Follow in the footsteps of the young British poet on a Remembrance Walk
ON 4th November 1918 a young British poet gave the ultimate sacrifice on the banks of the Sambre-Oise Canal. Little did he know that on the 120th anniversary of his birth the local tourist organisations would come together to honour his memory.
The young Second Lieutenant was Wilfred Owen and his work, that served to bring the harsh realities of war to generations that have succeeded him, has been given a context with the creation of the Walking in Wilfred Owen’s Footsteps Trail.
The trail will be officially inaugurated on 2nd June in the village of Ors, in the Nord County. It has been the fruit of collaboration between local tourist organisations – the Nord and Nord-Pas de Calais Tourist Boards as well as the Cambrai and District Tourist Office – and the dedication of Ors Mayor Jacky Duminy.
The 6km trail takes visitors from the Maison Forestière – or Forest House – where Wilfred and his men were sheltering, to the canal banks where he fell. The Forest House was transformed in 2011 to become a work of art from Simon Patterson, dedicated to the fateful night when the men advanced on enemy lines. But the path also leads walkers through quiet woodland which encourages people to stop, reflect and meditate on a not so distant past.
Audio guides for a fuller understanding of the events leading up to Wilfred’s death, and the night of the battle, are available from the Cambrai Tourist Office free of charge.
They can also be downloaded in English onto smartphones from www.tourisme-cambresis.fr/audioguide
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