Student Tour Blog

Written by Sarah Perry

On May 24th, we visited many locations/memorials including the Essex Farm Cemetery and the location where John McCrae wrote his now-famous poem In Flanders Fields. Seeing the location and the bunkers where McCrae helped soldiers who needed medical attention felt surreal, as we were standing at the exact location where death and suffering soldiers would have been present during the First World War. Additionally, being present where In Flanders Fields was written was very touching. Moreover, the Essex Farm Cemetery was a very nice visit as we saw many headstones, which included a grave of a 15 year old boy, Flrn. Valentine Joe Strudwick. It was really emotional to see his tomb, as it was difficult to image how the war must have been for a young boy his age and what he must have gone through. His sacrifice and acts of bravery will not be forgotten.