The Frontline at Beaumont-Hamel

Fresh from lunch sheltered in the warmth of the coach, we rendezvoused at Beaumont-Hamel with Mr Roberts and Dr Sheppard for an afternoon of exploring the frontline trenches and No Man's Land. The Canadian-run Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial contains a memorial to the men of Newfoundland who died on the Somme in addition to well-preserved trenches that allow you to visualize the British and German front lines.

The Caribou is a symbol of Newfoundland and was chosen as a fitting emblem for the memorial to their lost lives.

Our journey to explore the trenches took us from the British reserve and communication trenches all the way to the German front line and beyond. We also saw the handful of other cemeteries and memorials dotted around Beaumont-Hamel--there were so many in such a small area!

We finished off the day with visits to two mine craters created by tunneling under No Man's Land to lay explosives. We also made a small trip to a cemetery on the top of a hill, peaceful farmland now, but once the site of terrible casualties.

And with that, our longest day on the Somme was done. Back to Arras we went.