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Our first stop was a step back in time to last year, and saw a slight detour to Ypres. Steve had found out since last years trip about a relative who had died near Ypres during the Great War. Herbert Preen was Steve’s great great Uncle. To read about him (including his last letter home) click here and be taken to Steve’s website. We arrived at Ferme Olivier in various states of tiredness due to our departure on Sunday evening, and a ferry crossing at 4am. I got up at 10am Sunday and didn’t get to sleep for thirty seven hours. Ferme Olivier is in the village of Elverdinge on the outskirts of Ypres. It contains a mass grave of thirty seven men of the Monmouthshire Regiment (William Preen’s regiment) killed by a naval shell fired from the Houthulst Forest nearly fourteen miles away. |
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