Somme History - Fields of France, bed and breakfast accommodation

History

Flers on the 15^th of September 1916 became the first village to be liberated with the aid of tanks; the message that sped around the world was “ A tank is walking up the main street of Flers, with the British Army cheering behind”. This tank was D17 Dinnaken commanded by Lt. Stuart Hastie.

For a full history of the liberation of Flers I would recommend reading Trevor Pidgeon' book "The Tanks at Flers". At the centre of the village in the Place des Britanniques can be found the memorial to the 41st Division, a photograph of which can be found on the cover of "Before Endeavours Fade" by the late Rose Coombs an excellent guide to the battlefields. From the rear of the house and garden you can view the fields over which the New Zealand Division fought. Their memorial can be seen in the distance with High Wood beyond. The name of our house Otago View reflects our interest and reverence for the men who came from the ends of the earth to fight and die in the battle for Flers.

Bulls Road Cemetery is to be found on the edge of the village and within its walls lie many of the men who died during the battle to capture the village.

AIF cemetery Grass Lane is a short walk outside of the village. Here lie many Australians killed during the winter months of 1916/17.

A memorial can be found near to the church commemorating the men of the village who laid down their lives in the defence of France, also a stone obelisk on the Longueval road remembers the French divisions defending the village in 1914.