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TOURISM

GROUP VISITS WWI Tips for Trips - Zonnebeke

1 Table of Contents Discover Zonnebeke

Zonnebeke Remembers . . . . p 03

Zonnebeke on the Move . . . . p 15

Day Programmes p 19

Catering ...... p 29

Pratical ...... p 31

Dear visitor, Colophon We welcome you to Zonnebeke! Our fascinating mu- nicipality consists of five traditional villages, each with Editor-in-chief & Coordination: The Zonnebeke Tourist Office their own charm and history. This quirky piece of Mar- itime , located between , and Photography: , offers a plethora of opportunities for young Zonnebeke Tourist Office, Memorial Passchendaele 1917, Westtoer, and old, families, group of friends or colleagues and The Watch Association, associations. The landscape is filled with memories of Town of Ypres - Tijl Capoen, the First World War from the Memorial Museum Pass- KLM-MRA, Kris Jacobs Photography, chendaele 1917 to CWGC Cemetery and the Willy Roets many other sites that commemorate 'the Great War'. Maps: Memorial Museum In this brochure we present our vibrant municipality's Passchendaele 1917 group offers with plenty of options. You can choose Design: your own combinations, depending on whether you Magenta, Brugge have just a few hours, half a day or a full day to visit Printing: our municipality and region. You can also opt for the Cuvelier Graphics, Ieper ready-made walks or a battlefield tour. The Tourist Of- Websites: fice is happy to help you come up with a programme www.toerismezonnebeke.be that will suit both you and your group. www.passchendaele.be

© 2018, Zonnebeke Municipal Authority, Langemarkstraat 8, B-8980 Zonnebeke We would like to welcome you to Zonnebeke!

The information dates from November 2017, all information might contain errors and modifications. The Zonnebeke Tourist Office

2 Discover Zonnebeke Zonnebeke Remembers Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 ‘Tips and Trips’ - à la carte

In Zonnebeke you find yourself in the heart of We are happy to give you any tips and the First World War’s famous Ypres . hints to help you create your own à la ‘Passchendaele’ (Passiondale) symbolises the carte programme for a unique battle- senseless violence of war. field tour.

The museum section provides an overview of the five battles of Ypres, including the . Using historical artefacts, authentic letters, posters and other documents, PRACTICAL INFORMATION ) uniforms of various armies and video clips etc. you get a broad and detailed idea of what life in Berten Pilstraat 5/A • B-8980 Zonnebeke and around the battlefield must have been like. Open: from 1st February until 15th December, The interactive elements throughout the museum daily from 09.00 until 18.00 exhibition ensure that children also get an exciting last entry at 16.30 introduction to this period of history. The visitors’ trail then continues through the unique Entry: €6.50/adult Experience. Here you can discover how the British €4.00/student were living underground in 1917. An oppressive experience that creates a disconcerting picture Duration: 120 minutes of the miserable and claustrophobic living Tour : €60 (max. 25 persons/guide - conditions of the time. The concluding part of max. 3 /group) the visit is a faithful reconstruction of German and British trenches along which original shelters have been reconstructed. Get a sense of the The bus driver can drop off and pick up groups frightening feeling that came over the soldiers in the bus parking area of the museum, but he/ when they were ‘trapped’ here. A moving visit she must then park the bus in Roeselarestraat in that will serve to enrich your knowledge of the Zonnebeke. war sites in the area. 3 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS

Passchendaele Memorial Park

The Passchendaele Memorial Gardens are part of , , Canada, New Zealand and the the ‘The Legacy of Passchendaele’ masterplan. are already finished. The Belgian As part of this project, the two parts of the garden is currently in the construction or design Zonnebeke chateau grounds were reunited, phase. among other things. Landscape, recreation and education were the guiding principles behind the design of the park area. The Memorial Gardens PRACTICAL INFORMATION ) are an outstanding result of this. Seven gardens in the shape of a poppy, were planted in the area. Kasteeldomein • B-8980 Zonnebeke The goal is to make them into a remembrance garden for nations that fought in the region Open: daily from sunrise until sunset during the First World War. Every garden will be Entry: free • Duration: 30 minutes designed and built by the participating countries and will consist of three smaller sub-gardens, Tour guide: each dealing with the theme of remembrance. €30 - in combination with a guided tour They were/will be opened one by one between MMP1917 (max. 50 persons/guide) 2014 and 2018. The gardens of the United States,

4 © KLM-MRA, 14308- SI 1072 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS

Temporary exhibition

1918, The Final Offensive in Flanders The imposing ‘Villa Zonnedaele’ mansion PRAKTISCH ) houses the ‘1918, The Final Offensive in Flanders’ exhibition. This temporary exhibition, which Berten Pilstraat 5/C • B-8980 Zonnebeke consists of 3 parts, tells the story of the last year of the First World War and of the liberation Open: from 21st April until 15th November, in which the Belgian and American troops daily from 10.30 until 17.30 played an important role. The main focus is Entry: free • Duration: 60 minutes particularly on the liberation of Zonnebeke and Passchendaele by the Belgian troops. The other Tour guide: parts of this serial of temporary exhibitions €30 - in combination with a guided tour are based in the touristic centre in MMP1917 (max. 25 persons/guide - (Kemmel) and in the Hippodroom in . max. 3 guides/group)

