EIGHT YEARS AFTER.
12S
The Ypres Times.
Mailly-Maillet, famous for the wonderfully heroic action on the 26th March, 1918, during the
great German offensive, when the XewZealanders and the 1st Brigade of the 2nd Australians
filled the gap in theline between here and Auchonvillers and Hebuterne. We continued our trip
through Serre, Pusieux, Bouquoy, Ayette, to Arras, where we lunched, after which we pro
ceeded to Vimy Ridge of Canadian fame. From this lofty, commanding position, a wide view
can be obtained of the Black Country of France, and the visibility was sufficiently clear to
enable us to recognise Mount Kemmel, a distance of forty miles. Returning through
Neuville St. Vaast, we reached La Targette, where a large German cemetery is situated,
containing 55,000 bodies, and continued our way through Doullens, Fillers Bocage to
Amiens.
We were thoroughly interested in the battlefields, which still bear traces of the deadly
struggle. Despite Saturday's storm, we were fortunate in having fine weather for the
rest of the trip, which adds so much to the success of a pilgrimage. On Monday morning
we left Amiens at 8.55 a.m., and after a calm crossing, reached London at 3.30 p.m.
We owe much gratitude to our representative, Captain Stuart Oswald, M.C., who
arranged everything so thoughtfully and successfully for our individual comfort.
It was the unveiling ceremony of the South African National Memorial at Delville
Wood on Sunday, October 10th, that occasioned us once again to visit the Sonune
battlefields.
Needless to say, this Sunday and the following day,
which were spent visiting various parts of the Somme, were
full of interest and mixed memories. Standing to the north
of the memorial in Prince's Street, a view was obtained of
many places, the names of which are more indelibly written
on British memories than they ever were on an ordnance
map. Almost immediately in front of us was to be seen
High Wood, easily discernible as a wood in the distance by
the splash of dark green it made against the surrounding
country. But for the gaunt shell-torn trunks (which were
once trees) rising above the undergrowth it appears very
much as it did before the great sickle of war passed and re
passed over it. This, however, is only an illusion as the woods
here, on closer inspection, are revealed much as they were
when we knew them last a growth of brambles and shoots
from the roots of the old trees bring the only things that
attempt to hide the naked truth of what once was from the
eyes of those who are able to read the story these woods
would tell, stories of heroic sacrifice and pertinacious courage.
SOUTH AFRICAN MEMORIAL The village of Longueval, adjoining the wood, has been
CENTRAL ARCH. rebuilt, and stands a striking contrast to this great memorial.
Passing back through Longue val, we left Bazentin-le-
Grand and Mametz Wood on our left after crossing Caterpillar Valley through
Contalmaison, and La Boisselle to Albert. An Arc de Triomphe is to be built shortly
over this road at a spot at present indicated by a large stone, to mark the extreme
point of the German advance of March, 1918.
To lunch in a restaurant in Albert, almost under the shadow of the old cathedral
(which is still in ruins), would be as unique to many as it was to us. More unique, perhaps.
