War Poets

Day 1

Visit the ‘In Flanders Fields’ Museum, Passchendaele Museum or Hooge Crater Museum. Afternoon guided visit which can include Essex Farm, Langemark German Cemetery and Tyne Cot. Attending the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate.

Edmund Blunden saw action in the Ypres Salient from November 1916 until January 1918 and was involved in the Third Battle of Ypres at Passchendaele. Blunden wrote many pieces whilst in the Ypres area including ‘The Zonnebeke Road,’ ‘Les Halles d’Ypres’, ‘Trench Raid near Hooge’ and ‘Vlamertinghe, passing the chateau.’  The latter three are on plaques at the Cloth Hall, Hooge military museum and outside the chateau gates at Vlamertinghe. There are plenty of reminders of Blunden’s war experiences and a whole tour could be constructed around these.

Siegfried Sassoon also spent time in the Ypres Salient, there is reference to his time here in ‘Sick Leave’ written at Craiglockhart.  John Macrae, the Canadian surgeon wrote ‘In Flanders Fields’ whilst stationed at Essex Farm dressing station.

Day 2

Depart for The Somme. Visit ‘Musee Somme’ or Wellington Quarries. Afternoon battlefield Tour can start at Serre No 2 Cemetery near where Wilfred Owen’s platoon held a dug-out in No Mans Land as described in his poem ‘The Sentry’. From here, travel the short distance to Newfoundland Park and walk to the end near Y-Ravine near Hawthorn Crater, Wilfred Owen was in the front line here in January 1917. Carry on to Thiepval, the memorial to the missing, a very emotional place. From here drive to the Fricourt area, where Robert Graves authored his poems ‘Two Fusiliers’ and ‘David & Goliath.’ Siegfried Sassoon was also serving in this area in spring 1916 before the Battle of the Somme. Drive to Delville Wood, where the savage fighting inspired Sassoon’s poem ‘The Road’ and Graves’ poem ‘The Dead Boche.’

Depart for Calais OR

Day 3: Visit Bellewaerde Park.

What’s Included

• Chosen pick-up and drop-off point
• Executive touring coach
• Return travel on Eurotunnel or P&O Ferries (Hull to Zeebrugge optional)
• Entrance to all museums throughout the tour
• Full board accommodation for tours lasting two days or more
• UK guides throughout your tour or Museum / Tourist Board guides.
• Exclusive Teachers’ Information Booklet and Pupil Worksheets
• Personal Battlefields Tours Executive to assist with tour planning

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

Battlefield and History Tours recommends the following

Wellington Museum: The museum is in the house where the Duke of Wellington made his headquarters and stayed the night before and after the Battle of Waterloo. The museum has a collection of artefacts linked to the duke and the battle with uniforms, weapons, and detailed maps of the battlefield on display.

Lion Mound & Visitors' Centre: The lion mound, the main memorial for the Battle of Waterloo, was completed in 1826 and is 43 meters high, which allows for magnificent views over where the battlefield was. The 1815 memorial visitor centre is an immersive and multisensory experience about the battle, with one of the highlights being the 3D film "In the heart of battle".

Hougoumont Château: The building was restored in 2015 for the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. The Hougoumont battle is often seen as a diversionary tactic used by Napoleon, who tried to draw the duke into sending more reserves to the right side. The duke declared after the battle, “the success of the battle turned upon the closing of the gates at Hougoumont.”

Caillou Farmhouse: The museum based in Napoleon’s last headquarters and the only Napoleonic Museum in Belgium. It has a rich collection of artefacts and with the visioguide system, it will allow you to immerse yourself and feel how it was the night before the battle.

Ligny and the Gerard Museum: The museum housed inside an old farm is dedicated to telling the story of the Battle of Ligny, Napoleon’s last victory. The museum also has an area dedicated to the Battle of Quatre Bras. This museum exhibits feature a wide selection of artefacts and information.

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