RSL & SERVICES CLUBS ASSOCIATION 14 DAYS WESTERN FRONT BATTLEFIELD TOUR 22 SEPTEMBER - 05 OCTOBER 2018 (12 NIGHTS / 14 DAYS) Depart Sydney on Saturday 22 nd September Depart Sydney Arrive into Paris on Sunday 23 rd September Check in to our Paris hotel. Early evening: Welcome drinks to meet the Apollo Tour guides with an overview of the tour. IN: 23 SEP OUT: 24 SEP Dinner own arrangements Day One: Monday 24 th September Depart our hotel with some sightseeing of Paris before driving to Reims. Reims was besieged by the Germans in WW1. On 6 th April 1917, 20,000 shells fell on the city destroying many buildings. The Notre Dame Cathedral was founded in 1211, is a wonderful building, it has survived much during the last 800 years; the Plague in 1348-49. The Hundred Years war; a damaging fire in the 14 th century and the Great War ravages. Reims is the capital of the Champagne region. Check into our Reims Hotel In: 24 Sep Out: 27 Sep Meals included: Breakfast & Group Dinner in Reims Lunch own arrangements Day Two: Tuesday 25 th September Today we drive to the battlefields of Verdun. [1 hour 20] Lunch at the restaurant L Abri des Pelerins at Douamont. We will visit the Citadel, [duration 1 hour 15 mins] part of the fortress built in 1624 and added to in 1674 by Vauban. In the late nineteenth-century, five miles of underground passages were constructed. During WW1 10,000 people took shelter here during the great German Offensive that lasted from February until November 1916. It was here where the French Unknown soldier was chosen. Today it is a museum and we will ride around on an electric train. Afterwards, we will drive to the Lost village of Fleury, abandoned in 1916, the inhabitants never returned. We continue to the large French cemetery and the Ossuary. 15,000 soldiers are buried in the grounds and in the small basement windows of the Ossuary can be seen the bones of 130,000 soldiers that were found on the battlefields. TOTAL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD ABN: 94601208075 PH: 02 9341 8011 www.totaltravelmanagement.com.au pg. 1
We have lunch before we continue to Fort Douaumont. This was built in 1885 and improved up till 1914, but in this year, the tactics changed. After the failure of the Belgian forts to stop the German progress, it was stripped of its garrison, but the guns remained. On the 25 th February 1916, the Germans took the fort after just a token resistance. The French spent the next eight months trying to take it back. We then drive into Verdun where we can take some time out by the banks of the River Meuse. We return to O/N Reims Hotel & Lunch Dinner own arrangements. Day Three: Wednesday 26 th September Breakfast Today we visit Mumm Champagne House: the Mumm family, whose lineage includes barons and knights, dates to the 12th century. OR Free-time in Reims for those who don t like the bubbly. O/N Reims hotel & Lunch Dinner own arrangements. Day Four: Thursday 27 th September We check out of our hotel this morning and drive north to Villers Bretonneux [2 hours with a stop] Our first call will be to the Victoria School in the town. It was re-built after WW1 by donations from the children and people of Victoria, Australia. There is a museum with many interesting exhibits. We continue to the Australian National Memorial to the Missing. There are nearly 12,000 names on the panels to missing Australians who have no known grave. The huge tower gazes over the killing ground toward Amiens which can be seen in the distance. We will see the new Australian Visitor Centre only opened on Anzac Day 2018. We drive towards the village of Le Hamel where we have an audio tour of the battlefields. It was here on 4 th July 1918, that Australians, for the first time under Australian command, attacked the village along a 7km front. Our audio tour concludes at the Australian Memorial Park. Picnic Lunch included Visit the Heath Cemetery there are many Australian burials. We will discuss the current role and responsibilities of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Our final call of the day will be to the Adelaide cemetery. It was here where the Australian Unknown Warrior was selected before being taken to Melbourne. Check in to our Amiens Hotel IN: 27 SEP OUT: 30 SEP TOTAL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD ABN: 94601208075 PH: 02 9341 8011 www.totaltravelmanagement.com.au pg. 2
, Lunch & Group Dinner Group dinner at L Envie restaurant in the St. Leu area of Amiens, by the side of the River Somme. It is just a 10-minute walk from the Mercure. Day Five: Friday 28 th September Today we will leave for the Somme battlefields. Our first call will be to the Lochnagar Crater at La Boisselle, this was the scene of a great mine detonation that took place in the morning of 1 st July 1916. We will talk about the role of the miners and tunnelling. We then drive to the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. On the panels are the names of 73,000 soldiers who have no known grave. There is a great visitor centre where one can buy books, postcards, and other mementoes of your visit. We take an early lunch - Avril Williams Tea Rooms in Auchonvillers. Newfoundland Park is a large battlefield which has been protected since 1926. You are looking at the place where the Newfoundlanders went over the top on the 1 st July 1916 into a maelstrom of death and destruction. We will walk the battlefields and capture an idea of what it was like. We drive by Mouquet Farm, known then as Mucky Farm, it was here where the Australians were in action before being drawn from the line in 1916. We will park in Pozieres and then walk in the footsteps of Captain Albert Jacka. V.C. M.C & Bar, during early August 1916 and his fight around the German bunker. Our final visits will be to the area of the Windmill and to the 1 st Australian Division Memorial in Pozieres. We return to O/N Amiens Hotel. & Lunch Dinner own arrangements Day Six: Saturday 29 th September For those who would like a free day Amiens is a big city. There are the floating gardens call Hortillonage, Gothic Amiens Cathedral and Shops and cafes line the Quartier St.