Highlights included Sunken Lane, where we examined a front-line attack and students listened to a recording from a soldier who survived the assault there. We then visited the Newfoundland Memorial Park, where students saw authentically preserved trenches and learnt about the significant Canadian contributions to the First World War.

Students were amazed at Lochnagar Crater, created by an underground mine explosion in 1916 prior to the attack on the Somme. At the time, it was the largest man-made explosion in the world before the development of the atomic bomb, and students were blown away by the sheer size of the crater.

Our final visit was to the Thiepval Memorial, the largest British and Commonwealth war memorial in the world. It bears the names of over 72,000 British soldiers who went missing after the Battle of the Somme and never received a formal burial. We heard moving stories of individuals commemorated on this memorial.

It was a powerful and informative day, and we are very much looking forward to our final day on Friday before returning to Acle.

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