5 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS

CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery

CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery is the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world. Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors come cemetery and the monument were designed by to this place of remembrance. The cemetery is Sir Herbert Baker and inaugurated in 1927. The testament to the extent to which life was lost centrepiece is the visitors’ centre which features a at the Battle of Passchendaele. ‘Tyne Cot’ was panoramic window with a unique view of the old originally a fortified German position on the battlefields. Here you also become acquainted ‘Flandern I’ line where Australian troops later with the history and significance of the cemetery, set up a first aid post in . Within a the landscape before and after the Battle of short space of time, a small cemetery appeared. Passchendaele and the personal effects of the During the period 1919-1921 the specialised fallen soldiers in 1917. The content of the visitors’ ‘Exhumation Companies’ brought here in total centre was renewed over the winter of 2016-2017. almost 12,000 dead from the surrounding fields. Don’t miss out during your battlefield tour! The wall behind the cemetery lists the names of another 35,000 without a known resting place. These people were mostly from Britain, PRACTICAL INFORMATION ) and New Zealand. This monument is therefore the sequel to the at Ypres. Both the Tynecotstraat • B-8980 Passchendaele parking: Vijfwegestraat

Open: Cemetery: daily from sunrise until sunset Visitors’ Centre: from 1st February until 30th November, daily from 10.00 until 18.00

Entry: free • Duration: 60 minutes

Tour guide: €60 (max. 50 persons/guide)

6 ONTDEK ZONNEBEKE -ZONNEBEKE ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS HERINNERT Polygon Wood

Polygon Wood was a military area during the war. On September 26th 1917, the wood was taken by the ANZAC during which heavy losses were sustained. The CWGC Buttes New British Cemetery can be found in the wood and the monument to the 5th Australian Division stands on the hill. At the edge of the cemetery is the New Zealand Memorial, a special monument to the New Zealanders who went missing in the area in the winter of 1917-1918. The smaller CWGC Polygon Wood Cemetery can be found on the other side of the street. Gordon Highlander John Thompson was buried here in 2004.

Entry: free • Duration: 60 minutes

Cryer Farm – Clapham Junction

In this underground German construction, you will discover a unique medical post with pump room, operation theatre and a waiting room for 50 soldiers. At Clapham Junction there are, among other things, monuments to the and the 18th Division. They suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Passchendaele. Both sites are located along the historic road from Menin to Ypres, the Menin Road.

Entry: €2.50/adult €1.50/student Duration: 60 minutes

Tour guide (obligatory): €60 (max. 50 persons/ guide - max. 1 guide/group)

Zandvoorde

This charming village is located on the spot where the British cavalry elite fought in 1914. Several monuments such as the stained-glass window in the church, the Household Cavalry Memorial and the CWGC Zantvoorde British Cemetery remind us of this. After this tragic event, Zandvoorde was in the hands of the Germans until the end of the war. An important witness to this is the impressive commando bunker from 1916.

Entry: free • Duration: 90 minutes

7 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS ’s Graventafel

On October 4th 1917, this high terrain was taken by the New Zealanders. The attack broke down in the Ravebeek Valley. On the 9th and 12th of October, the attempts to break through ended in a bloodbath. The deployment of the New Zealanders is commemo- rated by a monument. About 50 metres further on, there is a well-preserved British bunker which is The Road to freely accessible. Passchendaele Entry: free • Duration: 20 minutes In the middle of the 19th century, the first railway connection between Ypres and Roeselare was built, ‘Spoorlijn 64’. During the First World War, it was used for supplying troops and equip- ment. For the Australians, it was their ‘Road to Passchendaele’. It was the only route that was even somewhat accessible in the muddy landscape. This road is the physical connection between the MMP1917 and the CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery.

Entry: free • Duration: 90 minutes Geluveld Tour guide: €60 (max. 50 persons/guide) On October 31st 1914, the Germans were held back here in a bold and heroic manner by the and the South Wales Borderers. The packed mill, the church and the beautiful castle (private) are significant sites. You can’t pass up a visit to Geluveld if you really want to understand the .

Entry: free • Duration: 20 minutes

The Zonnebeke Crypt

Fifteen Zonnebeke heroes are buried in the Zonnebeke Crypt: a veteran from 1830, eleven soldiers from the First World War and three casualties of the Second World War.

Entry: free • Duration: 20 minutes 8 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS Scottish monument This Scottish commemorative monument has been placed at a historically appropriate location. The chosen site is on Frezenberg hill because this is the area where the Scottish 15th Division was involved in a series of bloody attacks on both July 31st as well as in mid-. The site offers a perfect view over the former battlefield where the attacks took place.

