WWI, Lace and the Somme

Travelled : 80km
Stay:Ribemont- free parking on Sambre l'Oise Canal, no services N49.8072 E3.45374
Visited: Ors,  Caudry,  Ligny Cambresis, Source of the Somme

We had an enjoyable evening last night chatting to a couple from the UK and also felt very lucky to be entertained by their musical talent with some lovely playing and singing. 

In the morning we set off only 6km away to the little village of Ors,  where the famous poet Wilfred Owen was killed on 4th November 1918, a week before WWI ended. 

We visited the cemetery in which he is buried and walked to the site where the fighting took place as they tried to breach the canal. It was risky and many lost their lives.

We also had a look at the Foresters House where he had spent his last night writing his final letter to his mother. In 2011 the humble house was transformed into a work of art. 

We stopped just out of Le Cateau to use the free service point. 

It was just near here that the British fought their first battle in France on 26th August 1914.  We then went to visit the Lace Museum in Caudry.  The lace from here is very renowned and many high fashion labels use it in their designs. After watching a 15 min film, we were given a demonstration of a 130 year old machine. It takes 2 months to just thread the strings, before any fabric can be made at 30 metres a day. Obviously now there are even more modern machines and  with the use computers etc they are more efficient. It was a brief visit as the museum was closing at 12 but at only €3 each it didn't matter too much. 

After a walk through town and some lunch we were off heading to the Ligny Cambresis Cemetery to pay our respects to the first Australian to die in WWI.  William Chisholm was 22 when he was mortally wounded on the 26th August 1914 whilst fighting with a British regiment. 

 

On our way towards our spot on the canal for tonight, we stopped to have a look at the Source of the Somme near the little village of Fonsommes. 

The beautiful clear water seeps from underground into a small pool before starting it's 245km journey to Le Harve, discharging into the English Channel. 

The afternoon is hot and so we take it easy in the shade before taking a walk along the canal to the next lock only 1.6km away.