Dick to Cycle Round
Call Sign February 2012
Page 7
In 2006, Dial-a-Cab driver Dick Francis (T15)
Euro War Graves!
made the pages of Call Sign when in order
to raise funds to help pay for new equip-
ment for Great Ormond Street children's
hospital, he cycled the 350 miles from Paris
to London in five days. Together with other
volunteers on the ride, Dick helped to raise
a magnificent total of £76,000 to help pur-
chase some invaluable resuscitation equip-
ment!
But now, with his bottom having recov-
Somme and what became known as the hell
ered from saddle sores, 60-year old Dick has
of Verdun. In an area of just 25 square kilo-
decided to have another go at a charity ride
metres, around half a million soldiers died.
and is doing the 500 mile punishing
This magazine's Editor Alan Fisher (F07)
"Battlefield Tour in aid of the Help for
has visited Ypres and told Call Sign: "While
Heroes fund."
the area is now more akin to a museum with
Coincidentally, at a time when London
many schoolchildren visiting, both Linda and
Vintage Taxi Association Dutch PR man
I were incredibly moved by just being in the
Hans Dooren has kindly offered via Call
place where so many died while fighting to
Sign to trace the war grave of any relative of
keep freedom in the world."
Dial-a-Cab drivers at any of Holland's war
graves, Dick intends cycling round all the
Dick told Call Sign:"I expect it to be a very
World War One battlefields from Thiepval to
moving experience, yet one I am looking for-
the Somme and Ypres, before returning to
ward to doing. Naturally I hope to raise as
Dover and cycling back to Brentford.
much money as possible and my thanks to
Thiepval was chosen at the end of WW1
both Call Sign and Dial-a-Cab for their
hostilities for a Memorial to the many brave
promised sponsorship. I am hoping to com-
soldiers who were killed at the Somme but
plete the ride wearing some DaC cycling
classified as missing due to their bodies
shirts and hoping to chase some more spon-
never being identified and having no known
sorship from both in and out the trade.
grave.This Memorial to the Missing is said to
Call Sign will report on Dick's cycle ride
Dick Francis aims to cycle around
be a most moving and sobering experience.
when he leaves on May 20...
Europe's war graves to raise money
The memorial at Ypres is just as moving.
for help for heroes
This was just a small Belgian market town
situated just over the border from France a
Dennis Latchett
scene of much of the worst fighting of the
town virtually unknown until WW1 hostili-
Call Sign Online
war along with appalling horrors at the
ties broke out in 1914. It soon became the
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