|
Wednesday, 16 April 2008 |
Marilyn Catchpole-Dossat visits the new Wellington quarry in Arras
Who could imagine that 15 metres underground, in the beautiful city of Arras, lies the Wellington quarry? The E4 million project, the creation of a memorial of the 1917 Battle of Arras, was opened to the public on March 1.
The New Zealand tunnellers named the 20km-long underground network in the Ronville sector after New Zealand’s main towns – Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim…
Visitors, about 60,000 expected every year, will start their 75-minute journey with an exhibition of the main stages of World War I; then, taking the glass lift down to the chalk quarry, they enter into the quiet of the two-metre-high tunnel.
Seventeen sequences evoke different themes in an audio-guided and accompanied tour of the tunnels which include: extraction of chalk during the Middle Ages, the objectives of the military strategy in 1916 and the works of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company 1916-17, finishing in April 1917 with the Battle of Arras.
Back on the surface is a memorial garden and wall, paying tribute to the regiments of the 1st, 3rd and 5th British armies involved in the Battle of Arras.
Sarah Dennis, New Zealand Ambassador, had this to say about the memorial: “The town of Arras has a special connection to New Zealand. The story of the members of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company who toiled beneath this lovely city in the dark days of the First World War is legendary. Not only is it the story of the determination to help turn the tide of the long and bitter Battle of Arras, but it is also a human story of men far from home who kept their spirits up by creating reminders of the country they hoped to return to one day. As they dug and developed the tunnel network, they left behind personal memories of hope, of humour, of faith and creativity that mark the tunnels today and lend them their unique character. The decision by the Arras city authorities to create a museum to keep these memories alive and to give the public ready access to this historic site is greatly appreciated by the New Zealand government.”
The Wellington Quarry, rue Delétoile, 62000 Arras. Open every day, 10am-12-30pm, 1.30-6pm. Closed 25/12, 1/1, and three weeks following the Christmas holidays. Entry E6.5, E2.70. Tel: 03 21 51 26 95 Fax: 03 21 71 07 34.
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.carriere-wellington.com
|
