Medics, Vets & Padres Ypres and the Somme

Day 1

Travel to Folkestone. Shorncliffe Military Cemetery and the Gotha Raids. Tunnel or ferry to Calais. Essex Farm ADS and Colonel John McCrae. Hostel Ypres (2 nights) Hill 60 preserved battlefield (time permitting).

Day 2

0900 depart for Tubby Clayton and the Concert Party at TOC H. The flu epidemic, Nellie Spindler and the 1922 Pilgrimage at Lissenthoek.  Captain Noel Chavasse VC and Bar at Brandhoek CCS.  Sanctuary Wood Museum and trenches. (Lunch break) Tyne Cot CWGC cemetery. Private John Condon at Poelcapelle. Langemarck German cemetery.  St Georges Memorial Church and Ypres. “The Last Post” at the Menin Gate.

Day 3

0845 drive south for the battle of the Somme 1916. The Horse memorial at Chipilly. Lochnagar Crater and Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart. Auchonvillers Stretcher Bearers Post cellars and lunch. Newfoundland Memorial Park and visitor centre. The Reverend Theodore Bayley Hardy VC at Rossignol Wood. This tour will finish at Lutyens Memorial to the missing on Thiepval Ridge. Return to Calais.

Accommodation

‍We work closely with the owners of four School hotels in Ypres and a purpose-built school hotel in Albert (The Somme) which has three separate floors, all designed to accommodate youth groups. Have a look at www.thepoppies.be and www.poppiesalbert.com to check out floorplans and availability. We can also offer 3* hotel accommodation in the centre of Ypres or in Arras to suit groups with a larger budget. The ‘Peace Village’ in Messines is not just a hostel which offers a lot of outdoor and indoor activities in a secure location, they have their own restaurant, bar area, terrace, sports facilities, and conference room / disco. www.peacevillage.be

‍Suggestions And Ideas for Visits and Excursions

‍Each group will have its own special interests and curricular needs. That is why every visit can be completely tailored to you. You will find some suggestions below, but you can always call us to discuss more options.

‍Battlefield and History Tours recommends the following

• In Flanders Fields: This interactive museum in the centre of Ypres tells the story of the Second World War through the experiences of the soldiers involved and the human effects across the region.
• St Martin's Cathedral: Interesting architectural buildings destroyed during World War I and rebuilt in the gothic style.
• St. George's Memorial Church: St. George's Memorial Church was built to commemorate over 500,000 British and Commonwealth troops, who had died in the three battles fought for the Ypres Salient during World War I.
• Ledoux Chocolaterie: Ledoux Chocolaterie offers a fantastic traditional Belgian chocolate experience with a range of activities, workshops, taster sessions, and demonstrations. The helpful, friendly staff are happy to cater for any group's requirements and budget. A great additional activity which is fun and relaxing, and you can make your own chocolates.
• Passchendaele Museum: Situated in the Zonnebeke Chateau, the Passchendaele Museum makes an ideal starting point for a tour of the Salient battlefields. The displays chronicle the story of World War I, with a recreated bunker and trenches for students to experience without having to go out in the mud.
• Bellewaerde Theme Park: Bellewaerde Theme Park, close to Ypres, has a great mix of attractions for all ages with wild roller coasters, pirate boats, children’s rides, as well as animals and nature. Open between April and November, it is a fantastic way to end a battlefield tour.
• Ypres Christmas Market: The Ypres Christmas market and Ice Rink will once again be in the traditional Market Square, open from 23rd November to 2nd January 2019. (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Typical Belgian food, chocolate, and market products will be available.

Other variations on numbers and duration available plus day trips available on Request.

‍Other Visits and Excursions

‍St Martin’s Cathedral is Interesting architectural buildings destroyed during World War I and rebuilt in the gothic style.

St. George’s Memorial Church was built to commemorate over 500,000 British and Commonwealth troops, who had died in the three battles fought for the Ypres Salient, during World War I.

Bellewaerde Park is a theme park close to Ypres which has a great mix of attractions for all ages with wild roller coasters, Pirate boats, children’s rides as well as animals and nature.  Open between April and November, it is a fantastic way to end a battlefield tour.

Ypres is only one and a half hours from Calais so your first day will depend very much on your departure point and the time it takes you to get to Dover/Folkestone. Alternatively, we can arrange crossings from Hull to Zeebrugge with overnight cabins.

Ledoux Chocolaterie offers a fantastic traditional Belgian Chocolate experience with a range of activities, workshops, taster sessions and demonstrations. The helpful, friendly staff are happy to cater for any group's requirements and budget.  A great additional activity which is fun and relaxing, and you can make your own chocolates.

Ypres Christmas market and Ice Rink will once again be in the traditional Market Square, open from 23rd November to 2nd January 2019(Closed Mondays & Tuesdays).

Typical Belgian Food, chocolate and market products will be available.