Touring and Tenting Times

02/22/05

Camping Connections Partnership
Travel & Tourism Consultancy Services

For 2005 we can supply the guides etc listed below:

Please note that both FFCC Guides are in FRENCH, and the FECC Guia is in SPANISH, but all have symbols and are very easy to use

The FFCC Guide for Camping & Caravanning features details of over 9,000 camping & caravanning sites in France, plus a further 2,000 rural and Camping a la Ferme sites, It includes full colour maps indicating the location of the sites. Price £12.25 including post & packing – Available from mid April

The FFCC Camping Car Guide provides a comprehensive list of those “Aires de Services” and campsites that offer facilities for motorcaravans, and includes a map indicating the location, maximum length of stay allowed, and details of any charges. The 2005 edition is £9.25 including post and packing and is expected to be available in the UK by late April

The FECC Guia for Spain is a comprehensive guide to virtually all the officially recognised campsites in Spain and Portugal, and describes them by means of symbols. It also includes maps indicating the location of the sites, and a “key” to the various symbols. The 2005 edition is £12.25 including post and packing and should be available in the UK by late April

France Passion we are now UK agents for this unique scheme whereby motorcaravanners (only) can stay overnight free of charge on a choice of some 3500 farms and vineyards throughout France. Membership costs £18.50 which gets you the Guide, Membership Card, Site Map and window sticker.

Details and order forum below
Click here for an order form

Posted by: Tenaki at 21:25 | link | comments

02/16/05

The Alan Rogers Awards

With over 2,000 campsites now featured in the Alan Rogers Guides and given the unique position of the Alan Rogers guides in both the British and Dutch markets, the time is considered right to introduce the Alan Rogers Awards. This special series of awards is designed to complement existing schemes and reflect the values which are contained in The Alan Rogers guides.

Winners are chosen from among the 23 countries featured in the guides, covering a geographical area from south western England to eastern Slovenia. Awards have been made to campsites in 11 different countries.

The winners were selected from a shortlist established by an expert team comprising Alan Rogers site assessors, editorial staff and principal contacts from within the camping and caravanning industry.

The categories, and winners, are as follows:

1. Alan Rogers Progress Award

This award reflects the hard work and commitment undertaken by particular site owners to improve and upgrade their site. Candidates for this award are existing sites which have undergone a far-reaching improvement programme, or possibly may be sites which have passed into new ownership and benefited from substantial investment in terms of time and money.

WINNER:

Camping und Freizeitpark Lux Oase, Dresden (Germany)

This popular site has been built step by step by a family and has added more every year, always to a very high standard and is now classed 5 stars by the German tourism office

RUNNERS UP:

Trethem Mill Touring Park, Cornwall, England

A very pretty family owned Cornish site, constantly improving and always with careful attention for its idyllic setting.

Camping Les Deux Vallées, Dordogne, France

A very attractive site where there is much evidence of the hard work and imagination of the enthusiastic owners.

2. Alan Rogers Welcome Award

This award takes account of sites offering a particularly friendly welcome and maintaining a friendly ambience throughout reader’s holidays.

WINNER:

Camping Caravaning Les Pêcheurs, Cote d’Azur, France

A really friendly family site. Helpful, multi-lingual reception staff and excellent information available. Excellent entertainment organized for all.

RUNNERS UP:

Balatontourist Diana Camping, Lake Balaton, Hungary

Very friendly welcome and excellent, imaginative entertainment.

Camping des Abers, Brittany, France

A friendly guaranteed by the multi-lingual Le Cuff family who have owned this site for over 30 years.

3. Alan Rogers Active Holiday Award

This award reflects sites in outstanding locations which are ideally suited for active holidays, notably walking or cycling, but which could extend to include such activities as winter sports, water sports etc.

WINNER:

Castel Camping Le Ty Nadan, Brittany, France

A massive range of activities is on offer on and near to this site including canoeing, riding, adventure park and much more. The new indoor pool complex is outstanding.

RUNNERS UP:

Camping Menina, Savinja, Slovenia

Superb setting amongst mountains and unspoiled nature with great opportunities for rafting, canyoning, canoeing, walking, cycling and much more.

River Dart Adventures, Devon, England

An interesting and unusual park with unique adventure play equipment and a very wide range of activities, including caving, canoeing and climbing.

4. Alan Rogers Motorhome Award

Motor home sales are increasing and this award will acknowledge sites which are, in our opinion, particularly suitable for motor homes.

WINNER:

Camping El Garrofer, Catalunya, Spain

This popular site, within easy walking access of the beach, has a special, very well equipped motor home area, excellent amenities including useful bus connections.

