Forgotten Battlefields of WW1

Forgotten Battlefields of WW1

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Forgotten Battlefields of WW1

5 Days Starting and ending in Béthune, France

Visiting: Béthune, Loos, Fromelles, Cambrai, Arras

Tour operator:

Leger Holidays

Tour code:

bfb

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Physical rating:

Low

Age range:

0-99

Special diets catered:

Vegetarians

Tour operated in:

English

This tour is no longer available

Tour Overview

The battles of 1915 and the fighting at Arras and Cambrai in 1917 are important, but often forgotten battles of WW1. This battlefield tour helps explain their importance and take us off the beaten track. We begin with an in-depth look at the Battle of Loos and visiting the site of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. We move on to pay our respects at the Loos Memorial to the Missing before a day in northern France looking at the Battles of Fromelles. We spend our final day learning about the battles of Arras and Cambrai.

Highlights

  • Begin with an in-depth look at the Battle of Loos and visiting the site of the Hohenzollern Redoubt

  • Move on to pay our respects at the Loos Memorial to the Missing before a day in northern France looking at the Battles of Fromelles

  • Spend our final day learning about the battles of Arras and Cambrai

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrive In Bethune

Location: Béthune

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: 3-star Ibis Styles Bethune Bruay

Local departure by coach, then to our hotel in Bethune, where we stay for four nights.

Day 2 : Loos

Location: Loos

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: 3-star Ibis Styles Bethune Bruay

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today we look at the Battle of Loos in September-October 1915. We visit the site of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, seeing Quarry Cemetery and the 46th (North Midland) Division Memorial.

At St. Mary’s Cemetery, we examine the story of Rudyard Kipling’s son, Jack, seeing what may be his grave, we will then then visit Le Rutoire Farm.

In the afternoon we visit Vermelles, see the Loos Memorial to the Missing and Dud Corner Cemetery. The day will end at the Lens 14-18 Museum which commemorates the fighting in this region of northern France.

Day 3 : Fromelles

Location: Fromelles

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: 3-star Ibis Styles Bethune Bruay

Meals Included: Breakfast

We begin with an in-depth look at the Battles of Fromelles. We see VC Corner Cemetery and the Australian Memorial Park, a 1915 British Memorial. We will also visit the Fromelles Museum and Pheasant Wood Cemetery, which was created after the discovery of a mass grave here, many years after the war.

Lunchtime is spent in Bethune. In the afternoon we visit the Le Touret Memorial, see the Indian Corps Memorial at Neuve-Chapelle and the Portuguese Cemetery, remembering this often forgotten ally.

We end at Givenchy, where we look at the war underground and remember Yorkshire Tunneller Hero, William Hackett VC. Hackett was the only tunneller to be awarded the Victoria Cross, and we will be seeing where his action took place and visiting the memorial.

Day 4 : Arras & Cambrai

Location: Cambrai, Arras

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: 3-star Ibis Styles Bethune Bruay

Meals Included: Breakfast

Our final day is spent on two of the battlefields of 1917. We start in the Arras area and see the memorial to the Hull Pals at Oppy, then follow the story of the Royal Naval Division at Gavrelle.

In Roeux we see a German bunker and then look at a disastrous cavalry attack and the role of Newfoundland troops at Monchy-le-Preux.

Following lunch in Arras, we see the Arras Memorial to the Missing, and then follow the road to the Cambrai battlefield where tanks were used in November 1917.

We see the Cambrai Memorial to the Missing, visit the new Tank Museum with an original Mark IV tank recovered in 1998, and end on the Flesquières Ridge Battlefield.

Day 5 : Return Home

Location: Béthune

Meals Included: Breakfast

Return home.

What's Included

  • Accommodation

    As detailed in the itinerary

  • Additional Services

    Travel from a wide range of convenient joining points across the UK is included within your coach holiday price; some carry a supplement. Please contact us for our full list of joining points.

  • Fully Guided

  • Airport Transfers at Destination

    This trip includes coach travel from/to a local UK joining point

  • International Travel

  • Meals

    As detailed in the itinerary

  • Transport

    Comfortable, air-conditioned motorcoach

What's Not Included

Accommodation

You will stay for four nights at the 3-star Ibis Styles Bethune Bruay.

Check out our Q&As

  • What is the fitness level required to do this tour?

    Low

  • Is the tour coach air conditioned?

    Yes

  • Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?

    As detailed in the itinerary

  • Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?

    Yes

  • Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?

    No

  • Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?

    Fully escorted by our experienced drivers/crews. And in most towns and cities we either include or offer optional sightseeing tours with expert local guides to help you get the most from your visits.

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • Is there a limit to luggage that can be brought on the tour?

    On Leger Coach Holidays, your allowance is one medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full.

  • What type of coach will be used?

    You will travel on either our Luxuria Coach or our Silver Service Coach

  • Is there a supplement for solo travellers?

    Some tours carry a supplement for solo travellers, please ask for details if the Single price is not shown

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    40 years

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Sole use of your own room on all Single Traveller holidays: means you still get your privacy and time out from the group.

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

  • Battlefield Tours - Will it be possible to visit a particular cemetery whilst on the tour?

    Please contact us and we will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.

  • What policies are in place for Covid-19?

    Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies

Reviews of this operator

Gary White (Google Reviewer)  

Just got back from a...

27-May-2024

Just got back from a holiday with leger holidays to callea spain which my wife done as a surprise for my 60th and wedding anniversary together my wife and i had a great time the coach journey there was excellent regular stops for toilet breaks and a stretch. Our two drivers Geoff and katrina were brilliant serving regular drinks and making the trip pleasant all the people on the coach were pleasant the hotel in spain was so nice the best we've stayed in lovely staff lovely bar the guy at the bar was great really friendly nice room. Overall our journey there and our return journey was brill the only thing that was not good at all was the ibis hotel on the return journey the room was horrible not a nice breakfast not polite French staff. Not really interested in trying to speak some english if i was leger should try and use a different hotel. Once again a big thank you to Geoff and katrina well done guys for making our holiday lovely. Hope to see you on another holiday soon

Will (Google Reviewer)  

I went on the 4...