Entry: free • Duration: 20 minutes

Black Watch Corner Monument

This statue of a soldier from the Black Watch Battalion, was unveiled in May 2014. It stands on the southwestern edge of Polygon Wood, on al- most the same spot as the historical ‘Black Watch Corner’ where a German advance was halted on the 10th and 11th of . The memo- rial is a permanent trib- ute to the steadfast- ness of the legendary Black Watch Regiment and honours the near- ly 9,000 officers and soldiers who lost their CWGC Passchendaele lives and the more than New British Cemetery 20,000 wounded. The CWGC Passchendaele New British Entry: free • Duration: 20 minutes Cemetery contains 494 named tomb- stones, seven remembrance stones for the fallen whose proper grave was lost Passchendaele Village - Crest Farm and 1,600 stones for unknown soldiers, divided into sixteen plots. Almost all fell The Battle of Passchendaele has entered the his- during the Battle of Passchendaele in tory books as one of the bloodiest battles of the 1917. In 2003, three more unidentified First World War. There are numerous plaques on Canadians who were found in the the market square. Within walking distance of area were buried there. Access to the the market, you will find the Crest Farm Canadian cemetery is along one of the two shelter Memorial in honour of the thousands of Cana- buildings, connected by a partition wall dians who died in the last 800 meters (half mile) with holes, with a view of Passchendaele to Passchendaele. and the old front. This type of gallery is typical of the design of Major Holden. Entry: free • Duration: 30 minutes Entry: free • Duration: 30 minutes

9 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS

In Museum

The Museum confronts the visitor with the consequences of ‘The Great War’. The exhibition, with its captivating video projections, unique sound clips and the latest multimedia applications puts you right into the experience of the life on the front. Every visitor gets a poppy bracelet, with which you can dis- cover four personal stories.

Entry: €7.00/adult €4.00/student Combined ticket MMP1917+IFFM: €7.00/person (only for school groups) Duration: 90 minutes

Guide: €80 - 120 minutes (max. 25 persons/ guide)

Essex Farm – John McCrae Site CWGC Menin Gate – In this ‘Advanced Dressing Station’ John McCrae wrote his famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. Since 1928, every evening at precisely In addition to the cemetery and shelters, you 20:00, the Last Post is played under the can also visit the canal, which stretches over a CWGC Menin Gate. The memorial carries distance of 450 metres. High on the canal is the the names of almost 55,000 missing monument of the 49th West Riding Division, soldiers from the erstwhile . which was first deployed here in the summer of The names listed on the Menin Gate are 1915 and suffered heavy losses. until August 15th 1917 Those missing Entry: free • Duration: 45 minutes from August 16th 1917 until the end of the war are listed on the CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery Memorial in Passchendaele. The Menin Gate was built on the site of the old medieval gate. The British troops marched along this ‘gate’ during the First World War to the front in order to defend the ‘’. The Last Post is the perfect ending to any battlefield tour.

Entry: free • Duration: 20 minutes

Tip: We recommended that you turn up under the CWGC Menin Gate at least fifteen minutes before the start of the Last Post.

10 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS

German Cemetery

The ‘Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof’ (German Soldiers’ Cemetery) in Langemark, also known as ‘Studentenfriedhof’ (Students’ Cemetery) radiates the power of simplicity. In October and November 1914 thousands of young German soldiers fell here in the French Cemetery repeated attacks during the First Battle of Saint-Charles de Potyze Ypres. The ‘Studentenfriedhof’ name refers to the fact that a large number of students More than 4,000 soldiers lie in the Saint-Charles were among the volunteers. Behind the de Potyze Cemetery. 600 unknown soldiers monumental gate rest more than 44,000 found their final resting place in the mass grave. soldiers, of which almost 25,000 lie in a A Breton cross with a pietà of the sculptor mass grave. J. Fréour grieves over the dead. The visitor centre is the gateway to the Entry: free • Duration: 30 minutes cemetery. Here you get an insight into the life of a soldier during the first months of the war. Additionally, the story of the fleeing population and horror of the first gas attacks is told. All this is linked to the emergence and evolution of the cemetery.

Entry: free • Duration: 45 minutes

Belgian Cemetery

The Belgian Military Cemetery in Houthulst is the final resting place for 1,804 soldiers, of which 1,723 were Belgian and 81 were Italian. Most of the soldiers were killed during the Final Offensive in late 1918. It is the second largest Belgian military cemetery. The location at the edge of the ‘Houthulst Vrijbos’ and the striking star shape gives this place a serene and dignified character. Since 2015, a crypt on the grounds of the cemetery houses the remains of the unidentified victims of war.

Entry: free • Duration: 30 minutes

11 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS Talbot House

During the First World War, was part of a small piece of unoccupied . Away from the tumult of the Ypres Salient front, the town became the nerve-centre of the British sector. In the middle of the bustling , chaplains Neville Talbot and Philip ‘Tubby’ Clayton opened a club- house in . For three years, soldiers could go here for a rare moment of peace and re- laxation irrespective of rank. Just like in the past, this place is still a quiet stop along the route of the ‘Great War’ in Maritime Flanders.

