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Share the post "1st Armoured Regiment marks last Cambrai Day with M1A1"
M1A1 Abrams tanks echoed through the Edinburgh Defence Precinct during the Cambrai Parade for the final time
as 1st Armoured Regiment commemorated Cambrai Day with a mounted parade on November 22
CAPTION: Veterans of the 1st Armoured Regiment participate in the Cambrai Parade at Edinburgh Defence Precinct
The event commemorated the Battle of Cambrai
fought from 20 November to 7 December 1917 – the first large-scale use of tanks in a combined-arms context
The parade highlights the regiment’s ties to the Australian Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps
It was also the final time the M1A1 Abrams tanks will be involved in the regiment’s annual Cambrai Parade before they are given to Ukraine as part of Australia’s support for its defence against Russia’s invasion
members of the South Australian community and local Ukrainian community leaders
The display also featured light armoured vehicles
armoured personnel carriers and unmanned ground vehicles
showcasing the regiment’s capabilities and its role in protecting Australia’s security
Commanding Officer 1st Armoured Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Jake Penley said Cambrai Day was an important way to mark the regiment’s evolution
“Cambrai Day is an opportunity to honour the achievements of those before us and recognise the dedication of our people who continue to drive the Army forward,” Lieutenant Colonel Penley said
“This year’s parade carries special meaning as we prepare for the regiment’s transition to a combat-focused experimentation unit under Army’s restructuring
our commitment to excellence remains the same
“The Cambrai Parade continues to serve as a key event for the 1st Armoured Regiment
providing a platform to reflect on its history
celebrate its achievements and connect with the South Australian community.”
CAPTION: M1A1 Abrams tanks during the 1st Armoured Regiment’s Cambrai Parade at Edinburgh Defence Precinct
Really believe holding a paltry amount of under 100 tanks is a concern given everyone’s fear of conflict
Surely after the poor use of Leopards as guard gates at RSLs
we could have given the older Abrams to the reserve units which haven’t had armour in years
Surely we could give the ASLAVs to the reserve
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Medievalists.net
Venetian Art and the War of the League of Cambrai (1509-17)
Abstract: This dissertation explores how Venetians used the figurative arts as a means of responding to and shaping their experience of the War of the League of Cambrai (1509–17)
The war was the most politically and spiritually tumultuous conflict in Venice’s history and almost resulted in the loss of its mainland empire
To provide a sense of the complexity of the relationship between art and contemporary military events
the study gathers and analyses a wide range of works
from painting and sculpture to woodcuts for books and prints
and four investigate how Venetians used visual art to represent and interpret their struggle to reclaim the former terraferma empire
Chapter two begins the discussion by examining the modest woodcuts accompanying printed propagandistic texts that were inspired by the battle for the mainland and that constitute the first visual response to the war
Chapter three explores the interpretation afforded military events by subsequent and more enduring works of art
particularly sculpted altarpieces and tombs for mercenaries
Chapter four discusses the assertive revival of more traditional visual themes
address how Venetian art reflects the atmosphere of spiritual crisis generated by the popular interpretation of the war as a form of divine punishment
The first of these demonstrates how devotional books responded to the unsettled mood through text and image
Chapter six proposes that the wartime popularity of multi-block woodcuts
similarly reflects a market for certain kinds of devotional imagery
chapter seven argues that the same atmosphere sparked a sudden interest during the war and shortly thereafter in paintings of Christ and the adulteress
the studies presented by the various chapters demonstrate that Venetians produced a wide variety of art during the Cambrai War as a means of interpreting the conflict’s significance and influencing its course
Click here to read this thesis from Queen’s University
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and slaughter pretty much summed up the British experience of war during much of 1916 and 17
After a disastrous first day on the Somme on 1 July 1916
the campaign turned into a five-month slog
to eventually take the high ground which had been the objective on the opening day
Historian Hew Strachan has said that British commander Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig must be blamed for not preventing more slaughter when his planned breakthrough failed
stood aghast towards the end of 'Passchendaele'
He visited the front and found a vast swamp in which men had literally drowned in the mud:
One commander who was determined not to see the futility continue was JFC Fuller
As a political figure between the two wars
Fuller's image is left rather tarnished by his association with the far-right
His frustrations with British under-preparedness for the Second World War led him to the conclusion that Britain too needed to become a far-right militarised state
and he became involved with the BUF – the British Union of Fascists
He didn't seem to take the view that defeating Nazi Germany by becoming Nazi Britain was rather self-defeating
Lieutenant Colonel JFC Fuller was a brilliant and innovative military thinker in the newly-formed Tank Corps who was determined to better integrate man and machine to achieve success on the battlefield
His largely tank-focused doctrine became a template for
a plan of attack near Cambrai - a vital supply point in the German Hindenburg Line.
As Alexander Turner explains in 'Cambrai 1917: the birth of armoured warfare'
but also because it enabled tank doctrine to be advanced
as a large-scale raid to consolidate and apply previous lessons learnt about tanks
No longer were they to be deployed in isolation to support infantry
where their commonplace breakdowns did more damage to the potential success of an attack
they were now to be pooled in larger groups so breakdowns mattered less
"(JFC Fuller) recommended a large-scale raid as the best showcase for (the new Tank Corps') tanks … (he) settled on Cambrai as … he saw its favourable setting - perfect for a raid
cavalry and aircraft could wreak havoc behind the German front line
whilst protected from counterattack by the canal obstacle."
The other advantage Cambrai had over the battlefield of Third Ypres
was its relatively dryer and harder ground - a prerequisite for the effective deployment of tanks
The result was a set of spectacular early successes at the Battle of Cambrai
the centenary of which ran from November 20 to December 6
On the first day, the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) took more ground in six hours than they had in three-and-a-half months at Passchendaele, or five months at the Somme
One delighted soldier who came up some hours into the battle to reinforce the attack said "the enemy wire had been dragged about like old curtains
The tanks appeared to have busted through!"
