Paris has to offer. Let the rat race begin, and end.
-Sean

Photo Blog

One of my most anticipated sites in Paris was the Palace of Versailles, so when it became clear that due to closure on Mondays, today would be the last day in Paris to see this marvel, myself and others jumped at the opportunity.  The Palace was much larger and extravagant than I ever expected it to be, and also much more secured.  My backpack had to pass through something resembling airport security before I was able to enter, and the personnel working at Versailles were constantly encouraging people to move swiftly from one room into the next.

After seeing the Palace of Versailles first hand, it becomes instantly clear that its grandeur and size are impossible to capture through photography.  While a picture can not acurately translate everything, the following are some of my favourite shots from today's visit.  Unfortunely, due to time restraints during our visit I was often unable to determine what room we were passing through, or to catch a glimpse of the information cards explaining features within the rooms.  As such, these photos will have to speak for themselves, as an incomplete survey of complete excess.

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, no day at the Palace of Versailles is complete without a jumping photo taken from inside the gate while tourists outside the gate view awkwardly from behind:

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We So Excited.

- Michael Chambers

South African Involvement

Yes,I know that we learned about the Battle of Delville Wood battle more than a week ago, but we have not got proper,consistent internet connection, resulting to the inability to blog about this event. The battle though sparked an emotion in me that I feel that I need to express their story. By July 15th,1916, The Battle of the Somme was over 2 weeks old. British causalities just from the first day was well over 20,000. This mid-July battle,was one of the quickest,and bloodiest fight for any commonwealth army. ON July 14th, 1916,the 9th Scottish Brigade captured the village of Longueval. The next day the 2nd,3rd and 4th South African regiments were sent into the Belville woods to completely capture the German position. 3032 soldiers were sent in to "serve" their duty. By 9:00 hours,they captured the regiment. This would be the only positive note of the battle for the South Africans. On the 16th, they were unsuccessful in launching another attack to progress. The 17th and 18th, fighting and struggle continued. By the 19th, the patient Germans pushed the South African regiments out to the obscure corner of the woods. By 18:00 on July 20th, the South African brigades were relieved, only after 6 days of fighting. This day will forever be remembered as, "The Sixth Day". Out of the mentioned 3032 soldiers, only 140 would walk out of the woods. 

    This was not fight for the South African,commonwealth side. They were blindly thrown in a mass killing. They entered into an unknown, swamped forest. The Germans,who have had this position for 2 years,were on the defensive. They literally "picked"off the young South Africans one-by-one as they crawled through the wretched swamp of Belville.

  Today though,these men are respected with the Belville memorial and museum. It is a disgrace what these men were put through. Now,this memorial sits on the edge of the same forest where thousands of South Africans died. Within the museum, artwork is showcased,displaying the grim realities that these young men went through. The artwork perfectly reveals the emotion that was prevalent in mid-July,1916. Surrounding the memorial is the forest. The land in which these men died on,is now green and full of life. It is a rich forest,that has no comparisons to what it was almost 100 years ago. The site,I believe did an astonishing job in representing and preserving these soldiers,honorable history. 

                                                            -Jordan Harris.

Napoleon's Chair

Today during our free afternoon Kim, Jen, Laura, Dawn, Michael, Aaron and I visited the Palace of Versailles! We went with the specific intent to see the Hall of Mirrors, though I also wanted to see where Marie-Antoinette had lived since I wrote an essay on her this year. The Palace was understandably packed to the brim with tourists, but I wasn't bothered because the experience was worth every second of crowding. We had a little bit of trouble finding the Palace at first as there was minimal signage after we got off the Metro. We found our way there though with the assistance of a tour company and found out it was just around the corner. The building is instantly recognizable, it's gold detailings glittering in the sun from over a football field away.
We headed for the Hall of Mirrors first, though along the way we got to see the thrones of many European royals and nobles of the time. One of the most exciting thrones for me personally was the throne of Tsar Nicholas II, as well as seeing Napoleon's throne and senate seat (which was marked with a large N, in case you forgot who was supposed to sit there).

We perused through the King and Queen's bedchambers, as well as through the Dauphine's Apartments and the rooms of the King's mistresses such as Madame du Pompadour. We got in a fight in the Gallery of Battles and marvelled at the gardens (though we did not actually tour them, merely gaze upon them throught the windows of the palace). Every aspect of the architecture and design was intricate and extravagant, evoking the memory of the royalty that once dwelled within those halls.