RUNNERS UP:

Castel Camping Sequoia Parc, Charente Maritime, France

This site is ideal for motorhome users. All pitches are well drained, the site has easy access and the layout is entirely suitable for motorhomes. The motorhome service point is excellent.

Camping Jungfrau, Bern, Switzerland

A friendly site in an outstanding location with easy access for motorhomes, good motorhome services, and excellent amenities. Close to a picturesque village with good transport possibilities.

5. Alan Rogers 4 Seasons Award

This award is made to outstanding sites which are open all year and which welcome clients to a uniformly high standard throughout the year.

WINNER :

Camping Caravaning l’Escale, Haute-Savoie, France

This site has a beautiful mountain setting, within a few minutes walk of a delightful village. Open throughout the year for both winter sports and summer activities. Excellent all-year amenities.

RUNNERS UP:

Camping Vilanova Park, Catalunya, Spain

This modern, hillside site is superbly equipped with all-year amenities and organises entertainment throughout the year

Ferienparadies Natterer See, Tirol, Austria

An excellent mountain site celebrating its 75^th anniversary in 2005. Great amenities open throughout the year and a good range of low season activities including excursions.

6. Alan Rogers Seaside Award

This award is for the sites which we feel are most suitable for an excellent seaside holiday.

WINNER:

Camping Union Lido Vacanze, Veneto, Italy

Superbly organized large, popular site with direct beach access. Friendly atmosphere and very extensive range of amenities.

RUNNERS UP:

Yelloh! Village Le Brasilia, Pyrénées Orientales, France

A very well equipped site with direct beach access. The site is always very neat and has a good range of activities and entertainment.

Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, Cornwall, England

This is a popular, well managed park with an excellent location next to a fine, private beach. Plenty of good amenities and entertainment.

7. Alan Rogers Country Award

This award, in contrast to the previous one, acknowledges sites which are attractively located in pleasant, rural locations.

WINNER :

Castel Camping Pyrénées Natura, Hautes-Pyrénées, France

Magnificent location in the High Pyrenees with many opportunities to view local wildlife and to explore the surrounding countryside.

RUNNERS UP:

Camping Il Collaccio, Umbria, Italy

A site with an idyllic setting at the green heart of Italy. The site is based around a farm which has been restored to its original style – the farm produce is available in the shop and restaurant.

Camping Elbsee, Bavaria, Germany

This top quality site is situated in a national park, and has direct access to Elbsee lake. Plenty of leisure activities and the opportunity to discover a beautiful part of Bavaria.

8. Alan Rogers Rented Accommodation Award

Given the increasing importance of rented accommodation on many campsites, and the inclusion in many Alan Rogers guides, of a rented accommodation section, we feel that it is important to acknowledge sites which have made a particular effort in creating a high quality ‘rented accommodation’ park.

WINNER:

Camping and Bungalows Sanguli Salou, Catalunya, Spain

Sanguli is a deservedly popular seaside site with a range of excellent accommodation, all of which is well presented and maintained.

RUNNERS UP:

Sunêlia Les Bois du Bardelet, Loire Valley, France

An attractive rural site with excellently installed mobile homes and chalets, taking full advantage of their rural, landscaped setting.

Sandy Balls Holiday Centre, Hampshire, England

Set within 120 acres of New Forest woodlands, Sandy Balls offers a unique blend of top quality accommodation, first class amenities and great natural beauty.

9. Alan Rogers Unique Site Award

This award acknowledges a site with a unique, outstanding feature – something which simply cannot be found elsewhere and which is an important attraction of the site.

WINNER:

Bøsøre Strand Ferie Park, Fyn, Denmark

A delightful family campsite, based around Hans Christian Andersen, with evidence of his stories throughout the site.

RUNNERS UP:

Skånes Djurparks Camping, Skane Lan, Sweden

One of the most unusual sites featured in our guides with a reconstructed Stone age village on site and other amenities reflecting this theme.

Camping De Vechtstreek, Overijssel, Netherlands

This site has been developed around a fairytale theme which gives the site a unique identity. The theme is maintained throughout the site’s amenities.

10. Alan Rogers Family Site Award

Many sites claim to be child friendly but this award acknowledges the sites we feel to be the very best in this respect.

WINNER:

Woodlands Leisure Park, Devon, England

An excellent holiday and leisure centre which amazing facilities and which really does offer something for everyone.

RUNNERS UP:

Camping de Molenhof, Overijssel, Netherlands

A very popular and friendly family site with a great deal on offer for both children and their parents.

Camping Cambrils Park, Catalunya, Spain

A very friendly modern site with very impressive amenities, including a lagoon pool complex and fabulous jungle themed childrens’ pool.