Part of the reason for the success lay in the selection of ground
The German strategy of fighting a defensive war waged on their choice of higher-ground gave them a distinct advantage on the battlefield
this also meant that the British were in a better position to tunnel underneath and then mine their positions
as they'd learnt to do by the time of the Battle of the Somme
the Germans took full advantage of the ridges across the landscape
and of natural features like the Canal du Nord
just as the apparent topographical advantage possessed by the Germans had been used against them through mining at places like the Somme or Messines Ridge
their position at Cambrai was also exploited
Strict adherence to the higher ground meant their line had to follow the contours of the ridges they utilised
even if those ridges zigzagged and exposed it
This is why a huge chunk of the British objectives lay north of the east-west line that runs between La Vacquerie and Havrincourt
By concentrating large numbers of tanks and men on this chunk of front
the British were able to entirely bypass the truly formidable obstacle of the Canal du Nord that lay in front of Havrincourt
and push up behind much of the German frontline
the British were able to roll up their line and were only halted at the densely forested Bourlon Wood
Whereas tanks played the starring role in the battle
their success was really a product of ingenuity in several areas
All arms were becoming better integrated at this point
with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) providing air superiority and observation
moving from the crude pre-attack barrage of July 1
to a creeping barrage pre-registered and timed to fire and lift in steps
curtains of fire acted as a protective screen for advancing troops and not just as a separate element of the attack that would cease the moment soldiers went into battle
the creeping barrage was made even more precise
Sound Ranging could be used to locate enemy guns
Then predicted fire could knock them out quickly and precisely without costly targeting and adjusting
that might give away the position of British artillery in the process
By this point fuses on High Explosive shells had been designed to explode above the ground instead of once they'd hit it
The latter scenario meant that many shells ended up in the ground rather than obliterating the barbed wire screens they were aimed at
But HE 106 percussion fuses were sensitive enough to go off the moment they touched a whisker of wire
blowing huge chunks of the wire skirting the German trenches to bits
the 30-ton tanks ready to plough channels open for trailing infantry
German trenches at Cambrai were wider and more difficult for tanks to cross than those at the Somme
Some of the leading tanks carried huge bundles of tightly bound brushwood [fascines]
which they dropped into the wide German trenches
As was so often the case in the First World War though
success by one side was often followed by countermeasures by the defender
Even with all the innovation on show at Cambrai
World War One just worked against the attacker
While the British advance may have been spectacular
as pockets of resistance were swept over and left behind to cause problems
The most salient of these was at the village of Flesquieres
Manned by a small body of troops in the German second line
and supplemented by others who'd fled from Havrincourt
the soldiers there proved a formidable obstacle to advancing British troops
There were a number of problems that beset the men advancing on Flesquieres
The first was that there happened to be a battery of gunners there who were trained and well-practised at taking out tanks
As it happens, 51 Division was lucky
The Germans abandoned Flesquieres on the night of November 20/21
where they had not been so quickly overwhelmed and outflanked
the Germans were able to put up more resistance
They'd been innovating just as the British had
German defensive doctrine involved counter-attacks
often with Stormtroopers (or Stosstruppen.)
hand-picked from men in their 20s with good sports records
these men were trained to push into the enemy lines as far as they could
and leave supporting troops to mop up any enemy soldiers left behind
Finding single grenades ineffective against the tanks
the men in Fontaine instead filled whole sandbags with grenades
They then tied the sacks around one stick grenade which functioned as a handle for the whole bundle
using covering fire at the tank's observation ports
Captain Groves was in command of one of the tanks that penetrated Fontaine
and found being inside a tank as difficult and terrifying as the German defenders were finding it dealing with them:
"Hell was let loose as we turned into the street
We were being fired at from the roofs – front
A combination of splash and armour flaking [spall] made it most difficult to see anything when handling a gun … The gun ports were all lit up with sparks."
he was wrestling with a problem that was largely unsolvable under conditions at that time
A lack of adequate communication on the battlefield
made any large-scale breakthrough impossible to organise and coordinate properly.
This is why it's a little difficult to assess who 'won' the Battle of Cambrai
In one sense the Germans did because they managed to take back many of the objectives first seized by the British
the British also took and retained some new ground of their own
The battle also helped the British Army better integrate and use tanks
since every battle on the Western Front was really part of a learning curve as the Allies wrestled with the problem of how to break the deadlock.
Fuller certainly went back to the drawing board
He realised that the ponderous nature of trench warfare was the crux of the problem
No breakthrough could ever occur because any attack was slowed down sufficiently to allow time for the enemy to regroup
He began to formulate a method of hitting the enemy’s trenches and his rear lines simultaneously
Three phases would be executed: The first would be an attack with planes (armed with bombs) and medium tanks against the enemy's headquarters
crippling his command and control of his forces
The second would be a larger-scale Battle of Cambrai – artillery
and infantry rolling out en masse to smash the enemy’s lines
and infantry on trucks following the retreating enemy to prevent them reforming and counter-attacking
Outpaced by events - German Army (and societal) collapse
improvements in interoperability in the British and French armies in the 100 Days Offensive of 1918
and the arrival of the Americans - Fuller's plan quickly became obsolete.
his ideas were later picked up and developed by the Nazis into a blueprint for their Blitzkrieg method of overwhelming force in World War Two
The question of whether they could have ever been used by the Allies to win a decisive victory in World War One remains one of military history's great "What Ifs"
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Home » Military History » Army » The race to Cambrai
Canadian troops enter the main square of Cambrai
only to find that three sides of it have been set on fire by retreating German Forces
was a focal point of major military operations on the Western Front
It was a vital military railway and road hub that underpinned Germany’s four-year occupation of northern France
Cambrai received special attention from Allied bombers
German commanders considered such raids harbingers of pending attacks in the sector
It was the Germans’ “great distributing centre,” Canadian Corps Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie noted in September 1918
and control of the sector hinged on its possession
The town was one of the keys to the Hindenburg Line
an important German defensive position about 16 kilometres away
It was also a key objective of the Allied offensives that drove the German armies gradually but decisively eastward in September and October 1918
Cambrai had been the focus of attention in an operation by the British Army best remembered for the mass employment of tanks
but was arguably more significant for the artillery plan used
Rather than telegraph their intentions with a lengthy preliminary bombardment
the British saved the element of surprise through “silent registration”—in effect shooting from map measurements without preliminary ranging shots
The 1917 attack punched a substantial hole in the German front line
but the army had been unable to capture the vital high ground at Bourlon Wood and German reinforcements soon tipped the scale in favour of the defence
recovering much of the ground that had been lost—for the time being at least
Canadians take stock of a captured ammunition dump just outside of Cambrai
The Allied armies counterattacked in the summer of 1918
scoring major victories on the Marne in July and at Amiens in early August
The Canadian Corps spearheaded the Amiens offensive
then moved north to the Arras sector later in August
the Canadians were on the verge of crossing the partially completed Canal du Nord
one of a series of water obstacles that cut across the landscape around Cambrai
German forces in the sector fought with determination
Canadian troops rushed across dry segments of the canal
