FROMELLES & POZIERES - 100th Anniversary Commemorative Tour - 14 – 25 July 2016
Day 1 - Thursday 14 July
For those members travelling on our group flight you will be met by your tour director and transferred to
the hotel. Late afternoon, join your Tour Director and Battlefield Guide for a welcome reception and an
opportunity to meet fellow tour members.
Overnight: Le Meridien Etoile, Paris.
Day 2 - Friday 15 July
After breakfast board the coach, travelling north to the First World War battlefields. We head to the
Somme battlefields of 1916, paying particular attention to the area around Pozieres and Mouquet Farm,
where the AIF suffered 23,000 casualties in several short weeks. See the poignant Windmill Memorial with
its chilling pronouncement, Australian troops ... fell more thickly on this ridge than on any other battlefield
of the war, the 1st Australian Division Memorial, and the remains of the famous ‘Gibraltar’ blockhouse.
Lunch is at nearby Albert, a town once familiar to every soldier serving on the Somme. Other sites of great
importance we will see are La Boiselle (the astonishing mine crater is still there) and Thiepval, where the
great memorial to the British missing on the Somme stands. Late afternoon check into hotel for freshen up
and dinner.
Overnight: Mercure Arras Centre Gare, ARRAS. Meals: B D.
Day 3 - Saturday 16 July
Today we visit the sites of actions which took place in early 1917, including the Battle(s) of Bullecourt. On
the way, we visit several outpost villages which were cleared by Australian troops prior to the Bullecourt
battles. After viewing the actual battlefield, we visit the Le Taille museum in Bullecourt, which contains
many battlefield artefacts from this area. We then visit the tunnel on the Canal du Nord, part of the
German’s Hindenberg Line defences, which was breached by Australian forces in September 1918. Finally
we travel to Montbrehain, the resting place of the last Australian troops to lose their lives in action during
the war. Later we return to Arras, a vitally important city held by the Allies throughout the war and pay a
visit to the Wellington Tunnels, 350 m of tunnels 22 m below Arras, they were used to protect troops from
the incessant bombing and troops were also billeted there prior to the start of the Arras offensive in April
1917.
Overnight: Mercure Arras Centre Gare, ARRAS. Meals: B L.
Day 4 - Sunday 17 July
We begin today with a visit to the village of Villers Bretonneux, recaptured by our troops after a short
German occupation in April 1918, it displays many signs of the local people’s appreciation of Australian
efforts there. Our first stop is at Adelaide cemetery, the original resting place of the Unknown Australian
Soldier now entombed in the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. We wander the
Franco-Australien museum situated in the Ecole Victoria (the Victorian School), rebuilt in the 1920s with
funds donated by the Australian public. We also visit the Australian National Memorial, site of the official
Dawn Service, and the nearby village of Le Hamel, where General John Monash planned and executed the
brilliant operation which set the scene for the Allies’ final offensive of the war.
We travel further east to visit the sites of Australian actions during the final months of the war, including
the town of Peronne, which was captured by Australian forces in early September 1918. We have free time
for lunch before exploring the ‘Historiale de la Grand Guerre’, a very modern museum portraying
conditions on the Western Front during the war. We also travel to Mont St Quentin on the outskirts of the
town, which was regarded by some British commanders as the ‘finest feat of arms by the Australians’ in
the entire war to see the famous 2nd Australian Division Memorial. Tonight is free to wander the town and
enjoy a summer evening in the town square.
Overnight: Mercure Arras Centre Gare, ARRAS. Meals: B.
Day 5. Monday 18 July
This morning we travel north to visit the battlefield at Fromelles, site of the first major action involving
Australian troops on the Western Front during World War One. We visit the ‘Cobbers’ memorial, built on
top of ruined German bunkers, and VC Corner cemetery, the only all-Australian war cemetery in France.
