VIMY RIDGE MEMORIAL - VIMY, FRANCE

IN THE SPRING OF 1917 CANADIAN TROOPS WERE SENT TO CAPTURE VIMY RIDGE WHICH WAS OCCUPIED BY THE GERMANS.  THE CANADIANS WERE WAITING AT THE BASE OF THE 4 MILE LONG HILL.  THERE WERE ALSO BRITISH TROOPS IN ANOTHER AREA.  AT DAWN OF APRIL 9,  CANADIAN TROOPS NUMBERING 35,000 THE ATTACK BEGAN.  THREE DAYS OF HEAVY FIGHTING FINALLY PROVED SUCCESSFUL.  IT WAS THE BIGGEST VICTORY FOR CANADIANS DURING THE WAR.  

THE MEMORIAL WAS STARTED IN 1924.  IT WAS COMPLETED AND UNVEILED IN 1936.  A MAJOR RESTORATION WAS MADE IN 2001.  IN ADDITION TO THIS IMPRESSIVE MONUMENT, THERE IS A GREAT GUIDED TOUR OF SOME RESTORED TRENCHES AND TUNNELS.   THE TUNNEL & TRENCH SYSTEM IS ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE, CREATED BY BOTH THE GERMANS AND CANADIANS.

VISITOR'S CENTER

RECONSTRUCTED TRENCHES

WATCHING THE GERMANS

SEE THE LITTLE TINY WHITE FLAG IN THE DISTANCE?   THAT'S WHERE THE GERMANS WERE DUG IN - IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 100 METERS AWAY!

OLD TRENCHES

TOUR ENTRANCE TO THE TUNNELS

THE TUNNELS ACTUALLY WENT AS FAR AS 6KM FROM THE TOUR AREA.   ONLY A VERY SMALL SECTION WAS RECONSTRUCTED AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

THE RESTORED TUNNELS HAVE BEEN REINFORCED WITH CONCRETE;  IMAGINE THE MUDDY MESS THESE TUNNELS WERE BACK DURING WW1

NAMUR, BELGIUM

I HAD VISITED NAMUR ONCE BEFORE BUT ONLY HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE CITIDEL.   SO I DECIDED TO TAKE ANOTHER DRIVE TO CHECK OUT THE TOWN ITSELF.  

CATHEDRAL OF ST. AUBIN;   BUILT IN 1757-1761;   IT HAS AN UNUSUAL ITALIAN LOOK TO IT CONSIDERING HOW FAR NORTH IT IS LOCATED.   REASON FOR THIS IS THAT THE
DESIGN WAS TAKEN FROM AN ARCHITECT WHO WAS FROM THE SOUTHERN PART OF SWITZERLAND, NEAR ITALY.  

YOU CAN SEE A BLANK SPACE ON THE RIGHT;  LATER THERE IS A PHOTO OF THE FRAME WHICH IS BEING RENOVATED.

HERE IS THE FRAME

I LIKE THE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS LAID OUT FOR YOU. - PROBABLY BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME NO ONE BOTHERS PICKING UP AFTER "FIDO"