-Erin

So small in the presence of a colossal wonder

Today was the second time I've gone to the eiffel tower and I'm still amazed at how tall the structure is. It makes you feel so small, and reminds you that your just a small part of a much bigger world. In contrary to World War 1, just imagine how the soldiers fighting bravely and laying down their lives for king and country must have felt fighting in the largest conflict at that time? They must have shared the same feelings that I felt when I was under the tower. From a far the tower did not look too large but beneath it, your legs start to shake at its presence. For many soldiers that fought in WW1, they saw the war as an adventure and believed that it was just like traditional wars that ended quickly with honor and glory at hand. This was contrary to me looking at the tower from a far, however when they finally had a taste of battle it was not what they expected just like how I feel under the tower.

Eiffel tower from afar

What a Structure!

Its very intimidating eh?

Just a few of the millions who gave their lives so that  we may  be free


Blog post by Stephen Rizada

Thank you!

Our time here is ending soon, only two days left.  We arrived in Paris last night and are off to Versailles today.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who made this possible for all of us.  From our Friends to our families, but most of all Elizabeth and Stephen.

Elizabeth: (LB) You have been a rock for so many of us. A shoulder to cry on or someone just to talk to.  With out you there would have been many sad and lost students.

Stephen: (Davies)  You made this trip possible.  You put your time and energy into this adventure to make it wonderful for everyone, and you did a great job. 

If it was not for you we would all be back in Nanaimo, in the cold and the rain.

Thank you Stephen, you are a great professor and a wonderful travel buddy… we ALL thank you.

Kimberly Ethier

Erin McKenzie

Emily Sager

Places I Went: Friday, May 20

The posting of this has been delayed due to us not having an internet connection for the last few days while we were in Verdun:

Places We Went: Friday, May 20

Triere: Triere is a German city that was once the seat of the Emperor Constantine’s government. We went on a walking tour. Here are a few interesting things I saw:

This is the Black Gate. It was built by the Romans and Survived because it was built into a church that was later demolished by Napoleon due to his love of the Romans. According to our guide it was originally a light yellow but within a thousand years pollution within the city had blackened it. The black coating protects it from modern pollution. It was apparently possible to climb up it but we did not.

            On our way to the marketplace we saw a really neat building called the House of the Three Kings.

            It’s named for the Wise Men who brought the baby Jesus gifts and came form the east. Our guide said the design was Moorish and the designer had probably been a religious pilgrim. The door midway up is the main entrance, the door and window on the bottom were not original. Originally, the door could only be accessed via a retractable ladder. While the city wall was under construction the house could serve as a fortress. 

            The marketplace was a mixture of old and new. There were well preserved buildings and modern stores, like a Subway restrauran and modern clothing stores.

            In the market house where Karl Marx grew up. Underneath it is a Euro store, sort of like a dollar store. According to our guide many Chinese people come there to see the house. If the Euro store is like our dollar store they are bringing goods for it to sell.

            We saw what was once Constantine’s audience hall which has now become a Lutheran Church. Constantine was the Roman Emperor who made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.

 It is 67 meters long, 26 meters high and 33 meters high. It has no columns inside. I can only post an outside photo because photography is forbidden inside.

           There were also the ruins of Roman baths. These have tunnels under them and cost 3 Euros to enter. Most people in our group went shopping instead. At 2:00 we left for Luxembourg.

Written by Aaron Sauve.

Lest We Forget.

Sixteen days into the trip... nearly ten major memorials and countless cemeteries later... we have most definetly remembered those who gave their lives in the name of freedom during World War One. Yet what about those who survived? Those that lost a limbs and senses, their bodies fractured. Would it have been a better alternative to die in the war, than come home broken?

In the midst of our solemn rememberance of those who gave their lives, have we forgotten about those who returned?

We see monuments to the missing, cemeteries to the dead. In fact, we see graves commemorating German soldiers here in Allied Countries even though they were the horrors the Allies faced! Yet where are the 'megaliths' to the living?

Over 600,000 Canadian men and women served in the first World War, and just over 60,000 died. Approximately 170,000 more men and women were wounded. (Thank you Wikipedia). After doing the math, that means that only about 1/10 of the serving Canadians in World War One actually died. Yet the majority of our attention goes to the 1/10.

What about the rest?