Entry: €6.00/adult €5.00/student Combined ticket MMP1917+TH: €10.50/adult €7.50/student Duration: 90 minutes Vancouver Corner - Canadian monument

It was on this site on April 25th 1915 that the Hill 62 Canadians were surprised by the Germans. The fighting was fierce and bloody. The Canadian Hill 62 is a hill that is 62 metres above sea level. memorial with the ‘Brooding Soldier’, common- It was in German hands in 1916 until Canadian ly known as ‘the Canadian’, is considered one of troops conquered the hill. The Canadians sus- the finest monuments in the front region. tained many losses here. The monument at the top commemorates the fallen Canadian soldiers. Entry: free • Duration: 20 minutes From Hill 62, you can get a beautiful view of the towers of Ypres and you will immediately notice the strategic importance of this hill during the First World War.

Entry: free • Duration: 45 minutes

12 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS Bayernwald

In what used to be the Croonaert Wood in Heuvelland, a piece of a German trench system can be seen. The German troops conquered this territory from the French in 1914 and named the site ‘Bayern- wald’. Here you will also find two listening shafts. German soldiers were afraid of British deep mines and could overhear the enemy activity through these passages. Bayernwald was reconstructed based on archaeological research and shows you 10% of the origi- nal construction from the First World War.

Entry: €2.50/adult €1.50/student Duration: 60 minutes

Irish Peace Tower

The tower and the Irish Peace Park represent the sacrifice of thousands of Irish soldiers killed during ‘the Great War’. At the same time, it is a symbol of reconciliation between all the inhabitants of the island of Ire- land. The Peace Park was officially inaugurated on November 11th 1998. The construction of the Irish Peace Tower and layout of the park make Messines a mythical place in which the past serves as a guide to the future.

Entry: free • Duration: 30 minutes

The Plugstreet 14-18 Experience

On November 9th 2013, the brand new First World War information centre opened its doors in the heart of the forest of (Comines-). Using high-tech gadgets, the centre focuses on the lives of soldiers and civilians using a human, interactive and emo- - Caterpillar tional approach. The positions of the British and German troops in Comines-Warneton between This hill is located 60 metres above sea level. Here 1914-1918 are shown. you can get a nice view of Ypres and the sur- rounding area. It is one of the few pieces of origi- Entry: €4.00/person • Duration: 60 minutes nal war landscape with mine craters, bunkers and shell holes. Several memorials were built, for the Tour guide: €30 - 90 minutes (max. 30 persons/ guide) Queen Victoria Rifles, the 14th Light Division and the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company among others. On the other side of the train track is the impressive Caterpillar crater with a diameter of 80 metres.

Entry: free • Duration: 60 minutes 13 ZONNEBEKE REMEMBERS

Guides

The Zonnebeke Tourist Office and the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 have experienced, skilled, high-quality guides. Not just for a tour of the museum, but also for the sites. The guides are assigned based on the language and the type of group.

The cost of a guide is €30 per hour, with a minimum booking of 2 hours. At the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917, it’s a maximum of one guide for every 25 persons. For all other sites, it’s a maximum of 50 persons per guide.

14 Discover Zonnebeke Zonnebeke on the Move

Park walk, guided bike and hiking trails

‘THE LEGACY’ CYCLE TRAIL

The cycle trail is 37 km/23 miles long and introduces you to the monumental heritage of the Battle of Passchendaele. The route starts at the Zonnebeke Tourist Office, crosses the undulating landscape and takes you past several WWI and non-WWI sites like CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery, Crest Farm, the witch village of Beselare ... better get pedalling.

Duration: 5 hours

Tour guide: €150 (max. 50 persons/guide)

THE ‘PIONEER’ CYCLE TRAIL

Along the ‘Pioneer’ cycle trail (38 km/23.6 miles) you will discover more about the German story. The route runs along a less known, but no less important, wartime landscape. Traces of the German presence can still be found in many places. Here you can discover the rich heritage of war, even across the French border. Both the logistical story behind the construction of positions, as well as the daily lives of the German sol- diers are discussed. The cycle trail starts at Zandvoorde town square.

Duration: 5 hours

Tour guide: €150 (max. 50 persons/guide)

15 ZONNEBEKE ON THE MOVE

PARK WALK

The Zonnebeke chateau grounds (29 hectares/ 71.6 acres) have an extremely rich history. During the park tour, you will discover the story of the Zonnebeke Augustinian Abbey, the heyday of the chateau grounds and the impact the war and reconstruction had on the site. Education and recreation go hand in hand in the newly renovated Passchendaele Memorial Park, with its stately mansion from 1933. The main attraction are the unique Passchendaele Memorial Gardens, which are made up of seven small gardens in the form of a poppy.

Duration: 90 minutes

Tour guide: €60 (max. 50 persons/guide)

PICNIC LOCATION

The Zonnebeke chateau grounds are a wonderful picnic location. Next to the path from the coach parking to the chateau, besides the library, there is a picnic zone facilitating 56 people. The benches are free to use for both groups and individual visitors. And be honest, is there anything nicer than a lovely picnic in a sunny park?

16 ZONNEBEKE ON THE MOVE

‘THE LEGACY’ HIKING TRAIL

Explore our vibrant community with the ‘The Legacy’ trail. ‘Tyne Cot’, the first walk (8.5 km/5.3 miles), leads you to the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world. The southern ‘Polygon Wood’ walk (9 km/5.6 miles) takes you to Polygon Wood. Along the way you will discover not only the natural beauty, but also the landscape’s many silent witnesses of the First World War. On the third ‘Geluveld’ walk (4.4 km/2.7 miles) you can enjoy the sweeping landscape and stunning panoramas of the Valley and the border region. Along the way you will learn a lot about the history of this village. The first two walks start at the Zonnebeke Tourist Office. The third walk starts at Geluveld market square.

