Fewtourcompaniesinoursphereofspecialisttourshavesuchaproudrecord oftestimonialsasus,andwemakenoapologiesforsayingthatthisisour proudestwebpage(evenifabitdulllooking).Itisthegenuinefeedback fromthosewhohavetravelledwithusoverthepast25years,thoughonlythe pastfewyearscanbedisplayedhere.Allare100%genuineandunedited, save for any comments of a more private nature (shown […]).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. Our testimonials go way back to 1997, but for now here’s our testimonials over the past few years
Email from Alison WELLSYourtourisfantastic.From anavigatorspointofview sogoodasnoarguments (youweretheonlyback seatdriver!)easytofollow andveryhelpful.We(you andme)gotonverywell evenAndrewcommentedon howwewereonthesame wavelength!Converting themileageintocasualties was a numbing feeling.
2023EmailfromCrisDayfollowingaSelf-DrivedrivetouroftheYpres&Sommebattlefields April 2023.Dear James,IhaverecentlyreturnedfromfourdaysinBelgiumandFrancevisitingtheplaceswhere twoofmyuncles,mymothersbrothers;served,werekilled,andarenowrememberedon the Menin Gate and Thiepval Memorials.YourbattlefieldGuidesforYpresandtheSommewereexcellent,andalthoughIwas drivingonmyown,Iwasabletonavigatewithlittledifficulty.Iwouldparticularlyliketo thankyouforalltheresearchyoudidonmybehalfandespeciallyforthenumerousmaps youprovidedaswesoughttolocatetrenchB13intheYpresarea.Nothingwastoomuch trouble and I am grateful.TheAmbrosiahotelinYpreswasjustwhatIwantedandtheownersmosthelpful.Iwould alsomentiontheYpresResearchDepartmentwhichwasabletoprovidemewithamap showingB13,andthenmarkeditononeofthemapsyouhadprovided.Theyarelocated behind the Cloth Hall; tel +32 (0) 57 239 450, and are brilliant.With thanks,Chris Day.Trust Pilot 5-Star review!fromPenelopeSmartfollowingaSelf-Drivedrivetourofthe Ypres battlefields April 2023.Whatamemorabletripthisturnedinto.Havingdiscussedwithmyhusbandthepossibility ofvisitingtheWW1battlefieldswedecidedagainstacoachtripwhichwouldhavemeant rushingfromoneplacetoanotherwhichisnotwhatwewanted.Wethoughtof'doingit alone'butthenfoundthiscompanyorganisingaself-drivetripwhichleftoneableto spendasmuchtimeatanyoneplaceasonewished.Whatajoythiswasandhowwellit worked. Wespent3daysdedicatedtoJames'ssuggestedroutearoundtheYpresareaandthe detaileditineraryhesuppliedwasbrilliant.UsingWhat-3-Wordswasagreatadvantage. Theinformationpackwassoexplicitandleftnothingtotheimagination.Averypowerful educational experience.JamesalsosuggestedhavingaprivateguideforadayasIwantedtoseethefinalresting placeofmyGreatUnclewhowaskilledonthefirstdayoftheBattleofLoos.Wetookup thisadviceandhearrangedcontactwithJacquesinYpreswhowasafountainof knowledgeandprovidedmewithextensivepersonaldocumentsaboutthelastjourneymy relative took. Extraordinary attention to detail and worth every penny. Thiscompanygoesaboveandbeyondtoofferanexceptionalservice.ThehotelArianein Ypres was extremely comfortable, friendly and ideally located for our trip. Well done, James!EmailfromSteve&JackieEggletonfollowingaSelf-DrivedrivetouroftheYpres battlefields February 2023.Hi James,ReturnedhomeacoupleofdaysagofromourBattlefieldtourandthoughtwewouldgive you some feedback !Absolutely brilliant!Thetripthereandbackwasexcellentwithnoproblemseitherendofthetunnel.The directionsyouincludedwerespotonandwefoundwhatwewerelookingforandmore! Weonlyintendedtovisit3or4cemeteriestovisitpastrelativesbuttheextrainformation in your books meant we could learn more about the whys and when’s as well.TheArianeHotelwasexcellentwiththestaffreallyhelpfulandthefoodwasfirstclass.We also dined at De Heerlyckheid which was lovely.AllinallJames,yourhelpandinformationwerespotonforwhatwewantedandwethank you for everything you did.Best wishesSteve & Jackie2022EmailfromChristopherStephensonfollowingaSelf-DrivedrivetouroftheSommeand Ypres battlefields November 2022Sorryit’stakenmesolongtocontactyou.Inevercompletetestimonialsbutinthis instance I was so impressed with the service.Icontactedyoujustover1weekbeforewewantedtodotheWW1BattlefieldsTourbye-mail.Youtelephonedmethefollowingdayanditwasallprovisionallybooked,brilliant. YouadvisedtheTunnelwhichwehadneverdonebeforeanditwassoeasy(apartfrom