Well, here I am again on the way to Flanders. Dad and Simon got out the night before last, thank goodness. The weather disaster that started in Atlanta on 4/5 and moved up the coast reached New York on 4/6, which meant I was stranded in Florida. (Since our 4 day trip had turned into a 5 day, they nabbed us to work.) I got lucky and deviated from the deadhead flight, getting on the last JetBlue flight to White Plains, and the Delta flight cancelled.
Simon got business, but he let Dad have the seat since Dad had to drive later. They arrived OK, got the car, and made it to the hotel. I’m not sure what they actually did yesterday but that’s not important.
Someone who follows my WWI account on Twitter notified me in 2016 that the Carriere Wellington in Arras was putting on a Centenary celebration and memorial for the Battle of Arras, which began April 9, 1917. The Battle of Arras included the capture of Vimy Ridge which is widely credited with creating a national identity for the Canadians.
I had posted Murdo and Evelyn’s wedding picture, taken in Folkstone, England while they were both on leave, in 1918. He was in the 8th Battalion, The Royal Winnipeg Rifles, known as “The Little Black Devils”. Evelyn was in the Royal Canadian Nursing Corps and was stationed throughout Flanders during the War.
Dad and I spent a little time writing down interesting information about Murdo, and I included scans from the book that mentions him a few times, including the patrol where he was third in line and the first man stepped on a mine. The first man basically disintegrated, and the second man was blown up all over Murdo.
I was notified that we were chosen! Murdo and Evelyn’s picture had been picked to be part of the collection at the Musee des Beaux Arts in Arras, at the Palais Saint Vaast. Tomorrow, April 9 2017, is both Palm Sunday and the Dawn Ceremony, as well as about 6 other memorial services. I think we’ll try to go to all of them. Murdo and Evelyn are the only photo that has a woman in it, which I think definitely sets us apart!
I am currently sitting in the TGV station at CDG Terminal 3. I sadly missed my 12 euro bus direct to Arras that left at 8:45, and am now paying 63 euro to take a train one way to Lille Europe. What a rip-off. Dad and Simon are coming to get me at the Lille station, and we’ll have to decide what we want to do today. I’ll be getting in just after 11, so we have the whole day. I’m assuming that Dad won't mind driving, since I’ll be pooped. I can navigate and DJ, hahaha!
The photo is on the Trail of Remembrance, which starts at Place Marechal Foch (the train station) and ends at the Palais Saint Vaast. Good to walk the whole thing, I think. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours. Perhaps today we can also visit the German cemetery on the Somme, but I’m holding that lightly. More likely we will find Tyne Cot Memorial, where John Nicolson’s name is one of those listed as missing. Of course, he was “missing, presumed killed” at the Battle of Passchendaele which began in July, 1917. Then he turned up ten years later without any explanation and no-one said a word. So obviously we have to go find his name!!
I realize that I rode a jumpseat across the Atlantic to be in France for not even 2 full days… but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m not going to miss it.
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