Duration: 3 hours (‘Tyne Cot’ hiking trail) 3 hours (‘Polygon Wood’ hinking trail) 2 hours (‘Geluveld’ hiking trail)

Tour guide: €90 (‘Tyne Cot’ hiking trail) €90 (‘Polygon Wood’ hiking trail) €60 (‘Geluveld’ hiking trail) (max. 50 persons/guide)

THE ‘PIONEER’ HIKING TRAIL

The ‘Pioneer’ walk starts at the Zonnebeke Tourist Office and is entirely dedicated to Germany’s war story. So you can learn more about the unprecedented construction that took place in this region between 1915 and 1917 and the suffering caused by war on the German side. This route is 11.7 km/7.3 miles long and connects beautiful, unknown places in the hilly landscape to the east of Zonnebeke.

Duration: 4 hours

Tour guide: €120 (max. 50 persons/guide)

17 ZONNEBEKE ON THE MOVE

CANADIAN ROAD TO PASSCHENDAELE

The ‘Canadian Road to Passchendaele’ allows you to follow in the footsteps of the Canadian troops who, in 1917, were handed the difficult task of taking the Passchendaele ruins. Along the way, you will learn more about this woeful campaign. After 100 days, they progressed a mere 8 km/5 miles from Ypres. The captured terrain was a lunar landscape. There were an estimated 245,000 Allied soldiers and 215,000 Germans dead, wounded and missing. The Canadians lost more than 16,000 men in this offensive. The cycle trail starts at CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery in Passchendaele.

Duration: 3 hours

Tour guide: €90 (max. 50 persons/guide)

NEW ZEALAND ROAD TO PASSCHENDAELE

The thematic walk ‘New Zealand Road to Passchendaele’ starts at ‘The Old Cheese Dairy’ in Passchendaele. On this trail you can explore the New Zealand’s 1917 battlefield on . New Zealand and Australian troops were assigned the difficult task of taking the high ground around Passchendaele in early October. The roughly 8.2 km/5 miles long trail leads you along the New Zealand Forces Memorial at ‘s Graventafel, the strategically important high ground of Bellevue and the Ravebeek Valley.

Duration: 3 hours

Tour guide: €90 (max. 50 persons/guide) 18 Discover Zonnebeke Day Programmes

2018 EXCLUSIVE 1918, The Final Offensive in Flanders Spring 1918, for more than three years the front Follow the tracks that today refer to the is a stalemate, but eventually the Germans landscape of the last days of the Great War break through with their Spring Offensive. with extra attention to the role of Belgian and Germany wants to do whatever it costs to force American troops in 1918. for a ceasefire before the Americans deploy their troops in Europe. In April, a fierce battle will be fought for the , the Germans PRACTICAL INFORMATION are approaching Ypres. After very heavy fights, Entry: €6.50/adult both exhausted sides recline. There will be €4.00/student no truce. The Allies lick their wounds and it Guide for the entire day: is now up to them to end the war. In view of 270 (max. 50 persons/guide) the liberating battle for Belgium, Army Group € Flanders is set up, an international force with Extra guide MMP1917: Belgians, French, Britons and Americans. The €60 (max. 25 persons/guide) Belgian army plays a crucial role in this and Lunch: price depends on what you choose liberates Zonnebeke, Passchendaele and the heights northeast of Ypres. There is again Duration: from 09.30 until 18.00 a war of movement as in 1914. US divisions Optional: dinner and attending the Last Post join the attack at Waregem and thrust to the Scheldt. The Germans must withdraw and on November 11, the Ceasefire will be signed.

© KLM-MRA 19 DAY PROGRAMMES

New Zealand Forces Memorial Scottish monument Frezenberg ‘s Graventafel

Discover Passchendaele 1917 From July 31st until November 10th 1917, there was heavy fighting in Zonnebeke. The aim was to capture Passchendaele on the way to the Belgian coast. Thousands of Britons, Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians fought in this bloody battle. It is known as one of the most gruesome battles of the First World War, with more than half a million dead for just five miles of territory. The battlefield tour explores the battlefield from the first line to the ultimate goal: Passchendaele. A name that has since gained mythical propor- tions. An ideal exploration for those who wish to learn about the course of this battle.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Entry: €6.50/adult €4.00/student Guide for the entire day: €270 (max. 50 persons/guide) Extra guide MMP1917: 1. Scottish Monument Frezenberg €60 (max. 25 persons/guide) 2. New Zealand Forces Memorial Lunch: price depends on what you choose ‘s Graventafel Duration: from 09.00 until 18.00 3. Crest Farm 4. CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery Optional: dinner and attending the Last Post

