The Headmaster is currently walking part of the The Western Front Way as part of Cargilfield’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

The WFW was conceived by former pupil 2nd Lt Alexander Gillespie who wrote a letter to his Headmaster at Winchester College in 1915 to tell of his vision of ‘a via sacra’ (a sacred road), a route for peace between the enemy lines where he had witnessed such devastation whilst fighting on the Front Line.

“when peace comes, our government might combine with the French government to make one long avenue between the lines from the Vosges to the sea….I would make a fine broad road in the ‘No-Mans Land’ between the lines, with paths for pilgrims on foot and plant trees for shade and fruit trees, so that the soil should not altogether be waste. Then I would like to send every man, woman and child in Western Europe on a pilgrimage along that Via Sacra so that they might think and learn what war means from the silent witnesses on either side.”

Gillespie was killed in action just days later.

The Headmaster is being accompanied by various former pupils and parents for part of his walk which will end at the Menin Gate. He is laying wreaths at many of the graves of the 125 old boys who died in action during WW1.

Here is his latest update:

Day two of the walk took us from Irles north of Albert to Arras. We were joined by Rufus and his father Ewan who assisted with the laying of some of the wreaths. The photo shows us at the grave of Captain Keith Mackenzie at the Rookery British Cemetery.

We all dined that evening with James and Bob, Archie's father and grandfather and raised a glass to the brave Cargundians.