We also visit the site of the mass graves discovered in recent years, and the new Pheasant Wood
Cemetery, specifically established to house the remains of those disinterred. We continue on via the
Messines Ridge and Armentieres to the Belgian city of Roeselare, where we will settle into our hotel.
Overnight: Mercure, Roeselare. Meals: B L D.
Day 6 - Tuesday 19 July
Today we attend the official service to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles.
When the troops of the 5th Australian and 61st British Divisions attacked at 6 pm on 19 July 1916, they
suffered heavily at the hands of German machine-gunners. It was a bloody initiation for Australian soldiers
to warfare on the Western Front with more than 5,500 Australian casualties. It is believed to be the
greatest loss by a single division in 24 hours during the entire First World War. Some consider Fromelles
the most tragic event in Australia’s history. Final details for the service are to be confirmed.
Overnight: Mercure, Roeselare. Meals: B L D.
Day 7 - Wednesday 20 July
Today we concentrate on the Australians’ experiences in the terrible Third Battle of Ypres (or simply
“Passchendaele”); here we had 38,000 casualties over several weeks during late 1917. For the AIF this was
the most costly year of the war. This includes Menin Road, Polygon Wood where the 5th Division Memorial
stands, Broodseinde Ridge, Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing. The largest Commonwealth
War Cemetery, Tyne Cot contains over 11,000 graves including two Australian VC recipients. We also visit
the village of Passchendaele and the huge German war cemetery at Langemarke.
Overnight: Mercure, Roeselare. Meals: B L.
Day 8 - Thursday 21 July
A leisurely day spent exploring the medieval city of Ieper, which was obliterated throughout the war and
completely rebuilt in the years following. Begin with a unique experience by creating your own sculpture in
remembrance of the 600,000 soldiers and civilians who died in Belgium during the Great War. We will
enjoy lunch together in a restaurant located in the old casements of the city in what were formerly
barracks used by British troops in the Battle of Third Ypres! We then visit the In Flanders Fields Museum,
located inside the famous Cloth Hall with the remainder of the day free to explore the town square and it’s
many cafes, book stores and of course chocolate shops. This evening we attend the moving ‘Last Post’
ceremony at Menin Gate before returning to our hotel.
Overnight: Mercure, Roeselare. Meals: B L.
Day 9 - Friday 22 July
Today, we explore the area surrounding Ieper. First we visit Hill 60, site of the famous mine crater and the
Australian Tunnelling Company Memorial. In Poperinge, we visit TOC H, where allied soldiers took short
breaks to forget about the war for a while. Travelling further west, we visit the huge Lijssenthoek Military
Cemetery, which contains graves of soldiers who died for every day of the war. We also visit Essex Farm
cemetery, where John McCrae wrote the poem, In Flanders Fields. The remainder of the afternoon is free
to explore the market square and surrounds in Roeselare before returning to the hotel to prepare for
departure to Pozieres tomorrow.
Overnight: Mercure, Roeselare. Meals: B D.
Day 10 - Saturday 23 July
Today we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first day of the Battle of Pozieres, Australia’s first
action in the Battle of the Somme. During the subsequent 7 weeks, the 1 st, 2nd and 4th Division suffered
more than 23,000 casualties in the battles fought in the village and heights of Pozieres, and at Mouquet
Farm. Final details for the official service are to be confirmed. Later we return to Paris.
Overnight: Le Meridien Etoile, Paris. Meals: B L D.
Day 11 - Sunday 24 July
Today is free to explore the sites of Paris. Wander the shops, grand arcades, museums (perhaps
Napoleon’s tomb at Musee de l’Armee, the Louvre and so many others), galleries and of course the Eiffel
Tower. This evening join our farewell dinner for a cruise along the Seine, seeing the beautiful sights of Paris
and Notre Dame Cathedral by night.
Overnight: Le Meridien Etoile, Paris. Meals: B D.
Day 12 - Monday 25 July
This morning our tour ends with a transfer to the airport.
Meals: B.