Fewtourcompaniesinoursphereofinteresthavesuchaproudrecordoftestimonials asusandwemakenoapologiesforsayingthatthisisourproudestwebpage(evenifa bitdulllooking).Itisthegenuinefeedbackfromthosewhohavetravelledwithusover thepastthirteenyears,thoughonlythepastcoupleofyearscanbedisplayedhere.All are 100% genuine.In2009wewereamazed(andveryproud!)tohavebeenawardedVanityFair's'Best Tour'award,theonlysuchawardthat'severbeenmadeforbattlefieldtourcompaniesto thisday.Thiswasacompletesurprisetous,whilstatthesametimearewarding acknowledgement of the care and effort we put in to the tours we arrange. Ourtestimonialsgowaybackto1997,butfornowhere’sourtestimonials overthepastcoupleofyears(excluding2020duetoalltourshavingbeen cancelled due to the Covid19 pandemic).
Email from Alison WELLSYourtourisfantastic.From anavigatorspointofview sogoodasnoarguments (youweretheonlyback seatdriver!)easytofollow andveryhelpful.We(you andme)gotonverywell evenAndrewcommentedon howwewereonthesame wavelength!Converting themileageintocasualties was a numbing feeling.
2021A better second half year expected2020Tours cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic. . .2019Dear James,IfIcanechowhatAndrewsaid(below)regardingthebattlefieldtour.Ihavedonemany inmytimeasaservingmilitaryofficer,includingvisitingtheSommebefore.Butdespite havingusedtomilitaryhistoriansandtourguidesinthepast,andonoccasiondoneit myselfalone,yourmapsandguidesweregenuinelyoutstandingandallowedustogoat our own pace.I will be recommending you most strongly.Colonel G Deacon(Somme and Ypres Self-Drive tour October 2019)Dear James,ThethreemembersoftheDorsetcontingentgotbackherelatelastnight,having droppedoffourLondonresidentenroute....Ijustwantedtothankyouforhelpingto organiseourvisitand,inparticular,forthemassivecontributionyourfabulousguides and maps made to our trip. Forus,theself-guidedoptionwasundoubtedlytherightone-wewereabletopickhow deeplywewantedtogointoeachofthepotentialsites(insomecaseswewentinto themingreatdetail,inotherslessso)withtheresultthatwefeltthatweabsolutely crammedtheperfectamountofinformationandviewingintotimeavailable.Highlights (amongstsomemanyoutstandingspots)wereunexpectedlycominguponandbeing verymovedbyWarlencourtCemetery,justaswearrivedintheareaearlyonMonday morning,NewfoundlandPark,ThiepvalMemorial,thecemeteryatOvillers-lesBoisselle, LochnagarCrater(wenearlyleftthisout-whatagemitis),theGermancemeteryat Fricourt,theevenmoreunexpectedcemeteryatFlatironCopse,Ypresgenerally(andthe Arianewasexcellent-perfectforus),alloftheThirdBattlesitesbuttheonethatmoved (andshocked)usthemostwassittingbythestreamatRavebeekreadingyour description of the advance up that slope towards Crest Farm. Wow!Thank you again. It was a very special experience for us and you helped make it so.Best wishes,Andrew Spink(Somme and Ypres Self-Drive tour October 2019)Trust Pilot review submitted by Dr Adam Gajdatsy:“Istartedmyplanningforthistourwithnomorethananebulousideaofvisitingthe battlefieldsofWW1,andgaininganadequateinsightintotheeventsofthattime.Ialso wanted to self drive. Jamesbroughtmywishestofruitionwithhisexcellentandcomprehensiveitineraryand information books, and with the travel and accommodation bookings. ComingfromAustralia,andtravellingwithaUKhirecar,neverthelessIfoundthetripto beseamlesslyeasyandstraightforward.Jamesiseasytocontact,includingvia Messenger, making the organisation in advance of the trip straightforward. Highly recommended.”Dr Adam Gajdatsy - Somme and Ypres Self-Drive tour August 2019Trust Pilot review submitted by Mike Chatterton:“AfriendandIhaverecentlyreturnedfromaself-drivebattlefieldtouroftheYpresarea usingtheguidancematerialanditineraryprovidedbyJamesPowerofSommeBattlefield ToursLtd.Thegreatadvantageofsuchatouristheabilitytoprogressatyourownpace whilstviewingbattlefieldlocations.Theseareinformedbyahighdegreeofwell expressedunderstandingoftheactionswhichtookplaceandatwhathumancost.Using themapsandguideprovideditwasstraightforwardtorelatethemoderngroundtothe contoursandviewsofacenturyago,albeitwithoutthedesolation.Theitinerarywas faultlessandthedescriptionsofeventscomprehensiveandalwayswrittenwithan appropriatedegreeofrespectandreverenceforthegravityoftheeventsandreminding usthatmuchofthegroundoverwhichwetravelledwasthefinalrestingplaceofso manysoldiers.Itisalsoworthmentioningthattherecommendedhotelwhichwechose, theAriane,wasexcellentinallrespectsandideallylocated.Thankyouforfacilitating such a memorable experience, James”.(Ypres Self-Drive tour May 2019)Hi James,Wewantedtowritetoyoutoletyouknowhowpleasedwewerewithourvisitlastweek totheSommeandYpresbattlefields.Everythingwassuperblyarrangedandwereally appreciatedallthenotesandinformationthatyouprovidedfortheself-drivetour.Itall madeforaverymovingandinterestingexperienceforusbothhelpedbytheextensive historical detail and information that you provided in your guidebooks. BothhotelswereexcellentwithTheArianeourfavouriteofthetwo,althoughTheRoyal Picardiewasverycomfortableaswell.Receptionistsinbothhotelscommentedonhow muchtheylikedyouandyourclients!WealsohadaveryinterestingchatwithAvril Williamswhowasalsoverycomplimentaryaboutyou.Wehadlunchathertearooms andasitwasn'tbusyshestayedandchattedwithusforsometime.Wealsonoticeda pictureonherwallofAndyRobertshaw,thearchaeologist,doingatrench reconstruction/dig in her garden. [. . .].WedidhaveacoupleofissuesfollowingtheYprestour,astheBelgians,intheirwisdom, decidedtodigupandclosethecentreoftwotowns,ZillebekeandLangemarkandthe diversionsignswerenon-existentandresultedinuswastingalotoftimetryingtofind analternativeroutetogetbackonyourtour.InLangemarkwecouldn'tevenseeany obvioussignstotheGermanmilitarycemetery,sohadtogivethatamiss.Notyour problemIknowbutitwasquitefrustratingtosaytheleast!italsomeantwewerenot abletofiteverythinginonourfinaldayandhadtomissoutonthefinaltwolocationsof thetourwhichwasabitannoyingbutwehadtogetbacktoCalaistocatchthe Eurotunnel home.Iwouldalsosuggestthatitmightbeagoodideaifyouaddkilometrestoallyour distancesintheguidebooksaswesettheodometerandcarsettingtokilometresandall the road signs etc are in kms on the continent.WedidfindinFrancethatmostthingswereclosedontheMondayofourvisitanditwas alsoapublicholiday(AscensionDay)onThursdayinBelgiumandalotofthingswere alsoclosed,TheHoogeCraterMuseum,anumberofrestaurantsinYpres.Itmightbe worthlettingfutureclientsknowwhenpublicholidaysareasthisdoesmeanthatcertain thingsmightnotbeavailable.ThemostbizarrewaswhenwevisitedthecafeatHill60 forlunchandtheytoldusthattheywerenotservingsnacksatlunchtimebuttheydid have their full a la carte menu available!Wewerealsodistractedbyabout150LotuscarsthatgatheredoutsidetheClothHallon ThursdayfortheYpresLotusRally2019.AnumberoftheLotusOwnerswerestayingin the Ariane and it made for quite an occasion.Overall,wehadafantasticholidaythatwasquiteanexperienceandyourtoursshowed usmanyplacesthatothervisitorswouldnotgettosee,sothankyouverymuchfor puttingallyourknowledgeandcarefulthoughtintothetourthatwedid,itwas wonderfulwithafewtearsshedonthewayroundbecauseofthebackgroundstories that made it all the more relevant and real. Many thanks again.With best wishes,Jonathan & Debra King(Somme and Ypres tour May 2019)Dear JamesIjustwantedtosayahugethankyoufortheamazingtourwehavejustreturnedfrom