11. Alan Rogers Special Award

A special award is made to acknowledge a site which we feel has overcome a very significant setback, and has not only returned to its former condition, but has added extra amenities and can therefore be fairly considered to be better than before.

This year this award is made to 3 French campsites, all of which have undergone major problems and all of which have made highly impressive recoveries.

Domaine de la Rive, Landes, France

This site was devastated by storms in 2003 to the extent that it was closed mid-season. During winter 2003 / 2004, major work was undertaken to reinstate the site, along with an impressive range of new amenities.

Domaine du Colombier, Cote d’Azur, France

This site was severely damaged by fire during 2003 with the result that closure was required. After a massive effort during winter 2003 / 2004, the site was reopened with some impressive new facilities.

Domaine de Gaujac, Gard, France

This site was very badly damaged during floods in 2003. After a very great deal of hard work, the site reemerged with a number of improved and new amenities.

12. Alan Rogers Readers’ Award

In addition to the awards mentioned above, a further award will be introduced in 2006. This will be a very special award which is made to the site which secures the most votes in an on-line poll which will be launched on www.alanrogers.com and www.alanrogers.nl during 2005. Votes will be made via this on-line poll only. Readers will simply be invited to choose their favourite site and explain their reasons.

The awards were presented at the Vakantiebeurs in Utrecht on 11^th January 2005.

Posted by: Tenaki at 22:34 | link | comments

BATTLEFIELD VISITS PART TWO.

THE SOMME. WESTERN AREA.

Following on from the introduction this part will direct the first time visitor to the Somme region around some of the most prominent parts of the area with a summery of what happened where and when. No matter how long you have to visit this area it is impossible to take in the enormity of what happened in one visit. If you take to it you will return time after time.

The Somme department stretches from the sea inland as far as what is now the A1-E15 motorway, the river Somme runs its full length. The area we are interested in is in the far east of the department with Albert as its southern point and the village of Foncquevillers in the north. This is the “1916 area”, where at 0730 on the 1^st July 1916 the first battle of the Somme started, by the end of the day the attacking forces had suffered 57,470 casualties. The blackest day in British military history. The battle carried on for a further four months until the rain and mud of the French winter brought all fighting to a standstill.

This was a war like no other war, it was being fought by forces that were still using cavalry, no other war had become so static, the trench line ran from the Belgium coast to the Swiss border and it was to become a war of artillery, with a sitting target in the trenches of both sides. In some places these trenches were as close as 100yds.

Unlike other areas covered by the war the Somme area was returned to agriculture after the end of hostilities. They rebuilt the villages just as they were before the war, therefore the visitor can look across the countryside and see almost the same as the soldiers of 1916. Nowhere else in Europe is the battle area so well preserved as the Somme.

The one advantage to the visitor is that the whole front line of the battle area only covered 13 miles, therefore you can drive around it all in one day and see some of the major sites or take a few days about it and really get a feeling for it. For the benefit of those who have limited time I will put the “Must see” places in bold type then the visitor can drive straight to those places leaving out the other venues in between.

For convenience we will split the battlefield into areas. This part of the itinerary covers the western part.

Using Albert as a starting point, this town was in British hands for almost all of the war until the German final push of 1918. There is a very interesting museum underneath the church entry is only a few euros.

Leave Albert on the D929 signed Bapaume, after the roundabout you will pass Bapaume Post Cemetery. Many of the men in here are 34 Division killed on the 1^st July.

On either side of the main road here are the Tara and Usna redoubts, situated on the ridge from where the Tyneside Irish Brigades attacked with such disastrous results on the 1^st of July. The slopes down which they advanced were as bare that morning as they are now, exposing the Tynesiders to the fire of the German machine gunners

Carry on up the road to the village of La Boisselle, at the start of the village there is a right fork, take this. At this junction you will see the Tyneside Scottish and Irish Seat, a memorial to those regiments. Carry on forward for about 100yds and take the track on the right which is signed “Le Grand Mine”, after about 50yds there is a fork, take the left-hand, this will take you up to Locknagar Crater, it is accessible by car.

On the morning of the 1^st July 1916 just before 0730 five mines were detonated underneath the German front lines, 26.8 tons of ammanol was used for this and similar for the other mines. Five mines were detonated but only four went off, the fifth went off in a thunder storm 1954, much to the surprise of the farmer that owned the land.

Return to the village, retracing your route to where you left the lane, turn right up the lane, there is another two memorials in the village, in front of the church the 19^th Division memorial, and at the top of the lane by the water tower the much larger 34^th Division Memorial. From here there is an excellent view across “Mash” valley towards the cemetery near Ovillers where many of the divisions dead are buried.

