Carved in Memory: Discovering the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing

/ Thiepval Memorial/

Rising from the quiet countryside of the Somme, the Thiepval Memorial stands as one of the most powerful reminders of the First World War. Built to honour more than 72,000 British and South African soldiers who died in the Battle of the Somme and have no known grave. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the memorial is not just a monument of stone, but a symbol of absence, loss, and remembrance. Its vast arches and engraved names speak for those whose bodies were never recovered, giving them a place in history and in memory.

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Walking the Scars of the Somme: A Visit to the Preserved Trenches of Beaumont-Hamel where ninety percent of the Newfoundland Regiment were casualties on day one of the Battle of the Somme.

/ Newfoundland Park Beaumont Hammel Memorial/

The Battle of the Somme has become known as one of the bloodiest battles in history with 57, 000 British and Empire soldiers being casualties, some within minutes of “going over the top”. This blog tells the story off what happened and what to look out for when visiting Newfoundland Park, the biggest preserved area of the Somme battlefield. Situated above the rolling fields of northern France, the Newfoundland Memorial Park invites visitors to step into a place of quiet remembrance and lasting meaning. It was here that the Battle of the Somme began on July 1st, 1916, marking a defining and tragic moment in history. Walking the preserved trenches and grounds offers a powerful opportunity to reflect on courage, sacrifice, and the enduring impact of those who served. If you can organise a trip in the summer months, a member of the “Student Guide Program”, from Canada will take you to the key features and enrich your tour.

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WW1 series. Where the Great War shook the Earth; the story of the Lochnagar Crater.

/ Lochnagar Crater/

Some historians of World War One have stated that any tour of the Battle of the Somme area should start with the Lochnagar Crater. It is a massive crater one hundred metres (328 feet) in diameter and 30 metres (98 feet) deep. Why on earth was it made or rather, how on earth was it made? The Lochnagar Crater was created by the British, when two batches of explosive, 16 metres deep and 20 metres apart, went up at 7.28 am on July 1st. It was hoped that loads of the enemy near La Boiselle, would be killed and others would be stunned and not know what was going on. This, along with another eighteen mines, was the signal for men to “go over the top”, ie get out of their trench, make their way through the already cut barbed wire protection and then run at the enemy.

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