totheSommeandYpresBattlefields.AsyouknowmywifeRachelboughtthisformeas asurpriseChristmaspresentandfromreceivingtheincrediblydetailedinformationpack outlining our tour, to getting home, we were not disappointed.Asothershavesaid,yourattentiontodetailisamazing,Theonlytimewemadeany mistakesinnavigatingwaswhenwechosetoignoreyourdirections!Weweresoonput right by referring to the incredibly detailed and well-illustrated route plans.ItwasfantastictobepointedintherightdirectionforsomanythingsthatIamsurean organisedguidedtour/coachtripwouldmiss(and,forwhatitisworth,sucha“coach” tripwouldnotappealtomyselfandIamsuremanyotherpeople,comparedtoaself-drivetourofthequalitythatyouorganisedwherewecanmanageourowntime).LocationsliketheWelshMemorialwiththeamazingreferencesandviewsoverthebattle groundofMametzWoodissomethingthatIamsure90%ofvisitorstotheareajustdo notgettosee.Similarly,intheYpresSalient,Iwonderedhowmanypeoplehavehad theopportunitytospendtimeconsideringtheeventsthattookplaceattheRavebeek Stream with the more well-known and well-visited sites being so close. Therecommendedhotelswereexcellent.TheHoteldelaBasiliqueAlbertwaswonderful –classicallyFrench,withasuperbrestaurantandlocatedintheheartofthehistoric town and with ample parking right outside the door.Asyouknow,wedidhaveaglitchwiththeNewReginahotelbookinginYpres,which wasabsolutelynofaultofyourswhatsoever(werealisedveryquicklythehotelhad overbooked!),andamazingly-andthankyou–withinlessthanfiveminutesyouhad arrangedalternative,anddareIsaysuperior,accommodationwithanupgradeatthe excellent Ariane Hotel, still within a stones’ throw of Cloth Hall and the Menin Gate.Iwouldnothesitatetorecommendyourservicestoanyone–whetheraWW1battlefield novicelikemyself,oranveteranofmanyvisits–touseyourservices.Ihavetosay,and veryhonestlyso,itwasafantasticallyorganisedtripwitheveryattentiontodetail catered for.Thank you againBest regardsLaurence and Rachel(Somme & Ypres tour May 2019)Dear JamesWearrivedbackyesterdayafterareallygreattrip.Yourinstructionswerefirstclassand we had no trouble in following your directions to various place on the tour.OurfirststaywithAvrilWilliamswaswonderful,weweremadetofeelverywelcomeand likepartofthefamily.Wewereluckytobeoneofthefirsttostayinhernewapartments whichwasspaciousandcomfortablehavingabedroom,showerroom,sittingroomand fullyequippedkitchenwithadishwasher!Wehadoureveningmealsthereaswelland thesewereexceptionallygoodandgoodvalue.Avrilwasveryinformativeandhelpful and we could have spent hours in her museum.TheArianeinYpreswasexcellentandwethoroughlyenjoyedourtimetheregoingtothe Last Post twice. It was very busy both times.Thank you once again for an excellent tripSue and Trevor Goldsworthhy(Somme & Ypres tour May 2019)Hello JamesI just wanted to write to you to say what a great self drive trip that you set up for us was. It covered everything that we needed to see and through good timing we missed most of the coach tours. The advantage of doing it yourself was that we could explore on our own time. It was also good to refresh my memory with your excellent notes and pictures that went with the maps. The hotels were top quality and their locations were outstanding.Well done and thanks again Mark (Somme & Ypres tour April 2019)Dear James,WehavejustcomebackfromthreeamazingdaysandfeelsoluckythatDarjiechose you, as your magic pack was perfect.Wonderful,movingdaysthatgaveusallsomuchfoodforthought.Thebeautyofthe cemeteries was a fitting tribute to all those who were lost to many nations.The hotels were great, food super and perfect for the tour. Will recommend you highly.Thank you so much. Yours, Bridget.(Somme & Ypres tour - April 2019)Dear James Icannotthankyouenoughforgivingusreallywonderfulcomprehensiveinformationfor ourBattlefieldsTrip.Itwassuchanamazingvisit,sopoignantandseeingallthose gravesofthethousandsoffallenmenwassoverymovingandhowgeneroustheywere to put their lives on the line for all of us so that we could live in freedom. Yourinformationpackswereincredibleandperfecttothelastarrowanddescriptions and superbly produced.Bothofourhotelswereimmaculateandjustgreat,socleanandfoodexcellent.The locationoftheNewReginaHotelwaswonderfullyplaced,especiallyforgettingtothe Menin Gate.Again, thank you so very much for all your help and guidance, most kind of youWith very best wishesSheila Bednall (Somme & Ypres tour - April 2019)James.Iwouldjustliketoaddourthanksforyourexcellentguidebooksandhotel recommendations.AsthechiefNavigatorIcansaythatwenevermissedaspotwe wanted to see. We learned a lot.Best regards Mike Champion(Somme & Ypres tour - April 2019)Dear James,IwouldjustliketosaymanythanksforthemarvellousBattlefieldstripyouorganisedfor Darjie Armstrong and her relatives. Yourinformationpackwasquitesuperb,givingusnotonlythedetailedbackgroundand information,butalsoreallygooddrivingandvisitinginstructions.Theonlytimeswe wentwrongwerewhenwedidnotpayattentiontoyourspot-oninstructions!Also,the hotelsyoubookedforuswerefirstclass;thedinnerinthePicardieinAlbertwas excellent.Welldone-Iwon'thesitatetorecommendyoutoanyfriendsofminewhowishtodo their own Battlefields tour.Kind regards,Michael Bednall(Somme & Ypres tour - April 2019)Hi James TuckedupatTheReginahotelforourlastnight.Whatanincrediblethreedayswehave had - interesting, fascinating and very moving. Amillionthanksfromusallforthetrulyfantasticitineraryyoudidforus-weareso gratefulanddeeplyimpressedattheamountofworkyouputinandallthedetailsand extrasnippetsyouincluded.Wearealldelightedatchoosingthebesttouroperator! Thank you.Best wishes and good night. Darjie xPS. The hotels have been perfect .(April 2019)2018Dear JamesWejustwantedtowriteandtellyouthatwehadamostinterestingandpoignantvisiting the1WWbattlefields,cemeteriesandmuseumsintheSommeandYpresSalientoverthe lastweek.Yourdetaileditineraryandnoteshelpedustoappreciatetheterrible conditionsandsacrificesmadeonbothsidesduringthebattles,takingustoplaceswe would have certainly otherwise missed. Wethoughtweshouldmentiononecemeterythatwasveryeasytovisitonourreturn fromYprestoCalais,namelytheLijssenthoekMilitaryCemeterywhichwasjustasmall diversionfromourroute.Itcontainedareallyinterestingandinformativevisitorcentre (unliketheoneatTynecot)withmanyinsightsintotheworkingsofthefieldhospital based there. You may wish to add it to your itinerary for the return route. BothhotelswereexcellentwithupgradedroomsgiventousatboththeArianeandLe Macassar.ThenewownersatthelatterweremostwelcomingandtheArtDeconatureof theroomsveryinteresting.TheyprovidedalovelyTabled’hôtemealontheSunday eveningandareverykeentomaintainthelevelofhospitalityprovidedbytheprevious owners.Wewoulddefinitelyrecommendthatyoukeepitasoneofyourhoteloptionsfor the Somme region. Thankyouagainfortheefficientandcomprehensiveservicethatyouprovidedin arranging our trip. Yours sincerely David and Alison Levy (October 2018)Dear Mr. PowerIt’sbeenamonthsincewereturnedfromEuropeandtheSommeanditseffectuponmy sonandIhavebeenlonglasting.Bothofusweresurprisedathowmovingan experienceitwas.Weknewthehistory,thefatalmilitaryjudgementsandhugenumber oflosses,buthistorybooksdon’tgiveanysenseofthemagnitudeofthecasualtiesin theterrainthatexposedsomanytroopstoslaughter.Beingtheredoes.Seeingallthose