France Trip - November 2013
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Students tour the Battlefields...
We left for Hull on Wednesday 27th November at 1.15pm - lots of parents came to wave us off.
After checking in on the boat we went for dinner, the students were very excited about unlimited Ben and Jerry's ice cream. All students were so well behaved and were looking forward to sleeping on the boat in cabins with their friends.
The following morning, after an unbelievably smooth crossing we arrived in Zeebrugge and took the coach to Ypres. After checking in at our hotel we visited the Flanders Field museum and looked at numerous exhibitions. Students also went to the top of the tower to look out over Ypres - it was extremely high and Miss Jones was not brave enough to go to the top!
After this we went to visit the Yorkshire Trence which had collapsed the week before. Students were allowed to walk half way through. We also went to Essex Farm cemetery where In Flanders Fields poem was written and went inside the medical bunkers. Here students laid a wreath at the grave of an unknown soldier. We then moved onto Langemark and saw the German graves before finishing the tour at Tynecot - the largest military cemetery in Europe. Students spend time looking at the names on the wall of remembrance.
That evening we visited a Belgian chocolate shop, the Christmas market in Ypres and went for dinner - more ice cream! We also went to the Menin Gate last post ceremony. Passers-by commented on how respectful and mature our students were.
The next day we were up early to for the journey to the Somme. We visited Tynecot memorial, Newfoundland Park and Lochnager Crater - they were amazed at the size of this! At Newfoudnland Park the students were shown where the British tropps went over the top on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and where the Germans were positioned. We also saw the 'danger tree' where soldiers tried to hide from enemy fire.
Following this tour we headed back to Ypres and visited Sanctuary Wood. The students were able to walk through WW1 trenches and go in underground tunnels. It was very wet and muddy!
We then headed to Zeebrugge for the overnight ferry. We were warned it would be rough and it was very rough. Gale force 9 all the way home. I don't think our staff or students let that spoil what was a really great trip.
Article by Miss Jones
Curriculum Area Leader for Humanities