An update on the other days will be added with more pics and detail when we have better internet access. Also a note on what happened to Hal after this retreat. Thanks for following, perhaps we will do his advance in 5 years- the 100 year anniversary?Saturday, 5 September 2009
We Made It!
An update on the other days will be added with more pics and detail when we have better internet access. Also a note on what happened to Hal after this retreat. Thanks for following, perhaps we will do his advance in 5 years- the 100 year anniversary?
Friday, 4 September 2009
Day 5
Awoke after a very deep sleep with legs aching but a sad realisation that this is our last big day. Much to our relief there was no wind however this was teamed with pouring rain. Not the best start but we made good progress to the next place hal mentions chevreville where he sleeps under the stars in a field because if is in glorious sunshine. Sadly 95 years later we were not so lucky.
Then on south to Monthyon "a quaint village right on top of a hill." If them billeted in a farm at the bottom of the hill sleeping under an apple tree. We found the farm but the orchard was blocked off. Pics to follow.
Meaux was hals next entry saying he crossed the river marne on "very quaint old bridges with mills built on them half way across the steam." He then explains that "sappers" or engineers were preparing to blow them up. We headed to meaux to find out more.
In the tourist information we discovered that the market bridge did indeed once have mills on it and was a great tourist attraction.we also discovered that on the 3rd of september 1914 in line with our diary the retreating english army blew up one of the arches of the market bridge in a successful attempt to slow the german advance down and with renewed resistance from english and french armies they prevented the germans reaching paris. We found this entry in a book...
Hal then billeted in a small village called vaucourtois "we arranged to live in a house the owner me which was starting to flee. We arranged to lock up the house and bury the key." However when we arrived a huge thunder storm appeared so after hiding under a hedge eating black berrys until the worst of the rain passed we set off to our last b and b near hals final stop on the retreat retal. 
(Hiding under a hedge!)
Then on south to Monthyon "a quaint village right on top of a hill." If them billeted in a farm at the bottom of the hill sleeping under an apple tree. We found the farm but the orchard was blocked off. Pics to follow.
Meaux was hals next entry saying he crossed the river marne on "very quaint old bridges with mills built on them half way across the steam." He then explains that "sappers" or engineers were preparing to blow them up. We headed to meaux to find out more.
In the tourist information we discovered that the market bridge did indeed once have mills on it and was a great tourist attraction.we also discovered that on the 3rd of september 1914 in line with our diary the retreating english army blew up one of the arches of the market bridge in a successful attempt to slow the german advance down and with renewed resistance from english and french armies they prevented the germans reaching paris. We found this entry in a book...
Today the bridge still has one arch missing (on the left) where it was blown up...
Hal then billeted in a small village called vaucourtois "we arranged to live in a house the owner me which was starting to flee. We arranged to lock up the house and bury the key." However when we arrived a huge thunder storm appeared so after hiding under a hedge eating black berrys until the worst of the rain passed we set off to our last b and b near hals final stop on the retreat retal.
(Hiding under a hedge!)
Day 4
The day started well with our friendly host providing us with a monster breakfast including a home cooked cakie chocolatie thing.
Once under way to Cuts, where Hal slept on the roadside, the weather decided to go against us and a strong headwind set in.
We're not sure how strong the wind was but it rather took the fun out of cycling.
Mostly we were travelling on high rolling plains, which must've made Hal glad that aeroplanes had yet to be fitted with machine guns, as there would've been nowhere to hide.
Once under way to Cuts, where Hal slept on the roadside, the weather decided to go against us and a strong headwind set in.
We're not sure how strong the wind was but it rather took the fun out of cycling.
Mostly we were travelling on high rolling plains, which must've made Hal glad that aeroplanes had yet to be fitted with machine guns, as there would've been nowhere to hide.
Also on these plains we crossed where the front line ran for most of the war, albeit a french sector.
Much to our relief we dropped down into a small town called courtieux where hal billeted in a small cottage by a stream which we think we found as we passed through. Hals battery moved at quite a pace covering 20km in one day to billet in the railway station at a place called vaumoise.This stage was hard work for us with the continued head wind and steep forested areas. We finally reached our stay for the night shattered and aching.