cemeteriesdoes.Andyourguidewithit’sdetailandmeticulousandcompassionate explanationsbroughttheSommebattlestolife.Whatmadeourexperienceallthemore poignantwasthatthebeautyofthegentlerollingPicardiecountryside,itsfields,copses andsteepledvillagestodaybeliedwhattookplacethere102yearsago.Wewere especiallymovedbySheffieldParkandthePALSmemorials,andthought,"There,butfor time, place and the Grace of God” we could have been among those young men.Imightadd,thehotelwascomfortableandpleasant,itsfoodsurprisinglygood. Coincidentally,stayingattheRoyalPicardieweregraphicnovelsartist,publishersand editorsattendingabookfairinAlbert.Someofthemhadbeeninvolvedwiththe publicationforthecentennialofagraphicnovel,“TracesoftheGreatWar”;justone more experience to enrich a great trip.Thanks and my best,Robert B Kohn, USA (October 2018)Dear James,Wehavehadsuchaninterestingifemotionalweekwithyourselfdrivetoursofthe SommeandYpresareasandwouldliketothankyouforthemeticulousdetailinboththe routedirectionsandbattledetailswiththemapsandphotographs.Wehadmanyofthe Sommeareastoourselveswithsuchpeaceinthesurroundingareascontrastingtowhat musthavebeenunimaginablehorror.ItwasbusierintheYpresareaatthemorewell-knownsitesbutalwaysmanageable.Octoberwasagoodtimetogoandtheweather was amazing too - just like summer! Youaskedtomentionanyerrorsthatmightbefound-justoneverysmalloneonpage 49aoftheSommeguidePrivateJSweeney’sgraveisRowB-thearrowdoespointto thisalthoughAiswritteninbrackets.Goodtoseehewasgivenagraveyardburialand nowthereisamemorialtothoseShotatDawnattheNationalMemorialArboretum. HowverydifficultitwasinsomanywaysforallthoseintheGreatWarandhow powerfulhindsightis.Thereweremanyverymovingandemotionalmomentsforbothof usincludingtheGermancemeteryatLangemark.Thankyouagainforsucha comprehensive tour which will not be forgotten.Yours sincerely,Janice and Tony Elvidge (October 2018)Hi JamesJustaquicknoteonbehalfofmymumandmyselftosayhowmuchweenjoyedthe Somme and Ypres itinerary that you provided.Extraordinary detail that gave a real insight into the terrible history of the conflict. Weenjoyedbothhotels,especiallytheArianeinYpres-andthecafe's&restaurants thatyourecommendedincludingtheHoteldeBasiliqueandtheOceanVillasTearooms where we met Avril.All best wishes and thanks once againRichard Steeden (October 2018)Dear James,GotbackonFriday.Everythingworkedlikeclockwork;JanandIwanttothankyoufor thedetailedandcomprehensiveplanningwhichwentintothewholetrip.TheAriane Hotelwasexcellent,includingtheupgrade,andwewereblessedwithsuperbweather whichnodoubtyoualsoarranged.(Wecouldn'thelpthinkingthatasteadydownpour would have been more appropriate to tour the Salient!). WespentTuesdayandWednesdaytouringtheYpresarea,andonThursdaydrovedown tothesiteoftheBattleofLoos,takinginMessines,PloegstreetandtheIrishPeace memorialontheway.TheformerHohenzollernRedoubtisunmistakeableandovergrown butfirmlyentréeinterdite.Wewerenottempted,butweremightilyimpressedwiththe Quarrycemeterynearby-webelievethequarrywastheBattalionHQduringthebattle. It also has the grave of Captain Bowes-Lyon, the Queen's uncle.TheBattlefieldguidesweresuperb,givingjusttherightamountofinformation;wemuch appreciatedretainingcontrolofourowntimingandactivity.Asaformernavalperson,I amnowmoreawareoftheimportanceoftheterrainthanIwas;theaspectoftheslight slope up to the Hohenzollern looked frightening! [guide update suggestion].Again,manythanksfortheattentiontodetailandcomprehensiveinformation.Weshall certainly recommend Somme Battlefield Tours to our friends.Yours sincerely,Mike Forbes (September 2018)Hi JamesJustwantedyoutoknowthatwehadafabuloustimetouringtheSommeandYpreslast week.ThehotelswerewonderfulespeciallytheHotelDeLaPaix,thiswassuchafriendly hotel with wonderful amenities and staff. Wefoundvirtuallyallthesitesinyourguidesandmore,weneverstoppedtobehonest and covered hundreds of miles, we even visited Dunkirk Beach on the way home. Everythingwenttoplanwiththeeurotunnelanditwasagreatexperience,onewewill do again. ThankyouforplanningthistourforusJamesitwasalifetimewishofmyBrotherandI andoneIwillnowdoagainbecausetherearestillmoreplacesIwanttovisitlike Amiens,itwastobusytogotherebecauseofthecelebrationsgoingonwhilstwewas there. Once again Thank you JamesKindest Regards Ian J Blakey. (August 2018)JamesWegotbackfromourtourlateonFridayandwantedtothankyouforthetourthatyou prepared for us. Itwassoinformativeanddetailedandeventhoughwedidnotmanagetocoverthe wholeitinerarybecauseoftime,wenowfeelthatwehaveamuchbetterunderstanding ofthehorrorsandtheawfulmistakesmaderesultinginthehugesacrificesofmenin this dreadful war.The directions and road information was clear and precise on your routes.ThehotelArianewaslovelyandweatethereontheirterraceandtheHoteldelaPaix was very welcoming, clean and homely and the evening meals were good.Thank you for making our trip so worthwhile.Best wishesSue (July 2918)Hi JamesMyselfanddadjustwantedtosendyouamassivethankyouformakingourbattlefields toursounbelievablyperfect.Suchamovingexperienceandveryimportanttobothofus. Made even better by the stress free arrangements and fabulous accommodation.Truly thank you we loved it.Naomi WalsbyDear JamesWearejusthome(wehadafewextradaysinAntwerp)afterthemostabsorbingand interesting visit to the Somme and to Passchendaele. YouritineraryandinformationcontributedofcoursetoalargedegreeandI’mwritingto letyouknowonbehalfofallthreeofushowmuchthiswasappreciated.Wehave learned so much on this trip- at times it was almost overwhelming! Inaddition,theoverallarrangementsworkedperfectly-thehotelsweregreat,restaurant recommendationsprovedreallyhelpfulandthedrivinginstructionswereclearand informative.Wehadagoodteam-driver,navigatorandeducator,thelatterreminding usofspecificinformationateachstop(wehaddonealotofpreparatoryreadingbutit wasdifficulttoretainalltheinformationformthoseextensivedossiers!).Ourdayswere veryfullanditwasexcellenthavingslightlymorethantwodaysforeachcentreoverall. Itwasinterestinghowthedifferentmuseums/visitorcentreseachhadsufficient informationanddisplaytomeritsomerealtimeandwewerefortunatetobeableto lingeraswewished.WethoughttheprivatemuseumatHoogewasveryimpressive (thatatHill62possiblyratherlessso)..Welocatedsomefamilygraveswhichwas particularlyspecialforus-atBonnay,PeronneandIeper,plusanameontheMenin Gate.WealsovisitedtheAustraliancemeteryandmemorialatVillers-Brettoneux (betweenAmiensandAlbert),andthetrenchesandwonderfulmemorialatVimyRidge.I knowyoucouldnotpossiblycovereverythingbutitmightbeworthmentioningthisfor thosedoingbothareasofthe‘tour’-wewentfromAlberttoArras,exploredthelatter quite briefly and then went to Vimy en route to Ieper, which worked well.IwouldbemorethanhappytoaddthegistofthistoTripAdvisororsimilarifthatis helpful.With thanks again and best wishes from us allDeborah (May 2018)Hi James,WeareonourlastnightinYpresandtheentiretriphasbeenFANTASTIC!Ouronly hiccupwasbeingunabletoreachthehotelduetoseveralroadclosures.Oursat/nav wasalsostumped,butnothingthatgoingthewrongwayonaonewaystreetcouldn’t fix!Wetoldthefrontreceptionistthatwehadtogothewrongwayonthestreetandher response was “Oh that’s ok, it’s Sunday”. This made me and Peter laugh so hard!Wefollowedyourexcellentguidetotheletterandweevenhadenoughtimetovisit