-Leu s narrow streets. Today is also an opportunity for those to pay respects at relative s graves in the area provided prior notice of who and where; Mike our guide can investigate this for you. You can also visit Peronne and the battle of Mont St. Quentin. O/N Amiens Hotel. Dinner & Lunch own arrangements TOTAL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD ABN: 94601208075 PH: 02 9341 8011 www.totaltravelmanagement.com.au pg. 3
Day Seven: Sunday 30 th September Today we leave Amiens and drive north to Belgium. We will call off at Bullecourt and see the Digger Memorial which is located on the site of the old Hindenburg Line. We continue to Fromelles, where we visit V.C. Corner, one of only two all-australian burial grounds on the Western Front, we will see the Digger Memorial depicting Sergeant Fraser and Don t Forget Me Cobber. We drop into the new Fromelles museum before looking at the newest Commonwealth War Graves cemetery to be built in sixty-years, Pheasant Wood. The story of the discovery of the 250 remains in a communal grave will be told in the cemetery. We arrive in Ieper (Ypres) for a late lunch. After lunch, we will drive to Polygon Wood where we walk through to an old German Command post which is called Scott s Post, named after an Australian officer. We will see the Australian Divisional Memorial and see the graves of the Zonnebeke Five, Australian soldiers who were found just a few years ago. Our final call of the day will be to the largest British Military cemetery in the world at Tyne Cot. There are nearly 12,000 burials here and 35,000 names of Missing with no known graves on the panels at the back of the cemetery. Check in at our Ypres hotel. IN: 30 SEP OUT: 04 OCT, Lunch & Group Dinner Day Eight: Monday 1 st October Today is an optional day you can either spend the day in Ypres or after breakfast, leave for the ancient city of Bruges located 45 minutes away. We will walk into the city where you can have free-time exploring. There are lace-making and chocolate shops and much to see. You will have lunch there before we leave to return to Ieper in the mid-afternoon. We will call at the Essex Farm cemetery in Ypres. It was an Advanced Dressing Station and is where John McCrae, the Canadian medical officer was working. He penned the words to his immortal poem here In Flanders Fields. O/N Ypres Hotel Lunch & Dinner own arrangements. Day Nine: Tuesday 2 nd October This morning we will drive to the town of Poperinge visit Talbot House. This is where 80% of soldiers who served in the Ypres Salient visited for a cup of tea and some time away from hell. It has hardly changed. We will have a cup of tea and visit the rooms and the lovely upstairs chapel where soldiers received Holy Communion before going back to the front. Lunch in Poperinge De la Paix restaurant TOTAL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD ABN: 94601208075 PH: 02 9341 8011 www.totaltravelmanagement.com.au pg. 4
After lunch, we will drive to Spanbroekmolen, the site of a huge mine crater, detonated on 7 th June 1917 before we go to Messines. Here we can view the battlefield over which the Anzacs attacked on that day. Just a little way down the road, we will walk into Ploegsteert Wood, where we see the second All-Australian cemetery called Toronto Avenue. We return to Ypres to prepare for the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate which takes place every night at 8pm. Lay Wreaths. O/N Ypres Hotel & Lunch Early dinner own arrangements Day Ten: Wednesday 3 rd October Our last day in the Ypres Salient. This morning we will visit St. Georges Church before we go to the In Flanders Fields museum. This is a world-acclaimed museum which will be at least 2 hours in duration. After lunch, you may take time out on your own or if you would like to take the walk from the Menin Gate to the Ramparts cemetery, please follow your guide. O/N Ypres Hotel Lunch & Dinner own arrangements. Day Eleven: Thursday 4 th October Today we check out of our hotel and drive to Brussels. Afternoon at leisure, in the evening we will have Farewell drinks in our hotel. Check in to our Brussels Hotel IN: 4 OCT OUT: 5 OCT Lunch & Dinner own arrangements. Day Twelve: Friday 5 th October Breakfast included Departures home or into Europe. TOTAL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD ABN: 94601208075 PH: 02 9341 8011 www.totaltravelmanagement.com.au pg. 5
RSL & SERVICES CLUBS ASSOCIATION 14 DAYS WESTERN FRONT BATTLEFIELD TOUR 22 SEPTEMBER - 05 OCTOBER 2018 (12 NIGHTS / 14 DAYS) TOUR INCLUSIONS Return Economy class airfares Sydney / Paris Brussels / Sydney International Airfare Tax Airport Transfers arrival in Paris and departure in Brussels 1 night Paris 23 to 24 September 3 nights Reims 24 to 27 September 3 nights Amiens 27 to 30 September 4 nights Ypes 30 September to 4 October 1 night Brussels 4 to 5 October Welcome Drinks Paris Breakfast daily (12 included) 6 Lunches 3 Group dinners Farewell drinks in Brussels All Touring throughout & Museum visits as per itinerary Professional Guides throughout from Apollo Battlefield Tours Assistance of TTM Tour Leader throughout Travel bag and Western Front maps TOTAL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD ABN: 94601208075 PH: 02 9341 8011 www.totaltravelmanagement.com.au pg. 6