Luckily we were recieved by some fantastic hosts eric and elizabeth and after a brilliant hot shower we had a four course dinner with them. We would highly recommend them if you need some where to stay in the area so look them up on www.cuvergnon.com.
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Day 3
Sadly setting off from the lovely Chateau at Vandencourt after breakfast with the hosts we headed south through Ham where Hal passess through, they are mid retreat at this point so are only stopping for 2 hours for rests before moving on.
Finally they stop for a night in Genvry just north west of Noyon where they billet over night in a small farm and see two aeroplanes having a dog fight with pistols... "ours much faster, circling round him and could just hear and see pistol shots."
We had a lovely bike ride down to Genry where the land is very flat and you could imagine the British being able to see the Germans behind them. Much better weather today bar a head wind that made even down hills hard work.
In Genry we had a picnic and then headed on to Noyon where you could see shrapnel damage on the cathedral still surviving from WW1.
Finally they stop for a night in Genvry just north west of Noyon where they billet over night in a small farm and see two aeroplanes having a dog fight with pistols... "ours much faster, circling round him and could just hear and see pistol shots."
We had a lovely bike ride down to Genry where the land is very flat and you could imagine the British being able to see the Germans behind them. Much better weather today bar a head wind that made even down hills hard work.
In Genry we had a picnic and then headed on to Noyon where you could see shrapnel damage on the cathedral still surviving from WW1.Stayed the night in a nice B&B just south of Nyon, although they did have a stuffed foal in their front room...
Day Two
Awoke to an ominous grey sky but optimistic as ever we set out in shorts and tee-shirts. 30 mins later the rain started and boy did it start, 7 hours later we arrived dripping into the Chateau de vadencourt- we must have looked a sight!
We did however find some really interesting things out on our travels. Just right of Caudry we cycled into a small hamlet called Audencourt where Hal took part in the battle for Le Cateau (although the diary mentions this more as a skirmish).
(James admiring our "B&B". We also explained to the owners why we were doing our bike ride and all about the Diary we were following. They explained that this wa snot the first time they had met people on a similar journey. A young girl turned up at their front door one day with a book of letters. These letters were from her great grandfather in WW1 who had written to his family evrey two weeks to say where he was and that he was ok. The last letter they received he was injured but ok and staying in Chateau Vandencourt and at the end of the letter sent in the August of 1916 he hints that the germans are close by. In September 1916 the Germans took over the area and destroyed the Chateau and this man was killed in the park infront of the house. Chilling but amazing that she had tracked all this down).
We did however find some really interesting things out on our travels. Just right of Caudry we cycled into a small hamlet called Audencourt where Hal took part in the battle for Le Cateau (although the diary mentions this more as a skirmish).
One positive aspect of the weather was that it mirrored the conditions that Hal experienced. "a lot of mud on the cartridge cases caused a lot of jams. we fired about 2000 at infantry massing to attack". Judging from the ground the Germans must have been only a few hundred yard away when Hal withdrew.
In this battle Hal lost 3 men, who we believe now lie in one of the many "unkown" graves in Caudry Cemetary which we visited on our route. Sadly he does not detail their names so we cant be certain. (There are three "Unknown soilder" graves in the cemerary when we visited- see pic below)
Owing to the conditions (and the main road) we took a slightly different route from Hal heading south west. He might have got lost at this point but we saw no reason to follow his wanderings and headed straight to his RV with the rest of his brigade.
Our stay for the night was in a beautiful spot and we would highly recomend a visit if you are passing through the area (http://www.domainedevadencourt.com/)
In this battle Hal lost 3 men, who we believe now lie in one of the many "unkown" graves in Caudry Cemetary which we visited on our route. Sadly he does not detail their names so we cant be certain. (There are three "Unknown soilder" graves in the cemerary when we visited- see pic below)
Owing to the conditions (and the main road) we took a slightly different route from Hal heading south west. He might have got lost at this point but we saw no reason to follow his wanderings and headed straight to his RV with the rest of his brigade.