overrunning Bourlon Wood and the approaches to Cambrai
German forces fell back all across the front; Ludendorff was convinced on Sept
This mattered little to soldiers on the ground—Canadian
British or German—between the Canal du Nord and Cambrai
the Canadian Corps continued its advance to the Marcoing Line
meeting stubborn resistance from German troops desperately trying to hold Cambrai
the German army remained effective at the tactical level
even launching fierce counterattacks against Canadian troops along the Cambrai-Douai road (see page 96)
the price of each metre was measured in blood
the Canadian Corps suffered more than 2,000 casualties
the beloved chaplain of the 1st Canadian Division
Artillery on the Canadian Corps front fired some 7,000 tonnes of ammunition
While it may have been little comfort for the hundreds of wounded Canadian soldiers or the loved ones left behind by the dead
the Germans were reaching their breaking point
the Canadians captured 7,000 prisoners and more than 200 guns
And across the Western Front more generally
the German High Command madly shuttled broken divisions from sector to sector in a futile effort to shore up the crumbling lines
But could the Canadians reach the town in time to save it
Observers watch German troop movements near Cambrai in October 1918
the timing of the Canadian attack depended very much on the progress of neighbouring formations in Third Army
The army’s plan was arranged in two phases
which had fought alongside the Canadian Corps in earlier operations
was to capture the Niergnies-Awoingt Ridge southeast of Cambrai
while the Canadian Corps created a diversion through artillery fire
the 2nd Canadian Division was to storm the Canal de l’Escaut between Ramillies and Morenchies
linking up with the British at Escaudœuvres
The 3rd Canadian Division would then cross the canal and move on Cambrai itself
the approaches to the canal were characterized by steep slopes on the west bank that would leave the infantry badly exposed to small arms and machine-gun fire from the east bank
elements of the 3rd Division had been badly cut up a week earlier in an abortive attempt to breach the canal
intended to do immediately after the Corps reached the Niergnies-Awoingt objective
The Third Army attack began on the morning of Oct
Canadian commanders learned that the XVII Corps attack was stalling short of its objective
Burstall decided to cross the canal and drive on to Escaudœuvres in any case
In the pitch-black darkness on the night of Oct
the soldiers of the 2nd Division crossed the canal under blustery rain showers
and Canadian patrols found neighbouring villages abandoned in the small hours of Oct
Canadian engineers seized canal bridges intact and removed demolition charges before they could be exploded
and three of his men fought off a group of German soldiers who attempted to retake and destroy the main bridge at Pont d’Aire
Mitchell was decorated with the Victoria Cross for his role in the action
It was one of at least 10 Victoria Crosses awarded to Canadians fighting between Canal du Nord and Cambrai
infantrymen of the 3rd Division entered Cambrai
with the exception of small German rearguards
but the tireless engineers went to work installing new bridges that could handle wheeled transport and artillery
As the Canadians advanced to the centre of town street by street
they found that German soldiers had indeed set some of the buildings alight
and were apparently in the process of starting additional fires
having left behind large stacks of combustibles in the wake of their hasty retreat
The engineers fought and extinguished the fires
Official photographers captured ghostly images of small parties of Canadian troops moving warily through empty streetscapes filled with smoky haze
Cambrai was narrowly saved from complete ruin
the outcome may well have been very different
While German forces failed to complete their destruction of Cambrai
the attempt was typical of a scorched-earth policy that characterized their eastward withdrawals during the final phase of the war
As one Canadian soldier wrote home that October
the enemy “has taken everything he could have…
He has done his best to stop us by blowing up all the main roads
and what he could not take that would be of value to us he has destroyed
Stacks of hay were still smoldering and all the mines…were damaged as much as possible.”
The destruction of roads and bridges might be justified on tactical grounds
but there was also something clearly senseless about it all
given that the German High Command had already admitted to itself
Canadian soldiers pass through ruined buildings as they enter Cambrai
the Canadian Corps had been built up to something near full strength
The two months between the Battle of Amiens and the liberation of Cambrai witnessed a virtually unprecedented pace of operations
the Canadian Corps sustained 1,544 officers and 29,262 other ranks killed
wounded or missing—nearly one-third of the corps’ overall strength
but a much higher proportion of its infantry strength
the Canadians claimed more than 18,000 prisoners
and an unknown number of enemy troops killed or wounded fromat least 30 German divisions
had seen higher numbers of Canadian casualties per day of battle
but the sustained operations of August to October 1918 depleted infantry battalions at steady rates over an extended period
the fighting between the Canal du Nord and Cambrai sheds valuable light on one of the most controversial elements of Canada’s war effort: the 1917 Military Service Act
and the impact of compulsory military service on the Canadian war effort during the closing months of the conflict on the Western Front
The dominant historical narrative of the Military Service Act has long suggested that conscription was
Dennis underscores in his recent landmark study Reluctant Warriors: Canadian Conscripts and the Great War
Prominent historical commentators have doubted
that the practical military results of conscription justified the staggering social
cultural and regional fault lines that the act forced open across Canada
including such contemporary supporters of conscription as Currie himself
suggested that conscripts played a minimal role in the final stages of the war simply because they were too few and too late to reach the front
There had been talk of conscription in Canada for some time
but the breaking point came with the Vimy/Arras offensive in the spring of 1917
Canadian casualties reached 24,000 killed and wounded in April and May 1917
yet fewer than half this number of men had volunteered for overseas service in the same period
Canada could no longer rely on voluntary enlistments alone to sustain its overseas military effort
Prime Minister Robert Borden asked Solicitor General Arthur Meighen to draft a military service act
The initial recruiting target under the act was 100,000 men
some 99,600 men had been taken on strength
and 47,500 of them had reached the United Kingdom
Only about half of these latter men—some 24,000—actually crossed over from the U.K
to join the firing line before the Armistice
Two members of the 75th Battalion and their prisoner relax at a milestone near Cambrai
the number seems a relatively small proportion of the 99,600 recruits who were conscripted in late 1917 and 1918
not to mention the nearly 620,000 men and women (conscripts included) who enlisted in the CEF throughout the entire war
It is instructive to consider that of 620,000 enlistees
about 236,000 passed through the 50 Canadian infantry battalions that fought at the front
Twenty-four thousand conscripts comprised a small proportion of 236,000 fighting men
But given that the nominal establishment of the Canadian Corps in 1918 was about 100,000 men (approximately 48,000 of whom were infantrymen) and nearly all conscripts were assigned to infantry battalions
the 24,000 reinforcements raised through conscription assume rather greater significance
the Canadian Corps sustained some 45,000 casualties
a figure approaching nearly its entire nominal infantry strength
Reinforcement by conscripts in the 24,000 range was
The importance of Canadian conscripts at Canal du Nord and Cambrai
is evident as much anecdotally as it is statistically
was among seven conscripts counted among the 44 other ranks of the 102nd Battalion killed in action at Bourlon Wood
In fighting just north of Cambrai around Abancourt on Oct
Leo Dennis of the 1st Battalion was killed
likely a victim of friendly artillery fire
had been drafted on the same day as his neighbour
a farmer from Cape Breton Island who served with the 25th Battalion
was another of four conscripts from the 25th Battalion to die in the Cambrai attack on Oct
Hundreds of such cases are found in Dennis’s Reluctant Warriors
The point is clear: conscripts were instrumental to Canadian operations during the final 100 days
and they paid dearly alongside their volunteer comrades
although few could have guessed that the guns would fall silent in the West just one month later
the end did not come soon enough for the thousands of men who were killed or wounded in the final weeks
The final stretch of the road to victory led the Canadians to Valenciennes