Retrace your route back to the junction of the main rd. more or less opposite the junction is a road leading to the villages of Aveley and Ovillers, take this road. after about half a mile turn right to Ovillers. This will take you to the impressive Ovillers Military Cemetery, you will have been looking across at this all the time you were driving up the road. It contains 3,436 British graves and 120 French. One of the graves in this cemetery belongs to Capt. John Lauder, son of the famous singer Sir Harry Lauder. It is said that his father wrote the song “Keep right on to the end of the road” on hearing of his death.

Retrace your route back to the junction and turn right and carry on for about three quarters of a mile, you will come to a four road junction take the road almost straight across for the village of Authuille. In the war this junction was known as “Crucifix corner”, after you passed this point going up to the front you entered the range of the German guns.

Carry on down the road to Authuille and on the right you will pass the entrance to Blighty Valley Cemetery, a large cemetery because this was the route wounded men were brought back from the front. It is said that on the 2^nd July the entire valley floor was covered with casualties waiting to be treated.

In the centre of Authuille village on the left as you drive in is possibly the prettiest cemetery on the Somme, Authuille Military Cemetery. It is not visible from the road therefore little visited but it slopes down gently to the river Ancre and contains 472 graves, a true “Comrades Cemetery”. One interesting group is that of Indian Cavalry men who held trench’s here in 1915.

Keep on the D151 straight through the village and head for Theipval. Theipval ridge was held by the Germans for most of the war and is one of the highest points in the battlefield, this is where you will come to the most impressive “Theipval Memorial to the Missing”. It contains the names of 73,357 men whose bodies were never found and have no known grave. There is a new visitor centre which opened last year where you will be able to get all the relevant information therefore I wont go into detail here. You will be able to get some refreshments here also.

When you leave Theipval take the D73 signed Hamel and Auchonvillers, as you drive down this road you will pass the Connaught Cemetery on your left, and on the hill opposite is Mill Rd. Cemetery. The original Connought Cemetery contained 228 graves of the 1^st July fighting consisting of Ulster men, Salford Pals from the 15^th Lancashire Fusiliers and West Riding Territorial’s who supported them.

The site of Mill road Cemetery is on German held position known as the Schwaben Redoubt. You will note that some of the headstones here are laid flat; the original burials were made over old trench’s and dugouts which made the ground unstable. The upright headstones came after the war and were placed on stable ground.

A little further on you will come to the “Ulster Tower” This is a replica of Helen’s Tower at Clandeboyne near Belfast, it commemorate the men of the Ulster regiments who on the 1^st July came up this hill to try and take Theipval. There is a small museum and a café here, it is looked after by a very nice Irish couple, you will be made most welcome.

Carry on down the road cross over the railway line to the village of Hamel carry on up the hill, still the D73, signed Auconvillers and you will come to “Newfoundland Park”.

It is a large expanse of ground with complete trench systems from the 1916 battle; it contains three cemeteries and three memorials. It was bought by Newfoundland after the war to commemorate the devastating loss their volunteer regiment suffered on the 1^st July, 684 men killed and wounded from battalion strength of 1,000. This number of casualties was only rivalled by one other unit that day, the 10^th West Yorkshires, 710.

When the first war started Newfoundland was not part of Canada, and the Newfoundlanders refused to be classed as Canadians and asked to be assigned to an English regiment

There is a visitor centre hear that will explain everything so I will not go into detail, also in summer Canadian students come over to act as guides in the park. On a nice day you can spend some time here.

On leaving Newfoundland Park carry on in the same direction towards Auchonvillers, go into the centre of the village and turn right signed Beaumont Hamel after about 400yds. take the left turn onto the D174 carry on down the hill until you come to a cross roads and turn right and go along in the direction of Serre. The first cemetery you come to is Serre Road Cemetery. No2, this is the largest cemetery on the Somme, this is a true concentration cemetery and contains 7,139 graves, 4,944 which are unidentified.

This cemetery represents the whole of the 1916 battle of the Somme because the men here came from every corner of the battlefield. It is very much a cemetery of ordinary infantry soldiers, no VC’s, few Senior Officers, few artillery, just row upon row of infantry men from every regiment who fought in 1916 including every Empire country.

Carry on in the direction of Serre and after a short distance you will come upon another two cemeteries on the left, the first is a French National cemetery, one of the few in this area, next to it is Sere Road Cemetery. No 1. This started off as a battlefield cemetery but was upgraded to a concentration cemetery after the end of the war. It contains 2,412graves, 1,728 of them unidentified, the proportion of unidentified is 71.6% one of the highest in the Somme cemeteries. There are many Yorkshire men in this cemetery because just around the corner where you will go next the Yorkshire regiments started their attack on Serre on the 1^st July. The Leeds pals, the Bradford pals, the Sheffield pals the Barnsley pals and other northern regiments that did not have a pal’s battalions.