Crest Farm CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery

20 DAY PROGRAMMES

CWGC Passchendaele New British Cemetery CWGC Brandhoek New Military Cemetery

From front to hospital You are injured on the battlefield at Passchen- daele. What now? Where will you be taken? The battlefield tour follows the evacuation of a wounded soldier from the front line to the field hospital. We also pay consideration to those who unfortunately did not make it. Using the personal stories of famous names such as John McCrae, Noël Chavasse (WWI’s only double VC) and Nellie Spindler, we are confronted with the hard and harsh conditions of medical care during the First World War. A sobering con- frontation.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Entry: €6.50/adult €4.00/student Guide for the entire day: €270 (max. 50 persons/guide) Extra guide MMP1917: €60 (max. 25 persons/guide) 1. CWGC Passchendaele New British Lunch: price depends on what you choose Cemetery 2. John McCrae Site Duration: from 09.00 until 18.00 3. CWGC Brandhoek New Military Optional: dinner and attending the Last Post Cemetery 4. CWGC Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery

CWGC Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery John McCrae Site

21 DAY PROGRAMMES

German Cemetery Langemark Cryer Farm

The story of the other side 1917 Two weeks of artillery bombardment and over four million projectiles fired! Followed by mil- lions of Commonwealth troops attacking their positions. How did the Germans hold out? What’s the secret of the German defence? How did the British ultimately fail to reach their goal? With this battlefield tour, we take a look at the strong German defence with concrete bunkers, trenches and a smart approach. This is the story of the Battle of Passchendaele from ‘the other side’.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Entry: €11.50/adult €7.00/student Guide for the entire day: €270 (max. 50 persons/guide) Extra guide MMP1917: €60 (max. 25 persons/guide) Lunch: price depends on what you choose 1. Bayernwald Duration: from 09.00 until 17.45 2. German commando bunker Zandvoorde Optional: dinner and attending the Last Post 3. Cryer Farm 4. German Cemetery Langemark

Bayernwald German commando bunker Zandvoorde

22 DAY PROGRAMMES

CWGC Menenpoort CWGC Polygon Wood Cemetery

In the footsteps of the Aussies 1917 The most successful phase of the Battle of Passchendaele was mainly achieved by Aus- tralian troops who, with a different approach, a little luck and above all perseverance, boldly took the German positions up to CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery. We follow the advance of these troops using personal stories and historical photographs of legendary places such Menin Road, Maritime Flanders, Polygon Wood and Broodseinde. As it departed from Ypres to eventually hit CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery where the attack stopped.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Entry: €6.50/adult €4.00/student Guide for the entire day: €270 (max. 50 persons/guide) Extra guide MMP1917: 1. CWGC Menin Gate €60 (max. 25 persons/guide) 2. CWGC Polygon Wood Cemetery Lunch: price depends on what you choose 3. The Road to Passchendaele Duration: from 09.00 until 17.45 4. photo Frank Hurley – Optional: dinner and attending the Last Post

The Road to Passchendaele photo Frank Hurley – Bellewaerde

23 DAY PROGRAMMES

Hill 62 Nova Scotia

Canadians in the Salient The final phase of the Battle of Passchendaele is considered one of the bloodiest. It was a last and almost impossible attempt to bring the offensive to a successful conclusion: all to capture Passchendaele, an apparently meaningless village on the ridge. For gains of less than a mile wide, the entire Canadian division, who earned their spurs at Vimy, was deployed. Nicknamed ‘storm troops’ or ‘shock troops’ the expectations were high. Especially when you look at their actions in Flanders before 1917. The battlefield tour takes you to the places where the Canadians earned their stripes and finally went into action during ‘Passchendaele’ or ‘Passiondale’, as they called it.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Entry: €6.50/adult €4.00/student Guide for the entire day: 1. Brooding Soldier €270 (max. 50 persons/guide) Extra guide MMP1917: 2. Hill 62 3. Crest Farm €60 (max. 25 persons/guide) 4. Nova Scotia Lunch: price depends on what you choose Duration: from 09.00 until 17.45 Optional: dinner and attending the Last Post

Crest Farm Brooding Soldier

24 DAY PROGRAMMES

New Zealand Memorial Messines Pool of Peace

Kiwis in Flanders 1917 ‘From the uttermost ends of the earth’. This is where the New Zealand troops came from to fight in Flanders. In this battlefield tour, we follow this brave little army of migrants and Maori, their commitment knew no limits. After a successful series of actions in Messines and the , destiny finally struck. On October 12, 1917 they stormed the hills around Passchendaele. The death toll was so great that it is called the blackest day in the history of New Zealand. With 845 dead and 2,700 wounded, they lost one third of their entire force. With the help of personal stories, you get the chance to experience how this small nation made a major contribution to the First World War.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Entry: €6.50/adult €4.00/student Guide for the entire day: 1. New Zealand Memorial Messines €270 (max. 50 persons/guide) Extra guide MMP1917: 2. Pool of Peace 3. CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery €60 (max. 25 persons/guide) 4. Polygon Wood Lunch: price depends on what you choose Duration: from 09.00 until 18.00 Optional: dinner and attending the Last Post

CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery Polygon Wood

25 DAY PROGRAMMES

German Cemetery Langemark CWGC New Irish Farm Cemetery

Aces over Passchendaele 1917 In 1917, fighting was not confined to the ground, it also took to the skies! had just suffered ‘Bloody April’ when, just before the summer, the air war hit its peak here. It was the emergence of the three-deckers, firstly with the Sopwith Triplane, followed by the notorious German Fokker Dr.I. At the same time, flying aces earned their stripes flying over Zonnebeke and Passchendaele: Guynemer, Voss, Collishaw, von Richthoffen, Göring, Mc Cudden ... the high point of air fighting was at the end of July 1917 over Polygon Wood. These heroes were an inspiration for ground troops. We follow a few aces and their sometimes dramatic fate during the Battle of Passchendaele.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Entry: €6.50/adult €4.00/student Guide for the entire day: 1. CWGC New Irish Farm Cemetery €270 (max. 50 persons/guide) Extra guide MMP1917: 2. German Cemetery Langemark 3. Guynemer Memorial Poelkapelle €60 (max. 25 persons/guide) 4. CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery Lunch: price depends on what you choose Duration: from 09.00 until 17.45 Optional: dinner and attending the Last Post

Guynemer Memorial Poelkapelle CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery

26 DAY PROGRAMMES

Belgian Cemetery Westvleteren Belgian Cemetery Houthulst

Belgians in the Final Offensive of 1918 About a third of all Belgian casualties fell during the Final Offensive and its preceding operations. On this battlefield tour, we follow the Belgian troops from the cantonments to Roeselare. We discuss the infamous battles and places: Lion Belge, De Drie Grachten, Merkem, De Kippe, Houthulst Wood, Passchendaele ... All names that long adorned the regimental banners. The role of the Belgians in 1918 is often, unfairly, a forgotten story. With the help of personal stories, dramat- ic testimonials and remarkable relics, we explore the role of the hardened Belgian soldier during the Final Offensive in addition to other problems the Belgians faced during the First World War.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Entry: €6.50 adult 1. Belgian Cemetery Westvleteren €4.00 student Guide for the entire day: 2. Belgian Cemetery Houthulst 3. Jules De Winde Monument €270 (max. 50 persons/guide) Extra guide MMP1917: 4. The Zonnebeke Crypt €60 (max. 25 persons/guide) Lunch: price depends on what you choose Each battlefield tour can be tailored to Duration: from 09.00 until 18.00 the group. It is possible to do the tour by bicycle or motorbike. Optional: dinner and attending the Last Post

Jules De Winde Monument The Zonnebeke Crypt

27 DAY PROGRAMMES

Platoon Experience To stay in character, your lunch will consists of a hot Tommy Tucker meal in a mess tin. Real 1917 A unique immersion project in the year 1917! soldiers’ food …

The group takes on the role of an Australian pla- The approach is interdisciplinary with, in addi- toon in 1917, stepping in their footsteps along tion to stories, a lot of attention being paid to the bloody path which they took to CWGC Tyne landscape, literature, art and morality. Cot Cemetery. Based on real historical evidence, experienced guides take you on an exciting jour- ney. PRACTICAL INFORMATION

After visiting the Memorial Museum Passchen- Open: from March 1st until November 15th daele 1917 and an introduction to the events and Entry: 37.00/person (participants) circumstances in which they tried to survive at € 6.00/person (supervisors) the front, we set off along the historic Ypres to € 300 (deposit) Roulers railway track. € Included: Each participant is fully equipped with what an - entry and guided visit of the MMP1917 Australian soldier would have carried at that - guided visit of CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery time including uniform, luggage and rifle. We - educational framework by 1 or 2 supervisors take a look at the military story, but personal in- - personal immersion stories and battlefield volvement is the most important aspect. Each walk in authentic gear member of the group assumes the role of an - warm Tommy Tucker meal Australian who was actually serving at the time. Gradually, you learn more and more about the Please be aware: max. 50 persons/group and character and in the end, at CWGC Tyne Cot minimum age of participants is 14 years old Cemetery, you hear how your soldier finally lost their life. A sobering experience!

28 Discover Zonnebeke Catering

Breakfast Snacks coffee/tea (with refill) and pastry farmhouse bread with Classic, ham €4.50/person and mixed salad €11.00/person coffee/tea (with refill), pastry and 2 rolls with farmhouse bread with Passendale Classic, ham and cheese €7.50/person cooked ham, Zonnebeke fingers and mixed salad €12.00/person Warm Meals farmhouse bread with a variety of 5 cheeses and mixed salad 12.00/person chicken filet with mushroom sauce, croquettes € Passchendaele Burger and mixed salad and mixed salad €15.00/person 12.00/person beef stew with chips and mixed salad € €16.00/person pork tenderloin with pepper cream sauce, Drinks supplement croquettes and mixed salad 16.00/person € soft drink or lager €2.00/person baked salmon with white wine sauce, chips soft drink, lager or Passendale beer/The Great and mixed salad 16.00/person € Beer Passchendaele €3.00/person • always starts with a fresh soup of the day drink of your choice (tip: Rex Artus) • the group choses one main course €4.00/person • drinks not included table water, one glass of house wine and cof- • extra coffee/tea (no refill) possible fee/tea (no refill) after the meal €1.00/person €7.00/person only in conjunction with one of the above Tommy Tucker menu meals fresh soup of the day - Passchendaele Pie - coffee/tea (no refill) with Tommy Cake Tearoom €14.00/person no drinks included, except coffee/tea with coffee/tea (with refill) €2.50/person dessert coffee/tea (with refill) and cake €5.50/person coffee/tea (with refill) and 2 fresh pancakes with sugar €6.50/person coffee/tea (with refill) and Zonnebeke Sun Tart €8.50/person coffee/tea (with refill) and Witches’ Ice Cream Cake €9.00/person Coffee/tea (with refill) and Witches’ Tart €9.50/person

