Tour Itinerary

Day 1 - Sunday 8th August 2021

Picking up at Ebbsfleet International Rail Station and Dover Eastern Docks we take the Dover-Calais Ferry to France before onward journey to Arras and our tour hotel.

Day 2 - Monday 9th August 2021

Walk 1: 'Bloody Diversion' Gommecourt 1916. Starting at Fonquevillers Cemetery we begin in the footsteps of the 46th North Midland Division as we follow their ill fated advance on Gommecourt and the 'z' copses to the north of the village. We then cross into the 56th London Division sector as we follow the front line passing the Quadrilateral, Nameless Farm and reach Rossignol Wood (Copse 125) to hear of the exploits of the Reverend Theodore Baily Hardy VC. Continuing through the 56th Division forming up areas we end at Hebuterne CWGC
Amber Walk - 5/6KM - on roads and tracks with little climbing

Walk 2: 'Wood Fighting' Starting in the grounds of Contalmaison Chateau we continue or study of July 1916, walking through the village and passing a number of memorials we visit the site of the 12 Manchster Regiments attack in and around the civilian cemetery. We then cut across to the imposing Mametz Wood, so synonymous with the 38th Welsh Division, passing their memoiral, Flat Iron Copse and Bazentin, equally fought over ending on the site of the village Windmill with its views over High Wood and the next phase of the Somme fighting
Green Walk - 4/5KM - on roads, through woods and along tracks but over mainly flat ground

Day 3 - Tuesday 10th August 2021

Walk 3: 'Far from a Donkey' Starting at Carnoy Cemetery we study the efforts of the 18th (Eastern) Division, led by Sir Ivor Maxse, we follow thier advance towards Montauban. We then cross over the battlefield of the 30th Division, passing the Manchester & Liverpool Pals memorial, passing both Bernafay & Trones Wood, the next battle for the 18th (Eastern) Division we end at Delville Wood, with time to visit its interpretation centre.
Amber Walk - 5/6 KM - on roads, tracks and through some woodland, over mainly rising ground.

Walk 4: 'Bully Beef, Bandages & a Blindfold' A new behind the scenes walk that takes us from the French National Cemetery outside of Bray-sur-Somme through the village where we study the logistical support it afforded for the battle. From its light railway depot, passed its medical establishments and emerging on the 1918 battlefields to the north of the village. We look at the controversy of firing squads and the case of Corporal Jesse Wilton pass the site of the forward tank workshops before ending at Citadel War Cemetery.
Green Walk - 4/5KM - on roads, tracks and through some woodland, over mainly flat ground.

Day 4 - Wednesday 11th August 2021

Walk 5: 'Birth of Armoured Warfare' Starting at Falfemont Farm on the outskirts of Combles, this morning we follow the first use of tanks 15 September 1916. Passing Leuze Wood and the Dickens Memorial Cross we chart the 56th (London) Division battlefield, crossing the infamous 'quadralteral' and heading for the Guards Division Memorial on the high spur overlooking Les Boufs and Flers. We then follow Bulls Road into the village and onwards to AIF Burial Ground.
Green Walk - 5/6KM - on roads and tracks, slight rise in the ground but over mainly flat country

Walk 6: 'Somme Winter' We end our walks starting in the Ancre Valley and following the November fighting of the Royal Naval Division, climbing the spur he head into Beaumont Hamel to focus on the 51st Highland Divisions atttack before a study of the Redan Ridge and its isolated cemeteries containing the men of the last battle of the Somme, 18 November 1916 and the 32nd Divisions advance over the quagmire in this sector.
Amber Walk - 5/6KM - on roads and tracks, through woodland, but graded amber as slightly longer distance

Day 5 - Thursday 12th August 2021

Our final Day in France leaves us plenty of time to make a visit in the morning to the Arras Memorial before onward travel to Calais & Dover.

Booking

If you would like to book your place on this tour please download and complete the booking form and send to us with your deposit.

You can either send a cheque made payable to “Battle Honours Ltd”, pay by BACS transfer (IBAN if overseas) both account details on bottom of booking form.

We also accept payment by Debit Card or Credit Card, please call 01438 880725 for further details.
Click here to download booking form

Just a short note to say thanks for a fantastic trip to the Somme last week. I found the whole experience hugely interesting, exciting, emotional and educational. I now really understand what you mean by "walking the battlefield" and how this approach gets you up close and personal with the realities of the Great War in a way which a tour bus just couldn't. The geographical orientation at each stand was helpful and the use of veterans' memoirs and the stories of those buried in the cemeteries we visited brought history to life. A personal highlight was getting so close to the field where my grandfather was wounded on 3 July 1916 I will definitely sign up for another of your tours at some point in the future - and what better recommendation than a repeat customer.

Alan Davis

Somme Strolls