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The Somme - Four Day Tour Battlefield Tours 2017 from £215 Relive the history and the sacrifice. Visit the battlefields with an experienced guide and gain a greater understanding of events. We Will Remember Them Welcome to our 2017 Battlefield Tours brochure. Rifleman Tours is proud to be entering its sixth year of operating trips and pilgrimages to the battlefields of Belgium and Northern France. As we still commemorate the centenary of the Great War throughout the 14-18 period, and remember the fallen, more and more are beginning to plan a visit to the battlefields to either trace an ancestor or to get a better and deeper understanding of battles that took place during this terrible conflict that affected so many Visiting the battlefields with Rifleman Tours families throughout our nation and the world. Visiting the battlefields of World War One and World War Two is one of Over the past twelve months we have taken the most emotional and thought-provoking experiences you can have. many battlefield guests on personal pilgrimages With the aid of our specialist guides and historians Rifleman Tours brings visiting the graves and memorials of their loved the battlefields back to life and conveys the thoughts and perspectives of all those who fought there, from the General to the humble Tommy. ones who made the ultimate sacrifice. It is a task that we, as a small company, take Our battlefield tours cater for groups with between 12 and 24 people, enormous pride in. and are specifically created to provide an informal, friendly relaxed atmosphere. They are suitable for everyone from the first time 2017 sees a number of significant anniversaries; battlefield visitor to the history student and experienced researcher. In fact, our guests come from all walks of life and span all ages. the 100th anniversaries of the battles of Passchendaele and Messines Ridge as well as Rifleman Tours offers executive coach/minibus travel from the UK with Arras and Vimy Ridge. To mark this occasion complimentary onboard refreshments. All accommodation is based at we have put together three special tours of three star quality hotels on a bed and breakfast basis. Lunches are catered for during your stay and all museum entry fees are included. remembrance marking each of these battles. As well as a top class guide, a tour manager will be with your group Where possible we will be attending one of the to take care of all your requirements. official ceremonies that will be held, and also Rifleman Tours offers a number of scheduled battlefield tours that holding our own personal tour of remembrance. take place throughout the year visiting the battlefields of northern Europe. Each battlefield tour has a flexible itinerary which makes it Another battle marks its 75th anniversary in easy to accommodate passengers wishing to visit a particular 2017 and that is Dieppe. Again we have a memorial or cemetery. remembrance tour put together to mark this We also offer tailor-made tours for those who might wish to relate battle and remember the many Canadian troops closely to the war experience of someone in their family. Rifleman Tours who landed and lost their lives in an attempt to can help with researching World War One or World War Two records take and hold this small coastal town for one that may exist about your relatives and incorporate this information into your tour to allow you to walk in the footsteps of your ancestors. tidal period. Over the years there has been some theories as to the real reason for this raid and we Groups and Associations are also catered for; if you are a Military unit, will look at these closely as well as attending the Western Front or British Legion Branch, school or just a group of friends, then we can arrange a tour that can suit your group. official ceremony in the town. We strive to offer a comprehensive battlefield tour at a competitive price. Please look through our brochure at the various But don’t take our word for this, read our testimonials and let Rifleman tours, or visit our website, and see the many Tours make your visit to the battlefields of World War One and World testimonials we have received over the years. War Two a truly memorable experience. If you have any further questions then please feel free to contact us as we would be only too pleased to help with your enquiry. Phone: 01908 617264 E-mail: [email protected] Warnest regards Tony & Allison Eden Website: www.riflemantours.co.uk A little about Rifleman Tours and your hosts 3 Rifleman Tours is operated by husband and wife team Tony and Allison Eden and is based in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Tony has always had a keen interest in military history and has a strong bond with the First World War and Ypres. His grandfather, Rifleman William