29 CATERING

An overview of our regional products:

• Passchendaele Pie: Tommy Tucker (stew • The Great Beer Passchendaele: a delicious, with potatoes, vegetables and corned beef) blonde thirst-quencher with first-class wrapped in puff pastry – a WW1 recipe fermenting and a crisp finish (5.2%) • Tommy Cake: cake with rum, a WW1 recipe • Rex Artus: amber tripel (8.5%), fermented in • Passendale Classic: golden, creamy cheese the bottle with floral and fruity notes, made (20+) in natural white crust with a soft according to an original Beselare recipe texture and full flavour • Zonnebeke Sun Tart: shortcrust pastry • Zonnebeke fingers: quality dried pork tart filled with a banana mix, a fine layer of sausage (Duroc d’Olives), dried for 48 hours biscuit, whipped cream and yellow marzipan and then lightly smoked over a sawdust of • Witches’ Ice Cream Cake: ice-cream cake beech and oak, with an dash of Provencal with hand-made farm cuberdon and vanilla herbs ice cream finished with a cuberdon jelly and • Passchendaele Burger: fresh pork burger a bewitching marzipan with a bun, Passchendaele Sauce (own • Witches’ Tart: French pastry with custard, recipe) and vegetables gelatin fruit (apple or cherry), whipped • Passendale beer: amber beer (5.5%) cream and biscuit brewed with different kinds of malt and fermented in the bottle, only available in ‘The Old Cheese Dairy’ in Passchendaele

30 Passchendaele Pie Discover Zonnebeke Practical Information

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS - GROUP RESERVATIONS 2017

1. The published prices are merely indicative for 7. Please arrive punctually at the agreed meeting groups of twenty or more and are valid until point. Groups must telephone to inform our the end of 2018. The Tourist Office reserves office of any delay. Please call +32 (0)5 177 0441 the right to change prices due to rate changes, 8. If the group arrives late, yet still wants to adjustments to the cost of third party services complete the entire tour, and when this is also or to correct any typographical errors in this possible for the guide, the following surcharges brochure. will apply: 2. Prices do not include transportation. All the delay of: 1-15 min.: €0.00 and packages mentioned take place 16-30 min.: €20.00 using your own coach or car. 31-45 min.: €25.00 3. A reservation must be requested at least four 46-60 min.: €30.00 weeks in advance. After a wait of one hour we no longer guarantee 4. After sending your reservation request (letter or the can go through, but it will be email), you will receive a confirmation with all invoiced. the specific arrangements. 9. The Municipality of Zonnebeke and designated 5. We ask that you indicate the expected number tour guides shall not be held responsible for of participants when you make a reservation accidents or damage to participants or third request. Please communicate the exact number parties, nor for the performance of third parties of participants, in writing, at least one week included in the package. before your visit. If no adjustment is made to the 10. A legitimate complaint must be submitted in number originally specified, and the group turns writing to the Tourist Office no later than eight out to be smaller than initially specified, you days after the date of the excursion. will still have to pay for the number originally specified. Changes may only be made twice. 6. Cancellation is free of charge provided that the Tourist Office is notified in writing at least 10 days before the reserved excursion date. Those who cancel with less than 10 days’ notice will be sent a bill of €25.00 to cover the cost of cancellation. For cancellations on the day of the excursion, the full amount will be invoiced.

31 Information and reservations

Tourist Office Berten Pilstraat 5/A • B-8980 Zonnbeke t 0032 (0)51 77 04 41 e [email protected] w www.toerismezonnebeke.be www.passchendaele.be Toerisme Zonnebeke @Visit_Zonnebeke

Open

Open daily from 09.00 until 18.00. Closed during the week of Christmas and New Year’s.

How to get here

Zonnebeke is accessible via the A19 motorway, exit 3 - Beselare /Zonnebeke or exit 4 - Ieper centrum. There are several buses from the train stations in Ypres, and Roeselare: • 84: Ieper – Geluveld – Beselare – – Menen – Moeskroen • 89: Ieper – Zandvoorde – Komen • 94: Ieper – Zonnebeke – Passchendaele – Roeselare

OOSTENDE De Lijn buses information: BRUGGE

t 0032 (0)70 22 02 00 E40 E40 ANTWERPEN DUNKERQUE GENT Dial-a-bus in : E403

N8 ROESELARE t 0032 (0)59 56 52 56 CALAIS

E17 ZONNEBEKE BRUSSEL POPERINGE KORTRIJK IEPER A19

LILLE