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|  Included in the pictures below are of some of the key places you can expect to visit on our tours. There are also some World War 1 images of soldiers and the conditions they endured. Some have been submitted by our customers and some are, we believe, in the public domain. Please check back frequently as we are continually updating and adding to this Gallery. *Cautionary note: Some images may be graphic in terms of the reality of warfare*  Thiepval Memorial to the Missing Somme, France This memorial bears the names of more than 72,000 soldiers of the British Empire who died here before 20th March 1918 and have no known grave. More than 90% died between July and November 1916.
Somme Battlefields  Pictures of the war ravaged Somme Battlefields taken from the air and at ground level during World War 1. The buildings in the centre of pic1 and the tank in the middle/top of pic2 show the scale of the water logged shell craters.
Our Boys The good old British sense of humour boosts the boys morale
 Tommy's Cafe Poziers, Albert, Somme . GAGGING for a cuppa and a bite to eat, we stopped off at Tommy's Cafe and Souvenir Shop. An interesting place to see with good British food, courtesy of Tommy's English wife!
 Lochnagar Crater La Boiselle, Somme, France Just north-east of Albert is the Lochnagar crater, the largest on the Western front, and is the result of an incredible 54,000 lbs of explosives. The crater measures a whopping 100 yards across and has a depth of 90 feet. It was reported that the shockwaves from the explosion, on 1st July, 1916, were felt many miles away and the debris rose 4,000 feet into the air.
Vimy Ridge In spring 1917 Canadian troops were sent to capture Vimy Ridge which was under German occupation and vital to their defence system. The allies had previously made several attempts to capture Vimy Ridge, but all attempts met with failure. This battle was the biggest victory for Canada during World War I Pictured left are the preserved trenches at Vimy Ridge, and above is the Canadian National Memorial.
Hill 62 - Sanctuary Wood Zillebeke, Belgium The Canadian Memorial at Hill 62 is a tribute to the sacrifice and accomplishment of Canadian soldiers who battled for several months to keep the enemy from taking possession of the last few square miles of Belgian territory still in Allied hands.  Just a short walk (downhill) from the Canadian Memorial is Hill 62 Cafe/Shop, which incorporates a small, privately owned museum. A section of 'Sanctuary Wood' can be accessed via the museum, where original British trenches have been preserved. Pictured above is Sanctuary Wood during WW1 and as it is today
Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing Zonnebeke, Belgium Tyne Cot cemetery is the largest British war cemetery with 11,908 graves. Of this, a total of 70% are unknown. The Memorial wall to the rear of the cemetery (pictured below) bears the names of 35,000 soldiers who fell in Flanders from August 1917 to the end of the war and have no known grave. The sheer enormity of Tyne Cot takes your breath away and touches on every emotion. Below - awaiting burial at Tyne Cot
The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing Ypres, Belgium The Menin Gate Memorial bears the names of more than 56,000 soldiers of the British Empire who fell in the Ypres salient between November 1914 and August 1917 and have no known Grave. Cloth Hall can just be seen through the archway. At 8pm each night, all surrounding traffic is officially stopped and inside the archway the last post is sounded by members of the Ypres Fire Brigade.
The Oldest British Soldier Lieutenant Henry Webber South Lancashire Regiment Henry Webber is the oldest known soldier killed in World War 1. Killed on 26 July 1916, Henry was 68 years old and is buried in the Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, just south east of Albert, Somme.
Who said we're lost? Somewhere in Belgium... Wiseman eventually turned the map the right way up and we finally arrived at our destination... | |
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