Motorbike Trip to France & Belgium.

[Red Steve]

My wife had two great uncles who were both killed in WW1 and after doing some research we found out where they were commemorated (both on plaques) so after a little planning we decided to have a weekend in France & Belgium, travelling on our Ducati ST3 along with a mate and a fellow Ducatisti riding his Monster.

The trip didn't get off to the best of starts. We'd booked the Premier Inn at Folkestone for the Friday night to allow a quick and easy get away to the Chunnel for an 8am train. We'd planned to leave Bristol around 11am on Friday to allow 4 hours or so for the slog up the M4, M25 etc. However the weather was diabolical with constant rain. After pushing our departure time back and back and the rain not letting up, we decided to call it quits and leave at 2.30am on Saturday instead.

Whilst we have full wet weather gear neither of us fancied the best part of 4 hours on a motorway with all the misery that brings. In addition our gloves, boots etc would have been soaked and probably not dry for the following morning...nothing worse than riding in damp kit.

Fortunately the rain stopped around 8pm on Friday and by 2am the roads outside were almost fully dry, so after a quick coffee we got kitted up again and set off just before 3am. Leaving at this time meant almost traffic free roads, and for the 1st time ever no congestion on the M25..A stop mid way at Reading for a coffee & fuel and we arrived at Folkestone with plenty of time to spare.

Met up with my mate, who living in Southend had no issues with the weather and had enjoyed a decent nights kip at the Premier Inn.

IMG-20190615-WA0000 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr


Nice easy journey into France and we ride off in search of a coffee and a bite to eat which we found in a small town called Thérouanne. From there we headed to our first place of remembrance at the British & Commonwealth Cemetery of Vis-en-Artois just outside of the town of Harcourt. It was here that my wife's great uncle, Reginald Williams is commemorated on a plaque, which was easy to locate with the information supplied by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:

20190619_104426 (2) by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

Reg was just 19 when he died just a couple of months before the end of the War in September 1918. As usual the place was immaculate and a credit to those who tender the graves and the grounds.

IMG-20190615-WA0001 (2) by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

IMG-20190615-WA0002 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190615_122003 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190615_121332 (2) by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

From here we headed to Arras for a small beer and a light lunch:

20190615_124921 (2) by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

At around 2pm we started the ride to Brugges which was where we'd booked our hotel for the evening. I'd turned off Motorways and toll roads on my sat nav as soon as we arrived in France so all the roads we took were nice and quiet where we good enjoy the scenery and the riding itself. The pace was nice and steady as we had plenty of time.

We checked in around 4pm and the hotel couldn't be better. Right in the centre with a canal running along outside. Perfect.

20190616_104145 - Copy by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190616_104314 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

Check-in, shower, change of clothes and off out for the evening. A spot of sightseeing and then a bar or two. The centre was extremely busy, well it was a Saturday I guess, and all the restaurants were packed so we found a nice little bar and enjoyed a few of the many beers on offer with a view to eating later when it had quietened down a little.

20190615_190031 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190615_184758 (2) by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190615_183635 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190615_174527 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190615_181303 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190615_191308 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190615_193941 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

Around 10ish we found a lovely steak house, and around midnight turned in.

Early(ish) start for breakfast then we checked out and headed to Dunkerque. I wanted to visit here as my grandfather was evacuated from the beaches back in 1940, and I'm the proud custodian of his Dunkerque Veterans Medal which he left me in his will along with his Omega wristwatch.

FB_IMG_1474557410533 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

We had a stroll along the front and a beer at one of the beach front bars.

IMG-20190616-WA0000 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190616_131738 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

Around 2ish we headed back into Belgium. Our first destination being the small hamlet of Geluveld. It was here that my wifes other Great Uncle, Gilbert Pritchard was killed in action, during the initial engagements around Ypres. He was a member of the Gloucestershire Regt and we located the memorial to him and other members of his regiment. We'd found his photograph a few years ago and it was nice to see others still visited the memorial and had left tributes too.

FB_IMG_1560697077106 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190616_150337 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190616_160417 - Copy by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190616_150357 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

After paying our respects in the middle of a torrential downpour (the first rain of the weekend) we headed to Ypres itself and the Menin Gate where Gilbert is commemorated with so many others with an inscription on one of the plaques. Again with the help of the War Graves Commission finding his name was simple and we placed a small cross in memory.