When was the last time we commemorated the soldiers who did not have to pay the ultimate price? Remembrance day is the closest I can remember. Yet even with that, my thoughts always stray to pictures of men dying in a hail of gunfire. What about the men who died of the wounds at home. Bearing in mind the strict rules of the Commonwealth Graves Commission when it comes to soldiers who died in Europe stay in Europe, these men who died at home... stay at home. Apart from the men they fought next to, and in some cases watched die. It sometimes makes you wonder, was the ultimate price dying for your country, to forever be remembered as a hero who gave his life? Or is the ultimate price laying down your life, yet fate lets you live. You return home and fade into the background. You become the old man down the street that is grouchy and pass away in your sleep. You are buried amongst the other civilians of your town with no memorials or monoliths to mark your resting place. An ordinary man with a forgotten past.

The next time you think about those who lost their lives in the first World  War. Do not forget those who lived.

Lest we forget.

-Michael Cantwell

"Megalith" vs. Memorial

     Today was the last move in Europe for many in our group, from Verdun to Paris.  Along the way we stopped at a strange monument, calling itself a "megalith," that caught my attention for the wrong reasons.  Commemorating the first victory of the Marne by the French, accompanying information tells us the following about this work, with original emphasis left in tact:

"The text on the right, signed by JOFFRE, is the text of his famous general orders on the day of 6th SEPTEMBER 1914. "when a battle is engaged on which the salvation of the country depends, it is important to remind everyone that the time for looking back has past.  A compagny that cannot advance must maintain the conquered ground at all costs and GET KILLED ON THE SPOT rather than fall back.  In the present circumstances, failure cannot be tolerate."

     The images of lightening and trumpets beneath a vision of "winged Victory" stretching thirty-three metres into the sky left me shocked.  This monument does not remember a war, but instead the gross bravado that sent thousands to their deaths.  I much preferred another monument seen today, which was accompanied by the inscription "Les Fantomes."

Michael Chambers

Historial de la Grande Guerre

The Historial de la Grande Guerre was the museum in Peronne focusing the battle of the Somme. The floor to ceiling windows with white walls allowed for sunlight to pour in and have the artifacts speak for themselves. Taking a minimalist perspective the museum chose to only include two percent of their collection of over 70,000 objects. The pieces aspects of the war through the perspective of the both the soldier and those in the homefront and then are seperated into France, Germany and Britain. I found it very interesting to see the various views of the war, especially the similarities that could be drawn from one country to another. The center two rooms which featured the countries during the war were especially powerful. The pieces were displayed in open, marble pits served two purposes to display the objects in a way that they could be seen in an easily-viewed perspective as well as to evoke sentiments of the war. The marble served as a reminder of the white chalk of the Somme while having the uniforms and objects laid down shows them as resting, or dead, which appears to be vulnerable and personal. While much of the museums layout has been controversial it also serves as a basis for others to emmulate. I think that this museum served its purpose in informing while sparking new interest; I would easily say that it has been the best that we have seen and would be eager to return and seen the ever evolving collection.

Christina Ruscoff

The Blue Puttees

The call came from London, for the last July drive
"To the trenches with the regiment, prepare yourselves to die"
The roll call next morning, just a handful survived.
Enlist ye Newfoundlanders and come follow me

So it's over the mountains, and over the sea
Come brave Newfoundlanders and join the Blue Puttees
You'll fight the Hun in Flanders, and at Gallipoli
Enlist ye Newfoundlanders and come follow me
- “Recruiting Sargeant,” Great Big Sea
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knxR-Q2VoBE

Today was an emotional day for many of us as we visited both the Vimy Ridge Memorial and the Newfoundland Beaumont Hamel Memorial.  Beaumont Hamel is a site that commemorates the losses of the 1st Battalion of the Newfoundland Regiment on July 1, 1916, the first day in the Battle of the Somme.  They suffered an 86% casualty rate on that first day.  The troops jumped off at 7:30 AM and where the second wave going over the top that day.  What they walked into was death in massive numbers.  The Great Big Sea song speaks to this huge loss in a touching way and gives a sense of the experiences of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during World War I.

