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Thread: Help: Anyone been to Morlancourt Ridge?

  1. #1

    Default Help: Anyone been to Morlancourt Ridge?

    Last month I put together the itinerary for my annual school trip to the Somme and Ypres in May and the uptake by the students has been great as I've now got 77 of them coming along as well as 10 other staff to help herd them about As well as the 'usual' locations (if they can be called that) of Ypres, Passchedaele, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Menin Gate, Lochnagar, Albert, etc I've also included Cappy (the first tank VS tank battle) and the site of the Red Barons crash at Morlancourt Ridge.

    I'll be making a workbook explaining what happened on that day and the various claims made by those that reckon they shot him down including maps of the flight paths of May, Brown and Von Richthofen, locations of the AA guns, post mortem details of the bullet wounds etc and will be getting the coach to park on the opposite side of the road from the crash site (hopefully near the chimney) but am wondering if anyone can tell me just how much the students will be able to see and figure out what happened? Will the ridge be clearly visible from our parking site? Is it easy to try to picture what happened etc?

    I want the students to get the most out of this and sort of undertake a 'crime scene' investigation using printouts of photos etc I supply when we're there. I've also been gathering and reading several books on the subject to help me make the workbook including the Red Barons Last Flight, The Red Baron - the life and death of an ace, Airfields and Airmen of the Somme so I can get fully up to speed with the subject, but could really do with an idea of how much they can actually interact with the location when we're there.

    Any help would really be appreciated!

  2. #2

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    Well, can't really help you with the topo info you need...haven't been there you see. BUT...it would be great if you could share your workbook and the results of the "crime scene" investigation after the trip??

  3. #3

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    Sorry matey,my knowledge of Germany is limited to Beilefeld ridge and various other Woods in north Germany. Although did do a Vogelsang battle camp. Anyway best of luck with your visit, hopefully youll be able to give us a briefing on Jan 15 at Firestorm
    Chris

  4. #4

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    Shaun,

    Have you had a look at the Holt's battlefield guides? These may be useful as regards topography and what you can see, although from my recollection they don't exactly major on the air war side of things.

    http://www.guide-books.co.uk/western-front.html
    Run for your life - there are stupid people everywhere!

  5. #5

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    Or see if anyone at http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/ can help

    Search RED BARON on their site - it'll save you some lesson planning!

    Dave
    Last edited by AlgyLacey; 12-01-2010 at 07:31.

  6. #6

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    Ah...isn't the internet wonderful! You've provided some great links...and I'm about to blow a half day checking them out

  7. #7

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    Thanks for the advice guys! It's really appreciated - I'll give the Western Front Association a shout

    I've got the Holts guides and, although they're really good for general overviews they don't go into enough details to enable me to create a workbook. I'll certainly post up the workbook for your feedback. All I'm worried about is that the coach pulls up on the road, 78 students (mostly 11 and 12 year olds + some of my school WofW club members) jump out to investigate and there's nothing we can see that will help us get orientated!

    Although did do a Vogelsang battle camp.
    I did one too! My lasting memories are of the (really) early morning mists and company attacks from the trench positions (I slipped getting out of one of them and whacked my face on my SLR!). And it was always bloody cold!!

    Here's the itinerary I put together:

    Day 1
    10.00am – Bellewaerde Theme Park
    5.00pm – Depart for Ypres
    6.30pm – Arrive hotel in Ypres
    8.00pm – Tour and familiarisation of Ypres Town Centre (Cathedral, Square, Monuments, etc)

    Day 2
    10.00am – In Flanders Fields Museum
    12.30pm – Depart for battlefields/cemetery/monument tour including:
    ******
    Messines Ridge Museum
    Hooge Crater (site, monument, CWGC Cemetery)
    Sanctuary Woods CWGC Cemetery (German and Allied pilots )
    Hill 60 (site, monument)
    Pool of Peace (site)
    ******
    Passchendaele
    Museum (
    Battlefield (& Tyne Cot CWGC Cemetery)
    Langemarke (German Military Cemetery)

    6.00pm – Evening meal (chicken & chips) at restaurant in Ypres
    7.00pm – Menin Gate (worksheet about site & monument)
    8.00pm – Last Post Remembrance Ceremony (Menin Gate) – wreath on behalf of students/school
    8.30pm – Return to hotel, Ypres

    Day 3
    8.00am – Depart Ypres for Albert, France
    9.00am – Vimy Ridge (museum and guided tunnels tour)
    10.30am – Lochnagar Crater (site & memorial)
    11.00am – Welsh Regiment Focus:
    ******
    Mametz Woods
    Royal Welsh Regiment Memorial
    Flat Iron Copse CWGC Cemetery
    ******
    1.00pm – Packed Lunch
    2.20pm – Morlancourt Ridge (Red Baron investigation)
    4.00pm – Cachy (first ever tank vs tank battlefield) OR Cappy Airfield site
    5.00pm – Albert Museum (Fokker DR1) and evening meal (spaghetti
    bolognaise) at restaurant in Albert
    8.00pm – Hotel in Albert

    Day 4
    9.00am – Depart Poppies, Albert
    10.00am – Asterix Theme Park
    5.00pm – Depart Asterix Theme Park for Evening Eurotunnel crossing

    A pretty packed 4 days!

  8. #8

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    Yup the same Vogelsang Luckily my Pers Weap was a SMG so I could only trap my fingers in the stupid folding Butt
    Last edited by Boney10; 12-02-2010 at 13:40. Reason: Adding detail



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