20190616_155333 (2) - Copy by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

IMG-20190616-WA0002 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

IMG-20190616-WA0003 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190616_162619 (2) by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190616_163106 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

We'd have liked to stayed to hear the last post at 8pm but we needed to get back to Calais for our train home as my mate needed to be at work again on Monday. A final quick beer in a local bar and we headed off again.

20190616_161829 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

By now the clouds had cleared and we set off in glorious sunshine..we like to think Reg had a word with the man upstairs to ensure our journey home was a pleasant one. Traffic was heavier than we had anticipated with the Le Mans 24 Hour spectators joining us at Calais but we got our scheduled train back on time and arrived at the Premier Inn at Folkestone at 9.45 just in time to order something to eat and a couple of beers before calling it a day.

Both bikes were as reliable as ever and made the trip thoroughly enjoyable, allowing us to park easily and nip in and out of what traffic there was.

20190615_113954 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

20190615_113824 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

A short trip no doubt especially as we'd missed the Friday evening at the Premier Inn but one which we'd wanted to do for many years. In fact my wife and I think we're the first relatives to have visited either place of commemoration. A moving experience for sure but one we all enjoyed and an area of France and Belgium that we'd definitely like to explore again in the future.

[bwest76]

Thank you for a great write up.
I plan to do a similar trip over a longer period sometime soon.

I’ve visited places further south usually finding them by chance.

One has always stayed with me,it was in the middle of nowhere it was a pals battalion on the edge of a wood.
Reading the inscriptions over 3 days nearly everyone died,seeing your mates passing and knowing you where next must have been a terrible burden.

When I ride my bike in England through small villages I stop if I see a Memorial,I read all the names and sit with them for 10 minutes.

[BillyCasper]

FB_IMG_1560697077106 by Steve Bolt, on Flickr

.

Many thanks for an interesting read. Lovely photograph and a cracking moustache.

I did a similar trip last autumn, in a van though, I have a great uncle buried near Lens, also Gloucestershire Regiment, killed aged 16. I have his photograph on the wall, although being 16 his moustache is on the light side. Also another great uncle buried near Arras, I have his Dead Man’s Penny. My grandfather survived despite being shot in the head, also at Loos, and later gassed.


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[Enoch]

Excellent write up.... I did the same thing last year and visited my Great Grandfather at the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium..

I narrated my feelings on a video, but I never felt like putting it on YouTube....maybe I should..

[Red Steve]

Excellent write up.... I did the same thing last year and visited my Great Grandfather at the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium..

I narrated my feelings on a video, but I never felt like putting it on YouTube....maybe I should..

I would for sure. it would be of interest to a lot of people.

[thieuster]

As the others said: an excellent write-up. As a small boy, I used to live near Bruges. My dad's firm had a massive project going on in Terneuzen, Dutch Flanders. So those pics of Belfort & Bruges bring back memories! I remember old ladies making lace curtains, all by hand.

Menno

[Stanford]

Great write up - saw your post on DOCGB

[GOAT]

Nice write up Steve!
Glad you found the Terrast’je bar in Brugge!

[Chinnock]

Wow! What an awesome trip.

[Matt8500]

Thanks for sharing, a great reason to go on a tour.

[thieuster]

This sort of places is on the list of my youngest and myself for this Summer. Netherlands - Normandy (beaches) and back along the Belgian coast to Ieper (Ypres). We -as a nation- stayed out of the Great War conflict; like the Swiss and the Scandinavians we stayed neutral. Still, the WW I era is an important part of our history lessons and since my youngest is very much into history (and maths), it's going to be a great trip - including proper playlists during the trip.

M

[BillyCasper]

This sort of places is on the list of my youngest and myself for this Summer. Netherlands - Normandy (beaches) and back along the Belgian coast to Ieper (Ypres). We -as a nation- stayed out of the Great War conflict; like the Swiss and the Scandinavians we stayed neutral. Still, the WW I era is an important part of our history lessons and since my youngest is very much into history (and maths), it's going to be a great trip - including proper playlists during the trip.

M

Just out of interest, I have an small oak jewellery case that I use for watches made by a soldier/sailor of the Royal Naval Brigade interned in The Netherlands during WW1. Also a matchbox cover made by another in Groningen in 1915. I understand they were defending Antwerp and escaped to The Netherlands when it fell where they were interned for the duration.


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