The Somme

Today was a day where we gained a greater understanding of the tragic waste of life at infamous battle sites of the Somme. It was both a powerful and emotional experience.


After a reasonable wake up call to be on the road by 8.30, we were all very interested about the sites we were going to be visiting today. We began with Cobbers where there was a large statue of Sergeant Fraser carrying a wounded man - there was a significant story behind this man which Bruce explained to us.


We then moved onto VC Corner where Rachel and Kristy spoke of their adopted diggers. Kristy’s digger Private Thomas Henry Phillip Shephard was a touching story. She had a personal connection to this man and spoke of him fondly. When Rachel spoke of her digger Private Frederick Giffen Holst, I felt captured by his story. It was very powerful.

Rachel prepares to remember her adopted digger

Fromelles and Pheasant Wood was our next stop. Myself and Helen had our diggers resting here. I had a somewhat personal connection with my digger Private Thomas Joseph Cosgriff and it was an honour to remember and acknowledge his life and sacrifice to the group. It was also amazing to think that he exhumed and identified from the mass graves at Pheasant Wood. The new cemetery was beautiful and it definitely had an emotional impact on me.

Kristy remembers her digger at VC Corner

Aisling pays tribute to Pte Cosgriff

It was officially lunch time now! After a cute sandwich packed lunch in Vimy Ridge, everyone had a little wander where this site was explained by a Canadian tour guide uni student. It was quite interesting.


Our next stop was Bullecourt, where Bruce explained the infamous events of this battle site. It’s extremely painful to hear of such horrors not only at this site but all of the others, however I believe we all took something significant from it. It had a gorgeous blossom tree out the front where we all took some great photos!


Nearing the end of our day, we headed off to Mont St Quentin where Nick had his adopted digger Private Gervase Edgeworth. He gave a thorough discussion of his life and sacrifice, which was very fascinating, in particular how Private Edgeworth went to the same school Nick now teaches at.

Nick pays tribute to his digger, a student at Xavier

The very last stop was outside Peronne, where a Channel 9 TV crew filmed Laura as she gave an incredibly touching story of her adopted digger who was also her great-great grandfather. Private William Alfred Whitney had an inspiring story which nearly brought me to tears. As my own great-grandfather participated in war, I can relate to Laura with the emotion and significance of standing on the ground where our relatives once stood and fought in 1916.

Laura remembers her great-great-grandfather

It was another action-packed day that I am sure we will all remember.