|
Day 1 (Saturday) The Somme, France
Tour commences 9.30am at Lille Europe Station. Your guide will be waiting at the Meeting Point on the main concourse.
To most people the Somme signifies one day - July 1st 1916. It was the day that the British Army suffered its greatest ever losses in a single day with nearly 60,000 casualties. But the actual battle for the Somme raged until November of that year, and saw massive fighting again in 1918.
What remains is truly awesome. There are sites seen today that will be etched into your consciousness forever. We tour the Somme battlefield covering major sites from the calamitous first day through the whole five months of the battle, and then look at some of the the events of 1918. You'll see Delville Wood, the Welsh memorial at Mametz Wood, the huge Lochnagar mine crater, the sunken road where the Accrington Pals were virtually wiped out, Sausage Valley, the Pozieres battlefield and Windmill Hill (both important site for Australians), Courcellette, site of the first major use of tanks supporting Canadian troops, and the nearby the tank memorial. We include Albert, the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and the Ulster Tower. An undoubted highlight, however, will be our guided walk around the incredible preserved Beaumont Hamel battlefield site.
In the evening, you have the opportunity to attend the Last Post Ceremony at the Menen Gate in Ypres.
Day 2 (Sunday) Ypres Salient, Belgium
'The Salient' struck fear into the Great War Tommy for being the hottest spot on the 70 mile front held by Imperial and Empire troops. Over a quarter of a million men gave their lives to hold this last bit of Belgium from the Germans. Although history records three great battles fought at Ypres, it was in fact a constant battle against shell, bullet, bomb, gas, water and rats.
On our day touring the Salient you'll see, in the company of a first class guide, some of the most important sites that remain; 'Shot at Dawn' execution sites, sites of the first gas attack and where flame thrower were introduced into modern warfare, John McRae's Essex Farm site, the grave of double VC winner, Noel Chavasse, Hooghe crater and museum, the Passendaele dug-out and Tyne Cot cemetery. You'll walk the moonscape of the Hill 60 battlefield and see literally dozens of memorials to British, Australian and Canadian regiments. We'll also spend time in Ypres itself with the opportunity to visit St George's Chapel, the Menen Gate Memorial, and the 'In Flanders Field' Museum (optional).
The tour returns to Lille Europe Station at around 6.30pm.
We recommend that you do not make onward connections before 7.30pm, in case of traffic delays.
|
|
