Here we are in the medieval square of the town of Arras. Arras was at the centre of much of the fighting in World War I, and being right behind the Front Line it was under constant bombardment by enemy shelling.
After the war the whole town lay in ruins. While the old houses around the square were rebuilt evidence of the war is still evident.
After a wander around the village we made our way to this extremely spooky memorial site. It lies just outside the walls of the ancient Citadel of Arras.
It was here, during WWII, that German soldiers executed 218 allied troops of all origins.
This is the Commonwealth cemetery Faubourg-D'Amiens, and it was but the first of many cemeteries we would see on our journey.
Here we are at a German cemetery. The contrast between the Commonwealth and German cemeteries are amazing. The Commonwealth cemeteries are neatly kept, white and heavenly, while the German cemeteries, as you can see, are dark, grey and depressing. This cemetery seemed endless, and the amount of people buried here is horrendous. Each grave marks the burial site of 4 soldiers.
These tomb stones mark the site of a German mass grave, where the bodies of over 18,000 bodies were found.
Here we are in the medieval square of the town of Arras. Arras was at the centre of much of the fighting in World War I, and being right behind the Front Line it was under constant bombardment by enemy shelling.
After the war the whole town lay in ruins. While the old houses around the square were rebuilt evidence of the war is still evident.
After a wander around the village we made our way to this extremely spooky memorial site. It lies just outside the walls of the ancient Citadel of Arras.
It was here, during WWII, that German soldiers executed 218 allied troops of all origins.
This is the Commonwealth cemetery Faubourg-D'Amiens, and it was but the first of many cemeteries we would see on our journey.
Here we are at a German cemetery. The contrast between the Commonwealth and German cemeteries are amazing. The Commonwealth cemeteries are neatly kept, white and heavenly, while the German cemeteries, as you can see, are dark, grey and depressing. This cemetery seemed endless, and the amount of people buried here is horrendous. Each grave marks the burial site of 4 soldiers.
These tomb stones mark the site of a German mass grave, where the bodies of over 18,000 bodies were found.
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