Landies Family Tour 2008

Post Tour Report

This tour had begun long before the early morning St Pancras Eurostar train to Lille.
 Keith Landies, from Ohio, USA has been passionately researching his family and military connections for many years. Keith’s family come originally came from Dunbartonshire in Scotland. Of five great uncles, a total of three died in the Great War; one succumbed to wounds received in Gallipoli and two were killed in France.
The Landies group of 3 brothers together with 3 sons were in search of the Great Uncles, and a joined up tour of the Western front from Ypres to the Somme. Despite the awful lorry fire in the tunnel the preceding week our Eurostar train allowed a great start to the journey with plenty of discussions, briefings and maps on display over breakfast.

Our first stop was en route to Poperinghe at Lijssenthoek Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. Here we discussed the ethos behind the Commission, the early days of their sterling work and the founder Sir Fabian Ware.  The impact of this vast cemetery was not lost on the group, who had not seen any Great War cemeteries before and a good deal of time was spent wandering amongst the neat rows of headstones at what was known as “Remy sidings”. Having checked in to our fantastic boutique hotel, Manoir Ogygia in Poperinghe we looked at the “Death Cells” within the Town Hall to debate “Shot at Dawn” and the associated arguments. The cross section of age 15 years to 60 years allowed for healthy debate and perspective. Wanting to make the most of the glorious autumn sun we then moved on “up the line” to Brandhoek Crossroads and the grave of Noel Chavasse, Double VC. An impromptu “How did the BEF get here?” briefing was held followed by a sunset visit to Essex Farm Advanced Dressing Station to complete the groups understanding of the Great War medical evacuation chain. A superb meal in Poperinghe was the perfect end to the day.

The following day we had the chance to study the Salient, from Gheluvelt 1914 through to Kemmel 1918. The sun of the day had washed out into torrential rain for much of the morning but even that failed to dampen spirits as the group saw Hooge, Yorkshire Trench and Hill 60 where we walked to the Caterpillar crater (which caused a “wow” only the Americans can do). After lunch we walked from Black Watch Corner to Scotts Post and the Buttes Cemetery in Polygon Wood.  An intimate ceremony was about to get underway with the naming of an “unknown soldier” following confirmation of Private George Storey’s identification, made using DNA together with compelling historical research. George had been found alongside 4 other Australian Soldiers in 2006, two of which still remain unknown. We then slipped away in a quiet and reflective mood.
The final stand of the day was held appropriately at Tyne Cot under a darkening gloomy sky. We then retired into the Restaurants of Ypres before attending the Menin Gate Last Post ceremony. Australians, including traced descendants of Private Storey and a Military honour guard laid the wreath of the night.

Our journey on day three was to take us along the “Forgotten front” of the 1915 battlefields and south to Arras but not before Keith had seen the long awaited London Scottish Memorial and small museum in Messines. The quiet but sunny village offered the North American party a unique insight into Belgian lunch hours and the relaxed nature of a sandwich on the park bench was much appreciated by all.  Travelling south we stopped briefly at Aubers Ridge, Fromelles and then Loos. Here we visited the isolated cemeteries of 9th Avenue and St Marys ADS to see the grave of Jack Kipling and discussed the British use of Gas in 1915. Loos Memorial at Dud Corner with its elevated viewing platform provided the perfect spot to orientate and present the bigger picture of the battle around the slag heaps and pit heads.

Our arrival in Arras at the Hotel Du Golf, allowed a wash and brush up before having a nice meal in Arras Grand Place. The restaurant in the “boves” beneath the Square offered some great local cuisine and a chance to talk over the day’s activity. The Somme was always going to offer that extra special emotion as it proved to be the final resting place of Hugh Woodside, great uncle to Keith. Hugh Woodside was the second son of Reverend David Woodside and one of the five brothers.  At age 24, Hugh led a Platoon of the 9th Battalion Highland Light Infantry (Glasgow Highlanders) on the Somme. He had been commissioned from the ranks of the Canadian Forces after serving for 3 months in France in 1915, and returned as Second Lieutenant in June 1916. On the 15th July 1916 the Battalion, as part of 33rd Division, attacked the Switch line at High Wood.  2/Lt Woodside was cut down by machine gun fire as he led the charge forward. His body was never found and he is commemorated on Thiepval memorial. Our walk around High wood and the particularly poignant Highlanders Cairn was capped off by time at Thiepval.  Hugh Woodside is one of the men pictured on the Thiepval Memorial Visitors centre montage, and the Landies were justly proud to see that.
A few words of remembrance and thanks were offered by the group beneath Hughs’ name on the memorial before late lunch at the ubiquitous “Tommy Bar” in Pozieres. Further study of the Somme followed, including Lochnagar crater, Serre and Contalmaison.

The final day included a trip to see the grave of the other Woodside who perished in France. Archibald Woodside was injured while on patrol in 1918 and evacuated some 40 miles to Number 45 Casualty Clearing Station at Bagneux, Doullens west of Arras. As a Second Lieutenant, he also served in the same Battalion as his brother, but never at the same time. He had served in France for one year when fatally injured. Our anticipation of finding the grave at this remote and rarely visited cemetery grew the closer we came to it. Following the beckoning green signs positioned by the War Graves Commission, we wound our way through the rear areas of Arras and the hinterland beyond. Our supposition that the CCS must have been on a railway line in 1918 was played out when we turned down the final gravel track at the back of the village and came across a disused railway track that drew us right to the side wall of the cemetery, nestling in a valley.  Equipped with Poppy crosses and photographs we gathered at the grave of “Archie” and again offered prayers. The trip now somehow felt complete for all of us and it was decided that now was a good time to head for home.

An uneventful journey brought us back to London with thoughts and discussions already turning on the Landies returning in 2010, perhaps to follow the footsteps of their Father who was decorated with the US Infantry at Metz  in 1945. 

J Whippy.

This was a trip of a lifetime for us but the care and meticulous administration of the trip both prior to and all the way throughout was handled with exact detail Thank you for guiding our trip and all the diligent preparation.  This was a memory of a life time for Graham and I with my brothers and nephews. Thinking of the conversations, meals and times with Bob, Keith, Ray, Andy and Graham on this trip will always bring joy and laughter to us.  Hopefully my brothers will join us on the WWII trip in 2  years. Battle Honours is a great service to re-kindle and recover memories of a great period in history.   Thanks again for the great service you gave us in recovering family memories.        
Gordon Landies, Ohio