Photograph taken from very close to the point where the Cinder Track leads out onto the Boar’s Head battlefield
Friday 9th May 2025
Travelling by coach via Eurotunnel, this journey to France and Belgium marks the 110th anniversary of the Battle of Aubers Ridge, in which the Pals’ Battalions from our villages suffered terrible losses, a tragedy for the Royal Sussex Regiment which was to be repeated on the same spot only fourteen months later. Primarily, we shall walk the Cinder Track/Boar’s Head battlefield itself to learn what happened, and pay tribute to the soldiers at the adjacent memorial to the missing at Le Touret. Moving on through that same small area, the tour then reminds us that this was truly a World War by visiting sites of significance to our allies from Australia, India and Portugal.
Later, just outside Ypres, the museum and preserved trenches at Sanctuary Wood show us the stark reality of life and death at the front. Our journey ends in the centre of Ypres with supper in the town square, followed by attendance at the world-famous Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial.
Report of the trip by Peter Reeves of Ticehurst, Flimwell and Stonegate RBL
We celebrated VE Day on May 8th, 80 years since the end of the war in Europe but nearly 30 years before then, the villages of Ticehurst and Wadhurst suffered a catastrophe at the Battle of Aubers Ridge, as it became known. Ticehurst lost 7 men and Wadhurst, 24 in the disastrous attack on German defences. May 9th 1915 was a very black day for the Royal Sussex Regiment and our 2 villages.
Organised by Peter Rolington and Roger Joye of Great War Battlefields based in Goudhurst, 16 set off early on May 9th to commemorate those who fell in this battle 110 years ago.
Using 3 vehicles including Magnus Spences Land Rover Safari seating 7, the first stop was Le Shuttle. A long line of trucks at Folkestone did not bode well. Apparently, a train had broken down in the Tunnel. However, foresight, and past experience had led us to book Flexiplus which means that in the event of delays we get on the first available train as well as having an R+R area. A good opportunity to fill our goodie bags with sandwiches and drinks which kept us well fed for the rest of the day.
The first French stop, after a quick coffee and comfort break was Le Touret Memorial where we had a short ceremony and laid a wreath to those men of Ticehurst, Flimwell, Stonegate and Wadhurst who fell on that day. Like all the WW1 cemeteries and memorials, it was beautifully looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Cinder Track, which was clearly marked on the maps all those years ago, is still there and we were able to walk up it to view the battle ground and see where the 2 front lines would have been. In fact, the front line hardly moved in 3 years of war. To quote Captain G.L. Courthope, an Officer in B Company wrote to the Vicar of Wadhurst following the disastrous attack, “My poor company lost 4 officers, 102 NCOs and men in the assault, out of 154 who I took into action”
Due to the 1.5 hour delay in arriving in Calais we were not able to stop at either the Indian or Portuguese Memorials – it was truly a World War – before heading to Sanctuary Wood, close to Ypres. The change in topography , the quality of the roads and of course, signage was remarked on by several in the group as we crossed from France into Flanders.
Sanctuary Wood has some of the best preserved trench systems from the war but unlike those close to Cinder Track which was fairly flat and boggy, had the advantage of height and good drainage.
A hearty supper of nearly half a chicken each and mountains of “les frites” with several Belgian beers in a restaurant on the main square in Ypres was enjoyed before arriving at the Menin Gate Memorial for the 8pm ceremony. It commemorates 55,000 British and Empire soldiers who died in the Ypres Salient between 1914 and August 1917, who have no known grave. In fact, once built, it was found not to be big enough so the other 35,000 names are commemorated at Tyne Cot. To express their gratitude to those who gave their lives for Belgium’s freedom, buglers from the local fire brigade play the Last Post. They have done so every night since 1928 except for 4 years of German occupation in WW2.
We asked permission from the Last Post Association to lay a wreath. We were one of many others groups who were there to pay their respects. Out of the crowd of many hundreds, it was gratifying to see so many of the younger generation who had taken the time to attend. The group behind us were students from an International School in London. A large choir sang as part of the 15 minute ceremony and a young member from another visiting school recited the Kohima Epitaph:
“When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today.”
Photos from the trip: Click