Battlefield Tour -WW1 - Somme - France

[DIG4x4]

Hi All, as promised, we have just got back from an excellent but emotional weekend in France. Although we didn't do any "hard core" off roading, most of the sites we visited are only accessible by a 4x4, so you get to see so much more. So much information to take in over the weekend including museums and as you can see from some of the photos there was so little cover for the troops that they stood little chance of surviving the German Machine guns! I have included some Australian head stones and picked some not so common names so that you might be able to do some research on them and find their story.

We went over from UK by the Euro Tunnel, which is quick, convenient and not too expensive. You might have seen on TV the migrants here, but luckily there were no hold ups, but I did nearly run one of the buggers down as he was crossing a main road, missed him by a gnats knacker!

Vehicles that went from my group were, 1999 Nissan Patrol GR Y61 2.8 TD, 2015 Isuzu DMax Utah 2.5 Twin Turbo Diesel, 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlander 3.0 Diesel. There was also a Land Rover Defender 110 Camper and a Land Rover Discovery 2, Toyota Land Cruiser and another Nissan Patrol GR SWB.

We are already planning a WW2 Normandy landing event for next years 72nd anniversary which should be awesome!!

Hope you enjoy the pics; Sorry about the ones on their sides, I keep rotating them and they just wont have it ! grrrrrr.........
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[DIG4x4]

WW1 not WW!...bloody sausage fingers............

[4bye4]

Wow - that would be a magnificent trip. More pics please and good luck for next years trek. This would be great to do but we are a bit far away.

[DIG4x4]

Cheers 4bye4 ..............will put more pics and a few videos on over the weekend..

[mudski]

Wow - that would be a magnificent trip. More pics please and good luck for next years trek. This would be great to do but we are a bit far away.

Agreed. Maybe this should be the next place for our annual meet up!:tongue:

Loves the pics too. I am always interested in anything to do with WW1 and WW2.

[bazzaboy]

Excellent trip.
My wife & I are doing a similar one next year. England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy. Hiring a Pajaro and driving it all. The Normandy landing event would be worth seeing. I'm looking forward to it.

Bazza.

[Chubba]

Great trip report. Cheers mate. Look forward to more pics and vids

[threedogs]

So many lives lost , for what. I bet it was very emotional.
I have just completed some research on a bayonet from
WW1 and traced it back after a lot of searching right back
to the Somme. Thanks for sharing as I know a lot of Aussies
fell in France. Lest we forget

[DIG4x4]

Hi Bazaboy, let me know if you need a trip sorting, I am sure I could rustle up some 4x4s to take you around!

[DIG4x4]

Hi All, as promised, we have just got back from an excellent but emotional weekend in France. Although we didn't do any "hard core" off roading, most of the sites we visited are only accessible by a 4x4, so you get to see so much more. So much information to take in over the weekend including museums and as you can see from some of the photos there was so little cover for the troops that they stood little chance of surviving the German Machine guns! I have included some Australian head stones and picked some not so common names so that you might be able to do some research on them and find their story.

We went over from UK by the Euro Tunnel, which is quick, convenient and not too expensive. You might have seen on TV the migrants here, but luckily there were no hold ups, but I did nearly run one of the buggers down as he was crossing a main road, missed him by a gnats knacker!

Vehicles that went from my group were, 1999 Nissan Patrol GR Y61 2.8 TD, 2015 Isuzu DMax Utah 2.5 Twin Turbo Diesel, 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlander 3.0 Diesel. There was also a Land Rover Defender 110 Camper and a Land Rover Discovery 2, Toyota Land Cruiser and another Nissan Patrol GR SWB.

We are already planning a WW2 Normandy landing event for next years 72nd anniversary which should be awesome!!

Hope you enjoy the pics; Sorry about the ones on their sides, I keep rotating them and they just wont have it ! grrrrrr.........
61206
61207
61208
61209
612106121161221
6121461213612126121561222
6121961218612176121661220

A couple more pictures. I will edit the video soon and put a You Tube link for you guys (n Gals) when its done.

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The large monument sits on what was the German ridge and commemorates all 72,000 dead in this region over a 4 month period! It sits high on the ridge with a devastating killing ground in front of it ....Pics 61239 & 61240

[rusty_nail]

thanks for sharing mate! really cool pics and report!

[Clunk]

Nice one dig, will have to views those pics on the pc at home.... phone doesnt do them justice

[bazzaboy]

[QUOTE=DIG4x4;629773]Hi Bazaboy, let me know if you need a trip sorting, I am sure I could rustle up some 4x4s to take you around![/QUOT

Thanks mate. My friend in England owns a hire car company so I'm going to end up with a Pajaro or Disco for the duration at a good price.

Bazza

[Bigcol]

thanks for the photo's

looks great

[Fwdpatrol]

Would love to go there