Our stay for the night was in a beautiful spot and we would highly recomend a visit if you are passing through the area (http://www.domainedevadencourt.com/)
(James admiring our "B&B". We also explained to the owners why we were doing our bike ride and all about the Diary we were following. They explained that this wa snot the first time they had met people on a similar journey. A young girl turned up at their front door one day with a book of letters. These letters were from her great grandfather in WW1 who had written to his family evrey two weeks to say where he was and that he was ok. The last letter they received he was injured but ok and staying in Chateau Vandencourt and at the end of the letter sent in the August of 1916 he hints that the germans are close by. In September 1916 the Germans took over the area and destroyed the Chateau and this man was killed in the park infront of the house. Chilling but amazing that she had tracked all this down).Day 1
Sorry for the radio silence it turns out that the internet acess in France is not as it is in the UK, along with the ability to pay for anything with credit cards (cue a story that we will laugh about in 3 months... but not now!)
Day One was a scorcher of a day and we started slowly leaving Mons. Not helped by the refusal of the Belgians to use any sort of road signage. but once under way we made good time. We visited Mesvin where the retreat started and haut-le-bois where Hal cqme into action for the first time on a steep hill.
Penny infront of the steep hill...
(btw please also excuse qny spelling ,istqkes qs the French PC keyboqrds hqve q funny lqyout)
We then biked to Nouvelles where Hal retired after his first battle and he learned that Major Maidlow had died (see previous blog post) and was where Lyster one of his injured gunner and the doctor stayed only to be captured by the Germans a few hours after. The Germans had a force of 200 000 against the British expeditionary forces of 70 000 so were close on their tails as they retreated back across the French border.
Cycled through Amfoipret where Hal was billeted and went on a quest for Rum for his men. Sadly no off licence there today!!!
Our billets for the night were just passed Quesnoy where a charming B&B awaited us with copious amounts of local cider.
50km down 280 to go.
Day One was a scorcher of a day and we started slowly leaving Mons. Not helped by the refusal of the Belgians to use any sort of road signage. but once under way we made good time. We visited Mesvin where the retreat started and haut-le-bois where Hal cqme into action for the first time on a steep hill.
Penny infront of the steep hill...(btw please also excuse qny spelling ,istqkes qs the French PC keyboqrds hqve q funny lqyout)
We then biked to Nouvelles where Hal retired after his first battle and he learned that Major Maidlow had died (see previous blog post) and was where Lyster one of his injured gunner and the doctor stayed only to be captured by the Germans a few hours after. The Germans had a force of 200 000 against the British expeditionary forces of 70 000 so were close on their tails as they retreated back across the French border.
Cycled through Amfoipret where Hal was billeted and went on a quest for Rum for his men. Sadly no off licence there today!!!
Our billets for the night were just passed Quesnoy where a charming B&B awaited us with copious amounts of local cider.
50km down 280 to go.
Sunday, 30 August 2009
Arrival in Mons
We arrived in mons today in preparation for starting the bike ride tomorrow (Thanks to sister Prue for the lend of her spare bike, it is going well so far). Had a scout around and discovered their military museum filled with WW1 Memorabilia (see the brit flag above). Even better the kind curator gave us some detailed info on the battles around Mons that specifically mentions my grandfathers battery and matches his diary.
Intrestingly in his diary he writes on the 23rd of August 1914 "heard some firing for the first time and prepared to come into action" this we discovered were some of the first shots fired in WW1.
Also on the 23rd he has hand written that Major Maidlow of the 49th Battery was killed. This was referenced in the museum detailing that he was killed in a hospital just south of Mons when it was shelled by the Germans and recorded in the list of deaths below...
Mons comes across as a town that has seen more than its fair share of military history. Just today about 50 WW2 vehicles arrived in Mons to celebrate the American liberation in 1944. Lots of jeeps, kakhi and tanks (it was almost like James had planned it).
We head tomorow to the place Hal first sees action in Bois la haute and start the first section of the ride.
Cant wait.
P&J
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