TEXT: STEH66 £2    to 70070

I am  walking approximately 100 kms following the western front of the Great War. In commemoration of its 100 year anniversary.  in Rememberance of my relatives and the Men of my village / town of Staveley, Chesterfield Derbyshire.

My challenge begins near Albert in Northern France. In the Somme trekking north through the symbolic poppy fields along the route, stopping at many WWI memorial sites along the way. 

 Over 8.5 million people across the world died in the First World War, which is an incredible figure.

One of them was my Great-Great-Granddad Charles Edward Askew an Anti Aircraft Gunner of the Royal Garrison Artillery who passed away at his fathers home in Derby Road Chesterfield after a battle with pneumonia.

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Day 1:  Begins at The Lochnagar crater which was formed at 7:28 on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, when 24 tons of ammonal exploded in the largest mines ever detonated. 

Then on to Thiepval, one of the largest memorials to the missing, 12 of whom are from Staveley, Including 20 year old Samuel Woodhouse  a Sherwood Forrester from Barrowhill. before arriving in Arras where we spend the night. 

Day 2: will take me through Vimy Forest past preserved tunnels and trenches and will end in Neuve Chappelle scene of the first British attack.

Day 3: is the "last Push" and sees the trek end in Ypres 100kms and 100 years since the start of "the War to End all Wars"

 I'm hoping to raise £1600, for the charity which in the last year has supported over 80 specialist charities and some 6,000 individuals, including people in Derbyshire,  mainly because although we'll never fully repay their sacrifice its an opportunity to at least give something back to those that gave so much for us 

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