Monday 15 May 2017

Arras - European Road Trip Day One part 1

As you'll have gathered from my previous post, Mrs Gow and I been away in mainland Europe for a few days.  The device pictured above was both our transport and accommodation for the week.  Sharp eyed readers will note that this is a different 'Command Bus' to that deployed last year in Belgium.  A wee bit bigger all round, it is still less than 6 metres long and provided a very comfortable home from home.
We used the overnight P&O ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge, arriving on the morning of Saturday 6th May.
 After crossing the border into France, first stop was Arras.  Specifically the Citadel.  One of M. Vauban's finest, this was occupied until recently by the French Army.  Now it forms the site of new student accommodation - lucky sods!
 The chapel is particularly pleasing.
 Mrs G takes in the atmosphere.

 The interior of the chapel.
The walls are adorned with lists of the fallen - mostly from a single engineer regiment in the Great War..

 There are also plaques commemorating other units...
...and more recent conflicts.
The Great War dead of 1st Escadron du Train - I'm not sure how big this unit was but I suspect this list represents a casualty rate of about 200%  Grim.

6 comments:

Duc de Gobin said...

Very interesting post sir. Some great history there.
Did you hire the command bus? I'd like to do something similar with the missus next year. Would it be remiss of me to inquire about costings?

Tim Gow said...

Duc de Gobin
The Command Bus is on the permanent strength of the Megablitz motor pool. You can hire motorhomes in most countries. Certainly here in the UK, and I spotted rental vans in France, Belgium and Netherlands.

Conrad Kinch said...

Great pictures - thanks for sharing them.

Tim Gow said...

Conrad Kinch
Careful what you wish for - I took 300+ photos last week!

Pete. said...

Great photos.

I guess the accommodation is wasted on the students....

Cheers,

Pete.

Tim Gow said...

Pete
More than likely!