12 / 32
South East Essex Branch
Visit to
The Somme 2016.
By Steve Hunt
- 10 Region Secretary
In March 2016 thirteen members set off for a re-visit
to The Somme in France for a visit to the WW1 monuments,
battle-sites and cemeteries. A couple of ‘new faces’ in new IPA
member Ali Rauf and ‘veteran’ Mick Hollis joined regular attendees
on the journey to the base-camp, a large old house in a hamlet not far
from Albert the nearest reasonably sized town. In this part of very rural
France it is so quiet that most days seem to be Sunday.
O
nce again intrepid tour guide Ian
Rayner provided his excellent
knowledge of the area’s history and sites that we visited.
As usual the weather kept us on our toes and on a couple of
mornings we woke up to a covering of light snow, which luckily disappeared
by mid-morning. Because of previous visits to the area a well organised and
professional service was provide to the group with a great mix of both history
sites and visits to recognised eating and drinking establishments to recover
for the damp and blustery French weather!
French lifestyle and customs needed much planning ahead to arrange
meals inside their restrictive trading hours particularly on Sundays where
most places are closed.
Welcome ‘de- briefs’ at The Three Pigeons pub in Albert allowed members
to catch up ‘Servo per Amikeco’ style. Pierre the host, who speaks excellent
English looked after us very well.
The height of the visit was the laying of a wreath at the Thiepval Memorial,
the Largest British War Memorial in the World. Four Essex Police Officers
are named on the memorial so a wreath was laid in memory of all Essex
Officers who were killed during WW1. Ian Rayner was resplendent in his ex-
Guardsman attire along with ex-Royal Marine Phil Parker who wore his beret
and others gave their police medals an airing.
Laying the wreath
New member Ali Rauf with James Panting
at the rear – enjoying a ‘debrief beer’ after a
‘gruelling day’ of discovery and adventure.
12
POLICE WORLD
Vol 61 No. 3, 2016
Article