Battle of Moreuil Wood Centennial

Battle of Moreuil Wood Centennial Moreuil France March 30-31, 2018

On our France trip in March-April 2018 we attended the Centennial Commemorations for the Battle of Moreuil Wood in honor of my grandfather, David Lee Wetmore, who fought in this battle. This battle is purported to be the last cavalry charge of modern warfare. A reenactment of the charge was performed by members of the Lord Strathcona Regiment of the Canadian Army, which is still an active armored regiment. We also visited other WW1 sites in northern France and Belgium.

The Cavalry Charge Reenactment

It's a charge boys!

Battlefield Ceremony

Me with Sgt Kruhlak, I'm holding a picture of my grandfather and his actual cavalry spurs.

March 31, 2018 - Town of Moreuil Honors Canadian Troops

The Mayor and citizens of Moreuil France presented the Keys to the City to the Canadian Army's Lord Strathcona Horse Regiment.

Bob Mackay, Jean-Paul Brunel and Rick Wetmore

Dinner, Entertainment and Closing Ceremonies

Strathcona Regimental Commander and RSM present Jean-Paul with commemorative plaque. An emotional Jean-Paul thanks everyone.

My grandfather's original WW1 Royal Canadian Dragoon Collar Device

British War Cemetery in Moreuil France. The grave of Lt. Albert Victor Seymour Nordheimer, Royal Canadian Dragoon, Squadron "A" Commanding Officer, killed on the first day of the battle. He was my grandfather's CO.

Our B&B, "L'Hortensia Blanc" in the village of Hangest-en-Santerre, France

We found a wonderful B&B about 10km from Moreuil. The L'Hortensia Blanc B&B is a beautiful, large farmhouse in the center of the small village of Hangest-en-Santerre. Our hosts Agnès and Fabrice Lemaire were great and one night we reserved a private "host table" dinner prepared by Fabrice, a gourmet chef...... excellent food and wine!

On Easter morning we had chocolate Easter eggs with breakfast.

Other World War 1 Sites Visited

Flanders Field Museum, Ypres, Belgium

Flanders Field Museum at the Market Square in Ypres, Belgium. One exhibit describes the importance of horses during the First World War, approximately 8-million horses were killed during the war. Many excellent exhibits including recreated trench with "duck-boards".

Lochnagar Crater near the village of La Boisselle France

British Royal Engineer Tunneling Companies burrowed under the German lines to plant massive explosive mines. Early morning on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, July 1, 1916, a huge mine was detonated creating this 91m (300ft) wide by 21m (70ft) deep crater.

Kathie on the opposite rim of the crater.

Memorials and Remembrances Around the Lochnagar Crater site.

Tributes to Nurses and women who served in the Great War.

Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and Museum

The memorial commemorates more than 72,000 men of the British and south African forces who were posted missing in the Somme between July 1915 and March 1918.

Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial Park

The Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial stands as an important symbol of remembrance and a lasting tribute to all Newfoundlanders who served during the First World War. At the heart of the memorial stands a great bronze caribou (the emblem of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment). Its defiant gaze forever fixed towards its former foe, the caribou stands watch over rolling fields that still lay claim to many men with no known final resting place. The Newfoundland Regiment of approximately 800 men was decimated on this site on the first day of the Battle of the Somme July 1, 1916. The regiment suffered 700 killed including 14 sets of brothers. The park includes parts of the restored trench system.

The caribou stands watch over rolling fields

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

The town of Albert France and the Somme 1916 Museum

The Somme 1916 Museum in Albert has a 250m long tunnel with life size diorama scenes depicting life in the trenches.

Meuse-Argonne Region

A couple of hours drive from the Somme where we were staying, the Meuse-Argonne area is where most of the American WW1 battles were fought. With the help of GPS we were able to find the remote spot where the famous "Lost Battalion" fought in October 1918. My great uncle Arthur Thompson, who survived, was a corporal with Company "D", 306th Machine Gun Battalion.

Monument and marker for the Lost Battalion.

The Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial in France contains the remains of 6,012 American war dead, most of whom lost their lives while fighting in this vicinity in 1918 during World War I.

Created By

Rick Wetmore

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