2014 heralds the centenary of the beginning of the single most important event to shape world history in the twentieth century. To mark one hundred years since the outbreak of World War 1 in 1914, we are offering a number of special tours for you. PLease see the details below of our World War 1 centenary tours.

 

The Retreat from Mons, 100 years

30 August – 2 September 2014  £470 per person sharing a twin or double room.

The stand of the British Expeditionary Force at Mons and the subsequent retreat during August and September 1914 are two of the most dramatic episodes from Britain’s involvement in the First World War.

This special tour for the centenary year includes visiting the site of the first shot fired by British troops during the war and the defence of the canal at Mons. We will see where the war’s first Victoria Crosses were awarded and the burial place of the first and last British Commonwealth casualties of the war. We then follow the line of the retreat to the battlefield of Le Cateau and visit Nery, scene of the heroic stand by the Royal Horse Artillery, and the atmospheric location of the Guards rearguard action at Villers-Cotterêts.

Ypres One Hundred Years On

9 – 12 November 2014  £470 per person sharing a twin or double room.

Visiting Ypres over Armistice Day will undoubtedly be a very moving and memorable experience. In October and November 1914, the British Expeditionary Force blocked the German drive towards the Channel ports during the First Battle of Ypres. The scale of the casualties suffered by the original BEF meant that it virtually ceased to exist as a fighting force.

This final special tour of the year provides the opportunity to join the centenary commemorations in Ypres on Armistice Day and to visit some of the sites of the historic events of the First Battle of Ypres in 1914, including the legendary charge of the Worcester Regiment at Gheluvelt and the Kindermörder at Langemark. We also go to the site of the Christmas truce at Ploegsteert Wood, where humanity replaced hostilities for a short while when soldiers met to talk and exchange gifts with their enemies.

First Day of the Somme Special

29 June – 2 July 2014  £425 per person sharing a twin or double room.

“Your Country Needs You” was the call to the men of Britain and the Empire and the response to Kitchener’s plea for men to join the colours in August 1914 was overwhelming. For many of these men, their first experience of a major battle was the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916 and this tour will focus on the experiences of those men on that fateful day. We will attend the annual commemoration, at Zero Hour on the anniversary of the attack, 7.30am on 1 July and visit some of the well known as well as less frequently visited sites from that historic day.

If you would like any further information about these three special World War 1 commemoration tours, or any of our other First World War and Second World War tours, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you in 2014