where British and German troops first fought more than four years earlier
The last Canadian (and British Empire) soldier known to have died in action
thought to be the first British soldier to die in action on the Western Front
Tanks are loaded on railway cars following the Armistice
Since their operational debut in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette in September 1916
The British and French armies each fielded a series of designs
a heavily bureaucratized design project spawned the monstrous A7V tank
with the Germans making relatively greater use of captured Allied machines (although never more than about 90 at any one time)
Arguably the most famous British tank operation of the war was the 1917 Battle of Cambrai
Tanks returned to support the Canadians at Canal du Nord
The Germans had hoped that the dry portion of the canal bed would present an impassable obstacle to enemy armour
British tanks crossed the canal near Mœuvres
close to the boundary between the Canadian Corps and XVII Corps
Four tanks came to the aid of the 3rd Canadian Brigade at Sains-lès-Marquion
crashing through barbed-wire aprons and mopping up enemy holdouts in the village
The armour also played a role in clearing Marquion
along with kilted infantry from the 13th and 15th battalions
which had seen terrible fighting at Bourlon Wood in 1917
supporting Canadian infantry in Bourlon village and helping to clear out the wood
This time there would be no British withdrawal
of 16 tanks supporting the Canadians at this stage of the advance
five were put out of action by German anti-tank fire
Immediately after the liberation of Cambrai
the Canadian Corps pressed northeast to Iwuy
with armoured cars and cavalry in the vanguard
The mobile units were badly shot up by German rearguards
Corporal Deward Barnes of the 19th Battalion remembered some panic at the sight of such large machines
but they were soon dealt with by concentrated artillery fire
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An informative primer on Canada’s crucial role in the Normandy landing
NEW PALTZ — A group of high school students and teachers from Cambrai
who were in America visiting their sister school in Park Ridge
traveled up to the Hudson Valley for a visit to Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz
in an area historically known as the Artois region
The families that founded New Paltz were originally from that region
which today straddles the France-Belgium border
is where a small group of French-speaking Huguenots settled
the site features seven stone houses dating to 1705
a burying ground and a reconstructed 1717 stone church — all in their original village setting
The students were particularly interested in visiting because they were in the midst of a project about Abraham Hasbrouck
they had the opportunity to visit the Abraham Hasbrouck House
as well as the house named for Jean Hasbrouck
The Hasbrouck Family Association says that virtually all Hasbroucks in America are descended from the brothers Jean and Abraham
Both arrived from Europe in the early 1670s
The stone houses their families built in 1721 still stand on Huguenot Street
Students also visited the archives at Historic Huguenot Street
including those brought with the Huguenots when they traveled from Europe in the 1660s and 1670s
"It is clear how proud New Paltz is of its unique heritage," said Francoise Blas
one of the teachers who came with the Cambrai group
"It is so good for our students to make this very real connection between our world and yours."
For more information about Historic Huguenot Street
visit www.huguenotstreet.org or call 255-1660
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Local swimmers in Cambrai will soon be able to take a dip again
with the Mid Murray Council set to […]
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Hotels.com had assured me all was well but I arrived to find steel shutters over the doors
In February, I used Hotels.com to book a room for two nights at the Hotel Cambrai in Paris
I was required to pay the €180 cost up front and there was no refund if I cancelled
I received emails from Hotels.com assuring me all was well and telling me to prepare for my trip
I arrived to find the hotel locked and steel shutters over the doors
The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.
Hotel Cambrai is still available to book on the website
I have tried to post a review but it is being withheld
This is the absurd consequence of customer services programmed to stick to a script rather than deploy intelligent thought
Hotels.com would doubtless still be trying to ring a non-existent hotel to authorise your refund if the press office hasn’t agreed to establish whether the place was still trading
It’s instructive that you received two emails within hours of each other
One repeated that Hotels.com could not override the hotel’s “no refund policy”; the second
promised to return your money along with a “gesture of goodwill”
“We are sorry that the customer had a bad experience,” it says
“The hotel is expected to notify us of its closure via a self-service function
We have now confirmed this hotel is closed
Asked if others in your situation would be refunded
Hotel Cambrai still appears on other booking platforms
but any date entered shows as “unavailable”
Last month I reported how easyJet had offered passengers a voucher incentive to cancel reservations on flights that were then cancelled by the airline a day after the application deadline
Those of us who had applied for the voucher were told we had forfeited the right to a refund instead
Cynics might assume the move was deliberate to avoid costly pay outs for slashed flight schedules
EasyJet assured me the timings were purely coincidental and it was contacting all affected passengers to reimburse them
readers who called customer services in the light of this promise were told they could not be refunded
All those who contacted me were informed that their flights had been cancelled within hours of the deadline for requesting a voucher and that the voucher arrived weeks after they had been refused a refund
The airline has now promised to reimburse these readers
although only a couple have been contacted so far and potentially thousands of others could be left out of pocket
If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk. Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions
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Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) fast food chain owns 20,000 outlets in a hundred countries worldwide
The company has been active in France since 1991 and aims to have 500 franchises in operation in our country by 2025
This is a boon for our HVAC and energy engineering specialists working under the Clévia expertise brand name
who were able to demonstrate the extent of their know-how by taking part in works on a KFC restaurant in Cambrai (59)
Our local operations teams involved in this project carried out HVAC
smoke extraction and plumbing work in the restaurant
They fitted rooftop AC units on the roofs in order to cool the whole restaurant
and a heat pump to ensure the production of domestic hot water
They also installed air extraction hoods in the kitchen
after routing the different air supply and extract networks in the kitchens
“We had 12 weeks to carry through these works
between the start of digging operations and the restaurant opening date
We were able to work in synergy with the other companies involved in the project
in order to respect the principle of simultaneous work and each company’s work areas
I’d also really like to pay tribute to Eiffage Énergie Systèmes’ commitments to safety
showcased on this project” said business manager Stéphane Maison
This major challenge which was raised with success has enabled EES - Clévia Nord to win two other restaurant contracts in Vendin-le-Vieil (62) and Arras (62)
Our branch has also positioned itself on HVAC
smoke extraction and plumbing maintenance for 11 of the chain’s other restaurant franchises
350 tanks were to take Flesquières from the Germans in an experimental attack
Historians have struggled to understand how the Germans knew about the attack in advance and with enough warning to bring in reinforcements and stop the British advance
historians can now say that British soldiers captured by the Germans
Six soldiers from the 36th Ulster Division were captured by Germans in a trench raid just two days before the attack
The Ulster Division had been one of the most patriotic in the British Army
Three years of fighting reduced the ranks to the point where they were recruiting from the Catholic areas in Ireland
filled with people sympathetic to the independence movement
The Germans had little trouble getting information about the attack from their prisoners
published in Deborah and the War of the Tanks
it is noted: “A great animosity prevails towards England
The prisoners say if an uprising takes place in Ireland
they would take up arms against England without more ado.”
the key Bourlon ridge wasn’t taken on the first day
and the whole operation eventually ran out of steam,” said Mr
but the betrayal of information was key to the Germans being able to repel that attack.”
