Bikers plan trip to WW1 sites

Wednesday 23 February 2022

More than 25 motorbike enthusiasts from Guernsey are already signed up to ride to Cambrai and Ypres in May to remember the men of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry. There are still a few places remaining.

After starting in 2019, the last two editions of the RGLI Memorial Ride - in 2020 and 2021 - had to be cancelled because of the covid-19 pandemic.

A talk on the RGLI and the Memorial Ride was held last night at Les Rocquettes Hotel. Lt Col (Retd) Colin Vaudin said he and his colleagues are looking forward to returning to the poignant battlegrounds of the First World War.

"The RGLI Memorial Ride is an opportunity to combine two of our great passions: motorbike riding and keeping the history of the RGLI alive," he said.

"We have received brilliant support from Condor Ferries as moving so many bikes is a major logistical challenge and they have been one of our greatest supporters."

Pictured: More than 25 motorcyclists are signed up for the 2022 RGLI Memorial Ride in May and there are around 10 places remaining.

The ride will take place between 26 and 30 May. The bikers will visit the RGLI Memorial at Masnières, the Thiepval and Cambrai memorials to the missing, various cemeteries of Commonwealth war graves and the Menin Gate at Ieper. 

Every night a bugler from the local fire service plays the Last Post at the Menin Gate to remember the tens of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers whose names are inscribed on the walls of the memorial and who have no known grave.

"We are honoured to be able to lay a wreath at the Menin Gate during the Last Post Ceremony," said Martin Proudlove, one of the organisers of the ride.

"Equally moving is the opportunity to lay crosses on individual graves of Guernseymen in the various Commonwealth war graves' cemeteries."

Evita Kharroubi went on the first ride in 2019 and will be riding again this year.

"In 2019, I was a pillion passenger, but this year I will be riding myself," she said. 

"Whilst there are very moving times, such as laying a cross on the grave of an unknown Guernsey soldier, it is also a great opportunity to meet and make new friends.

"I am hoping for good weather this year as in 2019 we had rain, snow, hail and strong winds. But we made it and it was nothing compared to what the RGLI endured in 1917."

Pictured: Colin Vaudin (right) and Martin Proudlove with the Mayor of Masnières after a wreath laying ceremony.

Anyone wanting to book one of the remaining places on the trip should do so by 1 March - next Tuesday. 

Riders of all ages, levels of experience and types of motorbike are welcome. 

More details are available at the RGLI Memorial Ride Facebook page or by emailing rglimemorialride@gmail.com 

Pictured (top): Evita Kharroubi laying a wreath on a RGLI grave at Tincourt Cemetery in France (right) as part of the RGLI Memorial Ride in 2019 (left).

Credit: Images kindly supplied by Lt Col (Retd) Colin Vaudin.