Perspectives On The Front

The first time I visited The Front was in 2009, in May, shortly after the farmers plowed their fields. I think you always run the risk visiting Flanders in the spring for the rain – as you would in the fall, the timing of my second visit. But both seasons are a wonderful time to visit. In the case of the fall, the greys of the clouds create a unique climate, juxtaposed agains the bright flowers of the cemeteries and greens of the fields. Both spring and fall are also distinguished by the bounty – the detritus of war – that they give up from the four years of fighting in the Salient. Shrapnel that is always plentiful in the fields around Ypres, are joined by shell casings, barbed wire, fusings and other remnants of the war – including bones – in what is popularly known as The Iron Harvest.