Year 9 History Trip to the Battlefields

I recently went on the Yr9 Battlefields trip with the History department, and I had such an amazing time learning about the First World War and key  battles. The trip was very moving and helped me to learn loads in a super engaging way while having a great time with friends. It was massively inspiring to learn about all the people who lost their lives for our country, especially when we visited the graves and you could see just a fraction of the people that were killed. Something that was especially special for me was that I was able to visit my great-great-grandfather’s grave at the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery which meant a lot to me that I could pay my respects. We also visited Flanders Field Museum which gave us more information about individual experiences during ww1 and gave us more of an insight into how the war affected people. My personal favourite place we visited was the Talbot house in Poperinge. This was a place for rest and relaxation for the soldiers during times when they weren’t fighting, so that they could escape the harsh realities of the war. It was lovely to know that there was some hope and a sense of community during the war because this house was made, especially when the negative side of war is predominantly talked about. Additionally, we visited the place where the Battle of the Somme took place at Newfoundland memorial park. It was amazing to be able to see the trenches and no man’s land as it felt very real and eye opening. When we were in Belgium, we got to go to an incredible chocolate shop with some delicious chocolate that my parents were definitely grateful for me bringing them home! All in all, I really enjoyed the trip, and I had a great time exploring Belgium and France and deepening my knowledge on World War 1. Plus, I have made some unforgettable memories with my best friends too.