Just back from an emotional and interesting day discovering Flanders Fields. The Ypres area we visited was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting of WWI and over 500,000 soldiers lost their lives in this 8 mile area.
Our first stop was Tyne Cot Cemetery where we paid our respects to the 12,000 Allied soldiers buried there. Next we visited the artefacts and exhibits at Passchendaele Memorial Museum and made our way through the underground tunnel system. We then sat in the sun and enjoyed our packed lunches before taking some time at the Balbardie tree to plant our crosses, hold a minute’s silence and read our letters of thanks to the fallen soldiers.
In the afternoon we visited the German Langemark cemetery and compared it to the Allied Tyne Cot cemetery. We then visited the Bayernwald trenches at which point the heavens opened and the rain began to pour which only helped to create a realistic setting. Next we had frites for dinner and munched them along with our rolls and juice in the town square in Ypres.
Our final stop this evening was Ypres where we watched the nightly last post ceremony at the Menin Gate which holds the names of 55,000 soldiers who died but were never found during WWI. Natalie and Fraser took part in the ceremony and did a fantastic job of representing the school as they laid our wreath.
Time for bed now and Plopsaland in the morning before beginning our journey home.
Sounds like you have all had a very interesting and informative day. Hope you all have fun at plopsaland tomorrow – roll on Saturday 🙂 Linda and Josh xx
Sounds like a very busy and eventful day. I’m sure all the kids must be exhausted with all they’ve managed to squeeze in over the last few days.
Enjoy plopsaland tomorrow and can’t wait to see the bus outside of Balbardies gates.
Thank you for the updates.
Love to Becky
Michelle and Darren
Sounds like a very busy and eventful day. I\’m sure all the kids must be exhausted with all they\’ve managed to squeeze in over the last few days.
Enjoy plopsaland tomorrow and can\’t wait to see the bus outside of Balbardies gates.
Thank you for the updates.
Love to Becky
Michelle and Darren
Sounds like a very busy and eventful day. I\\\’m sure all the kids must be exhausted with all they\\\’ve managed to squeeze in over the last few days.
Enjoy plopsaland tomorrow and can\\\’t wait to see the bus outside of Balbardies gates.
Thank you for the updates.
Love to Becky
Michelle and Darren
Another exciting day of learning. It’s a shame the weather didn’t hold for you all, fingers crossed it will be nice again tomorrow for your day at plopsaland. Hope you all have lots of fun tomorrow and safe journey home, can’t wait to hear all about it on Saturday. A huge thanks to all the staff for taking such good care of all our gorgeous kids and for making it such a fun-filled adventure for them. X
Emotional day, enjoy the theme park tomorrow (Craig’s so jealous), can’t wait until you’s are all home, travel safe and see you’s all soon love Angela, Craig and Marley xx
Emotional day, enjoy the theme park tomorrow (Craig\’s so jealous), can\’t wait until you\’s are all home, travel safe and see you\’s all soon love Angela, Craig and Marley xx
What a shame about the weather but sure the kids will have had an amazing experience. Hope you all get a good sleep and enjoy Plospsaland tomorrow. I know it was one of Andrews highlights last year on the Anubis!. Safe journey home and see you all bright and early on Saturday. xx
Have a safe journey home, cnt wait to see you Sophie, missed you Sooo much xxx