Which of the prisoners betrayed the British is not known
The interrogation report does not name the subjects
north Londoner Sergeant William Harold Whitaker and Lance-Corporal Frederick Charles Rowe
The captured unit also included two Irish Catholics
Taylor believes may have harboured resentment about the suppression of the Easter Rising by Irish nationalists the previous year
“However some of the men were angry about the situation in Ireland
it still seems extraordinary that they could have passed on such sensitive information to the enemy
knowing it would endanger the lives of their own friends and fellow countrymen,” said Mr
Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE
Members of a Murray Bridge car club have learned all about an unusual fruit on a trip to JJ’s Orchard
This story was contributed by Graham Edwards and Di Dawson
Did you know there is a jujube orchard at Cambrai
aroused the curiosity of Auto Collectors Club of Murray Bridge members Maureen and Graham Edwards almost 12 months ago; they decided to research the fruit and
After contacting the owners – Jody Miltenhoff
son Marcus and family – an exploratory visit took place to arrange a club visit
after many hours of planning by the run coordinators
club members and guests assembled at their Johnstone Park clubrooms
signed a daily run book and received printed directions and run sheets prior to leaving for JJ Orchards at Cambrai
members fired up their vehicles and headed for Cambrai’s park
with vehicles at Mannum and Cambrai joining the convoy of 17 classic and eight modern vehicles ranging in age from a 1925 Chevrolet truck to a 2023 Mercedes Benz for morning tea
where Mr Edwards welcomed a total of 60 members and guests
it was back into their vehicles for a short drive to JJ’s Orchard
With all vehicles parked along with a short walk to the house area
Mr Edwards proceeded to introduce Mr Miltenoff
who welcomed all to the former historic farm of some 40,000 acres
dating back to the 1860s and originally owned by the Hayden family
who lived in a pug and pine hut which is currently being restored by the family
Mr Miltenoff proceeded to give an enlightening explanation of the family venture
which commenced some 20 years ago after their property purchase
While restoring the buildings on the property
the more amazed they became about the positive health benefits and the resilience of tree that would grow in extreme conditions
Fast forward to today and they are now one of the first high-density jujube orchards in Australia
with a purpose-built nursery based on 25 years of experience for jujube tree propagation that is now in full swing
and looking forward to what the next 20-30 years has in store
The group were interested in Mr Miltenoff’s presentation – only a handful had ever heard of a jujube
He proceeded to guide the group down to the orchard
including being high in Vitamin B and C and having positive effects in helping fight certain cancers
Members and guests were then encouraged to sample three or four different versions and sizes of fruit
The group was then invited to walk through the orchard
which was completely covered in bird netting to keep the “pesky” parrots out
It was then back up the hill to view the propagation and drying areas
with Mr Miltenoff explaining in detail where and how the life of a jujube started and finished
Prior to ending the one and a half hour tour
Mr Edwards thanked Mr Miltenoff and the family for a great tour and explanation of the property and the JJ Orchard and tasting
before presenting a small gift in appreciation
Then it was time to move on to lunch; due to a last-minute change of venue from the Sedan Hotel back to the Pretoria Hotel
most members present drove the half-hour to have lunch at around 1pm
All 50 guests sat and talked about their experience and
vice president Claude Minge thanked the Edwardses
along with assistants Elaine and Roy Bretag
Help Murray Bridge News tell our community’s stories
Lee Spurling invites you to come and play eight-ball in Murray Bridge
Residents across the district are being invited to contribute to a feasibility report on services in the region
Take a behind the scenes look at a movie shooting in Old Tailem Town last Thursday
Police are seeking witness in a motorcycle accident Sunday night on the Princes Highway
One of the most important men in the history of the tank is to be remembered a century after the most significant moment of his long career
The Tank Museum in Dorset is to celebrate the occasion that Hugh Elles led the Tank Corps at the Battle of Cambrai
proving beyond doubt what the tank could do
Staff are taking their WWI replica Mk IV tank to the Cenotaph in London on 19 November – the day before the anniversary – to honour the tank men who fought 100 years earlier
The ‘Cambrai Flag’ is one of the most significant exhibits on display in The Tank Museum and was flown from a tank by Elles himself as he rode into battle
The assault gained more ground in the first three hours of fighting than the British had gained in three months at the Battle of Passchendaele
The first day of the battle was seen as such a success that church bells rang out in celebration across Britain
It was the first time that tanks had been used in large numbers
with more than 400 attacking over a front five miles across and catching the Germans completely by surprise
Cambrai was a crucial test for the Tank Corps and it was under Elles’ inspirational leadership that its future was ensured
Museum curator David Willey wants to use the centenary of Cambrai to rehabilitate the some of the reputations of WW1 commanders who he says have suffered from ‘Blackadder-style mocking’
was much more typical of the clever and courageous men who
rather than sacrifice their troops as the myths suggest
did their best to inspire and protect them – and most importantly win the war
but rather capable leaders who gained the respect of their men
Elles’ eagerness to inspire his men also saw him penning ‘Special Order No 6’ the night before the battle
It is considered to be so important that it is still read aloud each year on 20 November by members of the modern Royal Tank Regiment to mark the anniversary of the battle
It read: “Tomorrow the Tank Corps will have the chance of which they have been waiting for many months – to operate on good going in the van of the Battle
“The Blackadder view and the prevailing national myth suggests the leaders of our men were incompetent and would willingly sacrifice them
“They were of course men of their time with faults like all of us
but the idea that somehow Britain had more than their fair share is just untrue – and these were the men that led the British army to ultimate victory
“Elles is a good example of the imaginative and inspirational leaders Britain had in the First World War and it is time to rehabilitate their reputation
“For the centenary we will be creating videos and displays and taking our replica Mk IV to London – the same tank used at Cambrai
still the home of the modern Armoured Corps
“Tanks were designed to save the lives of British soldiers but they had a patchy start and no clear success
At Passchendaele many had simply sunk in the mud and been lost
“As each tank cost £250,000 in today’s money
some wondered if they were really worth the cost
a morale-boosting victory before Christmas was necessary
“Elles and his men believed in the potential of the tank and saw an attack at Cambrai as a way of achieving success and vindicating the faith put in the new machine
“Elles wanted to inspire his new corps and he realised that having a flag was important to bond the men
and famously made one from the last material available in a French fabric shop
“He took the flag with him to the tank called Hilda
