Saturday the 11th June 2016 the time 08.22. All students were counted on the bus, along with staff, and the signal was given to Gordon, the bus driver, to depart for the journey south to the Port of Hull to catch the overnight ferry to Zeebrugge. We arrived at 16.00 and proceeded to the ticket desk; went through passport control and boarded The Pride of York in high spirits looking forward to the adventure ahead. We arrived at the busy Belgian port on Sunday morning. The crossing was smooth and free of incident. For some of the students it would be their first time away from family and the first time they’d visited a country outside of The United Kingdom. The excitement for many was palpable. After we disembarked at 09.30, the bus made the journey to the French town of Arras. Arras, in Northern France, witnessed some of the most intense and ferocious fighting during the Great War. The students were given a short history of the town: the birthplace of Robespierre, one of the most important figures of The French Revolution; the fact that the trade in wool between the town and Scotland took place during the middle-ages; and that the town had to be completely rebuilt after The Great War. The Commonwealth Cemetery on the outskirts of the town contains the remains and names of almost thirty five thousand men that died fighting in that part of a The Western Front. Many of the students, and adults, were moved at the sacrifice of so many, and that was only on the British side; they were also reminded of the French, Belgian and German casualties. After an hour in the town, with everyone being encouraged to communicate in French, the consensus was that the town was notable for its architecture, food outlets and the nice, polite inhabitants. A good start so far. We boarded the bus to make our way to the iconic battlefield that is The Somme.   The twenty mile trip to The Canadian Memorial at Beaumont Hamel on The Somme took 45 minutes. The group were given a tour of the site by Canadian Students who manage the park. The symbolic significance of this battle site was explained;  what the Caribou that stands proudly staring out towards Newfoundland signifies and the fact that on day one of the battle, July the first 1916, the British suffered sixty thousand casualties: twenty thousand dead, and the rest wounded or missing. It was the biggest loss of life in one day suffered by the British Army. We were all moved by the sincerity and in depth knowledge of our guide and it allowed us all to reflect on the terrible waste of life and resources that was the result of this battle: one million men lost, missing or wounded by the time the offensive was called off in October. We then left our guide to make our way down to see The 51st Highland Division Memorial at the bottom of the battlefield. When we arrived at the statue of a soldier in highland dress I gave a short talk on the role of The Scottish Regiments in the battle. We then asked a student, Liam Alexander, to lay a poppy wreath at the memorial. Liam was chosen because his great, great grandfather fought on the Western Front and was awarded the Military Cross for bravery. A very sad aside to this story was the fact that this man’s wife lost four brothers in the conflict. It was a very sobering moment to end our visit to The Somme. We returned to the coach and made our way to Paris. After a wonderful boat trip on The River Seine, that took in many notable sites: Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre, Eiffel Tower and many of the wonderful bridges that span the river. While making our way through the French capital, Mrs Stables, a past resident of the city, gave a running commentary of all the notable sites we did not see on the boat trip: The French Parliament, Napoleon’s Tomb, The Arc De Triomph and many more interesting landmarks. It was an excellent conclusion to our visit. Paris is a fantastic city and the students enjoyed the experience.

 

A long, eventful and very emotional day had ended. We were all looking forward to our bed. Tomorrow was to be more light hearted before we made our way back to Belgium. Monday saw us visit The Disney Theme Park Paris. We arrived at 10.00 and departed at 16.00 for our trip to Blankenberge in Belgium. The students, and some of the adults, enjoyed themselves in the park. We were surprised at how quiet it was compared to past years. We concluded that the terrorist attacks in France and Belgium must have impacted on visitor numbers. This was discussed with the students when we went for food before our journey to Belgium. It was an eye opener as to the depth of knowledge and balanced approach many of the young people had. It is a credit to their generation that comes in for much criticism, that many of them held informed opinions and were able to discuss and form balanced arguments in response to the attacks. The fact is that many of the conflicts and disagreements that plague our world today are a result of The First World War. We arrived at The Hotel Sabat d’Or in the Belgian Coastal town of Blankenberge at 20.00. We had a late supper and after some free time all students were in their rooms by 22.30 in preparation for the field trips and museum visits planned for the next day. After breakfast on Tuesday morning we travelled to The Belgian Town of Ypres. It was here that four bloody battles were fought during the course of the conflict. We visited Flanders Field Museum and then spent time at The Menin Gate. The names of fifty six thousand men who fought and died in this area of The Western Front,whose bodies were never recovered, are contained on this vast monument. The group walked around observing the many names and nationalities of those who fought and died. Being a Commonwealth Memorial the nations of what was then The British Empire are represented by those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. After time for reflection and discussion we departed for the museum at Hill 62 and the authentic trench system that survives from the war. Hill 62 contains a Canadian memorial, and a museum on the site of Sanctuary Wood. It was here, during the first battle of Ypres in 1914, that British casualties were brought away from the fighting. Canadian regiments defended the hill against the Germans who continued to advance through Belgium on their way towards Northern France. It was explained to the students that the German attack on Belgium was the reason for Britain becoming involved in the war. The group was split in two with one going to trench system while the other visited the museum. Mr Campbell, Miss McLeish and Mr Reilly conducted the tour of the trenches. Students were informed about life in the trenches: the terrible conditions and diseases suffered by soldiers and how the landscape and geography played a significant part in all the battles that took place in the region. Mrs Stables, Mrs Lambert and I took the second group around the museum. All the exhibits are original Great War memorabilia: guns, bombs, uniforms, photos and personal artefacts of many of the soldiers who fought there. Also the fate of the survivors who suffered physical and mental trauma was also highlighted in part of the displays. This moved many and in some instances to tears. Perhaps media coverage of those who have suffered in more recent conflicts gave them an extra insight into what these victims, in their millions, had to endure. The groups then swapped over before lunch was served. We then proceeded to Tyne Cot Cemetery. The fifteen minute drive gave staff time to explain to the students that the names of thirty five thousand men are contained on the wall the surrounds the cemetery. Like The Menin Gate, the bodies of these soldiers were never found. Twelve thousand bodies are interned in the site, many whose names are unknown. Eight German soldiers, whose bodies were discovered decades after the war, are also buried next to the Commonwealth dead. The students were each issued with an individual poppy for them to select a grave to honour someone who had paid the ultimate price during the conflict. It was reassuring to see that the German soldiers where not forgotten. We then made our way to Langermark Cemetery which is one of only four German Cemeteries in Belgium.

