General Chat

hi all

myself and my partner are going to belgium again in three weeks time ,, were also takeing a box of poppy,s again to put on the graves of soldiers known only unto god.
were staying right next to menin gate...

again as we did last year if anyone has a relative who they would like a poppy left for .

please give me there details and which cemetry and i will do my upmost to leave them one

yours donna

Hi Donna,

What a lovely thought to put up this thread.

We have been talking about going to Belgium for some time, but have never managed to take it any further, but it is defo on my list of things to do, and I would be interested to hear where you stay and what company you book with for future reference.

If you are anywhere near the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, my gt uncle Gunner George Arthur Smith is buried there. His grave reference is X11.C.13A. I would be so pleased if you are able to place a poppy there for us - until we can make it there ourselves.
If you are not able to, don't worry, but if you could just say a little prayer for him at the cemetery you visit, I would be very grateful.

Thank you again for this thread.
I hope you have a good trip.

Regards

Frances x

hi frances

thank you for your message .

we are going by ferry from dover to calais then we are driving to novotel hotel. which is about 65 pounds for ferry then 400 euro,s for hotel...

bit expensive the hotel becouse we went last year and stayed at talbot house which was 168 for same amount of days .that was a wonderfull experience becouse thats wear the ww1 soldiers stayed.
its full of caracter and history you even get to go up in the chapel were they all got holy communion...
i would have stayed there again but partner wanted to stay in the town centre itself... and at novotel breakfast is 144 euro,s but we avent booked it... i think we have paid enough already

regards Donna

ps i will get in touch wen i come back

hi det

thank you for your kind words..

its just our bit to honour those who fought for us..

we also write a message in every visitors book in each cemetry we visit even tho we have no relatives in them...

this is the second year running we have done it..
last year it was my 40th and my partner asked me were i wanted to go for a long weekend,, i cud av chosen london paris or new york , i picked belgium so we could go visit the cemetries..

best birthday present ever

kind regards Donna

Hi Donna,

Thank you for the information. Reading this thread is making me want to go even more. I think it is wonderful that you are visiting the war graves to honour our soldiers. My main reason for wanting to visit my gt uncles grave is because there is no-one else left who is ever likely to go and pay their respects - except me. I can't bear to think that he is just forgotten, and I know that if my Dad was still alive he would have loved to have visited the cemetery too.

Thank you again.

Frances

Hi Donna

Thank you so much for your kind offer. I would appreciate it if you could lay a poppy for my great uncle John Henry Hood. Details as below.

John Henry Hood

Name: HOOD, JOHN HENRY
Initials: J H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment: Yorkshire Regiment
Unit Text: 4th Bn.
Age: 28
Date of Death: 02/05/1915
Service No: 1711
Additional information: Son of Richard and Mary Hannah Hood, of 18, Moorcock Row, Lingdale, Boosbeck, Yorks.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 33.
Cemetery: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

Dianne xx

HI DIANNE

I WILL DO THAT FOR YOU ... I ALSO TAKE CARDS ... AND WRITE A MESSAGE FROM A LOVED ONE SO I CAN DO THAT AS WELL IF YOU LIKE ....

JUST LET ME KNOW THE MESSAGE YOU WOULD LIKE WRITTEN IN IT..

send it straight to me rather than on the message board...

kind regards Donna

I've sent you a pm Donna.

Dianne xx

Donna,

Thank you for this wonderful offer.

I went to stay with my Uncle and Aunt in France when I was 8 years old (1972). My Uncle has worked for the War graves commission for 35-45 years and has since received the OBE for his work. Whilst staying with them we went to Yypres and The Menin Gate, as well as many cemetaries and the trenches. I know that my Uncle tried to show me as much of the history as possible. It is only now that I can appreciate what he did, I only wish I remembered it more vividly.

I now know that My Great Uncle Private George Brown of the 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment (Regt No-5658) died at Flanders. He was shot in the chest and his wallet with the bullet hole still in it, is on display at the Museum in Winchester. He has no known grave but is remembered at the Menin Gate. George was born in 1880 and died 29th April 1914. 4 months after his death his son Charles was born. In 1919 George's widow died leaving their 2 children orphaned.

I deeply regret not knowing at the time of my visit to Yypres and would be very grateful if you get a chance to leave a poppy at The Menin Gate for him. Thank you so much.

Lainey x

nudging this for anyone whose relative was Killed In Action in Belgium/France

What a lovely idea Donna.
We don't have anyone there but I'm sure you will have loads of requests.
Deanna X

My husband has an uncle who is remembered on the memorial which Saddam Hussein moved.
We saw it yesterday in the new place.
It had originally stood at Kutt in Iraq.x

what a lovely gesture - I've been to the Menin Gate - very moving indeed My rellie is on the Thiepval Memorial

Hi Donna

Thank you so much for your wonderful offer.

My Great Grandmother, Clara Blohm lost 3 of her 5 brothers in France Belgium during WW1, and a further brother had died 10 years earlier in Rangoon, India. So only 1 brother survived military service.

John Robert Blohm - 94213, Private in The Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) 30th Bn
Died 12 Aug 1918 and buried at Westoutre British Cemetary, Belgium

Henry Blohm - 25002, Private in The King's Liverpool Regiment
Died 25 Sep 1915 and buried at the Cambrin Military Cemetery, France

Richard Blohm - 8369, Private in the King's Liverpool Regiment
Died 27 Oct 1914 at Ypres and remembered at the Menin Gate Memorial.

My son went on a History Dept school trip last summer to the WW1 battlefields in France and Belgium and visited the Menin Gate - and we were very lucky that he was one of 2 children chosen to lay a wreath at the memorial.

I would be very grateful if you would leave a poppy for them if your visit takes you to any of those cemeteries.

Many thanks
Tina xx

hi all

thank you to you all for your lovely messages ...

and for those who have made a request i will do my very best to go to all of the cemetary,s


i will be in touch wen i get back

best wishes Donna

Donna what a wonderful offer
I am worried about your charges at places, it does sound as if you may be being taken advantage of .

I would hope €400 for the hotel is a week ... and Novotel charging €144 for a brekkie ?

I realise that this is an oldish thread but I do hope that Donna got better rates than that !

Please see my post today about Donna's kindness.

Thank you again Donna.

Frances x