from where he would attack the enemy himself
It is one of our most significant exhibits at the museum
“A flag was something men could rally to or identify with – like a football shirt today – and taking an enemy’s flag has of course been important throughout the history of warfare
“Elles also issued the men with special insignia to wear on their arms to show they were tank men and he gave his famous order – all of which helped to bond and inspire them
“They prepared for the battle in immense detail
with many new innovations to overcome the strong German defences of the Hindenburg Line
Over 400 tanks set off for the battle at 6.20 am on November 20
“They were able to get through the German barbed wire – which was so thick that many had thought it impregnable – and also protect the infantry
“Elles’ tank eventually became stuck and he was seen in no-man’s-land
carrying his flag towards his own lines to make his report
He led the Tank Corps through many trials and tribulations until it became firmly established as part of the army
He became Colonel Commandant of the Royal Tank Corps in 1934 and Colonel Commandant of the Royal Engineers in 1935
He was promoted Major-General in 1928 and Lieutenant-General in 1934
During World War Two he worked in civil defence and he died in 1945
THE TANK MUSEUM
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and left British and French drivers sleeping in their cars
Take-offs and landings at Europe's third-busiest airport were halted at around noon on Tuesday to clear snow from the runways
The high-speed Eurostar train service connecting London with the French and Belgian capitals and the Thalys line linking Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Cologne in Germany were both suspended. Read the full story
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speaks to a driver in WhitehallRICHARD POHLE/THE TIMESJonathan PaigeMonday November 20 2017
the first time tanks played a significant role on the battlefield
Veterans and serving members of the Royal Tank Regiment marched past the Cenotaph yesterday on the eve of Cambrai Day and to remember comrades who died in the battle and in conflicts since
The Mark IV was introduced in 1917 and 476 of them broke through German lines near Cambrai in northern France during an offensive that started 100 years ago today
It was the first time that they were deployed into combat in large
Share the post "Cambrai parade marks new beginning for 1 Armd Regt"
Australian Army soldiers from 1st Armoured Regiment held a paraded at RAAF Base Edinburgh
on Monday to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Cambrai
CAPTION: M1A1 Abrams tanks from the 1st Armoured Regiment exit the Parade Ground following the Cambrai Parade to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Cambrai in WWI – and the regiments arrival in Adelaide
The parade also provided an opportunity to celebrate the regiment’s arrival to South Australia
having recently relocated from their 22-year home at Robertson Barracks in Darwin
It featured 1st Armoured Regiment soldiers and armoured vehicles
light armoured vehicles and armoured personnel carriers
fought between 20 November and 7 December 1917
was the first battle in history involving the use of tanks en masse
Each year Commonwealth and allied armoured regiments around the world commemorate this momentous battle
Soldiers of the 1st Armoured Regiment conducted a final parade at Robertson Barracks
on Wednesday 25 October 2017 to mark their departure
The parade was also a chance to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Beersheba
1st Armoured Regiment’s Chauvel Lines were officially renamed Matilda Lines and handed over to the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin
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thick with fumes – and the noise is deafening
Eight men in a dark steel box the size of a Ford Transit
A thin skin of armour plate is the only thing between the crew and enemy bullets and shrapnel clattering against the hull
This is the birth of tank warfare 100 years ago
The Battle of Cambrai in northern France in 1917 saw the first use of massed tanks in an effort to break the bloody trench deadlock of World War One
A surprise attack by 476 tanks smashed through German lines on November 20
Church bells were rung at home to celebrate after more than three years of assaults by bayonets against machine guns
Now one of the Cambrai tanks has risen from the crater where it was buried to take centre stage in a new museum after years of work by local businessman Philippe Gorczynski
built at Oldbury near Birmingham with a top speed of 4mph
Now she is on show in the museum in Flesquières to commemorate the battle and the 44,000 British and Empire casualties
The museum stands next to Flesquières Hill British Cemetery
where four of her crew are buried in sight of the spot where German shells ripped open Deborah’s hull
was awarded the Military Cross for leading the survivors to safety
His four comrades buried beside the museum are Lance Corporal George Foot
a replica tank and band of re-enactors attracted hundreds of spectators as they recreated Deborah’s advance into battle
GETTING/STAYING THERE: Eurostar runs 11 trains a day from London St Pancras to Lille with prices starting from £29 one-way
See eurostar.com or 03432 186 186
Handy accommodation includes the 3* Hôtel Béatus (beatus-cambrai.com/), 3* Château de la Motte Fénelon (cambrai-chateau-motte-fenelon.com) 3* Le Mouton Blanc, Llogis de France with a good restaurant (mouton-blanc.fr)
MORE INFO: tourisme-cambresis.fr and tank100.com/training-combat/cambrai.
And last weekend, the Royal Tank Regiment paraded with veterans and was presented with the key to the city. The Cambrai Tank Museum 1917 opens next year.
Cambrai, home to Louis Blériot – the first man to fly across the English Channel – is about an hour by car or train from Lille.
Although close to home, the Cambrai area looks and feels very different. The countryside is rolling open farmland dotted with small woods and huge skies stretch between horizons. The city and surrounding villages have wonderful old buildings, cobbled squares and ’Allo ’Allo-style cafes.
The town of Caudry may be closer than you think. It’s a lacemaking centre famous for its undies and its lace was used to make part of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress.
Under the city of Cambrai is a cat’s cradle of tunnels dating back more than 1,700 years and some can be visited on Saturday guided tours.
And famous artist Henri Matisse was born in Le Cateau Cambresis, which now has a museum housing hundreds of his creations.
When you’re hungry you don’t need to look for a TV chef’s place – the local food is really good and not expensive.
made from cow’s milk and refined with beer
The regional signature cheese is Maroilles – just suis ton nez
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and the dramatic impact it had on the island
so that they can take part in a forthcoming anniversary parade
which will mark and replicate the RGLI's departure for France during the First World War
The plan is for the formal parade to march from Fort George
through St Peter Port and to the White Rock
in the same way the Guernsey soldiers did 100 years ago
The first of the assemblies was held yesterday at Notre Dame Primary School
Sport & Culture lifelong learning manager Alun Williams spoke of how news of the regiment's losses in the battle
how it affected people and how the RGLI trained
'We are going to do quite a few more of these,' he said
'We want to make them understand a bit about the parade and the significance of the RGLI and the battle
'Things like practising marching really help to engage them.'
