Maddening Mametz

Nov. 29, 2018

We boarded the Eurostar for our last train ride to France.  The plan was to try, once again to make it to Mametz, to see where Rick’s grandfather fought in the battle of the Somme. WWI.  Our first attempt was shattered when we left Italy in Sept.  Our flight was delayed, luggage removed from the plane.  Long miserable story, but it made us miss two connecting trains to end up at Mametz.  So we head back to London with the knowledge that we will make this trip.

We get off train in Lille and it is almost 3 pm, which means it will be dark in about 1 -1 1/2 hours and it will take a minimum of 45 min. to get to Mametz.  I didn’t plan that trip very well.   So we decide we will get up and take first train out of Lille headed towards Mametz.  We leave at 6:15 am.  Again, neither of us are thinking straight as it now now still dark.  We wait a little bit and then call for a taxi to take us the last 20 min. to the memorial.  The taxi driver warns us he doesn’t speak much English, but knows where Mametz is located.  He drives us to the town of Mametz and then seems lost.  He stops a local and they talk for a bit and he turns around and heads to someone’s home and knocks on the door.  This is before 8 am.  A gentleman comes out and he speaks some English.  He is the Mayor of Mametz.  Rick tells him where we want to go and he gives directions to the driver.  So we head in whatever direction now and end up in a cemetery.  I am feeling better about this because I remember reading that there was a dirt road and a path leading from a cemetery.  The driver gets out and there are people doing construction work on the church in the cemetery and they talk for a bit and next thing the driver walks us towards a grave site.  We are saying, no this isn’t the memorial.  So I finally “think” and show the construction people a picture of a red dragon that is suppose to be at the memorial.  No one has a clue.  So the driver whisks up back to the Mayor’s house and knocks again.  Geez, poor guy.  He comes back out and I show him the picture and he says, “oh no, this is about 80 miles away.”  Evidently there is are two Mametz.  One is Mametz Callais (which is where we are) and Mametz Somme.  Now at no time when we were doing research did these two names come up.  The driver offers to take us.  But as our luck would have it we, have a train to catch.   Now Rick does not want me to try again.  He says it must be fate.  I am sad we didn’t make it.