Trip to Arras 17 - 19/04/09

Hi Folks,


I really enjoyed the trip last year and am thinking about organising something similar for next
year. We will definitely celebrate the 100th anniversary but waiting 8 years is just too long to get everyone together. I checked my calendar and the 29/04/09 falls on a Wednesday. I was thinking of going on a weekend near to this to enable as many people as possible to make the trip.

I sent a quick mail to the hotel that we stayed in Arras - the Holiday Inn Express - the weekend of the 24 - 26/04/08 is booked out (the same in a few other hotels in Arras that I checked with) as it is the anniversary of the Battle of Amiens where the Anzacs fought valiantly and which is remembered every year - see below

"The German High Command had determined that if they could capture Amiens,
the major city in The Somme, then drive to the coast, they would split the
Allied Forces. They saw this as an opportunity to finish the war in their
favour. Australian and British troops halted the German advance, and on
24/25 April, 1918, Australian troops recaptured Villers-Bretonneux and
forced a German withdrawal."

The town seems to be booked out with Aussies / Kiwis for that weekend. I thought that the weekend of 17 - 19/04/09 might be a better idea - hotel availability does not seem to be a problem.

I have got in touch with Simon Godly - one of our guides last year who I have kept in touch with and he is available to show us around. A lot of the family who could not make the trip last year were very interested in seeing Arras, Gavrelle etc. I have checked with Mum and Heather and they are both on to go so my visa has been stamped! As soon as the flights are up on Ryanair I'll be booking our flights.

People have plenty of notice - don't forget husbands / wives / partners etc. - it would be great to see as many as possible.

Regards,

Shane Horkan