In the largest commemorative project in the world, it has become possible to walk or cycle 1,000 km from the Swiss border of the Vosges to the Channel coast of Belgium, following the course of the stagnated no-mans-land of World War One’s Western Front.
It is a project that owes its existence to a young second lieutenant, who:
1915. 2nd Lieutenant Alexander Douglas Gillespie of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders writes home from the front line to tell of his vision of ‘a via sacra’ (a sacred road) before being killed in action; “when peace comes, our government might combine with the French government to make one long avenue between the lines from the Vosges to the sea….I would make a fine broad road in the ‘No-Mans Land’ between the lines, with paths for pilgrims on foot and plant trees for shade and fruit trees, so that the soil should not altogether be waste. Then I would like to send every man, woman and child in Western Europe on a pilgrimage along that Via Sacra so that they might think and learn what war means from the silent witnesses on either side.”
Shortly thereafter, Gillespie was killed in action.
https://thewesternfrontway.com/
I am indebted to an article in today’s Times newspaper, a Google search then taking me to the website of the Western Front Way’s homepage.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...0?shareToken=f4afad1cf8c397694a96379e2427f695
It is a project that owes its existence to a young second lieutenant, who:
1915. 2nd Lieutenant Alexander Douglas Gillespie of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders writes home from the front line to tell of his vision of ‘a via sacra’ (a sacred road) before being killed in action; “when peace comes, our government might combine with the French government to make one long avenue between the lines from the Vosges to the sea….I would make a fine broad road in the ‘No-Mans Land’ between the lines, with paths for pilgrims on foot and plant trees for shade and fruit trees, so that the soil should not altogether be waste. Then I would like to send every man, woman and child in Western Europe on a pilgrimage along that Via Sacra so that they might think and learn what war means from the silent witnesses on either side.”
Shortly thereafter, Gillespie was killed in action.
https://thewesternfrontway.com/
I am indebted to an article in today’s Times newspaper, a Google search then taking me to the website of the Western Front Way’s homepage.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...0?shareToken=f4afad1cf8c397694a96379e2427f695