also spoke to the children about his time in the Army over the last three decades
and what it means to be a soldier and serve alongside others in combat
OUR Guernsey's Finest Hour campaign was set up by the newspaper to help the RGLI Charitable Trust's appeal to raise £30,000 for the memorials
either directly at Lloyds Bank or by sending a cheque to Chris Oliver
account number 32700168 and The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Charitable Trust
Cheques should be made payable to The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Charitable Trust and posted to the RGLI Charitable Trust
Inclusion on our Roll of Honour is optional
If you want your reason for donating to appear on the roll
which is updated every few days and appears regularly in the newspaper and permanently on our website
please either email chris@lesemrais.com or include a note if sending a cheque
using no more than 30 words for your dedication
More details of our Guernsey's Finest Hour campaign appear on our website at guernseypress.com
If you have a story for us about the RGLI please contact newseditor@guernseypress.com
The First World War battle marked the first time tanks had been deployed in significant numbers
A replica First World War Mk IV tank at the Cenotaph in central London (Yui Mok/PA)
Tanks are as relevant in current warfare as they were 100 years ago at the Battle of Cambrai
During the First World War 476 British tanks spectacularly broke through enemy lines in Cambrai
during a major offensive which began on November 20 1917
Although this was not the first time tanks had been used in battle
marked the first time they had been deployed in significant numbers
Royal Tank Regiment commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Simon Ridgway told the Press Association that over the decades there has always been “lots of talk” about the end of the tank
“I think at every stage someone has suggested that something is going to come and replace the tank on the battlefield – that has proven to not necessarily be the case,” he said
“The key reason for that is we continue to adapt to meet the challenges that we face
and I think the utility of tanks and armour today has been recognised by lots of different people and armies
The Battle of Cambrai marked the first time tanks were deployed in large numbers (Tank Museum/PA)
“And we continue to invest in the tank forces in this army
and I think they are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago.”
The Battle of Cambrai was also widely recognised as the first time UK and US soldiers fought and died together in conflict
as US Army engineers were attached to support the British attack
Commanding Officer of The Royal Tank Regiment (Ben Birchall/PA)
the offensive was initially successful – breaching what the British called the ‘Hindenburg Line’
it created a solution to the deadlock of trench warfare
more ground was gained in the first three hours of fighting than the British had gained in three months at the Battle of Passchendaele
A Challenger II Main Battle Tank speeds through water at Royal Tank Regiment HQ
The battle came at a cost of 44,000 British and Commonwealth and 41,000 German casualties
the Royal Tank Regiment is the oldest unit of its kind in the world
and since the end of the Second World War it has been deployed to every major conflict
The regiment started out as a top secret band of trades from all walks of life
who were brought together in the Tank Corps to break the stalemate of trench warfare during the First World War
A Challenger II Main Battle Tank crew at Royal Tank Regiment HQ in Tidworth (Ben Birchall/PA)
Lt Col Ridgway said the anniversary of Cambrai is “hugely important” to the Royal Tank Regiment
with the centenary being “particularly poignant” this year
Stating that they will be thinking about the “sacrifice made by the people who pioneered the first use of tanks”
he said the challenges they faced were “hugely different” to those they face now
“What they did is they overcame those challenges through adapting to the circumstance they found themselves in
and using a piece of equipment that had not been tested or proven,” Lt Col Ridgway said
Veterans of the Royal Tank Regiment Association during a parade at the Cenotaph (Yui Mok/PA)
which is known for their black berets and overalls
marched down Whitehall to mark the centenary of Major General Hugh Elles leading his men into battle
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The Cambrai property at Section 450 Three Chain Rd in the River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve
A quirky residence in a small SA town is offering prospective buyers a lifestyle property unlike any other – and one of the best spots in the world to stargaze
The 8.09ha property at section 450 Three Chain Rd includes a residence made out of three shipping containers
In the River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve – one of just 15 in the world – it also has a clear view of the night sky and its constellations because its protected from light pollution
The property has hit the market with a $369,000 to $389,000 price guide
It’s on an 8.09ha block and has a shipping container residence
The property has hit the market with a $369,000 to $389,000 asking price five years after the owner purchased it and build the residence
said the potential “weekender” was attracting strong interest for many reasons
people are more inclined to spend their discretionary money in the outback,” he said
“Lifestyle properties in that area are still in very
“All the neighbours around here have all sold in the past 18 months so the demand in the area is unprecedented.”
Its position in the River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve was also making it more attractive
“It’s where you can observe the galaxy without any interference from city lights
that’s proving extremely popular,” he said
“It’s only an hour and a half from Adelaide and half-hour to the Barossa and Murray River too.”
A solar system provides power to the campsite while there are several water tanks strategically placed on the property
The owner has also recently built a dodecagon yurt with a stove
which is connected to a worm farm waste management system
“The yurt came from NSW and was built onsite – that’s her little retreat
her place of solitude and relaxation,” Mr Thompson said
From neighbours keen to land bank to others wanting it as a weekender
Mr Thompson said it was attracting a range of buyers
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Share the post "1 Armoured Regiment’s first parade in new home"
CAPTION: Major General Fergus McLachlan reviews the 1st Armoured Regiment first parade in Adelaide after the unit relocated from Darwin
The parade also provided an opportunity to celebrate the regiment’s arrival to South Australia
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100 Years Of The Tank: The Battle Of Flers-Courcelette Remembered
In late November the Royal Tank Regiment will mark 100 years since the first large scale tank action with special events taking place in London and Cambrai in Northern France
The Battle of Cambrai in 1917 changed the history of warfare forever with the first large-scale use of tanks in battle
started out as a top secret band of trades from all walks of life
who were brought together in the Tank Corps to break the stalemate of trench warfare
They soon evolved into a unit which revolutionised combat and has deployed on all major conflicts over the last 100 years
boots and coveralls will hold the following commemorative events:
Sir Nicholas Carter said: “The Battle of Cambrai marked a significant moment in the evolution of armoured warfare and The Royal Tank Regiment are rightly proud of what they achieved in the battle 100 years ago
The tactics and technology employed at Cambrai were in many ways the proving ground for the hugely successful integration of infantry
artillery and air power that led to the decisive combined arms manoeuvre in the last 100 days of the war in 1918
the tanks of the British Army remain a vital capability on today’s battlefields.”
Simon Ridgway said: “The Battle of Cambrai is of tremendous importance to the Regiment and every year we take the opportunity to commemorate the courage and sacrifice of the world’s first tank crews
The qualities shown by these men – their daring
innovation and willingness to attempt what had never been tried before – remain at the core of the Royal Tank Regiment and its soldiers
The Regiment is fiercely proud of its status as the oldest tank unit in the world and continues to adapt to meet the challenges we face today.”
David Willey said: “The Battle of Cambrai was not only the first successful use of tanks in a mass attack
It proved their worth and saved the fledgling Tank Corps which until Cambrai – had not had a chance to really show their capabilities
The Tank Regiment rightly commemorates and celebrate the achievement of their predecessors.”
