A cool and somewhat chilly start to this Campervan morning. Dew clings to the van sides and roof, running down glass, surprisingly cold after the temperatures of the last few weeks, the air is quite chilly too. The breeze of the last few days appears to have gone, the trees quite still. The sun has not cleared them yet so sitting in the shade and watching it play out over the fields. Parked up surrounded by wheat fields, trees and the occasional house. Quite flat as far as the eye can see. A distant church bell tolls out over the fields. Yesterday a further drive north in gusty winds and bright sunshine brought me to Lestrum and then on to the small village of Les Paradis. The culmination of a wee bit of research to identify the whereabouts of my mums uncle, L/Sergeant Turner of the 1st Battalion the Royal Scots, ( The youngest of four brothers, the other three captured in Singapore, survived as Japanese prisoners of war ) he died covering the Dunkirk retreat. He is buried at the cemetery in Le Paradis along with 20 of his colleagues and members of the Royal Norfolk Regiment, victims of the Les Paradis massacre, enacted by units of the SS. An utter tragedy. He should have survived as a POW. Respect was paid and flowers laid to him and those buried with him, quite an emotional occasion really. It rained as we arrived, the first real rain that we had encountered, but cleared to sunshine, with spots of rain as we stood with him. Very strange. This area was also fought over in the 14 - 18 conflict with three other cemeteries each with 1000 plus British and Commonwealth dead and one with over 2000 Portuguese young men all within a stones throw, it makes for a haunting few hours. It is really difficult to describe the feeling of the area as you drive and walk around, there is a vibe that sits in the air, a respect, a sadness, a calmness, a realisation of the terrible loss and things that occurred around here, the sacrifice and the ultimate price paid by so many. You can feel it in the air. We are parked up at Richebourg which was also shelled and fought over in the 14 - 18 conflict and the feeling is one of just respect and reverence. Very difficult to put your finger on, it’s as if nature itself knows what happened here. So the focus of the closing part of the trek, day 35 and the final day in glorious Europe. Returning to the UK later later today. So clearing and prepping for the return home is the order of the day, delays of an hour and half on the shuttle and the day has hardly started. Lovely days people.
“ There is a kind of magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed.” Kate Douglas Wiggin.
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