Visiting our Great Uncle’s grave at Arras – thoughts for Armistice Day

While on holiday in Northern France we visited the grave of my husband’s great uncle, buried close to the trench where he fought and was killed in 1917 at the height of the First World War. Crump Trench British Cemetery is a modest kind of place, tucked down a muddy track with the motorway running within sight and adjoining an orchard of newly planted trees. We found the place easily enough, following the Commonwealth War Graves Commission signs from the nearest village of Fampoux.

Canadian Memorial

While visiting family graves may not be a typical holiday past-time, I think that our visit to this small cemetery and other landmarks of the Great War such as the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge will remain in my memory and those of my children far longer than our obligatory trip up the Eiffel tower. In fact I’d say it was a highlight of the trip.

We’d found the exact location of the grave from the website of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, searching on name or regiment, and found our way to the nearest village of Fampoux. As we drove past the traditional red brick houses with steep pitched roofs, we must have passed signs for six or more similar small cemeteries, tucked between the fields and patches of woodlands.

Paying our respects

When we arrived it was clear that this little tucked away place was far from forgotten. Everything was as neat and well maintained as you’d wish for, with a visitor’s book that showed that visitors were surprisingly regular and a metal information plaque about the military campaign in which our great uncle had died. On one or two graves there was some token showing that other families like ours had visited to pay their respects.

What was it all for and was the enormous sacrifice worth it? It was supposed to be the war to end all wars. Personally I don’t believe that anything could justify such a death toll, and the terrible grief and tragedy that struck so many families.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Others may comfort themselves by feeling that their relatives did what was right for their country. I do believe that by making the personal connection by visiting your relative’s war grave may reinforce the determination to live in peace. I’m thankful that this little corner of a foreign field is not forgotten by our generation, nor by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who keep up these cemeteries so beautifully.

We visited the landmarks of the first world war in Northern France, while on holiday with Eurocamp, staying at La Croix du Vieux Pont Holiday Parc at Berny Riviere.

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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