When you come out of this cemetery leave your car parked in the lay bye and walk to the other side of the farm that is adjacent to the cemetery, here you will come to a track leading up the side of the farm. The CWGC sign will direct you to Luke Copse Cemetery. Railway Hollow Cemetery. Queens Cemetery. and Serre Road Cemetery. No 3. It is an easy walk and only about 600yds and this area is known as the Sheffield Park, because of its links with the Sheffield Pals the Sheffield City Council bought the land and preserved the trenches and erected memorials. There is also a memorial to the Accrington pals within the wood. The ditch at the left hand side of the road is the old original front line trench.

The first Cemetery you come to is Serre Rd Cemetery No 3, a battlefield cemetery, it is in the old no mans land and contains 81 graves mostly of Bradford and Leeds pals (West Yorkshire headstones) from the 1^st July.

Standing on this farm track looking towards Serre is probably the best spot on the Somme to get a feel of what the advancing British troops had to face, the German front line was just in front of the wood at the top of the hill.

The cemetery in the middle of the field opposite the wood is Queens, a battlefield cemetery; it contains 311 graves mainly of Accrington pals (East Lancashire headstones) from the 1^st July.

The small cemetery at the end of the field is Luke Copse, a true battlefield cemetery, it contains 72 graves. Two Sheffield brothers are buried here but not adjacent to each other their consecutive regimental number show they joined up together, they are LCp. F and Private W.W.Gunstone.

By now you have visited a fair bit of the July battle area and if you notice the British front line of attack always had to go up hill. The Germans were here first, they got the high ground; this gave them an advantage for machine gun posts and artillery positions.

Return down the track back to your car. Directly opposite the Serre Rd Cemetery No 1 is a road leading up hill it is not signed but it goes to Beaumont Hamel, on reaching the village bear left onto the D163E which goes down hill towards to a cross roads, turn left toward Beaucourt sur Ancre on the D50, carry on through the village and continue on the D50 to Miraumont. As you leave the village of Beaucourt you pass the Royal Naval Division Memorial on your right. When the war started to take its toll on the infantry regiments three battalions of seamen were transferred to the infantry, hence the Royal Naval Division.

In the centre of Miraumont turn right over the railway line onto the D107 signed Courcelette. On this road you will come to the Adanac Cemetery, this is a Canadian cemetery and of course Adanac is Canada spelt backwards. There are 3,172 graves, 1,712 unidentified, but there are at least 1,071 Canadians buried here.

In the fields across from Adanac is the Regina Trench Cemetery, this is also mainly Canadian.

Carry on this road but do not go into the village of Courcelette but bypass it straight onto the main road D728 and turn right for Pozieres. On the right you will come to the Canadian Memorial Park, handsomely laid out in the style of all Canadian memorials on the Western Front.

This is the main road back to Albert which you turned off at La Boissell at the beginning of the route, however if you have time there is some interesting points in Pozieres. As you enter the village on the right hand side is the site of the Poziere windmill, it is now an Australian memorial, this was the highest point of the 1916 battle area and Australians fell more quickly on this ridge than any other battlefield of the war.

Just across the road on the left hand side is the Tank Memorial. On September 15^th 1916 three tanks set of from this area, the first day tanks were used in battle.

Drive on into the centre of the village, you will come to a bar called “Tommies”, whether you need a drink or not you must stop and visit, it is like a mini museum. In the back garden he as constructed replica trenches fitted out with real artefacts from the battlefield, one as a German trench one as an Commonwealth trench. In the bar itself are many picture and artefact from the war.

About a 100yds down the road from Tommies on the right hand side is the

1^st Australian Division Memorial. This is built on the site of a German fortification known as Gibraltar Point, a viewing platform as been built and stood on this high ground you will be able to see you the area you have just visited. As you leave this site just across the road is Kings Royal Rifle Corp Memorial which is dedicated to the thirteen battalions that fought on the Somme.

Finally as you drive back down the road to Albert you will come to the imposing Pozieres Cemetery and Memorial. It started as a battlefield cemetery but because of its location next to the main road after the war it became a concentration cemetery. Before 1918 it held just 270 British graves and fifty seven German but it now contains 2, 733 almost half are unknown. One VC is buried here an Australian Sgt. C.C. Castleton, there is also two brother who were killed on the same day in January 1917, Pr J.W. and R. Christy, only one digit separates their numbers so they obviously joined together on the same day.

