On this page are listed the names and addresses of companies, organisations, etc. which I think readers may find useful if they should wish to visit the Western Front or to go into its history in greater detail.
Readers are asked to note that wherever text is in italics, then it is either a transcript or a summary of data which has been sent to me. If in doubt about information given, please get in touch directly with the people concerned. All information set down here is given in good faith by me.
To go to one of the various categories, click below:
There are several towns in The Western Front area which are often used as bases for touring. The addresses of these are given under the appropriate locations:
BELGIUM:
Poperinge is a pleasant town about eight miles west of Ypres. During the Great War all soldiers on their way to Ypres and the battlefield beyond passed through it. Today, it is the home of Toc H.
Ypres was almost totally destroyed by the end of the War. Afterwards it was rebuilt and now looks very similar to its pre-1914 days. The town makes an ideal starting place from which to visit the notorious Salient; while within its old walls, St. George's Church, the Cloth Hall, The Menin Memorial, and the ramparts are all essential places to visit.
Poperinge:
Tourist Office
Stadhuis
Markt 1
8970
Poperinge
Tel: 0032 057 33 40 81
Fax: 0032 057 33 75 81
Ypres:
Tourist Office
Stadhuis
Grote Markt 34
8900 Ieper
Belgium
Tel: 0032 057 20 07 24
Fax: 0032 057 21 85 89
The main tourist office for the country are at:
For a complete list of Belgium Tourist Offices Click here
FRANCE:
In France there are at least four towns well situated for visits into and around the old battlefield areas. These: Albert, Amiens, Arras, and Cambrai; and the address of each respective Office de Tourisme is:
4 rue Gambetta
80300 Albert
Tel: 0033 22 75 16 42
Fax:
0033 22 75 11 72
12 rue du Chateau de Violettes
80010 Amiens
Tel: 0033 22
91 79 28
Fax: 0033 22 92 50 58
Hotel de Ville
62000 Arras
Tel: 0033 21 51 26 95
Fax:
0033 21 71 07 34
48 rue de Noyon
59400 Cambrai
Tel: 0033 27 78 36 15
Fax: 0033 27 74 82 82
For a comprehensive listing of tourism in Picardy Click here
Below are the addresses and descriptions of several houses which may be rented in the Somme area of France:
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Pleasantly situated between Auchonvillers and Beaumont Hamel across the former 2nd line trench occupied by the 16th Middlesex Public Schools Battalion, the house is now in an idyllic situation amidst beautifully kept surrounding lawns.
All the rooms are well-appointed with excellent en suite facilities and central heating. At the rear, a large south-facing conservatory offers ample opportunity for relaxation.
Convenient as a stop-over to and from the Channel ports, en route south. Casual campers and caravaners are welcome
Recommended by:
Guide Routard International
Pleine Aire de
France
French Entree
Tariffs for 1997
Rooms - en suite
Prices range from 180 ff for a single room to 400 ff for an en suite room for four persons; inclusive of continental breakfasts.
Evening meals
2 course - 80 ff; 3 course - 90 ff; 4 course - 100 ff
Camping and caravanning prices on request
For full details, contact:
Julie Renshaw
Les
Galets
Route de Beaumont
Auchonvillers
80560 SOMME
France
Tel:
00 3322 76 28 79
This detached cottage in the lovely village of Longueval is situated at 22 rue d'en Bas, known locally as route de Flers.
The rear garden backs on to Delville Wood, "Devil's Wood", in the heart of the Somme countryside, some fifteen minutes from Thiepval and Albert, and one minute from the South African National Museum at Delville Wood, a beautifully quiet spot.
The cottage consists of:
Dining room/lounge with VHS video and colour monitor, with selection of video tapes, and radio-cassette player.
Kitchen diner, cooker, fridge, freezer, microwave, and all cutlery.
Bathroom with bath/shower, toilet, and washing basin.
Double bedroom downstairs, with shower and vanity unit en suite.
Two twin bedroom upstairs.
Patio and enclosed gardens, with barbecue, and patio set.
The cottage has full central heating, running water, security shutters, and has been totally re-wired to the British system, i.e. three pin plugs (no adaptors required).
There is also an ironing board and iron.
There is a selection of First World War books.
All that you need to provide is: bed linen and towels. All beds have duvet covers, and extra blankets are available.
Rates 1997:
Weekly ....................... £180.00
Nightly
........................ £30.00
For further information, contact:
Mrs Jeannie Alexander
27 Courtway
Avenue
Maypole
BIRMINGHAM B14 4PP
England
Tel: 0121 430 5348
Fax: 0121 436 7401
Sommecourt is situated in the heart of the Somme battlefields,
in the village of Courcelette, close to where tanks were used for the first time
in 1916.
Courcelette was captured by units of the Canadian Expeditionary
Force in September 1916, and Canadians continued to fight just beyond the
village at Regina Trench. There are three military cemeteries and the Canadian
Memorial in the village boundary - with many interesting walks and battle sites
only a short walk from the house.
Sommecourt is ideally situated for visits
to the Somme and surrounding battlefields, only an hour and a half from Calais,
and a short distance from Arras and Cambrai battlefields.