theOilBridgeprotestersmakingourjourneyfromWarringtontwicethetimeitshould havetaken).WebookedtheHolidayInnExpressFolkestoneChannelTunnelHotel overnight because of the early train start and would recommend it to anyone.Thecomprehensivemap,directions,hotelsanddetailedroutewereamazingand extremelysimpletofollow.Wefollowedtheroutespreciselyandonlygotslightlylostonce whichwasmyfault!Yourdetailsandexplanationssectionsweresuperbandwefollowed everything you set out and suggested.YourguidanceastohowbesttoseetheArmisticeDayattheMeninGatewasspotonand with your timings we had best positions on 3 occasions.TheArianewastopclassinYpres,andweunderstandwhytheMacassarB&Bisoneof TripAdvisor’stop10inEurope!Itisanamazingplace(pityitdoesn'thaveTVandkettlein thebedroom).Youcouldn'thavebetterhostsandtheArtDecoandArtNouveauinteriors need to be seen and enjoyed to be fully appreciated, Wonderful!Thanks very much again and recommended for anyone.ChrisEmail from Sarah McLeod following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields October 2022Dear JamesJust a note to say thank you for organising such a great trip for us to the Somme & Ypres. The hotels were fabulous, the French one so friendly with amazing food and the second so luxurious (and again great food). We were slightly undone by roadworks through the centre of Ypres but we managed to find the hotel.We added in a trip to Vimy Ridge on our way from Albert to Ypres, that was lovely and may be a good suggestion for your clients?Your information was amazing and gave us lots of insights.All in all a super trip - thank youKind regardsSarahEmail from Donald Wilkinson following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields October 2022Dear JamesJustaquicknotetothankyouverymuchforallyoudidtomakeourtriptoFranceand Belgiumsosmoothandenjoyable.Everythingworkedbrilliantly.Therecommendationto gobyEurotunnelwasarevelation(althoughit'sabitofatrailbacktothenorthof Englandonthewayhome).Thehotelswereexcellent.TheArianeisclearlyoneof Ypres'best,butwewereveryimpressedwiththecuisineandtheambienceofthedela Paix in Bapaume.Yournotesweresuperb.WhilemywifeandIhavebeentoboththeatresbefore-mywife morefrequentlythanI-thefriendswewentwithwerehugelyimpressedbyyour knowledgeandthecoherenceofyourroute.Westucktoitprettymuchtotheletteron theSomme,verymuchenjoyingmakingtheacquaintanceofAvrilWilliams(clearlyoneof yourgreatestfans!)andhersonandthreegrandchildren.InBelgium,wewentabitmore offpiste.Oneofmywife'srelatives-agreatuncle-isburiedatLijssenthoekMilitary Cemetery.HediedintheCanadianCasualtyHospitalthereon8June1917,havingbeen woundedatMessinesRidgethedaybefore.WethenwenttoTalbotHouseinPoperinge andlatertotheGermanCemeteryatVladslo(whichIhadvisitedbefore)toseetheKathe Kollwitzsculptures-althoughtheywereenclosedinameshcageastheywerebeing restored![….]Thank you once again for your outstanding work on our behalf.Best wishesDonald WilkinsonEmail from Sarah McLeod following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields September 2022Dear JamesJustanotetosaythankyoufororganisingsuchagreattripforustotheSomme&Ypres.Thehotelswerefabulous,theFrenchonesofriendlywithamazingfoodandthesecondso luxurious(andagaingreatfood).Wewereslightlyundonebyroadworksthroughthe centre of Ypres but we managed to find the hotel.WeaddedinatriptoVimyRidgeonourwayfromAlberttoYpres,thatwaslovelyand may be a good suggestion for your clients?Your information was amazing and gave us lots of insights.All in all a super trip - thank youKind regardsSarahEmail from Liz Humphreys following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields August 2022Hello James,WereturnedfromourtripFriday.Ijustwantedtosayahugethankyou.Thetripwasfor my dad’s 60th and he/we all throughly enjoyed it!Thedirectionsaresuperaccurateandtheinformationinthepacksreallyhelpstobring thebattlefieldsalive,aslookingoverthebeautifullandscapeasitisnow,itishardto imagine the horror. The war photos really do help.OceanVillas,orAvrilswasperfect!Sopeaceful,welcomingandonthebattlefield-Ichose thisaccommodationforthehistorybehinditratherthanahotel.Wewereaccommodated in the apartments which were