The Somme Tour Prices: 3 Day Tour £549 Per Guest Low Single Rooms Supplements £45 Per Night Deposit Just £100 Per Person
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First World War Tours The Somme Tour Prices: 3 day tour £549 per guest Low Single Rooms Supplements £45 per night Deposit just £100 per person Next Trip Dates: 5-7 September 2014 PLACES AVAILABLE What’s included: Bed & Breakfast Accommodation All transport from the official overseas start point “Going over the top” - the iconic image of the Somme Accompanied for the trip duration All Museum entrances All Expert Talks & Guidance The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was a battle of the First World Low Group Numbers War fought by the armies of the British and French Empires against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 20 November 1916 on either side of the River Somme in France. The battle was one of the largest of World War I, in which more than 1,000,000 men were killed or wounded, making it one of humanity’s bloodiest battles. A Franco-British commitment to an “I just wanted to thank you for the offensive on the Somme had been made during Allied discussions at Chantilly, Oise in December trip, it was a great experience & 1915. The Allies agreed upon a strategy of combined offensives against the Central Powers both Nicky and I enjoyed it very in 1916, by the French, Russian, British and Italian armies, with the Somme offensive as the much. Your depth of knowledge on the subject certainly brought the Franco-British contribution. The main part of the offensive was to be made by the French Army, past alive.” supported on the northern flank by the Fourth Army of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). When the German Army began the Battle of Verdun on the Meuse in February 1916, many French divisions intended for the Somme were diverted and the supporting attack by the British Military History Tours is all about the became the principal effort. The First Day on the Somme was a serious defeat for the German ‘experience’. Naturally we take care of Second Army, which was forced out of its first line of defence by the French Sixth Army, from all local accommodation, transport and entrances but what sets us aside is our Foucaucourt-en-Santerre south of the Somme to Maricourt on the north bank and by the British on the ground knowledge and contacts, Fourth Army from Maricourt to the vicinity of the Albert–Bapaume road. 1 July 1916 was also the established over many, many years that enable you to really get under the worst day in the history of British Army, which suffered over 57,000 casualties, mainly on the surface of your chosen subject matter. front between the Albert–Bapaume road and Gommecourt, where the attack failed disastrously, By guiding guests around these historic few British troops reaching the German front line. The British Army on the Somme was a mixture locations we feel we are contributing greatly towards ‘keeping the spirit alive’ of the remains of the pre-war regular army, Territorial Force and the Kitchener Army which was of some of the most memorable events composed of Pals battalions, recruited from the same places and occupations, whose losses in human history. had a profound social impact in Britain. Let their sacrifice not be in vain. Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611 For the latest news and tour information follow @MilitaryHistory First World War Tours Salford Pals on the Somme One of humanity’s bloodiest battles The battle is notable for the importance of air power and the first On the way to the Somme battlefields you will be given the use of the tank. At the end of the battle, British and French forces background to the series of actions that comprised the Battle had penetrated 6 miles (9.7 km) into German-occupied territory, of the Somme in 1916, the largest set piece British offensive taking more ground than any offensive since the Battle of the of the war to that time. This tour focuses on the British and Marne in 1914. The Anglo-French armies had failed to capture Commonwealth endeavours on this front during the latter part Péronne and were still 3 miles (4.8 km) from Bapaume, where the of 1916. German armies maintained their positions over the winter. British attacks in the Ancre valley resumed in January 1917 and forced the Germans into local withdrawals to reserve lines in February before the scheduled retirement to the Siegfriedstellung (Hindenburg Line) began in March. It is a bloody tale and the “The Somme” has become a term Sheffield Memorial Park incorporated into the British psyche that immediately counjours up an image of the sacrifices made by the ordinary soldier We will begin by looking at actions that occurred around the in the First World War. On this trip we explore the battlefield village of Serre from the Sheffield Memorial Park. Serre