TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL
EUROPEAN BATTLEFIELDS CENTENARY TOUR 2018
(B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner)
(The Gallipoli component of the tour has yet to be confirmed)
Fri 30 March 2018 (Good Friday)
Depart Toowoomba Grammar School by coach for Brisbane International Airport
Flight Brisbane to Istanbul
In Flight
Sat 31 March 2018
On arrival at Ataturk International Airport proceed directly by coach to Gallipoli Peninsula
Meal en route
Gallipoli battlefields – depending on arrival time
Sunset walk up to Plugge’s Plateau
Overnight Gallipoli
L, D
Sun 1 April 2018 (Easter Sunday)
Gallipoli Battlefields. Walking in Anzac sector
Wreath Laying Ceremony at Lone Pine honouring TGS Old Boys
Visit Kabatepe Turkish Museum
Walk down from Chunuk Bair along Rhododendron Ridge to the Anzac northern outposts
Overnight Gallipoli
B, L, D
Mon 2 April 2018

Cruise along the Aegean coast of the Peninsula taking in the view of
the landing beaches and the heights of the Gallipoli battlefield from
the sea.
Visit Eceabat on the shore of the Dardanelles
Cape Helles sector, including small museum at Alçıtepe (Krithia)
More Anzac sector if time permits
Overnight Gallipoli
B, L, D
Tue 3 April 2018
Check out of Hotel Kum
Departure by coach from Gallipoli to Ataturk International Airport
Flight Istanbul to Paris CDG Airport

On our journey north, visit the museum in the clearing in
Compiegne Wood where the Armistice was signed in a railway
carriage in 1918
Packed lunch included, coffee included
Proceed to the city of Amiens on the River Somme, our base for the
next three nights
Guided tour of Cathedral Notre-Dame d’Amiens
Overnight Amiens
L, D
NOTE:
If Gallipoli component not
included, 2 April will be
departure date from
Brisbane, for Paris.
NOTE:
If Gallipoli component not
included, arrive Paris from
Brisbane on 3 April and
proceed with tour of
France, Belgium and
England as outlined.
1
Wed 4 April 2018
The Somme Battles of 1916
Visit the region of the great ‘Battle of the Somme’ which commenced on 1 July 1916 and which
would become known as one of the most bitterly contested and costly battles of the First World
War. Almost a million casualties were sustained between both sides of the conflict. At Beaumont
Hamel we will visit some of the best preserved trenches on the Western Front. We also visit
Thiepval (including the new Thiepval '14-18 Battles of the Somme' Museum), Lochnagar Crater,
Pozieres (including the Windmill site and the 1st Division Memorial), and Mouquet Farm.
It is hoped that conditions will allow for the group to walk the battlefields of this region.
(During the day students purchase lunch at Le Tommy Café in Pozieres)
Overnight Amiens
B, D
Thur 5 April 2018
The Somme Battles of 1918
Visit the scene of desperate battles fought in response to the resurgent enemy assaults in this area
during the German Spring Offensive of 1918.
Our visit occurs on the Centenary date of the Second Battle of Dernancourt which successfully halted
the German advance in that location. (We need to be available for any commemorative events that
may occur at Dernancourt on this day.)
We visit Villers Bretonneux including the Australian National Memorial with a wreath laying
ceremony honouring TGS Old Boys who fell in France, as well as visiting the Franco Australian
Museum at the Victoria School
Visits will also be made to site of the Battle of Le Hamel, the 3rd Division Memorial at Sailly le Sec,
and to the location where the infamous Red Baron was shot down.
(Students purchase own lunch this day, eg “Flunch”)
Dinner at an authentic French venue to be advised
Overnight Amiens
B
Fri 6 April 2018
Check out of Amiens hotel and proceed north through the Artois region and on to Flanders
The Australian participation in the Battles of Bullecourt in April and May 1917
Canadian National Memorial at Vimy Ridge
Packed lunch included, coffee included
Fromelles - Battlefield Walk
‘Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery’ and ‘Museum of the Battle of Fromelles’
En route to Belgium we visit the 1914 Christmas Truce Site near Ploegsteert Wood, and also
Messines Ridge
Overnight in the magnificent mediaeval city Ypres
B, L, D
Sat 7 April 2018
Visit the battlefields of the ‘Third Battle of Ypres’ fought in the latter part of 1917 and resulting in
38,000 Australian casualties out of a total of 310,000 British losses. Visit Hill 60, the Caterpillar
crater, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, and the world’s largest Commonwealth cemetery at Tyne Cot.
Visit the “Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917” including its dugout and trench experience.
Lunch at a café on 3rd Ypres battlefields
Visit Essex Farm Cemetery and John McCrae Memorial - Poetry reflection ‘In Flanders Fields’.
Menin Gate Last Post ceremony – place a wreath honouring TGS Old Boys who fell in Flanders.
Overnight Ypres
B, L
2
Sun 8 April 2018
Check out of Ypres hotel
Journey to Calais / English Channel
Channel tunnel crossing for London
Visit Imperial War Museum (IWM), London
Experience spectacular views from the ‘London Eye’ at night whilst rotating 135 metres above the
River Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
Overnight London
B, D
Mon 9 April 2018
Touring City of London
A London Underground experience on (City/Waterloo line) “the drain”
Walk from Bank to Tower of London with stories of the significance of particular London buildings in
the Second World War
Lunch at student expense in a suitable café
Tower of London
Dinner at Hoop and Grapes (only surviving pub from London Fire) at Aldgate.
“Jack the Ripper” tour commencing at Aldgate
Overnight London
B
Tue 10 April 2018
Tour of the West End of London
Walk to Churchill War Rooms via Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament
Walk to the Changing the Guard ceremony at Horse Guards Parade
Lunch at own expense at café in St James Park (Inn the Park)
Walk through St James Park or down The Mall to Buckingham Palace
Walk to the ‘Australian War Memorial, London’ at Hyde Park and conduct a wreath laying ceremony
Transport to West End theatre precinct
Dinner at own expense.
A West End Show
Overnight London
B
Wed 11 April 2018
Travel to Cambridge
Visit the IWM Duxford for a full day tour of this historic airfield and museum of aviation history
Lunch at own expense in café
Farewell dinner at restaurant venue to be advised in Cambridge
Overnight Cambridge
B, D
Thur 12 April 2018
Check out of Cambridge hotel
Travel to Milton Keynes to visit the scene of a fascinating story of the World War Two Codebreakers
at the Military Intelligence centre at Bletchley Park
Lunch at own expense in café
Travel to Runnymede to visit the ‘Air Forces Memorial’ commemorating by name over 20,000
airmen of the British Empire who were lost during operations in the Second World War and who
have no known grave. Conduct our final wreath laying ceremony honouring TGS Old Boys
Travel to Heathrow London Airport
Flight London to Brisbane (22.05h)
In flight
3
B
Fri 13 April 2018
In flight
Sat 14 April 2018
Flight arrives Brisbane 07.05h
Coach journey to Toowoomba Grammar School
END OF TOUR
- o0o -
NOTES:
TOUR DURATION
Gallipoli 3 Nights
France 3 Nights
Belgium 2 Nights
England 4 Nights
TOTAL DAYS OUT FROM AND BACK TO AUSTRALIA (including flights)
- If including Gallipoli, Western Front & England
16 Days
- If including only Western Front and England only
13 Days
4