Exercise Somme Dragon 2011: February 2011

Tuesday, 8 February 2011

BBC News Item

Guys, here's and interesting New Item from the BBC

Saturday, 5 February 2011

War Graves & Memorials

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) offer a comprehensive website and search facility for casualties of the British Commonwealth who fought in the First and Second World Wars.

Using the search page on the CWGC website we have put together a selective list of First World War casualties who share the same surname as some of our Cadets. This list is not exhaustive. In order to keep it to a manageable size it is restricted to the less popular Surnames of our Cadets and to the Cemeteries and Memorials we hope or intend to visit during our trip.

There is no guarantee that the casualties shown below are, in fact, related to our Cadets… this list is merely intended to be a starting point and something the Cadet and their own family will have to research or investigate further.

If your surname is not shown below, or you want to do a full search for all Casualties at all Cemeteries and Memorials then please click here.

Should the Cadet discover that one of their relatives is indeed buried at one of the Cemeteries, or listed at one of the Memorials, then we hope to give them the opportunity to visit.

ABELL , CHARLES THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

ABELL , H TYNE COT CEMETERY

ABELL , JOHN LLOYD WILLIAM HOWARD THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

ABELL , MAURICE YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

ABELL , PERCIVAL E. TYNE COT MEMORIAL

BRINDLEY , CHARLESYPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

BRINDLEY , JOHN YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

BRINDLEY , ROBERT TYNE COT MEMORIAL

BRINDLEY , THOMAS TYNE COT MEMORIAL

BRINDLEY , WILLIAM PERCY TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ALBERT YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ALBERT HENRY THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ALBERT JOHN THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ALEXANDER G.M. THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ALFRED E. YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ALFRED VICTORTYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ANDREW BUCHANAN THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ANDREW GILCHRIST THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ARCHIE TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ARTHUR HENRY VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ARTHUR JAMES YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ARTHUR WILLIAM TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , BERTIE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , BERTRAM JOHN TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , C G THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , CHARLES HENRYTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , CLIFFORD TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , DAVIDTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , EDGAR R. THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , EDWARDYPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , EDWARD YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , EDWARD TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , EDWIN YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ERNEST THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ERNEST O. TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , FRANK THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , FREDERICK THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , FREDERICK THOMAS TYNE COT CEMETERY

GARDNER , GEORGETHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , GEORGE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , GEORGETHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , GEORGE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , GEORGE WILLIAM YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , GODFREY DERMAN THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HAROLD TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HAROLD JOSEPHYPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HARRY THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HARRY VICTOR THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HENRY TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HENRY THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HENRY VICTOR THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HERBERT YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HERBERT SINGLETON YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , HUGH YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JAMES YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JAMESTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JAMES THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JAMESTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JAMES THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JAMESTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JOHN TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JOHN VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JOHN THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JOHN EDWARD TYNE COT CEMETERY

GARDNER , JOHN GEORGETYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JOHN HINDE YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JOSEPH THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , JOSEPH WILLIAM THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , LEONARD ERNESTTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , MATTHEW THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , MICHAEL THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , PERCY THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , PETERTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , REGINALD EDWARD TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , REGINALD HENRY YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , REGINALD WILFREDTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , RICHARD LOWTHER YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ROBERT YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , ROBERT MACGREGOR STEWART YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , S H THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , THOMAS THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , THOMAS ARTHUR OMDERMAN VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL

GARDNER , THOMAS SAMUEL YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WALTERYPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WALTER ERNEST THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WALTER EVERSHED YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WALTER JAMES THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM ALBERT EDWARD THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM ARTHUR THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM FRANK THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM G. THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM GEORGE VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM HENRY THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM JOHN TYNE COT MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIAM THOMAS YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

GARDNER , WILLIE YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

HOMER , ALBERT THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

HOMER , ALBERT JOHN THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

HOMER , ALEXANDER HENRY TYNE COT MEMORIAL

HOMER , ALFRED YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

HOMER , CALEB YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

HOMER , FREDERICK TYNE COT MEMORIAL

HOMER , GORDON HUNTER YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

HOMER , JASON VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL

HOMER , JOHN VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL

HOMER , JOHN THOMAS TYNE COT MEMORIAL

HOMER , LAWRENCE YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

HOMER , S A TYNE COT CEMETERY

HOMER , SAMUEL YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

HOMER , WILLIAM THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

HOMER , WILLIAM HOWARD CLAUDE TYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , ALBERT YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , ALBERT EDWARD TYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , ALFREDTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , ALFRED THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , ARTHURTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , ARTHUR JAMES THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , ASHLEYTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , CHARLES HENRY TYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , D JTYNE COT CEMETERY

PETERS , EDWARD THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , ERNESTTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , FRANCIS CHARLES SAVILLE YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , FREDERICK THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , FREDERICK ERNESTTYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , FREDERICK ZENAS THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , GEORGE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , GEORGE CORNELIUS YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , GEORGE WILLIAMTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , HAROLD ERNEST TYNE COT CEMETERY

PETERS , HENRYTHIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , HENRY YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , HENRY ALBERT TYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , HERBERT JOHN TYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , J B TYNE COT CEMETERY