James Eden of the King’s Royal Rifle Corp, was killed at Gheluvelt during the first battle of Ypres and is remembered on the Menin Gate. After running a packaging company for 25 years Tony decided to turn his hobby into his occupation and so Rifleman Tours was born. Allison has worked in event management for over 25 years and has extensive experience in this field. Her organisational skills and attention to detail, together with her lively, sociable character mean that your tour will be not only professional but also fun. Daughter Olivia is also showing an interest in Mum and Dad’s business and can’t wait until she is old enough to join the tours as a personal assistant! Thanks to their combination of skills, Allison and Tony are able to offer a bespoke, professional service, providing competitively priced battlefield tours which are well-organised, highly informative and enjoyable. Tony and Allison accompany every Rifleman experience, so your tour will never be left in the hands of a third party. Tony also has personal experience of all the external expert guides to ensure they meet the high standards you expect. Tony is a member of the Guild of Battlefield Guides, the Last Post and Western Front Association. Contents Page 3 A little about Rifleman Tours and your hosts Page 4-6 Travellers’ Testimonials Page 7 A Taste of Flanders and the Great War... The Corner of a Foreign Field - two day tour Page 8 Ypres: The Immortal Salient - three day tour Page 9 From the Ypres Salient to the Crucible of the Somme - four day tour Page 10 The Somme: Heroism and Horror, Including a visit to Vimy Ridge - three day tour Page 11 Vimy Ridge and Arras 100th Anniversary Tour - four day tour Page 12 Messines 100th Anniversary Remembrance Tour - four day tour Page 13 Battle of Passchendaele 100th Anniversary Remembrance Tour - four day tour Page 14 Armistice in Ypres and Passchendaele 100th Anniversary Tour of Remembrance - four day tour Page 15 Dunkirk - ‘Operation Dynamo’ - three day tour Page 16 Dieppe - ‘Operation Jubilee’ 75th Anniversary Tour - four day tour Page 17 Normandy and the D-Day Landings - four day tour Page 18 Arnhem ‘Operation Market Garden’ - four day tour Page 19 The Battle of Waterloo Campaign Tour - four day tour Page 20 Beers and Battlefields of Flanders - four day tour Page 21 Private and Group Tours Page 22 Travel Information Page 23 Tour Dates and Prices Page 24 Frequently Asked Questions Page 25-26 Booking Form Call us on 01908 617264 Page 27 Terms and Conditions 4 Travellers’ Testimonials “Congratulations and thanks to your company for putting together such a very well planned tour. From pick up through to finish you and your team made the tour so interesting, varied and pleasant also the nice touches provided on board coach. The hotel location and accommodation was superb. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. Thanks for your help in locating June’s Grandfather’s grave in Etaples Military Cemetery. Anyone considering a Battlefield tour, I would recommend Rifleman Tours.” Ian and June Beeden, South Yorkshire Ian and June at her Grandfather’s grave at Etaples “Dear Tony & Allison, We wanted to thank you both once again for the most fantastic weekend. We enjoyed every minute of the tour and have a much better understanding of the Somme thanks to Iain your guide and also yourself Tony. I was so very pleased to be able to lay a wreath at my great uncle’s grave, although I didn’t know him I found the whole experience very moving, especially when you did the exultation. Ian your driver was great fun and it was nice he joined in with everything and came around all the sites with us. And Allison, always there with a lovely smile and her goody basket and tea and coffee. You really did take care of us all. We would like to wish you all the very best for the future, with love and thanks.” Bob and Liz wait Bob and Liz Richards, Devon as the exultation is read “On behalf of the Association, may I thank you both for yet another fantastic tour this year, we had a branch meeting last night and we were all raving about it to those who did not attend. We thoroughly enjoyed each day and at each location your depth of knowledge on the events and its participants were second to none, you were able to explain the significance of the location and its events to us all clearly so that even the non-military amongst us were able to easily understand and were able to vividly re-enact the events in our own minds. We would highly recommend Rifleman Tours to anyone considering a battlefield tour having now been on two and are looking forward to booking a third next year.” Regards Paul Chadderton Members of the REME REME Association (Shropshire Branch) Association at the Menin Gate “The most unforgettable WW1 experience imaginable.
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