canadian european theatres of war

'FORGING OF A NATION'
Canadian European Theatres of War
8 days / 7 nights - Monday to Monday

TENTATIVE ITINERARY	NIGHTSTOP
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.	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.	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.	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.	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.	Lille/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.	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 recrossing 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 is not included this evening.	London
DAY EIGHT - Monday
Today is departure day, unless you are opting to extend your stay. A free airport transfer is offered if you are flying from London's Heathrow. An optional day trip to Portsmouth is offered on which you'd see the Overlord embroidery and visit a number of military museums pertinent to our theme of the Forging of a Nation. The cost of this additional day depends on the number taking it.