The memorial was quite touching with the Caribou standing above the site facing the direction of the battle.  At the foot of the Caribou’s hill is the memorial for Newfoundland’s missing men, 820 in total.  The list of names includes brothers George and Stanley Abbott.  The brothers did everything together including enlisting in the army and fighting at Gallipoli.  They were not to survive Beaumont Hamel, however and the died here, also together.  After viewing the names on the memorial we made our way to the top of the hill where the Caribou stood and as we approached we heard the sound of singing.  Four older visitors were singing;  "When the time has come and I must go to my land across the sea this lovely isle of Newfoundland will still be calling me/From her pine clad hills and mountain glens to her shores of shingling sand, God bless and keep you as you are ... we love you Newfoundland".  It was moving and gorgeous and so incredibly sad.  The tears were not far off for myself and others at that point.  In the end Beaumont Hamel was everything I had hoped it would be; beautiful and touching, personal and poignant.  Our tour guide Elliot was both informative and relaxed giving us the information without being boring or talking down to us.  It helped that he was our own age and a student whose respect for and understanding of the memorial made the trip that much more enjoyable.


Laura Lutes

Alexander Matheson Remembered Always at Vimy Ridge

Today we visited Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada (Vimy Memorial). It was, for many of us including myself, the most emotional day so far.  So many names are written on this beautifully constructed monument, it brings tears to my eyes even now, just writing about it. 

At Vimy I did an individual presentation of a Canadian soldier who died in World War One, his name is Alexander Matheson and is forever memorialised on the Vimy Monument.

Alex was a native of Prince Edward Island, who later moved to British Columbia to be a logger in Hariot Bay on Quadra Island.  He enlisted in late 1917 and went over seas (to Seaford Sussex, England) in early 1918. 

Son of Neil and Flora (MacDonald) Matheson and brother to John James, Norman, Daniel, Angus, Mable & Hilda Matheson. 

Alex died on October 10^th 1918 in France when an enemy shell exploded nearby at about 3 am while he was on outpost duty.  His body has been lost and is now part of the Vimy Memorial. 

I would like everyone who reads this to just take a moment to remember all those who fought for our freedom.

May those who made the ultimate sacrifice and who perished Rest in Peace.

Kimberly Ethier

The Last Post

Tonight the field school was able to view the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate.  The Last Post has been sounded at the Menin Gate every night at 8 PM ever since the gate was created in the 1920s.  Thousands of people come every year to visit this moving memorial and lay wreaths at the ceremony.  The ceremony was stopped during the German occupation of Ypres in World War II but was started again the very day the German occupation ended.  It was definitely an amazing experience for me.  The ceremony was moving and actually quite simple with standard bearers lining the hall and groups of people quietly and slowly taking turns walking their wreaths up the steps.

One group that stuck out for me was a group of school children who were attending.  Four of the children were dressed in their best uniforms and they were clearly quite nervous.  They hurried up the steps and laid their wreath before coming back down, doing all they could not to break in to a run.  What struck me was how polite and quiet the children were.  In many cases children don't understand the solemnity of occasions such as these but this group clearly did, whether due to information from their families or their school education I am not sure.  In either case they did their school and themselves proud.  Stephen, our Professor, and his son Taylor laid our wreath and did not seem quite as nervous as the kids!  A few other groups laid wreaths and the ceremony wrapped up lasting only about half an hour or forty five minutes.  Though this ceremony happens every night there is always and audience.  I am not sure about the winter months, but every night we have been here there has been a large crowd for the ceremony.  It is amazing to see so many people dedicated to remembering the fallen and lost of the War.  I have always been struck by the words of Lord Plumer's speech at the unveiling of the Menin Gate.  He said...


"when peace came and the last ray of hope had been extinguished the void seemed deeper and the outlook more forlorn for those who had no grave to visit, no place where they could lay tokens of loving remembrance. ... It was resolved that here at Ypres, where so many of the 'Missing' are known to have fallen, there should be erected a memorial worthy of them which should give expression to the nation's gratitude for their sacrifice and its sympathy with those who mourned them. A memorial has been erected which, in its simple grandeur, fulfils this object, and now it can be said of each one in whose honour we are assembled here today: 'He is not missing; he is here'" (http://www.greatwar.co.uk/ypres-salient/memorial-menin-gate-inauguration.htm).

It is the last line that really hits me.  The Menin Gate is a place to find and remember those that were lost.  Plumer's words seemed to ring especially true today as I gave my presentation for my soldier from the Canadian Letters and Images Project, Frederick Ernest Carter.  His name is found with the others of the 7th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry, Panel 18-28-30.  I very much appreciated having a physical place to go to to remember him after I had read his letters and attestation papers.  I will always remember Carter, this experience and the words, "He is not missing; he is here."