Langermark contrasts greatly with Tyne Cot: the German cemetery is dark and very sombre with black gravestones and oak trees providing a canopy that helps exclude the sunlight; Tyne Cot is bright with limestone gravestones with no trees, but beautiful rose bushes populate throughout, giving off wonderful scents at the time we visited in June. We had a wreath laying ceremony and I explained that the mass grave in the centre contained the bodies of twenty five thousand German soldiers, many as young as seventeen, who fought and died for what they believed was a just cause and in defence of Germany. Four ghostly figures dominate the entrance to the site. The students asked a lot of pertinent questions and discussions took place as to why so many people died. It was explained that this was truly the first industrialised war and new weapons such as the machine gun, the tank, poison gas, aeroplanes and submarines all played a role in the battles whether on the ground, air or at sea. It was no longer the amount of men in the field, but the quality and quantity of their equipment that counted and that this is what decided the final outcome. We returned to our hotel for dinner and leisure time. It had been a long, emotional and eventful day. Discussions continued between the students on what they had experienced earlier. Many went to their rooms in a reflective mood. Wednesday was the day we visited Brugge. This beautiful medieval city has UNESCO World Heritage Status and is famous for its lace manufacturing, beer brewing and cuisine, especially moules frites: mussels and chips to us. The famous bell tower dominates the centre and the canals, a reminder that back in the middle-ages Brugge was almost on the coast, are what visitors flock to in their thousands. Also highlighted was the trade that took place between Scotland and Brugge in medieval times, mostly wool from the vast religious houses that dominated Southern and Eastern Scotland up until the time of The Reformation in 1560. Also the surname Fleming, a very Scottish name indeed, found its genesis in those merchants who travelled and settled in Scotland; Fleming describing the Flemish immigrants that arrived in towns like Berwick, Perth and St. Andrews. This allowed for a discussion on immigration today and the fact that the movement of people has been a fact since history began. It was very relevant in the run up to the EU referendum and allowed for many differing opinions from the students. It is a reflection of society in general. The students were then given a tour and free time to enjoy the wonderful sites. The group returned to the hotel for dinner and free time in the town. Blankenberge is a wonderful holiday resort with a two mile promenade. The Belgian Government has spent tens of millions of euros on upgrading the facilities and as a result is a popular destination for German and Dutch tourists. It was our last full day in Belgium and the general consensus amongst students was that the trip had been a wonderful experience. We all headed back to the hotel to pack our bags for the trip back on the ferry on Thursday. We had breakfast Thursday morning, thanked the hotel staff for the wonderful food and service then departed for the journey home. Before heading to the ferry port we visited the Cite d’Europe shopping facility next to Calais. This allowed the students to purchase any last minute gifts and use their French in the process. After a couple of hours we boarded the bus for Zeebrugge. The sea crossing was incident free and the group arrived back at The Academy at 15.00 on Friday. Parents and carers were waiting in anticipation to see their loved ones returned safely and many thanked staff and the bus driver for looking after their children. It’s always pleasing to get recognition for your efforts. So the Kilmarnock Academy Trenches Trip 2016 ended on a high. The staff involved would like to thank all those who made the trip possible: Gordon the bus driver whose expert knowledge and driving skill made all the difference; The Office Staff in the school who dedicated time and effort gathering in money and forms; Mr Wallace whose financial expertise was invaluable; Ayrshire Educational Trust whose support has been ongoing for over thirteen trips and IBT Travel who provided excellent support throughout, especially during the dark days of the terror attacks in Paris and Brussels, when the trip looked very much in doubt. Also to the staff that provided cover in the school in the different departments; Mrs Stables, Mr Campbell, Miss McLeish, Mrs Lambert and Mr Reilly who worked very hard and gave up their time to make sure the trip was a success. Finally it is a big well-done to all the students, parents and carers who did The Academy, the town of Kilmarnock and Scotland proud. One point to be made before I sign off: a group of Church of England vicars, who were visiting Hill 62 at the same time as our group, made comments to me and Mrs Stables that our students were polite, knowledgeable; a credit to the school and their generation. Well done to them all. J Reid.