I noticed an article in The Independent (UK) about the lesser known Australian contribution to the Somme battles near the end of the First World War. It's the 90th anniversary and it seems that there will be a special commemoration in the week leading up to the 25th of April at Viller-Bretonneux.

I may be dusting down the big cat for the first big ride of the year.

El Gato Negro

The United States last surviving World War I veteran has been honored by the Pentagon and President Bush.
My father also joined the Army under age in 1944. When his older brother entered the service, the Army found out that they had two men with the same (unusual) name and kicked my Dad out. He re-entered the service a few months later when he was old enough.
I offer a tight salute to the men who have seen it all and are still around to remind us of good lives lived.

Check out the blog of the grandson of English World War 1 soldier, Henry Lamin, 90 years after the fact.

The blog states;

"This blog is made up of transcripts of Harry Lamin's letters from the first World War. The letters will be posted exactly 90 years after they were written. To find out Harry's fate, follow the blog!"

More about;
WILLIAM HENRY BONSER LAMIN
Born in August 1887 in Awsworth Notts, to Henry and Sarah Lamin. Elder Sisters Catherine (Kate) and Agnes (Annie) and Elder brother John (Jack). Educated at Awsworth Board School, just outside Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England.

This is the type of thing that the internet excels at. This is getting (highly deserved) attention from all around the web. It can be nothing but good for spreading the experiences of one of our nation's soldiers to a whole new audience.

Touratech has announced that its founder, Herbert Schwarz, got a 5,000 km test ride of the BMW F800 GS through the African nations of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda 4 weeks before the launch at Milan. Lucky guy!

The really good news is that Touratech kitted the bike out with as many Touratech parts as possible for the ride, so we should have a wide selection of gear and gadgets for the 800 when it hits the showrooms.

I'd still like to ride it so I can compare it to my KTM 950 Adventure.

On a military history note, I'd love to ride the East African battlefields of the German commander, Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck. Lettow-Vorbeck was never defeated in the field and caused enormous trouble for the British in east Africa during World War 1, even thought the British had an overwhelming numerical advantage.

By early 1915, the lines in northern France had become static and the trench warfare that WWI is known for had commenced. Many soldiers and officers found themselves not only green, but found their senior leadership green in the tactics of the trench as well. New ideas had to be considered and new tactics developed to break the enemy lines for any offensive to succeed. The British First Army, under the command of the often maligned General Douglas Haig, was given the task of taking the immediate German positions, Neuve Chapelle and finally Aubers ridge. The First Army was made up of British, Canadians and Indians.

Although the battle is not often associated with the major battles of the First World War, it is highly significant in the analysis of the planning, technology and tactical advances of the time. The battle exhibited major breakthroughs in four key areas.

• The German lines were mapped extensively by aerial reconnaissance by a British air arm that was in its infancy. This allowed;
• Detailed maps to be distributed to the ground forces which contained phase lines and timed intervals for movements which were co-ordinated with;
• Air support in the attack and;
• Heavy artillery preparation of targets in advance with the lifting and shifting of fires in time with infantry movements. More rounds were sent skyward in the battle than in all of the Boer War.

These innovations paid off at first with Haig taking the immediate objective of the German line salient and then the village of Neuve Chapelle. However, the attack bogged down soon thereafter, well before reaching the final objective of the Aubers ridge. A competent German counter-attack was partly the casue, but unforced errors also came into play. There were several tactical explanations for the halt that are common to many battlefields;

• Poor weather on the second day limited aerial observation and support which contributed to;
• Poor communications that kept the leadership from knowing where things were progressing properly and where they weren't which led to;
• Bad tactical intelligence that led some areas to be allotted more troops than needed and others less than needed which led to;
• The fog of war where things tend to freeze on the senior decision level, but local fighting goes on, but is uncoordinated with the larger picture.

The battle was a limited tactical win for the Brits, but at a heavy cost of approximately 12,000 casualties. In the longer term Neuve Chapelle became the professional template for a new set of tactics that would become prevalent for the rest of the war.

Motorcycle Ride Recommendation

This is a great ride when you are going somewhere else in France. It is only 60 miles from Calais and can be seen on the way to the south of France, Paris or Belgium with only a minor detour. From Calais, head to Neuve Chapelle, then take the following circular ride of the area. This is not a spectacularly scenic ride, but you get to ride along the British front line from Neuve Chapelle to Fleurbaix (with a British Cemetary in Fauquissart), then see the Aubers ridge objective, then down to the pivot point in the line at La Bassee.

Book Recommendation: The Battle of Neuve Chapelle - French Flanders from AbeBooks.co.uk

Map Recommendation: Michelin Map No. 236 Nord de la France from AbeBooks.co.uk

Accor Hotels in the Lille area