Laura Lutes

Originally posted May 11, 2011

French and Belgium Homes, "All Blown Up and Nothing Left For Them."

Today we visited the "In Flanders Fields" Museum in Ypres. The picture posted above came from the museum. When I saw this photograph of this civilian home blown apart, it made me think about how widespread the impact of World War One really was. The suffering and sorrow continued long after the Armistice was signed on November 11^th, 1918. Throughout the war years, massive amounts of citizens on the Belgium and French homefront were forced to flee from their homes. Taking whatever meagre possessions they could, these families became refugees and relocated to territory well behind the battle lines. Tragically, upon the conclusion of hostilities, many families returned to their homes only to find piles of bricks and dust. Joseph Boute served with the Canadian Machine Gun Corps and was in the city of Valenciennes, Belgium after the Armistice. He described how he watched “old men, women and children, who [were] just alive hauling all they own on a little cart.” Boute concedes that their efforts might be in vain, saying: “perhaps when they get to their homes they are all blown up and nothing left for them. I tell you it is a sorrowful sight.”1 Captain Agar Adamson of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, also voiced his opinion about the destruction of civilian homes. You can sense his anger against the Germans in his letter on December 14^th, 1918, he wrote: “I think the Germans who have lived in comfort here for years should all be marched through the devastated parts of Belgium and France to make them realize what the people have suffered… the poor creatures pushing handcarts along the roads with their few belongings only to arrive at their homes, in many cases not existing.”2 This destruction was a harsh reality of war. Nothing could mend the emotional cost of the widespread destruction left behind after the Great War. An incredible amount of French and Belgium families lost so much. Countless families mourned the deaths of their sons and fathers. Many families also had the added grief of picking up the pieces of their lives after their homes were reduced to rubble.

-Graeme Arkell

End Notes    
   1. J. Morrison, "Hell Upon Earth: A Personal Account Of Prince Edward Island Soldiers In The Great War, 1914-1918." (Summerside, Prince Edward Island: Privately printed, 1995): 163

2. N. Christie, ed. “Letters Of Agar Adamson, 1914 to 1919,” letter December 14^th 1918, (Nepean, Ontario: CEF Books, 1997): 354

Originally posted May 11, 2011

Ode to Julien

I would like to take this opportunity to pay homage to our bus driver, Julien. Acting as part guide, part chauffeur and part beer connoisseur, Julien has introduced us to Belgium with a charming, understated style. Our introduction to this wonderful man began when he picked up a group of very weary travellers from the airport. We were greeted with fresh bottles of water (as we are every morning) and individual cups full of assorted Belgium chocolates. Each set of seats had a package containing an introduction to Belgium - Julien style, full of interesting facts and funny insights into Belgian culture. Not only is Julien a snappy dresser, but he has been kind to us and patient with our shenanigans.
Julien has a wife and family with one daughter still at home, which he left for two weeks to drive us around Belgium and France. He joins us for dinner, and shares his knowledge of local beers generously. He translates for us when needed, visits the cemeteries and memeorials with us, and in general is an important and wonderful addition to our field school. I think that almost every student has a Julien story by now.
What we all appreciate most about Julien is his expert and clam navigation of the sometimes daunting streets. We have driven up rough, one lane farming roads, busy city streets, construction zones, and narrow cobbled streets of the sort that can only be found in Europe. We have parked on precarious roadsides and backed into tight parking spots. All of this he does in a large purple bus full of rowdy, loud students. Julien manages all of this with a calm, modest air. Nothing seems to faze him. When we compliment him or tease him he just laughs and shakes his head.
The other day we stopped on a VERY narrow farmer’s road to view the site of the famous Christmas truce. With hardly enough space to turn a Volkswagen Jetta, Julien managed to turn the bus around in two simple moves. We were all so impressed with his driving that we broke into a spontaneous round of applause. Julien just shook his head and said "The bus did it."
So this is my ode to Julien, the best bus driver and Belgian beer connoisseur I've ever met.


