Trip to Ypres

djcrtoye · Post by **djcrtoye** » Thu May 31, 2007 11:32 am

My daughter is going on a school to visit the ww1 battlefields next week. During our research we have found that my wife has a great uncle who is buried in one of the cemeteris there. The school is going to visit the cemetery so we want a name of a shop in Ypres which sells poppies etc and which won't fleece my daughter. It will then be put on his grave as a mark of remembernce. Thanks.

Cathy · Post by **Cathy** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:42 pm

Hi,
my daughter made this trip with her school a couple of years ago.
Don't know about the poppies, but make sure she has some tissues.

Post by **paddyscar** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:07 pm

Are you looking for living poppies? If you are looking for artificial ones, perhaps your local Legion or Veterans' Association or local craft/floral shop would be able to supply some.

As some cemetaries have very stringent rules about what may be placed, how and when, it may be wise to ask ahead of the visit to avoid dissappointment or upset for your daughter.
Frances

djcrtoye · Post by **djcrtoye** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 4:42 pm

Hi have checked with CWGC, and they say its ok to leave wreaths etc. I have ordered my poppies with LHPF here in Scotland and will be getting them tomorrow hopefully.

Post by **paddyscar** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:31 pm

Glad you can go through with your plan. I imagine it will be a very touching event for your daughter and her classmates. I am glad the legacy of those heroic young men and women is being honoured with visits from today's youth.
Frances

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:23 pm

I'm sure your daughter will find it an amazing experience. However, one word of warning - if they go to the WW1 museum in Ypres, which is excellent, I'd tell her not to go through the bit re-creating what it was like in the trenches. There is a choice & I think it might be just a bit much for her. I know I didn't want to face it (but perhaps that's just age being squeamish), particularly having, like her, a relative who went through it & didn't come out the other side.

Do let us know how the trip goes.

Muriel

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:35 pm

Hi Muriel & all
I also have family members who died in the Somme and I too have been to the WW1 museum in Ypres http://www.inflandersfields.be/#
and I'd agree it was excellent. Both my teenagers were with me and found it a moving but educational experience. The feature they used there of issuing everyone with a character to follow though the stages of the exhibition was inspired and made it all seem much more immediate to my kids (and myself!).

Best wishes
Lesley

tishgibbons · Post by **tishgibbons** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:20 pm

Just back from a trip to Ypres - was there for the 90th anniversary of the battle. Was with a group of Irish both North and South of all persuasions commemorating the Irish who died in the war from whatever tradition and none. While there an acquaintance - who didn't know of my interest in things scottish - asked a few of us to join him to meet a group of scottish school children who were visiting the Menin Gate after the Last Post. I went along - and luckily brought the tissues.

They were from the Borders area not the North East where my interests lie but it was heart wrenching nonetheless. Their teacher had them so organised and spoke so movingly about the loss. some children sang, some recited poetry. Two children held candles - they were picked to do so because they were the only ones in the group whose ancestors' war graves were not being visited on the trip. The procession was led by a piper (Irish but what's that amongst Celts!) and was one of the most moving experiences ever. I had wept enough at the British cemetery and the monument to the London Scottish - I was barely able to return to my colleagues who were engaged in the time honoured Irish tradition of drowning sorrows with anything which came to hand!

If your daughter was amongst that particular group I was the middle aged lady at the back 'greetin'!

Tish

I hope your daughter got her poppy. They were available in more than one shop I visited - you jut put afew bob in the tin for the Legion and that was it. Rubbed my hands along any Mitchell, Coutts, McLean, Bowman, Duncan, etc name I could find and there were a lot of them.

djcrtoye · Post by **djcrtoye** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 12:25 pm

Hi folks just to let you know my daugther is just back. She had an emotional time especially visiting her gguncles grave and laying the wreath we got fom the poopy fund here in Scotland. Also there was a tear shed at the Menin Gate on Thursday night. She went with her school and aslo paid tribute to a soldier on the Tyne Cot wall. All in all it was an experience of a life time for her. I hope that she now understands that history is not written in books but it was a real thing. Thanks to all your suggestions.