Thank you for reading our last update. We all loved reading the many comments you left us yesterday and today. Please keep commenting on our daily updates!
Thank you for your questions Primary 7! After dinner we have been enjoying doing different things. On Sunday night we went to the disco on the ferry. Yesterday, we went to the local park. Today, we are relaxing in our rooms after a very busy day. We are normally in our bedrooms for 9:30pm and lights out are at 9:45pm. This morning we woke up at 7:30 but tomorrow we have a long lie until 8am!! We are glad you are having a good week. We can’t wait to see you all next Monday and hear all your stories!
Today we have had a very busy, but interesting day. We started off by visiting L’Etaple cemetery. We were surprised as to how vast it was. Keston found the visit very educational as we were able to find out lots from the gravestones about the soldiers and civilians who had died. We found it interesting that the graves of the German soldiers weren’t so well kept.
We then travelled for about 2 hours on the bus to reach the Somme area. Our first stop was La Grande Mine. The crater was huge. It was caused by 27 tons of explosives set off by British soldiers who wanted to defeat Germans. The children all thought that the names on the walkway around the crater were very interesting as they told more information about soldiers who fought at that time.
Next we visited the nearby village of Contalmaison where we visited the McCrae Battalion Memorial (commonly known as the Hearts Memorial). Sam Tischler and Molly felt very honoured to be given the opportunity to place the school wreath on the memorial. Both Sam and Molly describe the experience as very memorable and touching.
Then we had our lunch at Thiepval. Sandy thought the memorial, for those who were never found during the Battle of the Somme, very beautiful as poppies regularly rained down from the top of the memorial. Sandy & Keston were convinced that they had found some long lost relatives on the memorial.
On our way to Ulster Tower we stopped off at Beaumont Hamel where we saw a memorial to Canadian and Scottish fallen soldiers among many others. We were surprised to find a Caribou atop of the Canadian Memorial!
Our last stop of the day was Ulster Tower. We were given a tour around the Thiepval Wood Trenches by a very knowledgable tour guide called Teddy. He showed us various trenches that were built by Scottish soldiers. We loved that the trenches were named after famous Scottish streets and cities (e.g. Inverness Avenue, George Street and Union Street). It was a truly emotional and humbling experience.
We are now back at our hotel after enjoying a lovely 3 course dinner. Please keep leaving comments, we love reading them.
Bon nuit!
Written by: Miss Clark, Mrs Harding, Sandy, Molly, Sam Tischler & Keston
Thank you for the great updates, sounds like great fun! Nathan we are missing you, Phoebe keeps asking when you are coming home she misses you loads. Hope you’re having a ball. Can’t wait to hear all about it. Lots of love xx
Sounds like everyone is having a great time,
And had lots to see and keep u all busy, love you lots Lewis R xx 😎
Looks like you are having a super time. Photos are super. Especially interested to hear about the Scottish connections you have uncovered.
Hope everyone enjoying the French food – especially the croissants and pain au chocolat !! 🙂
Love Dad and Mum
Missing you Katie sounds like you are fitting a lot in during your trip and what a great experience. The house is very quiet ( and tidy). Enjoy the next few days and I look forward to seeing all the photos. Love Mum xx
Another great update looks like you’s have had an amazing day keep the pictures and updates coming, we are all missing you megan xx
OOPS sorry about that Simon. Always get the 2 mixed up!! Getting old!
Wonderful, amazing and thought inspiring places to visit. Great photos, obviously love those of Molly at Contalmaison. Well done Molly and Sam. Molly we’re missing you loads but glad your having a great time. Enjoy your visit to the theme park tomorrow you deserve it! xx
p.s the comments from my Mums cousin Bertha above, she means Molly not Katie lol
You all look like you’ve had a fantastic day! Lots to take in. Can’t wait for more photos. Enjoy Bagatelle tomorrow! Love you loads Becky, love Emma xx
Thank you for the update! It’s great to hear what you’ve all been doing today! Sounds like you have all had a busy, but fantastic day! The photo’s are great too! Hope you all have a relaxing night and have a great time at the theme park tomorrow! Looking forward to the next update! A big hello to Sandy! Love, Mum, Dad, Katie, Frazer & Isla XxXxX
Thanks very much for update and all the pictures,what an honour for Sam and Molly to be able to lay the wreath for school at Mccraes Battalion Memorial and sounds like a very busy and interesting day. Enjoy park tomorrow and the rest of the trip.
Love Mum,Dad & Emily.x
Oh my goodness, you all look like you’re having a fantastic time.
The house is far too quite without you Taylor!
Hope you all have a great day tomorrow.
Love Arlene & Jordan Brown xx
Another great update, very good to see the wreath being left at the memorial. Fortunately Sandy we did not lose any relatives that we’re aware of in WW2 in France. Sandy’s dad.
Katy McCluskie is my cousin Eliza’s granddaughter, Eliza passed on your blog link to me. So proud of Katy and off course the other children.
Thought you’d like to know that Katy has a link with the Hearts Memorial & McCraes, her 3x gr uncle Pvt Robert Nelson died 01/07/16 first day of the Battle of The Somme and his name is inside the Cairn. He is also listed on the Thiepval Memorial which I see you also visited.
Katy also has a 3 x gt granddad Adam Price buried at Cabaret Rouge he served with 8th Royal Scots and a 3 x gt uncle James Nelson 1st Battalion Black Watch KIA 09/05/15 is listed on Le Touret Memorial.
Katy herself probably wasn’t aware of this.
Enjoy your trip, hope to get there one day myself.
Bertha Henretty Edinburgh
Hi, Thanks for the updates . The Kids look like they’re having a great time . Can’t wait to hear all about it from Elize when she gets home and if possible let her know we’re all missing her.
What a fantastic time you must be having P7s – I’m extraordinarily jealous – I’m stuck at school doing CEM tests! No comparison. Enjoy the rest of your visit. S’amuser! (Have fun!)
Wow what a fantastic day you’ve all had by the sounds of it. Hope your enjoying a relaxing evening, ready for an exciting day tomorrow at the theme park. I have to say it’s fantastic reading all about what your doing and seeing the lovely photos. Looking forward to the next update. Love and hugs to you Connell. Xxx
Thank you for the update. It sounds like another busy, facinating but thought provoking day. I’m sure that some of the parents reading these updates will wish they had the opportunity to go to the places you have been so privileged to visit. I know I do. Lewis I hope your enjoying yourself and that you’ve got lots to tell us about when your home. Grandma had a lovely birthday and said thank you for her card. Both grandma & Robyn miss you x enjoy your day at the park tomorrow it sounds like you’ve all earned a chill out day. Photos are great especially the ones with the Hearts strips 😉 and I look forward to seeing lots more photos tomorrow. Love mum, dad & Isla xxx
Lovely pictures. Sounds like you’ve all had a very interesting day. Can’t wait to hear all about it when you get home. We all miss you lots zoe but we know your having fun. Love you lots zoe and hope everyone is having an amazing adventure xx