PETERS , JAMES TYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , JAMES ALLEN YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , JASON THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , JOHN THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , JOHN YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , JOHN ARTHUR TYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , JOHN EDWARD THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , JOSEPH JOHN THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , JOSEPH WILLIAMYPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , OSWALD YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , RICHARD JAMES YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , RICHARD WILLIAM FREDERICK TYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , SIDNEY CHARLES THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , THOMAS THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , THOMAS YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , THOMAS HENRY YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , WILFRED GEORGE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , WILLIAM HENRY TYNE COT MEMORIAL

PETERS , WILLIAM MICHAEL THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , WILLIAM ROBERT YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

PETERS , WILLIAM T. THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

PETERS , WILLIAM THOMPSON VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL

TIPPING , ALFRED THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

TIPPING , ALFRED EDWARD YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

TIPPING , HARRY THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

TIPPING , HENRY THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

TIPPING , HENRY G. THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

TIPPING , JOHN THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

TIPPING , JOHN HENRYYPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

TIPPING , JOHN WILLIAM THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

TIPPING , WALTER TYNE COT MEMORIAL

TIPPING , WILLIAM THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Passports

Passports are essential. Quite simply, your child will not be coming to France with the Cadets without one.

NOTE: Their Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of our return. In other words, if we return on Sunday 3^rd July then your child’s passport MUST BE VALID UNTIL AT LEAST 3^RD JANUARY 2012. Please check the expiry date on their Passport.

We will be asking for parents to confirm the Passport Serial Numbers to us soon.

The adults in the party will look after all the Passports and we will let you know the date when these have to be handed in by.

Health Cards (EHIC's)

European Health Insurance Cards, also known as EHIC’s (and formerly known as E111 Forms) are carried by

Citizens when travelling in Europe. It shows that the individual is entitled to Free UK NHS Medical Treatment for injury and illness. This card will therefore ensure that the individual will also receive appropriate emergency medical treatment whilst travelling in Europe the same as they would back home in the

EHIC’s are the same size as Credit Cards and they look like this.

They are free from the NHS and are available to all

citizens. Your child may already have one. If so please check that it will still be in-date for the duration of our trip. If you need to apply for a new one, or even a renewal of an out-of-date one, then you can do it by clicking here. It should arrive in one to two weeks. If you would prefer to apply by phone then you can ring the EHIC Hotline on 0845 606 2030.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you apply online then beware that there are several websites that will charge you for your EHIC. These are nothing but middle-men trying to make a few quid. EHIC’s are completely FREE OF CHARGE if you go to the legitimate NHS EHIC Website and apply for it. Don’t get caught out.

The adults in the party will look after all the EHIC’s and we will let you know the date when these have to be handed in by.

Travel Insurance

In the past we have made attempts to have a single group insurance to cover all party members and all eventualities. This was done to try and save costs. However, we found that some Parents / Cadets felt that what we offered didn’t always tie in with their expectations.

Therefore, we now ask that each member of the party arranges their own Travel Insurance. All they then have to do is give a copy of their policy (including policy reference number) to one of the adults.

What we have noticed over the last few years is that most Parents opt for Single Trip Travel Insurance from the Post Office. It seems to offer great value for money. Their main policies for a single traveller to Europe can be viewed by clicking here. The most popular one of these that most parents have selected in the last few years seems to be the Classic Insurance.

If you believe this Post Office Policy suits your needs then you can buy this on-line by clicking here. Remember to set the number of Adults to zero and the number of under-18's to 1.

If you prefer you can buy this policy by telephone on 0800 294 2292, or by simply going into your local Post Office.

But please make sure you read all the policy wording and make sure that the one you select is the best for you and your child.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you hold an “All Year Family Travel Insurance” Policy with, say, your Bank then don’t just assume this will cover your child for this trip. We have found that many of these policies only cover a child under the age of 18 when they are being accompanied on the trip by a family member who is also on that policy. In other words your child may not be covered if they travel without a family member. Check this out with your travel insurance company… it might still be worth getting separate cover for this trip.

We will let you know the date when this info has to be handed in by.

Tuesday, 1 February 2011

Spending Money

We get lots of question about how much spending money the Cadets should take and to be honest there’s no hard and fast answer.

Over the last couple of years the average seems to be about €15 per day or about €150 for the whole trip. But they can take more or less than this if they so wish.

Also, some Cadets like to take some extra money to buy a present for mum, such as Belgian Chocolates from Ypres, although on previous trips these have been known to simply disappear before we even get as far as the ferry home… how very strange!!

Plus, this year we will be visiting Disneyland for a day and the Cadets will no doubt want to buy soft drinks, sweets, burgers and any number of souvenirs so be sure to allow for this too.

And don’t forget to give them a few

pounds to spend on the journey out and the journey back home as we will be stopping at motorway services etc. and the ferries have quite large shops and cafés on board.

What we do encourage is for parents to put individual days money in separate envelopes with the Cadets name on them and a short description such as “Day 1” or “Day 2” or “Present Money” or “Disney Money” or “Emergency Money”. These envelopes are then held securely by one of the adults who acts as “banker” and allows the Cadets only their allocated amount each day. This ensures two things… firstly they don’t accidentally lose all their money and secondly they don’t go and spend it all at once. We ask them to sign for their money just in case they forget they've already had it (which has been known to happen).

This system has worked really well over the last few years and it is definitely something we suggest you consider doing, but there’s nothing stopping the Cadets from holding on to their own money if they so wish.

We’ll be holding a Parents meeting about the trip soon so if you have any questions please let us know.