CalaisandDunkirkbeforewebegantheYprespartofthetrip!YesIknow,wewentback andforth,butthat’sthebeautyofhavingyourowntransportation!Wenoticedthatthere werenotourbusesontheroutesyougaveusandveryoften,weweretheonlyonesat thesites.ThestaffatHotelArianeweregreatandthebreakfastwassuperb!Weare looking forward to it again in the morning before we leave for France. I’ll give you another update after the second part of the tour.Thankyouagainfortheincredibleexperience!IthinkImayhavewontheWifeofthe Year Award for booking this :)Connie (April 2018)Dear JamesIjustwantedtoconveyoursincerestthanksforarrangingareallywonderfulBattlefields trip recently.FromtheEuro-tunnelcheck-inthroughtotheHotelsrecommendedbyyou,wewere extremelyimpressed.Everythingwasjustasyoudescribedandthefoodandservicein both hotels exemplary.MostofallJacquesmadethesitesvisitedcomealive.Hehasastyleofhisownand captivatedusforafulltwodayswithstoriesandanecdotes.Hereallywenttheextra mileinmakingitatrulymemorableexperience.Onewhichwewillallrememberfora long time to come.Thank you againBest regardsBenBen Penniston (April 1918)2017Dear James,Thisisaratherbelatednotetosayaverybig‘thankyou’forallyourdetailedhelpin settingupourtriplastmonth.Youcouldnothavegonetomoretroubleforus.We wereluckywithperfectsunnydryweather,anditallwentverywell.Jacqueswas excellent,andsonice,andwentoutofhiswaytoshowuswhereourgreatunclespent his last few days. We also happened to meet Genevra during the day as well.Yourguideswereamazing,includingmeetingthetrickyfarmeratSerre,whowhilewe werewalkingalongthetracknotonlydroveuptocheckonus2or3times,butalso forcedbumpertobumperaminivantoreversebackdown!.Wereckonedhedidnot havemuchsparetimetodoanyfarming!Imustsaythattheimpactofthetripstayed with me for some time after we got back.I will certainly recommend you to friends in the future, and many thanks again,Jo Blake (October 2017)Dear JamesWe thought you might be interested to have some feedback on our short trip. Thetravelplansworkedwellandwewereluckynottohaveanydelaysorholdups.On thereturnjourneywearrivedearlyatCalaisandwereabletojoinanearlierdeparture which was a bonus.ThehotelswerefinewiththeoneinYpresbeingclearlysuperioralthoughtheirevening menuwasveryrestrictedandweatethereforonenightonly.Wehadajobfinding somewheretoeatonSundayeveninginAlbertandsettledonHoteldelaPaixwhichwas notahugesuccessandwewereweakenoughtoallowthemtoservefreezingcoldred wine!Thankstoyourdetailedguidesandanefficientnavigatoranddriverwedidnotgetlost once!Wesaweverythingwesetouttoseeandmorebesidesalthoughaftervisiting about5museumswefounditallabitrepetitive.Yourguidesareverydetailedandgive excellentbackgroundtoeachsitevisited-inourcaseperhapsabittoomuchdetail!Thesecommentsarenotreallyintendedascriticisms-moreareflectiononthefactthat we were on a "sentimental" journey and are not by any means connoisseurs.Overallonecouldnotfailtotomovedbywhatonesaw,readandheardanditwasgood toseesomanyEnglishchildrenatthevarioussites.TheinterestintheMeninGate ceremony in particular and WW1 in general after 100 years, was amazing to experience.With thanks for all your help and arrangements and kind regards from the Carver family (October 2017)James,IjustwanttosaythankyouforthegreattimethatmyfamilyandIhavehadonour recenttriptotheSommeandYpres.Yourguidesandinformationweresuperb.They wereeasytofollowandveryinformative.ThehotelsweregreatandbarAvril’stea roomsthefoodwasoutofthisworld.Iamwholeheartedlyrecommendingyour company to any one I speak too.Now we have a taste of the battlefields next year will be the WW2 Normandy landings.Once again thank you so muchGlen Lloyd (October 2017)Dear James,Abelated“thankyou”forsendingthepublishedmaterialtomyhotelinCork–itwas waiting for us on our arrival.TheHoteldelaPaixwasexcellent–theroomscomfortableandwell-appointed,thestaff endlesslyhelpfulandthefoodgood.Iwassurprisedbysomodernanestablishmentina small French rural town.BapaumewasalsoveryclosetoDelvilleWood,themostfamousWW1battleforSouth Africanforces.Weheadedtheresoonafterarrivinganditwas,asyounoted,aneerie place.Icollectedsomeofthemanyacornsscatteredonthegroundandwillplantthem here [South Africa].ThematerialyouprovidedwashighlyinformativeandIhadthesenseithasbeenhoned over the years – thank you for the care taken with this.WediddropintoAvrilWilliams’restaurantforlunchoneday;itwasalittledisappointing althoughwedidarriveonabadday–thechip-fryerwasbroken,whichremovedagood proportionofhermenu!LeTommyinPozières,despitetheratherheavy-handed themeing, was better.IcameawayfromthethreedayswithajumbleofthoughtsthroughwhichI’mstill working.IreadawhileagothatAuschwitzhasbecomealmostlikeatheme-parkandI wonderifthesameisn’thappeningtotheWW1Battlefields–thesouvenirshopat ThiepvalwasjarringalthoughIsupposetheyneedeverypennytheycancollect.Perhaps thisishowtheywillhavetosurviveinthemodernage,asthegenerationsaffectedby the world wars (mine is probably the last) die off.Regards, Dominic Rooney (September 2017)Dear JamesIamjustwritingtothankyouverymuchfororganisingtheexcellenttouroftheSomme and Ypres battlefields for Christopher and myself.Iwasveryimpressedfromtheoutsetthatyoucouldputtogetherthearrangementsfor thetoursoquicklyandefficientlyatsuchshortnoticeandIthankyouforputting yourself out just before you were going away yourself.WethoughtyourchoiceofhotelsinbothAlbertandYpreswasverygoodandthe journeytoandfromfromCalaiswentseamlessly.Weateverywellwiththeexceptionof theAubergedelaValleeAncrewherethemaincoursewasverydisappointing..butthe wine list was exceptional!Moreimportantly,however,wastheexcellentself-drivingitinerary,whichoncewehad doneourhomeworkonusingitefficiently,waswithoutfailaccurateandenlightening.Yourbackgroundworkonthehistory,thebattles,thearmies,thelivingconditionsof officersandmen,theequipmentandthehorrifyingstatisticswasthoroughandvery interestingandvisitingvariousmuseumsonlyservedtoconfirmthatwhichyouhad already written.Inowfeelmuchmoreaufaitwiththatperiodofhistoryandunderstandwhatismeant whenpeoplerefertothesufferingenduredbymostoftheworld’snationsovertheFirst World War. And the experience begs the question... When will we ever learn?Thank you very much for a memorable 5 days.With best wishesAntonia (September 2018)Dear JamesIjustwantedtothankyouprovidinguswithsuchexcellentmaterialforourBattlefields trip. We returned last week and haven't stopped talking about it yet!ThemapsandaccompanyingbookletsforbothSommeandYpresareasweresuperband keptusrightontrack.TheonlytimeweovershotanythingwasinHameljustoutside Albert.wherethemaizehadgrownsotallbythetimeofourvisitthatitcompletely obscuredthecemeteryasweapproached,sowehadtoturnback,parkontheroadside andwalktodiscoverwhatwewerelookingfor.Thiswasmadepossiblebytheclear description you gave of other landmarks in the village. IntheSommearea,wemanagedtodriveroundeverythingontherouteyousuggested, visitedthemuseumunderneaththeBasilicainAlbertandalsotheoneinPeronne-both veryimpressive.WewereparticularlymovedbyatemporaryexhibitionofartbyOtto Dixwhichdisplayedthetruehorrorofitall,bothrealandimagined.Wecalledinon AvrilforcoffeeandatefartoowellattheHoteldelaBasilique!Oneofthemostmoving experienceswasourvisittoDelvilleWoodMuseum,andRichardfoundtheMametz Wood area very