just perfect! We were well looked after!InYpreswestayedintheArianewhichagainwasperfect!Thehotelwillalsogivefree presentationsaboutEliseandMairi,theBritishladieswhowentovertoBelgiumtodo theirbitduringtheGreatWar.There’salsoanicememorialtotheminthegardens.Not sureifitwasbecausewewerebookedinviayou,butthehotelalsogaveusavoucher book which got us into most museums and attractions around Ypres free or half price.Onethingthatdoesn’tseemtobewellknownbytouristsistherearefreetoursprovided at Thiepval, Newfoundland and Tyne cot. These are well worth doing too.Overall an excellent holiday thank you, I’ll definitely be going back!Sent from Liz Taylor HumphreysEmail from Christopher Blencowe following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields July 2022Dear JamesJustaquicknotetosayhowmuchweenjoyedthetripyouorganisedforustotheSomme andYpres.Transportarrangementsandaccommodationworkedverywellandthe detailedguidesyouprovidedwereanexcellentbaseforunderstandingboththebroader scope of the campaigns and the personal experiences of the trenches.Thank you for lending us your knowledge and experience for what was a very successful trip.Best wishesChris and grandsons Toma and Sam Email from Dr Sarah Warlker-Bircham following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields July 2022Dear James I hope you are well and managing to keep cool!Ijustwantedtosayabigthankyoufororganisingourfabulousholiday.Wehadsucha fabuloustimeandsuchfun.Itwaslikebeingonahugetreasurehunt!Jackanddad navigated,Idrove(andmanageditfine!)andwejustlovedthesightsandinfowe gleaned.Wethoroughlyenjoyeditall.Wehad2fulldaysdoingtheSomme,withaday withJacquestofindUncleHarry’sgrave.Jacqueswasabsolutelyfabulous,honestlythey gleanedsomuchmoreinfothanwecouldeverhaveimaginedordreamedof!And Jacquesbroughtthehistoryalivesowell!Wethoroughlyenjoyedit.Itwassoironicthat thewholeoftheSommeareawassoverypeacefulwhensomuchbloodhasbeenshed, somanysoulslost.WemetAvril,whatafabulouscollectionshehas.Andthetrenchinher garden?!Amazing!Myson,Jack,belongstothe2ndDevonshire’sre-enactmentgroup, ww2 so he was particularly interested in the Devon’s cemetery. […]WedidgettovisitMeninGateonbothnights,whichwasafabulousexperienceforus all!! […]Bothhotelswereabsolutelyamazing.TheIbis[Somme]staffweresofriendly,helpful andtolerantofourattemptsatspeakingFrench!Thedisabledfacilitieswerefabulous (showerwithseatandnon-slipsurfacesplusgrabrails),andweweresoluckytobejust oppositesidesofthecorridor.Suchagreatlocation,fabulousfood.LovedAlbert,seemed so quiet and as typically French as I had imagined.TheAriane[Ypres]isastunninghotel,fabulouslyhelpfulstaff,feltsoembarrassedtobe onlyabletospeak‘goodday’and‘thankyou’inFlemish!Thestaff’sEnglishandmore widely,wasamazing!Theroomsweresoluxurious.JusttomentionthatalthoughDad’s roomwasaccessible,itwasnotsuitableforsomeonewithhismobilityissues.Althoughhe couldeasilystepupintotheshower,itwasslippywhenwetandhecouldn’tgethis footing.Sadly,therewerenograbrailsandourportablerailswouldn’tsticktothetilesas theyweretooluxurious!Itwasfineintheendasamemberofstaffmanagedtogethold ofashowerstoolwhichweusedinthebathroomandDadjustwashedwithmy assistance,insteadofshowering.Youhavetogetroundthesethingsandyouoftendon’t knowuntilyoutry.Greatlocationandeasytogetintotown!Andthefoodwasamazing- Jack couldn’t believe his eyes when doughnuts were available at breakfast!Wehadsuchafabuloustime,we’resogratefultoyouforeverythingyou’vedone.I’m wonderingifyouorganiseanyself-driveholidaysforWW2,althoughIimaginethatthe Somme and Iepers tours probably keep you very busy.Ihopeourpathscrossagaininthefuture,andthankyouonceagain.Pleasegivemybest wishes to your wife.With best wishes to you bothSarah WBTrust Pilot 5-Star review!submitted by Amanda Hornsbury following a Self-Drive tour of the Ypres battlefields June 2022:Excellent-faultlessThisisthethirdtripwehavedonewithJamesandIcannotbegintoexpresstheemotion thatisexperienced.Idon’twanttosoundcrass,butitisthemostwonderfultrip, evocative,andmeaningful!Thedetailsareorganiseddowntotheminutiaeandeverything workslikeclockwork!ThehotelArianeisfabulous,oneoftheverynicesthotelsI’ve