Posted by Jen Fink on May 11, 2011

An Unfortunate Casualty of War

Today we lost a great comrade. Taylor Davies, born August 30, left us on May 12th, 2011 at the age of 14. He was short-known, but very well-liked by all of us, and maturity-wise superior to some. He was forced to take the 5:30am train from the front in Ypres, to the nearest field school casualty clearing station in Paris, l'aerogare Charle-De-Gaulle. When he will leave France, and if he safely arrives in our home country, Canada, is to be seen. We are all expecting letters from him soon to hear how his healing process is going. He received a more than decent training in war-, history-, geography-, and, most important, life lessons by his superiors and peers. We hope that his beloved Brooke Marie will take good care of him, and wish him safe travels home. We cannot help but say that we will greatly miss him on future raiding parties, and daily battlefield excursions. As in 1915, strangers became friends, and then brothers in arms. Thanks for the awesome time we got to spent with you Taylor! Sven per pro for the entire field school, and especially Michelle, Caitlin, Jordan, and Patrick.

Sven (Originally posted May 12, 2011)

Homesick on the Western Front

Over the course of this trip I am sure most, if not all of us, have missed something from home and has made us feel a little home sick.  The different things have a range from our pets, the food, our beds, our showers, our family and our friends.  I know, personally, I have missed almost everything on the list at one point or another.  But what I find amazing is that we have all become so much like a family we can get each other through anything.

  Over the past week or so (and for the nine days remaining) we have been in dorm style rooms… this has been more of a God send for most of us then it has been a bother.  I know everyone needs their space, but having (in my case) 7 roommates has been so great.  With the depth of our trip being so grave and depressing it has been great to know that I always have a sister to lean on. Someone to give me a hug when I am crying, someone to sit with me when I miss home, and someone to make me laugh when I am down.

All of the students on the Field School are now not only my friends (and at the beginning most were complete strangers) they are my Family. 

And I must say it is not only the students who have aided others in times of sadness (for what ever reason), it is also Stephen, Elizabeth and Julien.  They are truly amazing.

I want to thank everyone for your support.  We have all come together and have in turn become closer.

Kimberly Ethier

The Lewis Gun

Yesterday at the South African Museum in Delville Wood, we saw an excellent display case containing a Lewis Gun. The Lewis Gun is a machine gun that was often used by the Belgian, British, and South African armies during the Great War. As you can probably tell from the picture above, this machine gun was very well respected on the front lines due to its high rate of fire. As Reginald Roy explains in the book, The Journal Of Private Fraser, “the Lewis was a light machine-gun weighing 27 pounds. It was air-cooled, fitted with a 47-round drum magazine.”1 Indeed, the Lewis Gun was so light that it could be carried by a single soldier. Also, Agar Adamson, Captain of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, boasted about the gun in a letter on the 12^th of October 1915 saying, “it has a disk like a phonograph and fires 300 shots in 30 seconds.”2 On the battlefield this gun saw action as both a dependable offensive and defensive weapon.
- Graeme Arkell     End Notes

1. N. Christie, ed. “Letters Of Agar Adamson, 1914 to 1919,” letter October 12^th 1915, (Nepean, Ontario: CEF Books, 1997): 87

2. 1. Reginald Roy, ed. “The Journal Of Private Fraser,” (Nepean, Ontario: CEF Books, 1998): 69

J. J. Sweeney

While on this field school, we see hundreds of thousands of names of the dead including those whose names are unknown.  We are aware that each fallen soldier had a family, friends, and loved ones and that each looked different, had different gifts, and had a unique personality.  Some of these men´s stories we are fortunate enough to learn a bit about and so it was with New Zealand Trooper J. J. Sweeney.  Sweeney enlisted in the army October 15th, 1914 at the age of 35.
At 5:44 am, October 2, 1916 Sweeney was executed for desertion.  Apparently, he went absent on July 25th, 1916 and was gone for a total of 42 days.  What made him desert his post we will never know; perhaps like many soldiers he suffered from a mental breakdown from witnessing and experiencing the horrors of war.  Seven years after WWI the information of his desertion and execution was released; however, supposedly his father Bernard had become aware of it earlier and when he committed suicide by strychnine many believed it was because of shame he felt having a deserter son. 
We will probably never know whether it was shame for his desertion or sadness for his death that broke Bernard´s spirit but his suicide does underscore that for many of those condemned soldier`s shot at dawn, their families suffering was doubled.  First with the news of their precious son, husband, or brother´s death and again with shame and embarrassment that he was dishonored.  What a pity that these brave men, many who volunteered to fight, were treated in such a horrific and undignified way when what they needed was help and understanding and should have been told how grateful the nation was that they had risked their lives for so long in order to serve them.