foreboding.OnourwaytoYpres,westoppedatMessinesforcoffeeandvisitedtheIrelandPeace ParkandtheNewZealandmemorial.Wealsohadamissiontofindagraveofasoldier localtoushereandstoppedatWijkstaetetolocatehisrestingplaceintheverypeaceful cemetery there.WhilstinYpres,weattendedtheMeninGateceremonyonMondaywhenthe proceedingsweremoreformalthansome,duetoanimpressivenumberofwreaths beinglaidandamarchingbandalsoinattendance.OneofthewreathswaslaidbyMike TindallasagroupofformerrugbyplayersoftopqualitywereontourplayingRugbyfor Heroes!Weweresoimpressedthatweattendedthefollowingeveningaswell,although thiswasalessformalceremony.Weenjoyedsomeverygoodmealsinthetownand drovearoundmuchofyourtourbeforemeetingGenevraonourfinalday.Shereallyhad donealotofresearchonourbehalfandtookustoplaceswhereRichard'sgrandfather hadbeeninaction.Shewasasfascinatedasweweretorelivehisexperienceofviewing thecountrysidethroughhisfieldglasseswhichwetookwithus.Itwasawonderfulday madeveryspecialbyherpassiontolearnofindividuals'experiences.Shehassincesent usfurtherinformationtowhichwedidn'thaveaccessandwehaveexchangedphotos. WedroppedinonStGeorge'sMemorialChurchafterwepartedcompanyandbothfound that very interesting.Onourreturntriptotheport,wetookinTalbotHouseinPoperinge(onGenevra's advice) and visited the Lijssenthoek cemetery.Thankyousomuchformakingourtripsomemorable.Wewouldhavemissedsomuch hadwenothadyourguidance.Ishallcertainlyrecommendyoutofriendsandfamily who may wish to take a similar trip.Who,knows-ImaydropinwhenwearevisitingmybrotherinWimborneandmeetyou in person!Many thanks once againSarah and Richard Musgrave August 217)Good afternoon JamesIjustwantedtosaywhatafabulousweekendMum&Ihad.Ypreswasbeautiful,its hardtoimaginethat100yearsagoitwashellonearth.TheAlbionHotelislovely,very comfortable and the staff were really friendly.ThetourwithWouterwasthehighlightoftheweekend.Whatalovelymanheis.He totallycharmedMum,hadherhangingonhiseveryword.Shewassomovedbeingable toseetheplaceswhereherfatherservedforthewhole4yearsofthewar.Thestories thatWoutertoldusandthephotosheshowedbroughtitalltolifeandgaveusboth especiallyMumaclearerunderstandingastowhyherDadwasthewayhewas,very quiet and detached and always deep in thought.WemanagedtogetticketstogointotheDugoutatZonnebeke,mumdidreallywell getting down the steps. It was amazing to be able to see it. WewerereallyemotionalbeingabletolayapoppyattheMeninGateatthepanel commemoratinghisfriendswhowerelostfromhisregiment.Itwasaveryspecial weekend, one which both of us will remember forever.Many thanks for organising it for usSuzanne Bevington (August 2017)JamesJustgotbacktotheUKafterafantasticweekinFrance.Mysincerethanksforallyour organisation-thewholetripworkedlikeclockwork.PeterSmithwasexcellentandIwill be sending him a separate note to say thank you.ManythanksagainandIwillcertainlyberecommendingyoutoanyonewhoenquires about our trip.Kind regardsBrett Wooldridge (July 2017)Hi James,GotbackSundaynightfromourtour.Wewerebothveryimpressedwiththewhole6day excursion.Incrediblywellorganised,highlydetailednotes,directionsandinfo.Evenmy wifecouldn'thelpbutsuccessfullydirectmetoournextstop!Hotels-verygood.Euro-Tunnel very good - beats the ferry! Definite trip of a lifetime - thank you. Mywifewhowasatfirstslightlycautiousofthetripthoroughlyenjoyeditandwasat timesverymoved.Didn'tdoeverystopbuttendedtolingerlongeratsomeplacessuch asNewfoundlandPark,TyneCot,PasschendaeleMuseum,Hills62&60andLochnagar crater to name but a few. Definite advantage of self-drive over coach. Regards,Gordon & Enez Tompsett (July 2017)Hello James,IjustwantedtosendyouaquicknotetosaythatwehadagreattriptoYpres/Somme between5-12July.Youritinerarywasfirstrateandcreatedtherightbalancebetween thebigsetpiecesuchasaTyneCotorThiepvalandthemoreunusualcornersofthe battlefields,manyofwhichwerenewtomedespitehavingvisitedbothareasadozen timesormore.Thewholefamilyreallyenjoyedtheexperienceandwefeltareal connection to the areas and the moments of significance from 1914-18. TheArianewassuperbasahotelandwewouldhurryback.Theyreallydidlookafterus well.Highlyrecommended!TheRoyalPicardiewasverygoodalsoalthoughwesuffered abitonthefirstnightasourroomfor3peoplewasa"traditional"roomwithnoaircon andithadbeen29degreesthatday!Wedidmovethenextmorningtoanewerroom withairconandthestaffdidlookafterusso"all'swellthatendswell"etc.Youmay knowalreadybuttheyhavenorestaurantfordinneranylonger(breakfastwasvery good). We used Corners Pub and the Basilique Hotel and both were well-received. Onetipintheitinerarymaterialsmightbetowarnthecasualvisitorthatiftherehas beenrainthenafewareasmaybequitemuddyandwelliesorsimilarwouldbeuseful- HawthornCraterwasacaseinpoint.Iwasnotpopularforleading3femalesintothe mud but all part of the experience if you ask me!ThewholeexperiencewassuperbandIwanttothankyouonbehalfofthefamilyfora trulymemorableholiday.Itwasallthemorepoignantaswemanagedtovisittheresting places of several former pupils in both Ypres and the Somme. Thanks and best wishesDavid Burnett (June 2017)Hi JamesJusttoletyouknow-thetripwasexcellent.Wecrammedsomuchinitwasquitetiring, butextremelyworthwhile-sometimespoignant,sometimesoverwhelminginthescaleof thecasualties,butalwaysinteresting.ThemuseumsinAlbertandZonnebergwere especially good.Therewerelotsofschoolpartiesthereonorganisedtours,whichisencouraging.They seemed enthusiastic even though it's ancient history to them.ThesubstitutionoftheAlbionHotelprovedexcellent-greatlocation,friendlystaff,and excellentfacilities,withthecarparkingarealbonus.We'vereceivedyourkindrefund, andIcanassureyouitwenttoagoodcause,aswefoundthebeerandfoodinYpres quiteexpensive-tobeexpectedaroundtheGroteMarktandtheMeninGateastheyare majortouristattractions.Don'tknowwhattheissuewaswiththeArianeHotel,butyour prompt action and excellent substitution saved the day!Thetourliteraturewasimpressivelycomprehensive,somuchsothatwecouldcopewith splittingtheroutesineachbattlefieldover2days,choosingwheretospendmoretime andwheretoskim,andevendosomerunsindifferentorderwhensmallroadswere blocked (roadworks, etc).ThestaffattheRoyalPicardiewerefine,buttherestaurantisnotopenatallfordinner- don'tknowwhetherthisistemporaryorapermanentcost-savingmeasure.Noproblem forusasweateinthecentreofAlbert,withjusttheodddrinkinthehotelbar.Wedid getataxitoandfromthecentre,whichthehotelreceptionistorganisedforus,asmy co-travellerhadhadareplacementkneeoperationfairlyfrequentlyandwassaving himselfforthetourwalks.Othertravellerswithmobilityissuesmaywishtodothesame - it was only 7 euros each way.Once again, many thanks for your help - we may even go back.Kind RegardsRobert Pringle (June 2017)Dear James,SueandIhadabrilliantfourdaysinFrance/Belgiumlastweek.WithSuedrivingandme navigatingandyourexcellentinstructionswemanagedonthefirstdaytoseethegrave ofmygrandfather’scousin,WilliamThomasBrewerinAbbeville.Wemadeanerrorat firstandcameoffthemotorwayatJunction22insteadof23but,havinghadsomehelp fromsomefriendlyFrenchworkers,whodirectedustothecentreofthetownwefound asigntothecemetery.Afterthatwewereabitlostthankstothelackofsigningon French roads but we made it in the end!AfterthatwemadeforAlbertandfoundtheHotelRoyalPicardieveryeasily.Wewalked intotownforamealandfoundtheexcellentHotelDeLaPaixwhichwasFrenchcooking