Sommecourt offers the following services:
Sommecourt is open all year round and, subject to availability, will take bookings for any length of time. Book early, especially for the summer months.
Rates for 1997:
Two rooms are available, each of which sleeps five people. The cost is
100 ff per night per person, and includes continental breakfast.
For further
information, contact:
Paul Reed
"Sommecourt"
39
Grande Rue
80300 COURCELETTE
France
Tel: 0033 22 74 01 35
Four societies involved with the memory of the Great War are; The Great War Society, The Western Front Association,The Gallipoli Association, and The Somme Association.
Based in the United States, this Society has a modern outlook on all matters concerning the Great War. It was founded by a group of scholars at the Hoover Institute of War, Peace, and Revolution, who subscribe to the belief that the First World War changed the course of 20th Century history, and every minor event - the rise of communism, fascism, the great depression, World War 2, the communisation of China, the Korean and Vietnamese wars, and the Middle-east crises - had it genesis in the Great War.
Members each receive the quarterly edition of the Society's magazine, "Relevance" - an excellently produced and attractive publication containing many very well-researched articles.
Click
here to go to The Great War Society Web Page
Readers interested in joining should contact Flip Carroll, the Society's President
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The Western Front Association was formed with the aim of furthering interest in the period 1914-1918 to perpetuate the memory, courage and comradeship of those of both sides who served their countries in France and Flanders and their own countries during the Great War. It does not seek to glorify war, it is not a re-enactment society nor is it commercially motivated. It is entirely non-political and application for membership will be welcomed from any more with like mind.
The strength of this very traditional organization lies in its branches of which there are about forty located in all parts of the British Isles. As well as this, there are others in: BAOR, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Its main publication is "Stand-To!" which is produced three times per year.
Click
here to go to The Western Front Association Web Page
For further information contact Paul Hanson
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The Somme Association, based in Northern Ireland, concerns itself mainly with the history of the Irish Divisions - and especially, the 36th (Ulster) - during the Great War. The Association's address is:
Within the past few years the Association has built the SOMME HERITAGE CENTRE at:
The Centre commemorates Ireland's part in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. The centre operates on a guided tour basis and uses displays and reconstructed trenches with an audio-visual re-creation of the Battle. A feature of the experience is role-playing staff in military dress.
Click
here to go to one Somme Association Web Page
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A survivor of the campaign of 1915, Major Edgar Banner decided in the mid-sixties that something should be done to ensure the memory of those who fought and those who died during the Gallipoli campaign should continue to be honoured and kept alive
He therefore founded the Gallipoli Association, originally for veteran members but membership requirements were widened so that those with a family interest in the campaign, an interest in a particular unit or action or those with a specialised or passing interest in the events of 1915 could join. It was a decision which ensured the viability of the Association, for time began to take its toll on the veteran members
Today, the Association membership stands at an all time high with an ever increasing involvement in various events and activities, all aimed at ensuring the memory of the 250,000 casualties, sustained in the eight month's campaign, the vast majority of whom were from the British Isles, is honoured and remembered.
In November 1995, the Association organised and had erected in The Crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, a superb bronze relief illustrating the landings at Helles and providing maps of the three main landing areas, Helles, Anzac and Suvla. This was the first ever national memorial to the Gallipoli campaign in Britain and was unveiled .by His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, who is the Patron of the Association
Further information on the Association will be provided by:
Mr Tim Fallon
Hon. Public Relations Officer
The
Gallipoli Association
2 Sunnyfield
The Ryde
Hatfield
Hertfordshire
ENGLAND
AL9 5DX
Tel: 01707 265812
The Association continues to welcome new members and all will be warmly received into membership.
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As well as the Associations mentioned above, readers may be interested in becoming,
St. George's, built as a memorial to all who died in the Salient, stands in the middle of Ypres. It was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and built during 1928-29 as part of the British settlement.
It was thought that the church could be used as a place of worship for the British colony (which was quite large in Belgium during the post-war years), and the use of pilgrims to the Salient. The site also included the Eton Memorial School for the children of the gardeners and other officials working in the region, and the community centre for them.
Today, the church and the British Legion clubhouse next door are all that remain of the settlement. The school closed after the Second World War and the community buildings were sold.
Almost every item contained within its precincts acts a memorial. The windows, the furnishings, and the decorations all commemorate a unit or an individual.
Services are held regularly every Sunday by the chaplain in attendance - the Revd. A. Brannigan.
(During my term in office as chairman/secretary of the Ulster Branch of the Western Front Association, it was my privilege to arrange for a memorial plaque to the 36th (Ulster) Division to be placed on one of the rear walls of St. George's. The plaque, which bore the inscription,
IN PROUD MEMORY OF
ALL THOSE WHO SERVED WITH THE
36th
(ULSTER) DIVISION
IN THE YPRES SALIENT
DURING THE GREAT WAR
was dedicated at a service held in the church on 6th July, 1994)
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The annual membership fee to become a "Friend" is £3 for individuals, and £5 for corporate bodies. Anyone interested should contact:
The Honorary Secretary,
The Friends of St. George's
Memorial Church, Ypres,
41 Winstanley Road,
Sheerness,
Kent,
England
ME12 2PW
The War Research Society was formed several years ago in the Birmingham
area and is run as a charitable hobby, supporting the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission, Earl Haig Poppy Appeal, and Royal British Legion. It assists in
taking the relatives, friends, and other interested parties, to visit the battle
sites and last resting places of the fallen in both the first and second world
wars, in Northern Europe.
