Day 50 - Amiens and a Day in the Somme

Today was going to be a slower day as we planned on making a visit Villers Bretonneux to see some of the WW1 country and sights.

I was awake at 7.00 am and by the time we had a shower, breakfast and the like it was 8.30 when we were ready to leave. It was going to be a day where Steve and I went to VB by bike and Chris was going to visit a war memorial in Albert by train.

On leaving the apartment I noticed my rear tyre was not holding air after pumping it up yesterday so we decided to make a detour via bike shop. Unfortunately the shop did not open until 10.00 am so it was time to get a coffee and croissant and visit the Amiens cathedral. Both were very good and enabled Steve and I to get our bearings sorted for the bike ride out to VB.

The trip out to VB was through rolling hills with lovely wheat and barley crops. The distance to VB was about 20 kms and the last part of the ride was a climb. I can now understand why the capture of VB was so important during WW 1 as it was strategic being on the high ground.

The first visit we made was to the Australian Museum which is located in the VB school which was rebuilt after WW1 with funds raised in Victorian schools. The assembly hall is called the Victorian Assembly Hall and there are pictures of various well known Victorian locations lining the walls. I felt really proud to be an Australian visitor as we toured the Museum which showcased the role that Australian troops played in defeating and defending VB in WW 1.

After this we had lunch in the park and enjoyed a baguette sandwich and a drink. By this stage it was getting quite hot and humid and the rest in the shade was great!

After lunch we visited the Adelaide cemetery which is quite small with what I estimate to be 400 graves. It is remarkably maintained and has a lovely view over the surrounding area of farmland.

After this it was on to the Australian War Memorial Cemetery and Sir John Monash Centre. By this time the heat was quite oppressive and we took every opportunity to find shade where we could. We located the grave of one Old Wesley Collegian who died in the war. I asked my friend Philip Powell to give me the name of an OW buried in the cemetery and here is Phil’s words regarding this OW

Lt Eric Edgerton DSO MM. Plot 20 Row A Grave 3—it's one of the graves closest to the memorial. He was one of the finest OWs who served in the 24th Battalion in the last months of Gallopoli and was recommended for a VC for his attack on Ville-Sur-Ancre near Albert on 19 May 1918. He was killed on 11 August 1918 when inspecting front-line positions three days after the commencement of the August offensive. 21 years old.

We tried to find the grave of another OW but I am afraid we failed.

After this we visited the Sir John Monash Centre which is very impressive with videos of every aspect of the war campaign in the area. I had been to this before but I was more impressed with this visit.

After this it was time to find our way back to the apartment which was about 20 kms away. The ride was quite hot as we were in the heat of the day but we travelled through farmland then finally along the Somme canal for some time.

I was pleased with the day of riding and sightseeing and was pleased to have a cool drink and shower back at the apartment.

Today we did 46 kms and climbed 350 metres

The pictures today are:

The route

The front of the Amiens Cathedral

A plaque inside the cathedral recognises the Australian campion the Somme

The town of VB

The school playground at the Australian museum

Rue Melbourne …..

The Adelaide Cemetery

The grave stone of Lt Eric Edgerton OW

The war cemetery and Sir John Monash Centre