atitsbest.TheHotelPicardiedidn’tseemtobeofferingmealsintheirrestaurantatall sowereturnedtotheHotelDeLaPaixthesecondnightforanotherexcellentmeal.We spentthisseconddayontheSommebattlefieldsandfollowedhalfofyourself-drive guide–westartedat9amandstoppedat6pmhavinghadafascinatingfirstday.We visitedmanycemeteriesandasweturnedforAlbertontheD929wefoundthePozieres Cemetery where one of the Holt Parish Hall Plaque men is remembered – William Squibb. Wefoundhisnamesonthepanel91.HavingreadthewholeofyourbookontheSomme nowIunderstandnotallthemissingarementionedatThiepval.WefoundErnest Brewer’s name there – he is the brother of William.OnWednesday,wemadeforYpresviaVimyRidgeasSue’sbrotherhadrecommendeda visit.WewerenotdisappointedandtheCanadianstooksdownintothetunnelsdugout byWelshandAustralianminers.WhenwereachedYpreswecheckedintotheHotel Ariane–again,easilyfoundusingyourdirectionsandthenwalkedtheramparts,in reverse,endingupattheMeninGateMemorialat7pm.Averymovingceremonyandwe hadanextraasastudentfromaCanadianCollegeplayedthebagpipesafterthe buglers. All the people there were so friendly. OnthelastdaywehadtimetodoaboutaaquarteroftheYpresSalienttourwhichwas veryinformativeandwevisitedHill60,theCaterpillarminecraterandtheBluffwhich was beautifully quiet and full of wildlife.OnthewaybacktoCalaiswewentintoMervilleandfoundthegraveofmyGreat-uncle, WilliamJohnBleddyn.ThiswasveryemotionalformeasIhavecarriedoutmuch research on him and have his medals and his photo.BothSueandIareverygratefulforyourhelpandguidanceandorganizingofthetrip. Weenjoyedthetripenormouslyandwecamebackonahigh,despitetheawfulnewsof Grenfell Tower!I am continuing to read your books and can still picture the battlefields in my mind. Thank you very much.Ihaveonequestion–doyouknowifthevariousregimentsortheImperialWarMuseum knowthenamesofallthemenwhofoughtintheWar.Iknowonly70%oftheactual recordsofthemen(nottheofficers)weredestroyedinWWIIbutIwonderedifanyone has the names of all those who fought.With best wishes,Ann KortaDear James ,WewantedtoletyouknowwehadafantastictimerecentlystayingatthelovelyAriane hotelandYpres.Yourattentiontodetailisamazing,howeverwedidmanagetogetlost afewtimes,nothingtodowithyourinstructions,justusgoingoffpiste!Idiscovered Belgium beer , we brought some home with us, and some chocolates . MyparentsthoroughlyenjoyedthetripespeciallymyDad,seeingforhimselftheland he has read so much about . For all of us the 8pm last post at Menin gate was moving .Thank you again James for all your help .Good luck I the future with your company .Best wishes Tracey and Gary Leone (May 2017)Hi James,WehavereturnedfromourpilgrimagetotheSommeandthoughtweshouldwriteto youandsaythatwehadagreattimewithallthedetailsthatyoufurnishedforus.Very detailed(sometimesabittoomuchinfoforusfledglings)butnonethelessvery thoroughandwegleanedalotoutofitall.Theaccommodation,AvrilWilliamsGuest House and the Albion Hotel in Ypres were both very good also.Thanks again James.Kind regards,Kathryn Sergent (May 2017)
The only Self-Drive WW1 tour company to be recommended in the Independent’s ‘Complete Guide to Great War Travel’
2019Dear James,IfIcanechowhatAndrewsaid(below)regardingthebattlefieldtour. Ihavedonemanyinmytimeasaservingmilitaryofficer,including visitingtheSommebefore.Butdespitehavingusedtomilitary historiansandtourguidesinthepast,andonoccasiondoneitmyself alone,yourmapsandguidesweregenuinelyoutstandingand allowed us to go at our own pace.I will be recommending you most strongly.Colonel G Deacon(Somme and Ypres Self-Drive tour October 2019)Dear James,ThethreemembersoftheDorsetcontingentgotbackherelatelast night,havingdroppedoffourLondonresidentenroute....Ijust wantedtothankyouforhelpingtoorganiseourvisitand,in particular,forthemassivecontributionyourfabulousguidesand maps made to our trip. Forus,theself-guidedoptionwasundoubtedlytherightone-we wereabletopickhowdeeplywewantedtogointoeachofthe potentialsites(insomecaseswewentintothemingreatdetail,in otherslessso)withtheresultthatwefeltthatweabsolutely crammedtheperfectamountofinformationandviewingintotime available.Highlights(amongstsomemanyoutstandingspots)were unexpectedlycominguponandbeingverymovedbyWarlencourt Cemetery,justaswearrivedintheareaearlyonMondaymorning, NewfoundlandPark,ThiepvalMemorial,thecemeteryatOvillers-les Boisselle,LochnagarCrater(wenearlyleftthisout-whatagemit is),theGermancemeteryatFricourt,theevenmoreunexpected cemeteryatFlatironCopse,Ypresgenerally(andtheArianewas excellent-perfectforus),alloftheThirdBattlesitesbuttheone thatmoved(andshocked)usthemostwassittingbythestreamat Ravebeekreadingyourdescriptionoftheadvanceupthatslope towards Crest Farm. Wow!Thankyouagain.Itwasaveryspecialexperienceforusandyou helped make it so.Best wishes,Andrew Spink(Somme and Ypres Self-Drive tour October 2019)Trust Pilot review submitted by Dr Adam Gajdatsy:“Istartedmyplanningforthistourwithnomorethana nebulousideaofvisitingthebattlefieldsofWW1,and gaininganadequateinsightintotheeventsofthattime.I also wanted to self drive. Jamesbroughtmywishestofruitionwithhisexcellentand comprehensiveitineraryandinformationbooks,andwiththe travel and accommodation bookings. ComingfromAustralia,andtravellingwithaUKhirecar, neverthelessIfoundthetriptobeseamlesslyeasyand straightforward.Jamesiseasytocontact,includingvia Messenger,makingtheorganisationinadvanceofthetrip straightforward. Highly recommended.”Dr Adam Gajdatsy August 2019Trust Pilot review submitted by Mike Chatterton:“AfriendandIhaverecentlyreturnedfromaself-drive battlefieldtouroftheYpresareausingtheguidancematerial anditineraryprovidedbyJamesPowerofSommeBattlefield ToursLtd.Thegreatadvantageofsuchatouristheability toprogressatyourownpacewhilstviewingbattlefield locations.Theseareinformedbyahighdegreeofwell expressedunderstandingoftheactionswhichtookplace andatwhathumancost.Usingthemapsandguide provideditwasstraightforwardtorelatethemodernground tothecontoursandviewsofacenturyago,albeitwithout thedesolation.Theitinerarywasfaultlessandthe descriptionsofeventscomprehensiveandalwayswritten withanappropriatedegreeofrespectandreverenceforthe gravityoftheeventsandremindingusthatmuchofthe groundoverwhichwetravelledwasthefinalrestingplaceof somanysoldiers.Itisalsoworthmentioningthatthe recommendedhotelwhichwechose,theAriane,was excellentinallrespectsandideallylocated.Thankyoufor facilitating such a memorable experience, James”.