05-Jan-2024

I went on the 4 countries trip and swiss glacier express and overall it was a great trip. The coach I was on was silver service, it was tidy had nice seats and other accessories such as charging points and headsets which was very handy. The drivers Alex and Dave were fantastic, very kind, funny and respectful throughout the whole trip and a pleasure to talk to. The excursions were very pleasant and all ran very smoothly. The hotels were decent and offered a good service. I overall very much recommend leger holidays.

Sally Matson  

Excellent customer service

10-Jan-2023

Booked our ‘Christmas in Austria & Scenic Trains of the Tyrol’ through George on the customer Helpline. Nothing was too much trouble, everything clearly & patiently explained. He even had permission to log in on his day off to finalise the sale! A charming and helpful young person and a credit to the company.

Euan Donald (Google Reviewer)  

Been on two tours now...

10-Oct-2023

Been on two tours now the “D Day beaches” and “ All Quiet on the Western Front” tour of the Somme and Ypres. Both four days in total, two travelling and two on the site of the various battles. This is outstanding value for money, picked up from Carlisle , Cumbria and literally looked after all the way through the tours. The coaches are great and the accommodation spot on . The guides are very knowledgeable ( Mark Hope brilliant guy)and the bus drivers professional . Absolutely fantastic .

Remon Wanis (Google Reviewer)  

We have been working with...

05-Aug-2024

We have been working with them for nearly a year now as Sussex Airports Taxis, and they offer the best customer service ever. All their customers are always happy when they return from their holidays. We look forward to continuing our partnership for many more years to come.

William Olley (Google Reviewer)  

I recently went on a...

21-Aug-2024

I recently went on a coach holiday with this company. Everything was on time but there can be traffic hold ups with jams and roadworks! The coach was comfortable and the driver stopped for rest periods. The hotel was a 3 star close to a spectacular beach and was adequate. The catering was excellent! I went on the excursions included in the package and visited some lovely places.

Gordon Price (Google Reviewer)  

just returned from Italian holiday....

21-Jul-2024

just returned from Italian holiday. It was great spoilt a little by the high temperature even Ledger can't control that. The only real thing to spoil the trip was one of the hotels. The Krystall hotel in Diano Marina was terrible the room was dire with cracks in shower bogged up shower fittings noe control for AC end so on. The food was very poor, limited choice luke warm food on cold plates. After 4 evening meals (3 or four courses) we were only able to remember 2 we enjoyed. Breakfast was poor no bread except for hard rolls. No fresh fruit if you liked cake for breakfast you were good. If this is a 3 star hotel Italian standards have fallen which I don't think they have. Ledger brochure states "some of Europes most fascinating unique hotels" for Luxuria trips. This hotel should be removed from your list at once. The holiday was other wise good I cannot praise your coach crew too to much they were excellent. A highlight of the trip was the return trip through the swiss alps. It was superb and deserves mention in your holiday iteniary description.

Hilary Jackson (Google Reviewer)  

I recently went on a...

12-Jun-2024

I recently went on a 4 night tour to Scarborough. Driver was great hotel superb. My criticism is too many destinations crammed into day excursion. Example visit to Flamborough head stop for 1 hour it was teeming nobody got off coach but even if fine pointless. Then on to Bridlington coach Park 1.5 ml from centre. Most people are hard pressed to get to center & back in 1.5 hours pointless. Incidentally if Leger paid a permit they could alight us in the resort. Very bad logistics. On to Whitby with a decent stop should have taken us there & bypassed the other stops. I will not go with them again. I will source a better holiday with excursions to one place only.

aled blackshaw (Google Reviewer)  

just returned from a solos...

25-Mar-2024

just returned from a solos break to valkenburg and rhine valley i enjoyed the break overall although both journeys were considerably longer than expected due to several picks ups. I could have done without the 3 countries meeting point excursion to be honest and the lunch on rhine cruise was very basic. The drivers/couriers were efficient and good humoured and provided free lunch vouchers on the ferry which were much appreciated. I probably would book another break with leger but to somewhere a lot closer to home.

laura young (Google Reviewer)  

We booked a holiday to...

09-Aug-2024

We booked a holiday to Edinburgh with some excursions. In the travel agents we booked the excursion to sterling which we didn’t do as they went to Loch Lomond instead. The drivers Mike and Heidi were not very polite at times. Moaning that they weren’t allowed to sell alcohol to passengers and then trying to on the sly. Mike quote “if I leave this and £3 appears then great” They read off Google for facts and read like they couldn’t be bothered. Which there was very little facts passed along. We did an excursion to glassglow which was 20 mins away from our hotel. We left at 13:00 meaning we only got around 3 hours there. The trip was lots of people in their 70s meaning they walk slow, some with mobility issues. So not a lot of time there. The Edinburgh tattoo was fantastic but again we left the hotel at 13:00 meaning less time there. When we asked about why we left late they just huffed and said because of legal hours for drivers. While I appreciate this and they need a break there were two drivers. Meaning one could drive the night before and the other the next day meaning we are not left sat around the hotel untill 13:00 each day with very little to do in this area of eaglesham. This was my first trip with ledger and I am very dissatisfied and disappointed at this mainly due to the drivers. The trip was far from cheap and there was no value for money I feel.

Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    Leger Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of leger holidays charges.

    Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.

    At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

    At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.