BATTLEFIELDS OF THE GREAT WARS
Normandy (D-Day), Somme, Vimy, Passchendaele
September 28 - October 10, 2014 • 13 Days - 21 Meals
Escorted by Archdeacon Gerald Peddle
This tour is designed with remembrance in mind. We are
now fast approaching the 100th anniversary of the war to
end all wars, and the 70h anniversary of the D Day
landings.
Over 600,000 Canadian men and women
volunteered to serve in WW1, many of them lie in the
corners of a foreign field, never to see their homeland
again.
We will visit the sites of mourning and remembrance of
both wars giving you the opportunity to pay your respects
to those who went before us.
This pilgrimage of remembrance takes place at a
particularly poignant time; 2014 is the 70th Anniversary of
the ‘D’ Day Landings of WWII and the 100th Anniversary
of the start of the Great War.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
 Experience the site that inspired the war poem “In
Flanders Fields”
 Visit the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge
 Walk through preserved trenches from WWI
 Visit Juno, Omaha, and Utah beaches
 See military cemeteries for Canadian, British, and
German soldiers.
 Visit the Newfoundland Memorial Park
 Experience the largest crater made in anger; The
Lochnagar Crater
INCLUSIVE FEATURES
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Return economy class airfare from Canadian cities
First class hotels as indicated or similar
All entrance fees and sightseeing as described
21 meals included (B - 12 breakfasts, L - 2 lunch, D - 7
dinners)
Escorted from Canada plus professional guides in
destination
All gratuities, taxes and fees for included services
Airport transfers in Canada or equivalent value
Comprehensive insurance coverage
WWI Canadian Machine Gunners Dig In
Sunday, September 28
DEPART CANADA
Group members from across Canada gather to fly
overnight to Paris.
Monday, September 29
PARIS / NORMANDY
Arriving Paris this morning, we will be met by our driver and
guide and head north for the Normandy beaches. Our first
few days will be spent touring the battlefields and
memorials that dot this hard fought region of Northern
France. Our first visit will be to Juno Beach, where the
Canadian 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Armoured Brigade
fought during the June 6, 1944 D-Day landings. We shall
next visit the Ardenne Abbey where our Canadian troops
first met the 12th SS Panzer Division in one of the more
tragic and iconic stories of these historic landings.
Le Clos Normand (4 nights)
BD
Tuesday, September 30
NORMANDY
A short drive brings us to Buron to see the memorial to the
Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment and the 27th Canadian
Armoured Regiment. It was here that the Canadians spear
headed the push towards Caen and fought house to house
with German forces. At Villons-les-Buissons and Hell’s
Corner, there is a memorial to the 9th Canadian (Highland)
Brigade. At Beny-sur-Mer
we shall visit the 2044
Canadian
graves at the military cemetery and the
Canadian Highlanders of Ottawa Memorial. We will also
visit the impressive Juno Beach Centre. Inaugurated by the
Canadian government on 6th June 1994 at a cost of six
million Euros, it is a place of remembrance, of learning and
of culture.
BD
Wednesday, October 1
ST MERE EGLISE / D-DAY BEACHES
This morning we shall visit St. Mere Eglise to see where
Pvt Steele, an American paratrooper, was captured after
his parachute got tangled in a Church steeple. We
continue to Pointe du Hoc, the strategic high ground
situated between Omaha and Utah beaches. Heading
down to the shore we will have a chance to see the
landings from an American soldiers perspective. A tour of
the new visitor centre at the US cemetery will be included
before we take the coastal drive back to our hotel.
BD
Thursday, October 2
FREE DAY / NORMANDY
Today is a free day for you to do as you will. You may wish
to visit the ancient town of Bayeux to see the famous
tapestry, or simply browse the shops for Normandy cider
and Calvados.
B
Friday, October 3
SOMME / ARRAS
We bid farewell to Normandy and the Second World War
and reach further back in history to the First World War as
we drive to the battlefields of Somme. En-route we will
discuss the causes of the Great War, the formation of the
various armies and the disposition of the troops. The
Somme Offensive remains an important part of military
history, and is one of the largest military actions to take
place in WWI. Over 1 million men were wounded or killed
on either side, making it one of the bloodiest battles in
history. Our first visit will be to the Lochnagar Crater, the
scene of an enormous mine detonation which signalled the
start of battle. We continue to the Thiepval Memorial to the
Royal Winnipeg Rifles, D-Day
Missing, where nearly 73,000 names are listed. In the
visitor centre we gain an overview of WWI and of the
Somme battles in particular.
Our next visit is to
Newfoundland Memorial Park. From our elevated position
we can view the finest examples of preserved trenches
anywhere on the Western Front. Driving past Regina
Trench we call at the Courcelette Canadian Memorial.
The Mecure (3 nights)
BD
Saturday, October 4
MONS / CAMBRAI
Today we drive to Mons, where the first and last casualties
of the Great War took place. The last casualty was the
Canadian Pvt Price who was sniped at 10:58hrs whilst
being handed a garland of flowers. We visit the cemetery
where he and the first casualty of WWI, Pvt Parr, are
buried. We return to the Cambrai area where we will see a
MKIV tank that was damaged in battle and was only
discovered a few years ago.