(Ypres tour May 2019)Dear JamesIjustwantedtosayahugethankyoufortheamazingtour wehavejustreturnedfromtotheSommeandYpres Battlefields.AsyouknowmywifeRachelboughtthisforme asasurpriseChristmaspresentandfromreceivingthe incrediblydetailedinformationpackoutliningourtour,to getting home, we were not disappointed.Asothershavesaid,yourattentiontodetailisamazing,The onlytimewemadeanymistakesinnavigatingwaswhenwe chosetoignoreyourdirections!Weweresoonputrightby referringtotheincrediblydetailedandwell-illustratedroute plans.Itwasfantastictobepointedintherightdirectionforso manythingsthatIamsureanorganisedguidedtour/coach tripwouldmiss(and,forwhatitisworth,sucha“coach”trip wouldnotappealtomyselfandIamsuremanyother people,comparedtoaself-drivetourofthequalitythatyou organisedwherewecanmanageourowntime).Locations liketheWelshMemorialwiththeamazingreferencesand viewsoverthebattlegroundofMametzWoodissomething thatIamsure90%ofvisitorstotheareajustdonotgetto see.Similarly,intheYpresSalient,Iwonderedhowmany peoplehavehadtheopportunitytospendtimeconsidering theeventsthattookplaceattheRavebeekStreamwiththe more well-known and well-visited sites being so close. Therecommendedhotelswereexcellent.TheHoteldela BasiliqueAlbertwaswonderful–classicallyFrench,witha superbrestaurantandlocatedintheheartofthehistoric town and with ample parking right outside the door.Asyouknow,wedidhaveaglitchwiththeNewRegina hotelbookinginYpres,whichwasabsolutelynofaultof yourswhatsoever(werealisedveryquicklythehotelhad overbooked!),andamazingly-andthankyou–withinless thanfiveminutesyouhadarrangedalternative,anddareI saysuperior,accommodationwithanupgradeatthe excellentArianeHotel,stillwithinastones’throwofCloth Hall and the Menin Gate.Iwouldnothesitatetorecommendyourservicestoanyone –whetheraWW1battlefieldnovicelikemyself,oran veteranofmanyvisits–touseyourservices.Ihavetosay, andveryhonestlyso,itwasafantasticallyorganisedtrip with every attention to detail catered for.Thank you againBest regardsLaurence and Rachel(Somme & Ypres tour May 2019)Dear JamesWearrivedbackyesterdayafterareallygreattrip.Your instructionswerefirstclassandwehadnotroublein following your directions to various place on the tour.OurfirststaywithAvrilWilliamswaswonderful,wewere madetofeelverywelcomeandlikepartofthefamily.We wereluckytobeoneofthefirsttostayinhernew apartmentswhichwasspaciousandcomfortablehavinga bedroom,showerroom,sittingroomandfullyequipped kitchenwithadishwasher!Wehadoureveningmealsthere aswellandthesewereexceptionallygoodandgoodvalue. Avrilwasveryinformativeandhelpfulandwecouldhave spent hours in her museum.TheArianeinYpreswasexcellentandwethoroughly enjoyedourtimetheregoingtotheLastPosttwice.Itwas very busy both times.Thank you once again for an excellent tripSue and Trevor Goldsworthhy(Somme & Ypres tour May 2019)Hello JamesIjustwantedtowritetoyoutosaywhatagreatselfdrive tripthatyousetupforuswas.Itcoveredeverythingthat weneededtoseeandthroughgoodtimingwemissedmost ofthecoachtours.Theadvantageofdoingityourselfwas thatwecouldexploreonourowntime.Itwasalsogoodto refreshmymemorywithyourexcellentnotesandpictures thatwentwiththemaps.Thehotelsweretopqualityand their locations were outstanding.Well done and thanks again Mark (Somme & Ypres tour April 2019)Dear James,Wehavejustcomebackfromthreeamazingdaysandfeel soluckythatDarjiechoseyou,asyourmagicpackwas perfect.Wonderful,movingdaysthatgaveusallsomuchfoodfor thought.Thebeautyofthecemeterieswasafittingtribute to all those who were lost to many nations.Thehotelsweregreat,foodsuperandperfectforthetour. Will recommend you highly.Thank you so much. Yours, Bridget.(Somme & Ypres tour - April 2019)Dear James Icannotthankyouenoughforgivingusreallywonderful comprehensiveinformationforourBattlefieldsTrip.Itwas suchanamazingvisit,sopoignantandseeingallthose gravesofthethousandsoffallenmenwassoverymoving andhowgeneroustheyweretoputtheirlivesonthelinefor all of us so that we could live in freedom. Yourinformationpackswereincredibleandperfecttothe last arrow and descriptions and superbly produced.Bothofourhotelswereimmaculateandjustgreat,soclean andfoodexcellent.ThelocationoftheNewReginaHotel waswonderfullyplaced,especiallyforgettingtotheMenin Gate.Again,thankyousoverymuchforallyourhelpand guidance, most kind of youWith very best wishesSheila Bednall (Somme & Ypres tour - April 2019)James.Iwouldjustliketoaddourthanksforyourexcellentguide booksandhotelrecommendations.AsthechiefNavigatorI cansaythatwenevermissedaspotwewantedtosee.We learned a lot.Best regards Mike Champion(Somme & Ypres tour - April 2019)Dear James,Iwouldjustliketosaymanythanksforthemarvellous BattlefieldstripyouorganisedforDarjieArmstrongandher relatives. Yourinformationpackwasquitesuperb,givingusnotonly thedetailedbackgroundandinformation,butalsoreally gooddrivingandvisitinginstructions.Theonlytimeswe wentwrongwerewhenwedidnotpayattentiontoyour spot-oninstructions!Also,thehotelsyoubookedforus werefirstclass;thedinnerinthePicardieinAlbertwas excellent.Welldone-Iwon'thesitatetorecommendyoutoany friends of mine who wish to do their own Battlefields tour.Kind regards,Michael Bednall(Somme & Ypres tour - April 2019)Hi James TuckedupatTheReginahotelforourlastnight.Whatan incrediblethreedayswehavehad-interesting,fascinating and very moving. Amillionthanksfromusallforthetrulyfantasticitinerary youdidforus-wearesogratefulanddeeplyimpressedat theamountofworkyouputinandallthedetailsandextra snippetsyouincluded.Wearealldelightedatchoosingthe best tour operator ! Thank you.Best wishes and good night. Darjie xPS. The hotels have been perfect .(Somme & Ypres tour - April 2019)2018Dear JamesWejustwantedtowriteandtellyouthatwehadamost interestingandpoignantvisitingthe1WWbattlefields, cemeteriesandmuseumsintheSommeandYpresSalient overthelastweek.Yourdetaileditineraryandnoteshelped ustoappreciatetheterribleconditionsandsacrificesmade onbothsidesduringthebattles,takingustoplaceswe would have certainly otherwise missed. Wethoughtweshouldmentiononecemeterythatwasvery easytovisitonourreturnfromYprestoCalais,namelythe LijssenthoekMilitaryCemeterywhichwasjustasmall diversionfromourroute.Itcontainedareallyinteresting andinformativevisitorcentre(unliketheoneatTynecot) withmanyinsightsintotheworkingsofthefieldhospital basedthere.Youmaywishtoaddittoyouritineraryforthe return route. Bothhotelswereexcellentwithupgradedroomsgiventous atboththeArianeandLeMacassar.Thenewownersatthe latterweremostwelcomingandtheArtDeconatureofthe roomsveryinteresting.TheyprovidedalovelyTabled’hôte mealontheSundayeveningandareverykeentomaintain thelevelofhospitalityprovidedbythepreviousowners.We woulddefinitelyrecommendthatyoukeepitasoneofyour hotel options for the Somme region. Thankyouagainfortheefficientandcomprehensiveservice that you provided in arranging our trip. Yours sincerely David and Alison Levy (October 2018)Dear Mr. PowerIt’sbeenamonthsincewereturnedfromEuropeandthe SommeanditseffectuponmysonandIhavebeenlong lasting.Bothofusweresurprisedathowmovingan experienceitwas.Weknewthehistory,thefatalmilitary judgementsandhugenumberoflosses,buthistorybooks don’tgiveanysenseofthemagnitudeofthecasualtiesin theterrainthatexposedsomanytroopstoslaughter.Being theredoes.Seeingallthosecemeteriesdoes.Andyour guidewithit’sdetailandmeticulousandcompassionate explanationsbroughttheSommebattlestolife.Whatmade ourexperienceallthemorepoignantwasthatthebeautyof thegentlerollingPicardiecountryside,itsfields,copsesand steepledvillagestodaybeliedwhattookplacethere102 yearsago.WewereespeciallymovedbySheffieldParkand thePALSmemorials,andthought,"There,butfortime, placeandtheGraceofGod”wecouldhavebeenamong those young men.Imightadd,thehotelwascomfortableandpleasant,its foodsurprisinglygood.Coincidentally,stayingattheRoyal Picardieweregraphicnovelsartist,publishersandeditors attendingabookfairinAlbert.Someofthemhadbeen involvedwiththepublicationforthecentennialofagraphic novel,“TracesoftheGreatWar”;justonemoreexperience to enrich a great trip.Thanks and my best,Robert B Kohn, USA (October 2018)Dear James,Wehavehadsuchaninterestingifemotionalweekwith