It 
It wasn’t really the Seventh Day, but it was a Sunday and some people believe in these things. But it was a Down Day with no cycling. My air bed agreed by going down in the night in support. It was a Dhobi Day and all my washing got done by hand, as the lads would have done, and hung up all over the guy ropes on the tent. Looked like a CND protest camp.( I considered less politically correct similies but was vetoed). The Pair let me sleep in until 1030, but the heat was blistering in the tent so I had to get up. Found I`d left my razor in the shower yesterday and it had gone so looked like a scruff all day. 

We chose to go to a few memorials today, Thiepval a must as there are 2 Allendale Lads on the wall, amongst 78000 others. And they are just the missing. Also is my sister in law Louis’s relative; her mum made me lots of lovely poppies. We found them and placed a poppy for each; the Allendale lads were too high up but Ray could reach Frederick Latimer so now his family has a photo with a poppy by it. I left the three by the alter and with my trademark helmet took the picture above. The panel of Northumberland Fusileers contained over 3500 men. The Yorkshire regiments dwarfed that. And thats just missing. 

Off to the Ulster Tower for my mate Lyndon in Northern Ireland. Left a poppy there too. After that a tortuous search for Serre Road No 2 Cemetary, the largest on the Somme.  During the main battle, it wasn’t possible to collect the bodies as the chaps were busy. In 1917 once the Germans had retired to the Hindenburg line, V Corps were tasked with going round the battlefield and collecting the remains of those that had lain there for nearly a year. Some had identification on them, some could be identified by regiment or nationality. Others were Known To God, and that is what is on the headstone. Two thirds in that Cemetary had no name.   

After that attempts to eat. French people don’t eat on a sunday, and neither should we. So everywhere is closed. Back to the Batcave for bread and cheese. Tonight I`m allowed to eat grown up food as I am on holiday.

I cannot wait to get back in the saddle but my bottom disagrees. it has been suggested that this is a military thing I`m doing but thats not true. Its humanitarian. As I stood on the ridges today and saw what our young and not so young men were ordered to do, climb those ridges under murderous machine gun fire, in full kit and blazing heat: who thought this was a good idea? 

If one does not remember history and learn from it, the same mistakes will be repeated. Please, not again.