Year 9 History Trip to the Somme Battlefields

On the 9^th to 11^th February, 40 students from Y9 went on a residential trip to France to visit the First World War battlefields, specifically the sites associated with the 1916 Battle of the Somme which students learnt about earlier in the year in their Year 9 History studies. 

Arriving bright and eager to Hatch End at 5am, we took the Eurotunnel to France where students visited a number of sites including reconstructed trenches at Vimy Ridge and the Somme Museum in Albert. The Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest battle in British history and the students respectfully visited at number of memorials to missing soldiers and cemeteries to the known fallen. Students were keen to find the names of soldiers on the memorials from both Harrow and Watford of which there are several.  

An interesting feature of the trip was learning about and commemorating the contribution of soldiers from across the British Empire who fought for the Allies and students visited sites particularly important to the Canadian Army but also saw graves of a diverse range of Allied soldiers, such as those from Indian and Caribbean regiments and graves of British Jewish soldiers and also visited a German cemetery to reflect on the poignancy of loss for all. 

There was also a great deal of fun to be had on the trip. We stayed in an amazing chateau in the beautiful French countryside and students had a range of evening entertainment provided to them such as team games and the trip was rounded off by a well deserved visit to a chocolate shop on the way home.