The tours are individually and carefully
planned around the requests of the persons booking, and they are guaranteed to
be taken to the battle site, cemetery, or memorial of their request, provided
that arrangements are made at time of booking.
The Society will
trace war graves and, if possible, will photograph them.
The tours
are personally conducted by the organisers, who have many years of experience
behind them. A full commentary is given during the tour and the battle sites
will be fully explained.
The War Research Society operates an
independent Trust Fund to safeguard your monies in accordance with EC
Regulations.
Tours to France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany vary in length from 2 to 5 days; and all include bed, breakfast, and an evening meal.
TWO Day visits allow participants to attend Commemorative Services, such
as Armistice in Ypres, with limited Special visits.
THREE DAY
visits will be mainly a Battlefield Tour, with a limited amount of Special
visits.
FOUR and FIVE DAY visits will incorporate all the above.
For an itinerary of 1997 TOURS contact:
Mr Ian C. AlexanderThis organisation arranges tours to the Great battlefields in France and Flanders.
For further information on 1997 visits, contact:
Peter Franks
82 Delves Green Road
Walsall
ENGLAND
WS5 4LP
Tel: 01922 642805
Visits are arranged to the following Western Front locations:
Mons
Le Cateau
Ypres
Arras
Vimy Ridge
Prices are from £99 for a 3 day tour, which run from March 1997 to November 1997. All tours are conducted on top quality coaches owned by Galina.
For further information contact:
Galina International
Battlefield Tours
711 Beverley High Road
Hull
England HU6 7JN
Tel:
01482 804409
Fax: 01482 809717
(Founded,
1988)
The Caribou Memorial & preserved trenches at the Newfoundland Memorial Park
Original, innovative tour itineraries
Off the beaten track
'The other side of the wire': a fresh perspective
Dedicated and experienced guides
Personal visits in private to cemeteries and
memorials
A Flanders Tour group on the lip of Lochnager Crater. In the Distance, Tara Hill, and Albert
1997 TOUR PROGRAMME
The Battle of Vimy Ridge/Bullecourt/Monchy-le-Preux
1917: 80th Anniversary
Friday 25 - Monday 28 April, 1997 (4 day tour)
Flanders Tours' 7th Annual Somme Memorial Walk
Friday 9 - Monday 12 May, 1997 (4 day tour)
Neuve Chapelle/ Loos/ Givenchy 1915
Fromelles/The Somme 1916
Friday 23 - Tuesday 27 May, 1997
(5 day tour)
Verdun 1916
Thursday 19 - Monday 23 June, 1997 (5 day tour)
The Battles of Messines & Passchendaele 1917:
80th Anniversary
Friday 11 - Monday 14 July, 1997 (4 day tour)
A Miscellany of Medals: Ypres/Neuve
Chapelle/Loos/Somme
Thursday 31 July - Tuesday 5 August 1997 (6 day
tour)
The German Army on the Somme
The Battles
of March 1918: St. Quentin & Moreuil Wood
Friday 15 - Monday 18 August, 1997 (4 day tour)
Flanders Tours' 4th Annual Ypres Salient Memorial
Walk
Friday 12 - Monday 15 September, 1997 (4 day tour)
Prices
Tour prices are from £310 per person for a four day tour (plus single supplement if appropriate). Travel insurance at £10.00 per person is available from Flanders Tours
Prices include:
Full board on each day of the battlefield tour.
Exclusive meals: 1)
during the outward ferry crossing, 2) evening meal on the night of arrival at
the hotel, 3) during the return ferry crossing.
Hotel accommodation based
on sharing a twin/double room.
Luxury coach travel by 'The Kings Ferry'
cross channel sailing with P&O Stena Ferries.
Maps of the battlefield
and related documentation entry to museums within the battlefield itinerary
For the 1997 brochure or any further information contact:
Flanders Tours,
PO Box 1418,
Wilton,
Salisbury SP2 0ZY
Tel. & fax 01722-744 898
This service is undertaken by Mr Tom Tulloch-Marshall, who will carry out:
"any investigation into the service record of any man and/or unit involved in the Great War; - medal records, war diaries and other operational records, military maps, regimental journals, casualty reports. photograph searches (individuals, units, and places, etc. I can also offer a photographic service in France and Belgium). Searches may now be made for the service papers of individual officers and men, following the progressive release of these documents which commenced on November 11th 1996. Research is undertaken at the Public Record Office, National Army and Imperial War Museums, regimental archives, the National Newspaper Library, or any other archive which may be relevant. Please send an outline of enquiry together with a stamped addressed envelope for guidance and quotation."
Tulloch-Marshall may be contacted at:
12 Oakhill Close
Ashtead
SURREY KT21 2JQ
England
Tel: 01372 277149