WWI Battlefields Trip 2024

On Saturday 21st September, our Year 11 students travelled to Belgium for the WWI Battlefields Trip to support their understanding of the Western Front in the First World War, which is a featured section of the GCSE History Medicine paper.

Their first stop upon arriving in Belgium was Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, where they walked among the headstones of fallen soldiers and reflecting. They also had the opportunity to visit the grave of Nellie Spindler, a WWI nurse and the only woman to be buried in a Commonwealth cemetery.

Next, they visited the Memorial Museum Passchendaele, where students explored exhibits filled with authentic photos and historical objects. They also had the chance to enter an immersive reconstruction of a British trench, giving them a unique glimpse into life on the front lines.

Following this, students visited Tyne Cot Cemetery, where approximately 12,000 soldiers are buried. The students took in the solemn atmosphere of the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world, reflecting on the sacrifices made during the war.

One of the most anticipated locations for the students was Sanctuary Wood Trench Museum, where they spent time navigating through a preserved trench network, experiencing firsthand what conditions might have been like for soldiers during WWI.

The final stop was Ypres, home to the Menin Gate, a memorial dedicated to around 55,000 missing soldiers who have no known grave in the Ypres Salient. While in Ypres, students also stopped at the famous Leonidas chocolate shop to enjoy some delicious Belgian chocolates.

Overall, the trip provided an informative and deeply moving insight into the First World War for our Year 11 students.