On Friday 7th November 2008, 115 students left Imberhorne Lane at 5.45am to visit the Somme Battlefield in France. Travelling on two double decker coaches, we departed promptly and made our way to services to stock up on significant supplies.Upon arriving in France we began our visit by going to Newfoundland Park to visit what is left of the frontline from July 1st 1916. The weather made the day particularly poignant throughout as it was extremely cold and rained continually. After walking around the trenches at Newfoundland, we made our way to Lochnager Crater, a rather large hole that was formed by one of the mine’s exploding on the morning of the first day of the Somme Battle. It was precarious under foot, as one or two students and their parents’ washing machines later discovered.Before visiting Thiepval Memorial we stopped at a rather quaint ‘english style’ cemetery and our guide described the events and experiences surrounding some of the dead soldiers. We then progressed to the largest British memorial to the ‘Missing’ in Europe and held an emotional service that included the laying of wreaths and poppies on wooden crosses, after readings given by the students. Mr N BoothHead of History and Politics Department.