DAY 2 - Continued -MORE PERSONAL PILGRIMAGES

Francis did some homework to find out the area that Samuel Cowan, 22nd Battlion AIF - Phil's uncle, fought and although he couldn't go to the exact location, he brought the group to the AIF cemetety at Flers to see a grave of Private Weir who was in the same Battalion.

We headed off along the fields filled with agriculture. It is a beautiful time to be travelling in France with the fields planted, the flowers blooming, butterflys, bumble bees and often a rabbit or two. We were happily cruising when suddenly there was a gendarme in the centre of the road. Steve wondered what he was checking. Obviously a nervous point for Francis and Steve. Anyway we just had to turn around as there was a ceremony to mark the 100 years since the signing of Versailles in the next village and we couldn't go through that way to Flers.

By literally using 'back roads' (the name of the Company) we came to the AIF cemetry at Flers.

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Once again Francis did his magic to find the HAC Cemetry MCMXVIII at Ecoust Saint-Mein for Roger and Judy to pay respect to their son-in-law's grandfather.

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The last stop before lunch was at Polyart village. Peter Hodgens hopped out of the bus to enable Francis to take a photo in front of the church. Once again it was not an exact location, but in the area of where Peter's father - Thomas Vivian Hodgens fought. Peter, who by his own admission was "time challenged" was emotionally stirred as he said he never thought he would be in the vicinity of where his father fought. He said he never appreciated as a child the perils and hardships his father endured. Unfortunately only Peter got out on this occasion so I don't have a photo to record the event.

After a fairly sombre morning we rolled into Arras for lunch. The Flemish influence showed on the big houses in the huge two squares. The town had been completely flatten during the war and faithfully reconstructed in its previous style. It had been a rich trading area in days gone and the houses reflectef the wealth of the merchants dealing in eool..