|
Day 1 (Sunday) Ypres Salient, Belgium
Tour commences 10.15am at Lille Europe Station. Your guide will be waiting at the Meeting Point on the main concourse.
'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).
In the evening, you have the opportunity to attend the Last Post Ceremony at the Menen Gate in Ypres.
Day 2 (Monday) Fromelles, Loos, Arras and Vimy Ridge
This, the final day in our series of one-day Western Front battlefield visits, takes us to the line between Armentieres and Arras. It's a much neglected region but with a huge amount to see. On this day we'll visit sites connected with the 1915 battles of Aubers Ridge, Festubert, and Neuve Chapelle, where the Indian Army gave a magnificent account of itself, and the 1917 Battle of Arras. You'll see where Adolf Hitler served and the bunker he is reputed to have used as a billet. Australian's will be touched at seeing the Fromelles 'Digger' memorial, where a current archaeological investigation is uncovering the mass grave of over 400 Diggers killed at this first Australian battle on the Western Front. We'll tour the Loos battlefield, site of the disastrous battle of 1915. For Canadians Vimy Ridge is the undoubted highlight, where we take a trench tour and spend time at the massive and imposing Vimy memorial. We'll also see sites in and around the pretty city of Arras connected with the huge battle of 1917. If time, we'll see the recently discovered underground tunnels and the French National memorial at Lorrette de Notre Dame.
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.
|
|