yourselfdrivetoursoftheSommeandYpresareasand wouldliketothankyouforthemeticulousdetailinboththe routedirectionsandbattledetailswiththemapsand photographs.WehadmanyoftheSommeareasto ourselveswithsuchpeaceinthesurroundingareas contrastingtowhatmusthavebeenunimaginablehorror.It wasbusierintheYpresareaatthemorewell-knownsites butalwaysmanageable.Octoberwasagoodtimetogoand the weather was amazing too - just like summer! Youaskedtomentionanyerrorsthatmightbefound-just oneverysmalloneonpage49aoftheSommeguidePrivate JSweeney’sgraveisRowB-thearrowdoespointtothis althoughAiswritteninbrackets.Goodtoseehewasgiven agraveyardburialandnowthereisamemorialtothose ShotatDawnattheNationalMemorialArboretum.Howvery difficultitwasinsomanywaysforallthoseintheGreatWar andhowpowerfulhindsightis.Thereweremanyvery movingandemotionalmomentsforbothofusincludingthe GermancemeteryatLangemark.Thankyouagainforsucha comprehensive tour which will not be forgotten.Yours sincerely,Janice and Tony Elvidge (October 2018)Hi JamesJustaquicknoteonbehalfofmymumandmyselftosay howmuchweenjoyedtheSommeandYpresitinerarythat you provided.Extraordinarydetailthatgavearealinsightintotheterrible history of the conflict. Weenjoyedbothhotels,especiallytheArianeinYpres-andthecafe's&restaurantsthatyourecommendedincluding theHoteldeBasiliqueandtheOceanVillasTearoomswhere we met Avril.All best wishes and thanks once againRichard Steeden (October 2018)Dear James,GotbackonFriday.Everythingworkedlikeclockwork;Jan andIwanttothankyouforthedetailedandcomprehensive planningwhichwentintothewholetrip.TheArianeHotel wasexcellent,includingtheupgrade,andwewereblessed withsuperbweatherwhichnodoubtyoualsoarranged.(We couldn'thelpthinkingthatasteadydownpourwouldhave been more appropriate to tour the Salient!). WespentTuesdayandWednesdaytouringtheYpresarea, andonThursdaydrovedowntothesiteoftheBattleof Loos,takinginMessines,PloegstreetandtheIrishPeace memorialontheway.TheformerHohenzollernRedoubtis unmistakeableandovergrownbutfirmlyentréeinterdite.We werenottempted,butweremightilyimpressedwiththe Quarrycemeterynearby-webelievethequarrywasthe BattalionHQduringthebattle.Italsohasthegraveof Captain Bowes-Lyon, the Queen's uncle.TheBattlefieldguidesweresuperb,givingjusttheright amountofinformation;wemuchappreciatedretaining controlofourowntimingandactivity.Asaformernaval person,Iamnowmoreawareoftheimportanceofthe terrainthanIwas;theaspectoftheslightslopeuptothe Hohenzollern looked frightening! [guide update suggestion].Again,manythanksfortheattentiontodetailand comprehensiveinformation.Weshallcertainlyrecommend Somme Battlefield Tours to our friends.Yours sincerely,Mike Forbes (September 2018)Hi JamesJustwantedyoutoknowthatwehadafabuloustime touringtheSommeandYpreslastweek.Thehotelswere wonderfulespeciallytheHotelDeLaPaix,thiswassucha friendly hotel with wonderful amenities and staff. Wefoundvirtuallyallthesitesinyourguidesandmore,we neverstoppedtobehonestandcoveredhundredsofmiles, we even visited Dunkirk Beach on the way home. Everythingwenttoplanwiththeeurotunnelanditwasa great experience, one we will do again. ThankyouforplanningthistourforusJamesitwasa lifetimewishofmyBrotherandIandoneIwillnowdo againbecausetherearestillmoreplacesIwanttovisitlike Amiens,itwastobusytogotherebecauseofthe celebrations going on whilst we was there. Once again Thank you JamesKindest Regards Ian J Blakey. (August 2018)JamesWegotbackfromourtourlateonFridayandwantedto thank you for the tour that you prepared for us. Itwassoinformativeanddetailedandeventhoughwedid notmanagetocoverthewholeitinerarybecauseoftime,we nowfeelthatwehaveamuchbetterunderstandingofthe horrorsandtheawfulmistakesmaderesultinginthehuge sacrifices of men in this dreadful war.Thedirectionsandroadinformationwasclearandprecise on your routes.ThehotelArianewaslovelyandweatethereontheir terraceandtheHoteldelaPaixwasverywelcoming,clean and homely and the evening meals were good.Thank you for making our trip so worthwhile.Best wishesSue (July 2918)Hi JamesMyselfanddadjustwantedtosendyouamassivethank youformakingourbattlefieldstoursounbelievablyperfect. Suchamovingexperienceandveryimportanttobothofus. Madeevenbetterbythestressfreearrangementsand fabulous accommodation.Truly thank you we loved it.Naomi WalsbyDear JamesWearejusthome(wehadafewextradaysinAntwerp) afterthemostabsorbingandinterestingvisittotheSomme and to Passchendaele. Youritineraryandinformationcontributedofcoursetoa largedegreeandI’mwritingtoletyouknowonbehalfofall threeofushowmuchthiswasappreciated.Wehave learnedsomuchonthistrip-attimesitwasalmost overwhelming! Inaddition,theoverallarrangementsworkedperfectly-the hotelsweregreat,restaurantrecommendationsproved reallyhelpfulandthedrivinginstructionswereclearand informative.Wehadagoodteam-driver,navigatorand educator,thelatterremindingusofspecificinformationat eachstop(wehaddonealotofpreparatoryreadingbutit wasdifficulttoretainalltheinformationformthose extensivedossiers!).Ourdayswereveryfullanditwas excellenthavingslightlymorethantwodaysforeachcentre overall.Itwasinterestinghowthedifferentmuseums/visitor centreseachhadsufficientinformationanddisplaytomerit somerealtimeandwewerefortunatetobeabletolingeras wewished.WethoughttheprivatemuseumatHoogewas veryimpressive(thatatHill62possiblyratherlessso)..We locatedsomefamilygraveswhichwasparticularlyspecialfor us-atBonnay,PeronneandIeper,plusanameonthe MeninGate.WealsovisitedtheAustraliancemeteryand memorialatVillers-Brettoneux(betweenAmiensandAlbert), andthetrenchesandwonderfulmemorialatVimyRidge.I knowyoucouldnotpossiblycovereverythingbutitmightbe worthmentioningthisforthosedoingbothareasofthe ‘tour’-wewentfromAlberttoArras,exploredthelatter quitebrieflyandthenwenttoVimyenroutetoIeper,which worked well.IwouldbemorethanhappytoaddthegistofthistoTrip Advisor or similar if that is helpful.With thanks again and best wishes from us allDeborah (May 2018)Hi James,WeareonourlastnightinYpresandtheentiretriphas beenFANTASTIC!Ouronlyhiccupwasbeingunabletoreach thehotelduetoseveralroadclosures.Oursat/navwasalso stumped,butnothingthatgoingthewrongwayonaone waystreetcouldn’tfix!Wetoldthefrontreceptionistthatwe hadtogothewrongwayonthestreetandherresponse was“Ohthat’sok,it’sSunday”.ThismademeandPeter laugh so hard!Wefollowedyourexcellentguidetotheletterandweeven hadenoughtimetovisitCalaisandDunkirkbeforewebegan theYprespartofthetrip!YesIknow,wewentbackand forth,butthat’sthebeautyofhavingyourown transportation!Wenoticedthattherewerenotourbuseson theroutesyougaveusandveryoften,weweretheonly onesatthesites.ThestaffatHotelArianeweregreatand thebreakfastwassuperb!Wearelookingforwardtoitagain in the morning before we leave for France. I’ll give you another update after the second part of the tour.Thankyouagainfortheincredibleexperience!IthinkImay have won the Wife of the Year Award for booking this :)Connie (April 2018)Dear JamesIjustwantedtoconveyoursincerestthanksforarranginga really wonderful Battlefields trip recently.FromtheEuro-tunnelcheck-inthroughtotheHotels recommendedbyyou,wewereextremelyimpressed. Everythingwasjustasyoudescribedandthefoodand service in both hotels exemplary.MostofallJacquesmadethesitesvisitedcomealive.Hehas astyleofhisownandcaptivatedusforafulltwo