Battlefield Tour Experiences

Discussion in 'WW2 Battlefields Today' started by Drew5233, Mar 18, 2009.

  1. James Daly

    James Daly Senior Member

    I've been on a few what you would call battlefield tours, never any of the big companies. Especially when it comes to Arnhem I normally end up acting as the tour guide for families and friends anyway.

    I've always preferred doing my own research and doing my own thing, theres something satisfying about DIY I find. Not just with battlefield tours but other holidays.

    To be honest the cost of most official battlefield tours puts me off at any rate. I have had some interesting correspondence with one or two companies about pursuing it as a career: no names mentioned but the feeling I got was 'how could someone aged 20-something possibly know what they're talking about?'.

    I think one growth area has to be tours for younger people. My first trip to Arnhem was on a school trip and it had a big effect on me: when everyone learnt my Granddad was an Arnhem veteran it was incredible - all the usually naughty kids were the ones who really took an interest in the Museum and at the Cemetery. Obviously going there and seeing it firsthand works much better at engaging young people than anything in the classroom. I've read some unbelievably snobby comments in some places about young people visiting war cemeteries.
     
  2. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Tend to agree with Paul's comment go with a tour and do your reading, then go back alone or with like minded individuals, I used his info from his Cassino post on his website it gave me a great starting point .
    As for WW1 battlefields there are great guide books out there but try and get a copy of Rose Coombes Before Endeavours Fade its a wealth of information about the whole front the tailor your reading to the specific area you are visiting.

    Remember though you pays your money and takes your pick
    Oldman
     
  3. jagdpanther44

    jagdpanther44 Senior Member

    I've never been on a guided tour and probably never will. I like to do my own research on places to visit then do them at my own pace.

    In any case, i don't think a tour guide would put up with me wanting to stop and rummage in every hedgerow, field and bunker that we passed. ;)
     
  4. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Jagdpanther
    Rumaging in the hedgerow and and bunkers is great fun, a few years ago
    we stayed on the coast near Dunkirk and spent hours viewing the "Atlantic Wall" inside and out,

    I recall near Ostende there is a collection/musem of how life was on the "Wall" not
    sure if its still there but well worth the time, also followed the part of the Dunkirk retreat route.
     
  5. James Daly

    James Daly Senior Member

    The most rewarding time I've had on a battlefield was walking from Ginkel Heath to Arnhem Bridge with my brother in July 2007. We mapped out our Granddad's exact route and followed it as close as we could, with some short detours for the Museum, Cemetery etc. I'll never forget sitting down at 11 Battalion's RV on Ginkel Heath for a mid-afternoon break, walking round the streets around the Hospital and then the final stretch to the Bridge. I'd been to Arnhem a couple of times before but it was only by walking from Ginkel Heath to the Bridge that I realised just what a distance it really is, and thats not something you get from driving from one place to another in a coach.
     
  6. MrGiles

    MrGiles Junior Member

    Quite a few years ago now, I walked the Somme battlefield for a few days in 1984. Quite an experience it was too. The best areas were around the Ancre region, Beaum ont-Hamel, Redan Ridge, Serre and Thiepval. Didnt get to Guillemont, Flers or Butte de Warlancourt, but did manage to visit all main areas, except Gommercourt, which were attacked on the first day. Two years ago, I visited Singapore, and saw the Kranji War Memorial, and also visited the Ford Factory, now a museum where the British High Command surrendered to the Japanese in 1942. And yes, I did go to the Changi Museum near the site where the allied troops were interned prior to them being tranferred to Thailand later in 1942. Fantastic experience!
     
  7. Bernhart

    Bernhart Member

    I've been on 2 different ones, once from Bayeaux, lousy tour the guy would just drop us off at a site say what it was and we are leaving in 20 minutes, wouldn't detour for specific spot. His daughter actually approached the next day, said if i rented a car she would show me around, wanted to practice her english, she was very knowledgable thou. the other tour I did was in flanders fields, out of Brugge in Belgium, the guy was very knowledgable, altered his tour as there were a larger number of Canadians, he brought lunch and beer for the group. Because they were mostly Canadian stopped at site where john McCrae wrote flanders field and had one of us read it
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    His daughter actually approached the next day, said if i rented a car she would show me around, wanted to practice her english, she was very knowledgable thou.

    At what pray tell :lol:
     
  9. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Has anyone here been to the German defensive position “Hillman”? After our officer won the C de G opening up Hillman .We used it for a short while as a base. But not inside, In between the concrete blockhouses.

    I got back from ops late one night, exhausted, lay down and fell asleep on top the position. When I woke, I found that some Germans had been buried on top, but the soil was not deep enough, so that their toes stuck out the ground.
    I have never been back there since that time in June 1944…Huge place 650 meters by 450 meters..
    Sapper
     
  10. ww2ni

    ww2ni Senior Member

    I was at Dunkirk and Ypres some years ago. This was in a party with a couple of coaches and as it was my first such trip I was pleased with the experience however in recent years I have been to Arnhem and Somme and my opinion has changed.

    The Arnhem trip is always excellent with a super Battlefield Guide. Much thought is put into the trips (Hope to do my 5th this year) and as well as the usual sites different routes of the various Units involved are used.

    The Somme - I have done this with a few friends. Research before going and equipped with Major Holts Guide!!

    For the Somme, where there is so much to see, many of which are down narrow lanes which are inaccessible to coaches.

    I am of the opinion that the only way to do it properly is in a small group of friends. Do the research, hire a car and use a B&B.

    I am off again with the guys next month for another bash.

    Cracking!!
     
  11. peer

    peer Junior Member

    Has anyone here been to the German defensive position “Hillman”? After our officer won the C de G opening up Hillman .We used it for a short while as a base. But not inside, In between the concrete blockhouses.

    I got back from ops late one night, exhausted, lay down and fell asleep on top the position. When I woke, I found that some Germans had been buried on top, but the soil was not deep enough, so that their toes stuck out the ground.
    I have never been back there since that time in June 1944…Huge place 650 meters by 450 meters..
    Sapper
    I was there in 2009 as you can see here WN17, Hillman 65 years later
    Feel free to check out the rest of my new website at The Brabant village Oisterwijk and Operation Market-Garden
    Cheers, Peter
     
  12. gunner74

    gunner74 Member

    Great thread. Lots of useful information. Often considered going on a tour.

    Has anyone been further afield than the Western Front? My father's uncle's grave is in Rouens, France but I'd equally and more challengly so love to pay my respects at another great uncle's grave in Benghazi, Libya. Has anyone been out there? Going out there?

    Aside from the expense of organied tours and the worry now that they might be "20min pit stops", most seem to depart from England. Are there any tours that are organized from Northern Ireland?
     
  13. Harpo

    Harpo Junior Member

    Don't know about the North but PAB Coach Tours, Abbey St. in the centre of Dublin have done trips for a long time.
    Menin Gate is usually a popular destination. PAB Coach Tours Ireland Web Site
     

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