On the panels along the sides of the memorial are listed another 14,644 men who bodies were never found after the 1918 retreat. Add these to the list on the Theipval Memorial and it makes grim reading.

That’s the end of this tour of the western end of the Somme battlefield you’re now heading back to La Boissell and towards Albert and whichever campsite you have chosen.

Campsites in the area.

I must emphasise that I have only stayed in one of these campsite, therefore I cannot recommend them, and they are only listed for your convenience to check them out yourselves.

Campsites in the area
Albert	Camping Municipal Velodrome	2 Star	03 22 75 22 53
Authuille	Bellevue	2 Star	03 22 74 05 14
	Au Bord D’Eau	2 Star	03 22 75 20 42
Beaucourt Sur L’Ancre	Le Petit Marais	1 Star
Bray Sur Somme	Camping Municipal Le Port	1 Star	03 22 76 00 05
	Le Verger	1 Star	03 22 76 00 77
	Le Marais Levant	1 Star	03 22 76 00 90
Cappy	Camping Municipal	2 Star
	La Buissonniere	1 Star	03 22 76 09 10
Corbie	Camping Municipal	2 Star	03 22 96 43 00

All these sites are out of the Guide Officiel Camping and Caravanning en France. Do not be put off by the 1 star rating, from what I have seen when passing some of these sites are quiet reasonable.

It should also be noted the sites at Albert, Authuille, and Beaucourt are within hearing distance of the railway line.

In La Boisselle is a little restaurant called Le Poppy, frequented by French lorry drivers you can get an excellent three course meal with wine for around £10.

Recommended reading. The Somme Battlefields by Martin and Mary Middlebrook.

First Day on the Somme by Martin Middlebrook.

Maps Michelin Yellow 1/200,000 No 53

French National Maps Blue Series 1/25000

Posted by: Tenaki at 21:31 | link | comments

02/04/05

Motorway Services Campaign

We are delighted to announce that we are also joining in the survey about motorway service stations which Caravan Magazine are featuring in their March 2005 issue.

QUOTE
Caravan Magazine March 2005

Have you ever towed into a motorway service station and wondered where on earth you were supposed to park? Have you ever driven past all their signs for cars and lorries but not seen one for caravanners?

Well, Caravan magazine has decided to kick off a campaign to improve signage and general facilities for caravanners at the UK’s motorway service stations and it needs your help.

The results will eventually be made into a free database on the magazine’s web site, so that all caravanners see which service stations to avoid.

I was so excited to read that they are doing the campaign as it is something that we all know needs changing and unless the service stations know our views then they cant do anything, as they may not understand our difficulties.

You can download the forms from our forum and send to

Motorway Services Campaign
Caravan Magazine
Leon House
233 High Street
Croydon
CR9 1HZ

We shall also include the address at the bottom of the form.

Do you remember last year we had huge discussions about service stations, well now its your opportunity to get things changed.

Its up to us to get as many as these forms in as we can, as the more service stations that get reported on the better, as it gives the campaign more weight.

So wherever you travel take the forms and fill em in.

We can then all look on the database (which will be made available on T&T too) to see the best and the worst service stations in the country so that we know in advance when we are travelling.

Let's make this work for us and get some changes done

T&T now working with Caravan Magazine to improve service station facilities.

Posted by: Tenaki at 22:01 | link | comments

02/03/05

Jbeans Diaries Update January 2005

Well, here is 2005, well ok then February 2005, and the holiday season is upon us again! All the browsing through brochures, maps and surfing on the internet to find out how things “look” in real life, i.e. campsites, hotels, caravan parks etc. From this web site there are a few of you who have already got 2005 sown up! We are catching you up!

Well where to go? Is the world our oyster? Okay, Ireland is on the agenda again, and we have been in contact with our friend Declan, who is providing us with some very good information on where to go and what to see. I have contacted Irish Ferries; we are now awaiting their quotes. Time to pass the hat around I think! Now where did I put it!!!!!!!!