BD
Sunday, October 5
VIMY RIDGE
This morning we visit Hill 70 and Vimy Ridge, where the
Canadian Corps fought and won their greatest battle.
There we will explore the trenches, visitor centre, and the
famous Canadian Memorial. Following a picnic lunch, we
will explore Canadian actions that took place around
Cambrai from November 1917 through October 1918, and
visit the Canadian Memorial in Bourlon Wood.
BL
Monday, October 6
YPRES
Today we move from the Somme to Ypres in Belgium. We
will visit Essex Farm, the site where medical officer John
McCrae treated his wounded friend Lt Alexis Helmer.
Deeply affected by this McCrae wrote his famous poem, ‘In
Flanders Fields’. We continue to Vancouver Corner and the
Canadian Memorial, the site where the Germans’ first used
gas in April 1915. Returning to Ypres, we check into the
Hotel Ariane (3 nights)
BD
Tuesday, October 7
PASSCHENDAELE / Mt SORREL
After breakfast, we will visit the German cemetery at
Langemark, where nearly 45,000 are buried. Next we will
visit the new trench and bunker experience at the
Passchendaele Museum in Zonnebeke, after which we
continue to the largest British Military Cemetery in the
world. We learn more of the 3rd Battle of Ypres and visit
Crest Farm, where there is a memorial to commemorate
the Canadian capture of the village of Passchendaele in
Nov 1917. Following another picnic lunch, our final visit of
the day will be to the Canadian areas where they fought in
1916 at Maple Copse and Mount Sorrel. We will see the
vestiges of trenches close-by at the Hill 62 museum.
BL
Wednesday, October 8
TALBOT HOUSE / YPRES
This morning we visit the Talbot House, gardens and
museum. This building is where most British soldiers went
to recuperate when off the front line. A place where a
soldier could rest with a cup of tea and take the chance to
write home to their families and girlfriends. We drive on to
Lijjsenthoek cemetery and the new visitor centre where we
can learn about the treatment of casualties in WWI. This
afternoon we will tour Ypres, including the town square,
Menin Gate, and the ramparts. The tour concludes at the
beautiful Ramparts cemetery. For those who wish to visit
the ‘In Flanders Fields’ museum, now is your opportunity.
Tonight we will attend at the Last Post ceremony at the
Menin Gate at 8pm. A wreath will be laid by the group. BD
Thursday, October 9
YPRES / PARIS
Departing our hotel this morning we make our way to Paris
and enjoy a short panoramic tour of the city before arriving
at our hotel. We will then have the afternoon and evening
free for personal exploration.
Paris La Villette Cite des Sciences (1 night)
B
Friday, October 10
PARIS / CANADA
This morning we catch our Air Canada flights to Toronto
and on to our homes across Canada.
B
British Soldiers Marching
TOUR ESCORT
We are most pleased to have the Archdeacon Gerald
Peddle escorting this journey. While Gerry is now retired,
he was most recently the National Director of the Pastoral
Outreach Program, providing care to Veterans. He
previously served in Canada’s military for 28 years until
he retired as the Chaplain General in 1999. During that
time he travelled extensively in Europe, Africa, the Middle
East, and throughout North America. Since retiring, he
has been escorting groups for us to a variety of worldwide
destinations. We are sure his background and love of
travel will ensure a rewarding experience for all who join
him on this fascinating journey.
CT RATING 3 - Moderately Challenging: Members can
expect a fairly busy itinerary with a number of active
walks over relatively rough terrain and visits to a number
of primitive environments.
REV22AUG14
Tour Cost in Canadian Dollars (per person)
Land Only (Join / Leave Paris) .................................. $4,655
Toronto / Montreal / Ottawa ....................................... $6,065
Halifax ....................................................................... $6,155
Winnipeg .................................................................... $6,185
Calgary / Edmonton ................................................... $6,275
Regina / Saskatoon ................................................... $6,275
Vancouver / Victoria ................................................... $6,275
Single Supplement ........................................................ $785
Airfares from other gateways are available on request.
Airfares and air carrier are subject to change and will be
confirmed prior to final payment. Refer to Inclusive
Features for details.
Tour price is based on sharing a twin-bedded room at
hotels. Prices are based on a minimum of 20 members
and taxes, surcharges, airfares, and exchange rates
effective September 2013 and are subject to change due to
factors beyond our control.
The price includes the cost of comprehensive insurance
($285 - $320pp) for passengers up to and including 74
years on departure date (rate varies by the cost of the trip).
Cost supplements will apply for members aged 75 - 85
(from $185 - $352pp). Clients 86 years and older - please
contact our staff. This insurance is effective from the date
of confirmation and carries limitations on pre-existing
medical conditions. Please discuss your insurance
coverage prior to booking.
Final payment will be due July 15, 2014.
To reserve your spot on this tour, simply complete the
enclosed enrollment form, indicating the tour you wish to
join and your home city, and forward it with your deposit of
$400 per person to:
CRAIG CANADIAN GROUP TRAVEL LTD
1092 Mount Pleasant Road Toronto ON M4P 2M6
Tel: 416-484-0926 or 1-800-387-8890 / Fax: 416-484-8143
Email: [email protected] / Web: www.craigtravel.com