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Special Group Tours

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kate@specialgrouptours.com

'FORGING OF A NATION' Canadian European Theatres of War

7 days / 6 nights - Monday to Sunday

They came between 1914 and 1918, from across the seas in answer to the desperate call of the Motherland. They came as representatives of a dominion; they left as representatives of a new Nation. Then in 1939 they again heeded the call, this time to help liberate Europe from the Nazi horde.

This tour visits some of the most memorable and important sites where young Canadians fought and died for their new county's honour and the countries of their ancestors. Their ferocity and courage, on both land and in the air, earned them legendary status. They were often 'shock troops' who achieved victories where others had failed. The names of the various sites are etched into Canadian history for all time; Vimy Ridge, St Julien, Juno Beach, Coucellette are but a few. This is as much a pilgrimage as a tour, honouring those whose actions helped forge a nation.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES FOR YEAR 2009  

Tour Code	Depart London	Return London
TOW	Monday	Sunday
TOW 01	11 May	17 May
TOW 02	27 Jul	02 Aug
TOW 03	28 Sep	04 Oct

Note: Vimy tunnels do not open for visits until May 10th

Cost: $2199 USD per person in a twin share room. Single $2399 USD single occupancy

What your tour price includes: Your accommodation for 6 nights while on the tour including continental breakfasts and dinners as listed. Your price also includes all entrance fees to attractions, transportation, return transportation via either rail or road/ferry between London & Lille, services of driver/guide-companion and all taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide.

Airport transfers and accommodation pre and post tour is not included but can be reserved at a specially discounted price.

TENTATIVE ITINERARY

DAY ONE – Monday

We depart from London at 07.00 in the Eurostar to Lille where you're met by your battlefield guide. Alternatively, we may drive straight from London, using the Channel Tunnel or ferry.

We'll follow the western front trench line, across the Loos battlefield travelling the short distance to Vimy Ridge where it is generally agreed the Canadian Nation was forged over Easter 1917. Here you'll have a guided tour the underground tunnels, hear in detail how this tremendous victory was achieved, and see the magnificent memorial. Also on today's itinerary will be a visit to Courcellete, scene of savage fighting in September 1916 during the Somme, and finally the town and museum at Albert.

NIGHTSTOP Albert

DAY TWO - Tuesday

Today, we concentrate on the Somme battlefield. An undoubted highpoint, and one to be indelibly imprinted in the visitor's memory, will be our walking tour of the amazingly well-preserved battlefield at Beaumont Hamel (site of the Newfoundland Regiment's bloody loss of innocence).

Then we follow the battle lines to Amiens before continuing on through the Normandy bocage to our nightstop at Bayeux.

NIGHTSTOP Bayeux

DAY THREE - Wednesday

We commence our visits to the Normandy Beaches fittingly with a visit to the memorial and museum at Juno Beach. Then, follow the battle from the initial beach landing to Caen, finding memorials and plaques en route. Appropriate will include Bene Cemertary, Carpique, and the town of Courseulles-sur-Mer where troops engaged in house-to-house combat before liberating it. Also included will be Authie, just North of the Caen-Bayeux road, where the first tank battles took place against the 12th SS Panzer Division. The German tanks are far superior to the Canadians. You'll see where Kurt Meyer's 25th SS Panzer Grenadiers encircled the Royal Winnipeg Rifles at Putot-en-Bassin, and the terrible Abbaye d'Ardenne where Canadians prisoner, most of whom wounded, were shot or bayoneted to death.

NIGHTSTOP as above

DAY FOUR – Thursday

This morning we'll see sites connected with Operation Spring which, other than the Dieppe raid, was the Canadians Army's costliest single operation of the Second World War. May-sur-Orne, Verrieres Ridge (the burial ground of the Black Watch where of the 320 that crossed their original start line, only 15 came back to be counted) and Tilly-la-Campagne are some of the evocative names of the day.

This afternoon we go to Dieppe. Here, on 19 August 1942 five thousand troops of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, along with a thousand British troops, many of them commandos, attacked the French port of Dieppe. The purpose was to make a successful raid on German-occupied Europe over water, and then to hold Dieppe briefly. The results were disastrous. We'll visit the local museum, Canadian cemetery, and actual beach battle site.

NIGHTSTOP Dieppe

DAY FIVE - Friday

Today we follow the Canadians as they fought tooth and nail along the Atlantic Wall through France to Belgium. Major stops will include the fortifications around Boulogne and Calais that were captured as Canadian forces moved up the coast line, such as the Citadel, Fort Neuilly, the Cathedral Bunker, Fort Lapi, Griz Nez, the museum at Todt Battery with its immense Railway Gun. We'll also see the V3 London Cannon site at Mimoyecques and the incredible underground rocket launching sites, evidence of Hitler's last ditch attempt to blast the UK into submission.

NIGHTSTOP Lille or Ypres

DAY SIX – Saturday

Today, we return to the Great War and Canadian involvement in perhaps the bloodiest of all Imperial held lines, the Ypres Salient. Here we'll visit the many sites that make this such a special area for Canadians, including Hoogt, John McRea's Essex Farm, Passchendaele, Hill 60, the Princess Pat's memorial, St Julien, site of the first gas attack of modern warfare, Vancouver Corner, Maple Copse and Passchedaele.

This evening, after dinner in the rebuilt mediaeval splendour of Ypres, you'll attend the moving nightly Last Post Ceremony at the Menen Gate.

NIGHTSTOP Ypres

DAY SEVEN – Sunday

Today, it's time for some 'leave' as we trace the footsteps of soldiers on leave from war, catching the train to London from Lille or re-crossing the Channel by ferry.

You're met on arrival and are taken on a special Canadians London tour. The day will include not only various places familiar to Canadian soldiers of both wars but also Churchill's Cabinet War rooms. We'll also take the opportunity of visiting the unique 'London in the Blitz' experience.

Clients may also select to fly back to Canada on an evening flight today. Dinner and accommodation are not included this evening.

NIGHTSTOP London (not included in package; available for a supplemental fee)

JOINING THE TOUR FROM LONDON: When using Eurostar, you are given a self-ticketing reference number that you use to get your ticket at the station of departure. We advise all tour participants to call the Back-Roads Touring London office a day or two prior to departure to ensure they have the correct ticket reference as we do not have a representative at the station on the morning of departure.

Please note: on occasion when there is no availability on Eurostar, we transfer to Calais using a mini-coach.

JOINING THE TOUR FROM PARIS: If you are staying in Paris and want to join us, you can do so by catching the TGV from Paris to Lille. You have to book these tickets independently as they are not included in your package. Cost of the train ticket depends on day of the week traveled and how much in advance tickets are booked. We will provide you with a special “tour only” rate, without the Eurostar. Please ask us for full details about rates and rail times.

Please note: Paris trains typically arrive at Lille Flanders Station which is a 10 minute walk from our meeting point at Lille Euro Station.

This tour is operated by Back-Roads Touring Co Ltd