Well there has been some fishing over the last few weeks, and the only successful day was at Daneshill (near Retford) where an 8lb pike was caught from the peg/swim in the main car park! And that is it! For those of you who would like a meet, as soon as we get our first “fishing caravan” weekend or whatever sorted I will let you know and you can come along if you wish! The weather so far this week has been very kind, and I was only saying to hubby last night, get the tow bar on the Audi and lets go somewhere! Where to though…… Maxey is shut still, Clumber Park is not giving me the “oh lets go there!” vibe, Weybourne could be the place………….fishing on the beach, fish and chips in Cromer and fish supper in Salthouse………….now we are talking! The talk of food certainly gets Jbeans going!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We should really get the van serviced before we head out for the first trip, so I suppose I shall have to organise that job! I want Graham to look at the grill. The flame is about the size of a pin head, so it doesn’t work at all. One caravan dealer explained to me it was that size for a reason…………to prevent the person who was cooking burning their fingers when moving pots and pans on the stove………………. Yeah right! It does not take hours to toast bread!!!!!!!!!! The skylight needs replacing, and of course the damp check will have to be done. Fingers crossed for a good health check!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There have been numerous things going on in the Jbeans household; birthday celebrations; mine, and you know who, who was 21. Buying another car to take over towing duties of the Vectra which has failed as a tow car, hubby thought it was under powered, although it is a 2 litre engine, and we were towing at 86%. We know the Audi is more than capable, so the first outing should prove to be a success! I shall hopefully be able to report in my next update! And if hubby manages to put everything in the boot, including the kitchen sink……….but we won’t need one of those, because we have one in the caravan!!!!!!! No need to take two!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh no, that means even more stuff in the boot! Or, perhaps a few extra crates (I was going to say tins)………….. Of the dark stuff! (Guinness)

So see you here soon!

Happy holidays.

Posted by: Tenaki at 21:04 | link | comments

VISITS TO THE WW1 BATTLEFIELDS – PART 1

INTRODUCTION

Article by Eddie Morton

I have been asked to prepare these short travel notes for the battlefields of northern France and Belgium for the benefit of members who may be making their first visit to the area’s concerned.

However I consider that just to give an itinerary for a visit without giving any background information would detract from the enjoyment the first time visitor would get from their visit so the first note is by way of an introduction.

The First World War is inextricably linked with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as one created the other and the knowledge of how the CWGC works will enhance any visit to the battle fields. The majority of visible content of the war is in the shape of cemeteries and memorials in the majority of cases created by the CWGC, perhaps as high as 90%. The remaining 10% is in remains of trenches, bunkers, museums and private memorials.

The man who founded the CWGC was Fabian Ware, later Sir Fabian Ware. At the outbreak of war he was too old to enlist so he joined the Red Cross and arrived in France in 1914 in command of a Red Cross unit. Their role was to assist with casualties behind the front line, they also took on the role of marking and caring for the graves of the fallen of the British and Empire forces. The task became enormous and the unit dropped its Red Cross title and was transferred into the British army. As the task grew ever larger in 1917 the unit was granted Royal Charter and became the Imperial War Graves Commission.

It carried on creating cemeteries and recording the locations throughout the war and when the war ended it continued the mammoth task of finding, burying and recording all those who had died worldwide.

The commission carried on the same role in the WW2 and in 1960 its name was changed from Imperial to Commonwealth.

The Commissions work is guided by the following principles;

That each of the dead shall be commemorated individually by name either on a headstone over a grave or by an inscription on a memorial if the burial is unknown.

That the headstones and memorials should be permanent.

That the headstones should be uniform.

That there should be no distinction made on account of military or civil rank, race or creed

The purposes of the Commission are;

To acquire and hold land for the purpose of cemeteries in any territory in which Officers and men of the British Imperial Forces, who fell in the two world wars, may be buried.

To complete and maintain records and register of all graves within such cemeteries.

To make provision for the burial of all Officers and men and the care of all graves in such cemeteries, to erect buildings and permanent memorials therein and generally to provide for the maintenance and upkeep of such cemeteries, buildings and memorials.

The Commission is funded by Government grant and by payments from member countries, each nation pays in direct proportion of the number of war dead from those countries, the proportions as follows;

United Kingdom 78.40%

Canada 10.07%

Australia 6.05%

New Zealand 2.14%

South Africa 2.11%

India 1.20%

When South Africa was expelled from the commonwealth during the apartheid years not once did it renege on war graves payments.

All the land in France and Belgium used for British war grave is given in perpetuity by those countries, so when you stand in a British cemetery you stand in a little part of Britain.

The Commission acts on behalf of all member governments in all matters concerning their war graves of the two world wars and is responsible for maintaining;

1,179,000 war graves, in 23,203 burial sites, in 148 countries.

It also maintains 170,000 war graves in over 12,000 burial grounds in the UK.

The highest concentration of cemeteries in the care of the Commission is in that band of 70 miles that constituted the British sector of the western front in the Great War.

It runs in a line from northwest to south east through Belgium and France. Here some of the cemeteries are so close together you can stand in one and look into another. Ninety years after the reversion of the land back to agriculture, and after many years of ploughing, the inerasable continuous scar left by the trenches on the landscape can still be clearly seen from the air.

The Cemeteries.

