We’re always delighted to receive feedback from people who have experienced one of our excellent Battlefield Tours, and when David Holmes got in touch with us we couldn’t wait to share some of his experiences and poetry with you!
David is the author of The Peaceful Poet website and has also published two books. He has kindly shared one of his poems with us along with some of the inspiration he found whilst on Leger Holidays’ All Quiet on the Western Front tour.
‘I was lucky, I never had to fight in a War, but my Grandfather did and so did my Father. My Grandfather, had lost his life in the First World War, and as far as I could tell no one had visited his grave, nor indeed knew that much about what he had endured.All Quiet on the Western Front
I decided I owed him at least that, to find out, record for posterity, and, visit his final resting place, among the blood red poppies in those fields in France.
My journey started with a small step that is still ongoing and resulted in me visiting The Western Front on an organised Battlefields tour with Leger Holidays.
Officially or not, the trip includedThe St Leger Cemetery a lunchtime trip to a farmyard in St Leger where I was able to walk with our tour guide, Clive Harris, along a farm track. After a short walk we came to a gate, and on opening it, we entered a beautifully kept, grass covered path which lead to the entrance of the St Leger War Cemetery. The Cross of Sacrifice keeping silent vigil over the white stones that marked the final resting place of some 200 brave boys, my Grandfather included.
I had already been inspired to write a poem about my Grandfather and several others about the First War and my impression of what it must have been like during and afterwards. I share one of them with you now.’
Fields of gold and red
I stood amongst the fields of corn,
that swayed gently in the breeze,
I heard a single thrush sing,
in the far off trees
and there, amongst the golden heads,
a million poppies danced,
one for all those long dead boys, who died,
in these fields, in France.
(© david holmes 2004)
To find out more about David’s head over to his website – The Peaceful Poet