Ieper Travel Forum

Ok, I know a decent amount about both world wars. And I have been living in Germany with my husband whos in the US Army. Since I am Canadian...naturally Flanders is a place I want to see before I leave here in July. Heres is my question....I have looked all over the internet, but I cant find a site that says anything about visiting the actual fields that are talked about in the poem. I really want to see the area in which the poem was created. Is that even known? Is there a site for that? Please let me know asap, as we want to leave this following weekend. Also, I know there is the Tyne Cot Cemetery... How far is that from Flanders? Is there any other recommended sites to see. Keep note that I am only interested in war memorials and such. Thank you for your time and effort

I'm very surprised you can't find what you want on the internet.

Here are a few places to look first:
http://www.cwgc.org/
http://www.visitbelgium.com/worldwar.htm

Here is the poet's obituary:
http://www.qaranc.co.uk/war_graves_memorials_nurses.php

Here is Tyne Cot:
http://ww1cemeteries.com/ww1cemeteries/tynecotcemetery.htm

NB Flanders fields action was centred on Ypres. This is also called Ieper in Belgium.

I am surprised too..though the 'fields' mentioned in the poem does not refer to just a few fields but to the whole bloody mess in that area.

More sites to peruse:

http://www.wo1.be/eng/mainnav.html

http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/remembrance/poetry/wwone.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Flanders_Fields

The poem by McCrae was written at a dressing-station near Ypres (Ieper).

If you visit Ypres the 'Last Post' is sounded every night at the Menin Gate, in remembrance of the fallen.

http://www.ieper.be/Default.aspx?SGREF=98&CREF=13030

You will find that remembrance is strong at all such sites, and that cemeteries are beautifully tended. You will also find many visitors at times: tours of the battlefields of both World Wars are popular (and older UK schoolchildren are often taken on school trips).

Last year we had a pleasant stay at B&B http://www.hotelkasteelhofthooghe.be/. This is very close to hill 62 and the Canadian Cemetary. Tyne Cot is not so far (if you have a car). And of course Ypres/Ieper (city/In Flanders Field Museum/menin gate/last post) is a must see (and maybe 100 other sites in the area).

Explore by car: In Flanders Field Route (82km) (http://www.toerismewesthoek.be/westhoek/route.aspx?id=271)

Explore by bike: Vredesroute (45km)(http://www.toerismewesthoek.be/westhoek/route.aspx?id=220&LangType=2067)

Regards,
M.

Renting a bike in Ypres and cycling a part of this bicycle path, will bring you along a lot of interesting WWI-sites.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Ieper-Diksmuide-Nieuwpoort-Diksmuide-Lo-Veurne-Nieuwpoort

Some other useful links :

Ieper
http://www.ieper.be/ieper_en.aspx?SGREF=10587
In Flanders Fields (Ieper)
http://www.inflandersfields.be/
Ijzertoren
http://www.ijzertoren.org
City of Diksmuide
http://tourism.diksmuide.be
Trench of Death (Diksmuide)
http://www.wo1.be/ned/database/dbDetail.asp?TypeID=15&SubTypeID=33&ItemID=5377
City of Veurne
http://www.veurne.be