The Royal Tank Regiment commemorates the anniversary of the battle annually on Cambrai Day (20th November)
It is the most important day in the Regimental calendar
and is commemorated wherever its troops find themselves
from the battlefields of the Second World War
The Battle of Cambrai took place between 20 November and 6 December 1917
It was the first time that tanks had been used in significant numbers
The battle is also widely recognised as the first time that UK and US soldiers fought and died together in conflict
breaching what the British called the ‘Hindenburg Line’
bells across the UK including St Paul’s Cathedral rang out to greet the news of a great British victory
The advances showed that even the strongest trench defences could be overcome by a combination of new tactics and equipment
The Germans however successfully counter-attacked and drove back much of the allied advances
at a cost of 44,000 British and Commonwealth and 41,000 German casualties
and would prove decisive in the Allied victory of 1918
By @Cobseo 55 years ago
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Walking through the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Museum
you get a feeling military and service is important to the people of this province
From the First 500 who signed up to serve King and Country
to those who have enlisted and fight all over the world today
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians know what it feels like to have great successes and suffer great losses
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Many of those young men fought in all the major battles of the First World War
Some came home and many more — hundreds — did not
As this province and the world commemorates The Battle of Cambrai today
it is important to remember what is and what could have been due to the great losses suffered by that generation of Newfoundland men
and the litany of pride and sometimes demons that returned with them following Armistice Day in 1919
One of those men who managed to make it home was Eastport’s own Cpl
But his story was not an easy one during his more than 3 .5 years of service overseas
He was picked up in the sixth draft and within a month was sent overseas
Babstock was already planning for his life as he had just finished a house that was supposed to be for him
his girlfriend at the time; a teacher in the community and his father
His father and stepmother moved into the house until he arrived back from service on February 1919
His military service included six major battles that started on Oct
1916 when he participated in and was wounded in the Battle of The Somme at Gommecourt
After he got patched up and back to health
His next action came in the battle of Langermark on Aug
16 followed by the Batle of Poelcappelle on Oct
He was also present for the Battle of Cambrai’s three phases
holding solid during a German counterattack on Nov
a day that would shape a great portion of Babstock’s life
Babstock had a bible with him when he went overseas
As was tradition for most families in those days
key events and dates were recorded in the front of the book
He was no different as he chronicled his journey through the war
“This is where it gets personal for me,’’ Frank Gogos
curator of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Museum said
He wrote a small bit about that morning in a notebook that he was given by the Germans that I still have
In some ways his capture allowed him to survive the war as his chance of survival decreased with each engagement.”
Babstock had fought in six battles before his capture including all three engagements during the Battle of Cambrai
had always noticed the portrait of his great-grandfather in his regimental uniform hanging in the front room of her home
He asked her about him and if he ever talked about the war after he came home and she said
he did’ and then paused before beginning to cry
“I could never get that image out of my head
And I could not ask her for more information
I was close to my great-grandmother and I had never seen her cry before.”
This story rings true in most military homes across this country and those who made it back from battle in the First World War were no different
Gogos decided to put his history degree to work and researched his family tree for his two young children
He said when he started to dig into his great-grandfather’s story — in part to try to answer the questions he asked his great-grandmother — to research the battles Babstock was involved in and the story around his capture and internment
that Gogos got hooked on the entire Regiment’s story
he had a really tough time in the first two months
where he was subjected to harsh treatment and very poor food,” Gogos said
no Red Cross parcels found him and he would have been starving
his parcels began arriving from the Red Cross and he was in communication with the Regiment.”
He was a prisoner of war for just over a year until he was released on Christmas Day in 1918 and shipped back to Scotland where Gogos said his great-grandfather spent more than a month in hospital
likely dealing with post traumatic stress disorder or at least the 1918-19 version of it
but from what we have learned through the years
he married Gogos’s great-grandmother Mary Kate and they had one child
He moved back into the home that he completed four years earlier
had a considerable land holding which he farmed
owned a general store and was a general contractor as well
“But like so many others with war experience
he never talked about it to anyone,’’ Gogos said
“A couple of times a year he would disappear and go drinking
I asked her if she knew what happened and she did confirm she did
I could not bring myself to ask her again.” In addition
there were three soldiers from Eastport that fought at Cambrai and were captured
Kader Squier died as a POW and Ethel Bert Moss made it home with Babstock
Babstock died from heart complications in March 1968
He was supposed to have had a pacemaker installed
but because his daughter was dying of ALS at the time and his wife was bedridden
he didn’t want to be a burden to anyone so he put it off
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Groups from each of the island’s secondary schools will be working all week to dig a scaled-down version of the trench occupied by Guernseymen in the First World War
The site has been mapped out at Home Farm field
by Ladies’ College teachers Peter Fotheringham and Tom McGovern
but all of the schools will have a chance to take part over the coming week
Maps made by a Canadian geographer at the time were cross-referenced against the known location of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry at the battle on 20 November 1917
Geography teacher Mr McGovern and his colleague Mr Fotheringham
have been making plans for the dig for around eight months to make the activity historically accurate
‘Part of what the RGLI engaged in as reserves would have been digging roads and trenches
but in fact their first casualty occurred during road repair
it was still very hazardous,’ Mr McGovern said
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He emigrated before the First World War to Canada where he travelled across the country as a carpenter
and just before enlisting was working as a trapper
He joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force
first as a private when he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal
He was also awarded the Military Cross and a Bar to his MC
Captain MacGregor was awarded the Victoria Cross for his conspicuous bravery
leadership and self-sacrificing devotion to duty near Cambrai on 29 September to 3 October 1918
and when the advance was checked by machine guns
His prompt action saved many casualties and enabled the advance to continue
After reorganising his command under heavy fire he rendered the most useful support to neighbouring troops
When the enemy were showing stubborn resistance
he went along the line regardless of danger
after a personal daylight reconnaissance under heavy fire
thereby greatly assisting the advance into Tilloy
MacGregor displayed magnificent bravery and heroic leadership
He served again during the Second World War reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel
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home to Louis Blériot – the first man to fly across the English Channel – is about an hour by car or train from Lille
Reconnaissance troops from the British Army have been awarded NATO medals following a mission in the Western Balkans
Earlier this month, around 30 Royal Lancers returned home to Catterick Garrison after six months in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo
supported by elements of the Intelligence Corps
we had the challenge of COVID-19 and the restrictions that it posed
The mission in Kosovo sees British troops providing support to NATO
while the Bosnia-Herzegovina task involved supporting the EU
until the UK's exit from the union earlier this year
The UK has been a key player in ensuring security and stability in the region since the 1990s and continues this role as part of a multinational coalition
Maj Horsfall added: "Working with international partners is clearly critical on a NATO mission
"There were lots of different nationalities
NATO troops operate throughout the Kosovan state
with British personnel providing expertise in the fields of intelligence
said: "Reconnaissance is always going to be needed. We provide accurate and timely information
we kept our finger on the pulse to identify any threats to the safe and secure environment."
The North Yorkshire-based soldiers were reunited with their families following the parade
form part of the 'eyes and ears' of the modern British Army
They are likely to be an important part of 'Future Soldier'
the transformation of the service in the coming years to adapt to new threats
Cover image: Royal Lancers on parade at Cambrai Barracks