A chara, – In addition to the museums and heritage centres mentioned in Ronan McGreevy’s comprehensive article (“In Flanders Fields”, Magazine, June 21st), there is another interpretative centre which opened last November in the village of Ploegsteert. It is the “Plugstreet 14-18 Experience”, close to Ploegsteert Wood, which was the site of some fierce fighting throughout the Great War.
There are 13 military cemeteries in the surrounding area, and several craters which resulted from the chain of subterranean mine explosions which took place on June 7th, 1917. One of the football matches at Christmas 1914 between the German and British forces took place close by at St Yvon.
As well as explaining the movement of the Western Front in this region, the interpretative centre highlights the relationship between occupying forces and the local population, which makes it different to most other museums dealing with this period. It is a 20-minute drive south of Ypres, and about five minutes from the Island of Ireland Peace Park at Mesen, also well worth a visit. – Is mise,
AUDREY MacCREADY,
Maryfield Drive,
Artane,
Dublin 5.