As with the 1st of July we have a very early start on Armistice day. It's a long journey from Belgium to The Somme and we needed to arrive by 10.15am.
We meet at the school room in La Boiselle. The number of people attending are increasing, with both French and English together.
The mayoress and Richard Dunning take the lead along with a piper and John our baptist minister.
We lay wreaths at various monuments then finally at the crater.
This followed by food and drink at the school hall provided by the French.
Later we have nibble and a drink at Les and Renee's lovley French home which is huge but very welcoming as always.
Mid afternoon we meet at Mametz wood where one of the bloodiest battles of the first world war took place. Harry Fellows fought there and his ashes are in the wood. His so Mick is pictured with a wreath at his headsone. His ffriend george says the exhaltation. We all then have a tot of whiskey in memory of the soldiers who fought there.
The woods were owned by the count who died at the end of our stay on The Somme. He was a very good friend of the crater and invited many of us to his hunting lodge for lunch every july 1st.
Finally at the end of a long day after getting muddied and emotional we relaxed for a short while at the Calypso Longavaal. It always feels really good to be among friends.
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