The best traffic-free bike rides around Forceville

The Pipers Memorial in Longueval is a special tribute to all pipers who died during the First World War, regardless of their regiment or origin. It was unveiled on 20 July 2002 and stands in the village square, just off the Rue de Bazentin. The bronze statue, designed by Andy De Comyn, shows a piper in full uniform climbing out of a trench playing—a powerful symbol of courage and moral support for troops under fire. Plaques around the plinth list the regiments that lost pipers, and the memorial also remembers heroes such as Piper James Richardson VC, who led his battalion into the attack with his music and was later killed trying to retrieve his bagpipes. It is a rare monument that honours not only military valour but also cultural identity and tradition. A place where music and memory come together in stone and bronze.

The Mémorial à la 18e Division britannique consists of a stone obelisk with bronze plaques on each side. These plaques commemorate the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the division and record the battles in which the division fought. Interestingly, the 18th British Division played a crucial role in the Battle of the Somme, suffering significant losses but making important territorial gains.

Officially part of the Historial de la Grande Guerre, the Thiepval Museum is located near the impressive Thiepval Memorial and offers an in-depth look at the Battle of the Somme of 1916. Opened in 2016 to mark the centenary of this bloody battle, the museum comprises seven thematic areas, each highlighting a different aspect of the war. One of the highlights is the 60-metre-long panoramic comic strip by artist Joe Sacco, which vividly depicts the events of 1 July 1916. Visitors will gain insight not only into the military strategies, but also into the human suffering and the culture of remembrance surrounding the missing of the Somme.

The Tour d'Ulster, also known as the Helen Tower or Tour de Belfast, is a British war memorial. It was built in 1921 to commemorate the soldiers of the 36th Ulster Division who died during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. The tower is a replica of a neo-Gothic tower in Clandeboye Park, near Belfast, where the 36th Division trained. An interesting anecdote is that the 36th Ulster Division was the first to attack during the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916, but suffered heavy losses from both German and British artillery fire. The division lost over 5,500 men in just a few hours. The Tour d'Ulster has a cafeteria where you can enjoy a cup of tea, scones or Tayto chips, a specialty from Northern Ireland. It is a nice place to relax.

The Cratère de Lochnagar, an impressive war memorial, was created by a huge mine blown up by the British Royal Engineers on 1 July 1916, as part of the Battle of the Somme. The explosion marked the beginning of the battle and left a crater 90 metres in diameter and 25 metres deep. Interestingly, the crater was named after Lochnagar Street, the trench from which the tunnel was dug. The crater is now a preserved site of remembrance and a religious service is held there every year on 1 July in memory of those who died.

The Tyneside Monument commemorates the soldiers of the Tyneside Irish and Tyneside Scottish Brigades who fought in the First World War. The monument was erected in memory of the men who died during the Battle of the Somme. An interesting anecdote is that the Tyneside Brigades suffered heavy losses on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Many of the soldiers came from the same communities, which had a great impact on their home front.

An interesting anecdote is that the monument was inaugurated in 1932 by the Prince of Wales and the French President Albert Lebrun. The monument consists of a series of arches supported by sixteen massive square pillars, on which the names of the missing soldiers are engraved. At the foot of the monument is a Franco-British military cemetery with 600 graves: 300 French and 300 British soldiers.

The Parc Mémorial de Thiepval is an impressive war memorial that commemorates the 72,337 missing British and South African soldiers who died during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the memorial is considered one of the greatest British monumental works of the twentieth century. The park also includes a visitor centre, opened in 2004, and the Jardins de la Paix, where visitors can reflect and enjoy the serene surroundings. Every year on 1 July, remembrance ceremonies are held to honour the victims of the Battle of the Somme.