was across a timeline that explains all the key locations and helps one of the strongly fortified villages held by the Germans at the us bring alive stories not just of Generals and strategy but also beginning of the Battle of the Somme. The village, about five the average fighting man and what they went through. We feel miles north of Albert, marked the most northern point of the main so strongly about this action that we have dedicated an entire attack on the 1st of July 1916. The name of Serre has come to be trip to it so we can enable guests to get under the surface of linked closely with several of the ‘Pals’ battalions, which suffered the story. very heavy losses in the attacks made here. The Pals battalions were part of Kitchener’s Army, and they were formed in specific Day One guests are met by the MHT Team led by First World towns or cities, where battalions were raised following the call to War expert, Mark Banning, at Lille International Train Station arms. As many of those who enlisted were friends, colleagues or where the tour begins at 10:30. Guests will typically be on the relations, the idea was that by enlisting together in the local Pals 08:04 from London St Pancras arriving Lille 10:26 and the return battalions they would stay together during their service. trip will typically cost guests £79. Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611 For the latest news and tour information follow @MilitaryHistory First World War Tours Serre - memorial entrance Accrington Pals memorial Support trench, Sheffield Memorial Park Ulster Tower memorial Lochnagar Crater The casualty lists that came back after the 1st of July 1916 strongpoint with commanding views. In the afternoon we spend devastated some of the communities which had sent these time in nearby Thiepval Wood, examining the archaeological Pals battalions. As friends, colleagues and relations had joined work carried out along the British front line, occupied on this up together, so they often died together, and families, streets fateful first day by men of the 36th (Ulster) Division. and whole communities grieved together when the telegrams arrived. A Memorial to the Accrington Pals and plaques to other The day will conclude with time around Mash Valley and the Pals Battalions in the Park illustrate the nature of the great loss Lochnagar Crater at La Boisselle. At the side of the Albert- that was experienced here. The ultimate sacrifice the men made Bapaume road in Mash Valley, on the 1st July, the 2nd Middlesex in this area is evidenced by the number of cemeteries to be Battalion was wiped out in a matter of minutes. Assailed by found nearby. machine-gun fire from the fortified villages of Ovillers and La Boisselle, the battalion suffered over 500 casualties as the Following the course of the 1st July front line, we head for the troops made their way across 750 yards of No Man’s Land. The Ulster Tower for a light lunch. The Ulster Tower is a memorial to Lochnagar mine was an explosive-packed mine created by the the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division. The memorial was officially Royal Engineer tunnelling companies, located south of the village opened on 19 November 1921 and is a very close copy of Helen’s of La Boisselle, which was detonated at 7:28 am on 1 July 1916. Tower which stands in the grounds of the Clandeboye Estate, near The Lochnagar mine, along with a neighbouring mine north of the Bangor, County Down in Northern Ireland. Many of the men of the village known as the Y Sap mine, contained 24 tons of ammonal. Ulster Division trained on the estate before moving to England At the time these mines were the largest ever detonated. The and then France early in 1916. The tower (plus a small cafe nearby) sound of the blast was considered the loudest man-made noise is staffed by members of the Somme Association, which is based in history up to that point, with reports suggesting it was heard in Belfast. The Division attacked the Schwaben Redoubt, which in London. We then head to our overnight accommodation which is near the Ulster Tower, on 1 July 1916. The Schwaben Redoubt is a lovely hotel on the Place Des Héros located in the very heart was a little to the north-east of where the tower stands, and was of Arras. a triangle of trenches with a frontage of 300 yards, a fearsome Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611 For the latest news and tour information follow @MilitaryHistory First World War Tours Fricourt New Military Cemetery Fricourt German Cemetery Montauban Liverpool Manchester Pals Memorial Newfoundland Memorial Park trench system Thiepval Memorial Day Two After breakfast, we will focus on some of the actions around Beaumont Hamel which was a fortress village located south of the Albert/ Bapaume Road on the 1st July at Fricourt, just behind the German lines on the 1st of July 1916.