Now that’s the statistics out of the way lets get down to what it’s all about. The most noticeable thing about the cemeteries is that no two are alike, all are built to the same guide lines but are different.

The cemeteries can be divided into five different types, this is not an official classification but it is commonly accepted by those who regularly visit.

The Battlefield Cemetery. Where men were buried where they died in the attack, if the attack was successful the dead would be buried within a matter of hours by their comrades probably in a shell hole or old trench. Sometimes these cemeteries would be reserved for the men of one battalion. The proportion of identified bodies in these early burials was high.

If the attack was unsuccessful then the recovery of bodies could take months and by then many were unidentified and would be likely to be buried elsewhere.

Battlefield cemeteries can be easily recognised they are usually in isolated places in middle of fields and the usually confined to a few dates of death.

The Comrades Cemeteries. Found behind what was the front line trench’s usually at the side of farm track or small road. Here the men who were killed in normal trench duty would be buried in the quieter moments by their comrades. Many of these cemeteries remain and most burials are identified.

Communal Cemeteries. Further back behind the lines or possible used during a retreat these are the plots of ground taken up in French villages cemeteries and church graveyards.

Dressing Station Cemeteries. Further behind the lines were the dressing stations where the wounded were taken for treatment. Those who did not survive were buried behind the dressing stations, we are now coming to the larger cemeteries. Usually all burials here would be identified.

Concentration Cemeteries. After the war the grim task of trying to recover all the bodies that had laid out in no mans land, some for years, began. They were brought to a central point and buried in what turned out to be very larges cemeteries. Vast numbers of men are unidentified in these cemeteries.

One monument common to all cemeteries is the Cross of Sacrifice. Designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, he designed it in four sizes, 14ft, 18ft, 20ft and 24ft, this was so it would not overpower the smaller cemeteries.

Cemeteries that have more than 1000 burial also have a Stone of Remembrance. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutchens, it represents those of all faiths and non.

Made from an 8 ton block of solid stone it is inscribed with the words “Their name liveth for ever more”, these words were chosen by Rudyard Kipling , he chose words so not to give offence to non Christians.

At the entrance to all cemeteries in a bronze wall mounted locker in which will be found the cemetery register. This gives the details of all the personnel buried in that cemetery, some have more information than others. The amount of information depended on how much the family wanted. In the same locker will be found a visitor’s book, don’t forget to sign it.

All the cemeteries contain headstones of a standard pattern, made of Portland stone, usually set in perfectly straight rows. At the top of each headstone is engraved the national emblem or the service or regimental badge, followed by rank, name, unit, date of death, age and appropriate religious emblem. At the foot of the headstone there is, in many cases, an inscription chosen by the family. In 1920 these cost 3 (Old pence) a letter therefore many are without the inscription.

There is a most moving inscription on the grave of Pr.Thomas Palmer of the 1^st/4^th Leicester’s who was killed in 1917, it reads “Will some kind hand in a foreign land place a flower on my son’s grave”. He’s buried in Foncquevillers Military Cem Somme.

The headstones of unidentified soldiers have the inscription “Known onto God”. These words were chosen by Kipling.

If one visits in the summer months you cannot fail to be impressed with the horticulture, the object of the Commission was to make each cemetery resemble an English garden and wherever possible plants native to the UK are used. Where a cemetery has a predominance of Canadians or Australians these cemeteries are planted with flowers from those countries.

English roses are grown in all European cemeteries and are positioned such that at some part of every day the shadow of an English rose falls across every headstone.

In addition to all the cemeteries there is an additional 200 memorials commemorating the names of over three quarters of a million missing casualties. Of these the Thiepval Memorial in France is the largest. Standing over 45m high designed by Lutchen’s it records over 72,000 men from the battle of the Somme that were never found and have no known grave. This is the largest number of commemorations on a monument anywhere in the world.

When visiting the battlefield it is always more interesting if you have an objective. There was not a family in the land or the commonwealth that did not lose someone in the First World War.

Why not look up those members of your family and track down their grave or commemorative inscription on a monument. The Commission’s free website cwgc.org has 1,694,714 commemorations and the search page is easy to use, the more information you have the easier to retrieve the right person. If you find it a bit daunting contact me by E Mail and I’ll assist where I can.

On the itinerary I will also be directing you to German and French cemeteries. At the end of the war the French were not as benevolent to the Germans and would not allow them back to deal with their dead, therefore most German cemeteries are large mass graves with little indication that the name on the cross is the right one.

The French also found looking after their dead was an overwhelming task and their cemeteries leave a lot to be desired. But I’ll deal with that as we visit each area.

The next part will be a visit to the Somme.

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