stayedinanywhere.Nothingistoomuchtroubleforthestaffandafteragoodoldweep, thegardenisasoothingspotwithalargeg&t!Thefoodisgreatandveryreasonably pricedforgreatquality.Wetravelledasagroupof6andnotoneofuscouldfindfault with anything! Well done again Mr Power, we shall travel again with you soon!Email from Lisa Whiston following a Self-Drive drive of the Somme and Ypres battlefields May-June 2022Hi James,IjustwantedtosaywhatawonderfultimewehadexploringtheSommeandtheYpres region,thetourworkedperfectlyforus,enroutetotheSommewestoppedatVimyRidge too,whichwasagoodadditiontothetripandonthethewayhomewestoppedat Dunkirk [also helpful guide updates].All the bestLisa.Trust Pilot 5-Star reviewsubmitted by Nigel Parsons following a Self-Drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields April 2022:Brilliantly organised and highly memorableAsmanyofthepreviousreviewershavenoted,James'tourmaterialsarequitesimply superb.Thethree-layersystemofroutemap,directionsguideplusoverview,andfinally thedetailednarrativepackallowseasyplanningandnavigation.Plusdetailed,informative andinsightfuldetailsofwhathappenedduringthosedarkdays.Thisisnotanemotionally easytrip,norshoulditbe.Ourscoincidedwiththeterribleandsadlycontinuingeventsin Ukraine, making them seem even more incomprehensible.Beyondthe'standard'excellentmaterials,Jamesalsohelpedusfindlocationsthatwereof hugepersonalinteresttoeachmemberofourparty.Weallhaddirectrelativeswhowere involved.Somesurvived,othersdidn't.Wewereabletofollowtheirfootstepsonwhat became a very moving pilgrimage.Toleaventheemotionalimpact,itwasbrillianttostayisthewonderfulhotelsthatJames had organised.All in all this was a hugely memorable trip which I cannot recommend highly enough.Email from Mrs J Middleton (4 x couples) following a Self-Drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields April 2022:Dear James,Manythanksforthepacksforourrecent,muchanticipatedandpostponed,tripto BelgiumandFrance.Theinformationpackwasabsolutelyexcellent.Withoutallthe directions,maps,hintsandinformationwewouldnothaveseenanywherenearasmuch aswedid.Itwasinvaluable,beautifullyresearchedanddetailed.Wewereabletoaccess thehistoryofthebattlefieldsbeforeturningup.Frommuseumrecommendationsto placesforrefreshmentswewouldnothavemanagedtoseenearlyasmuch.Avril WIlliamsTeaRoomswerebrilliant(manyrestaurantsandcafeswereclosedsofindinga placeforacoffeewasnoteasy)Nicetomeetsomeonewhoknewyouandshowedus your photograph!Foryourinformationforfuturetourists,theIbisHotelwasbasicbutthefoodwasvery good-Iappreciatethiswasnotontheoriginalitinerary.Theothertwohotels[hotelDela Paix and the Ariane Hotel] were excellent, particularly the Ariane.WehadawonderfulreceptionfromthecouplerunningtheUlsterMemorialTowerwho gaveusanaddedtourofthetrenchesinThiepvalWood.Goodcoffeeandcakewe returnedforrefreshments.WIththepack'shelpwefoundthespotwheremygreatuncle foughtwiththeSheffieldPalsfortheYorksandLancsandtwoothermembersofourparty foundfamilymembers'graves.UnfortunatelytheThiepvalMonumentisundergoing restorationandwecouldnotgetcloseenoughtoseetheinscriptionsbutthemonument itselfwasimposing,impressiveandhumbling.Wewereallcompletelyoverawedbythe workoftheWarGravesCommissionwhoseemployeeswerealsoveryhelpfulinlocating family plots.[…]Should you need any further reviews we would be delighted to assist.Many thanksThe Middletons, Lowes, Parsons and Tomlinsons.Email from Nick Hornby following a Self-Drive and private conducted tour of the Ypres battlefield April 2022:Good afternoon James,Thought I would let you know that the visit to Ypres went well without any problems or hitches. We met Jacques [tour guide] OK and he took us down into the Sailley Sur La Leys area and we saw everything we wanted to.We were very happy with the Ariane Hotel and they made us very comfortable.Thanks for arranging it all, you made it all very easy for us. Thanks, Nick Hornby. Trust Pilot review from Dr Katrina Swale April 2021 following a self-drive tour of the Ypres and Somme battlefields:“Fantastic experience all round, cannot fault James and his team one bit.”Email from Carl Laidler following a self-drive and private conducted tour February 2022Hello James.Our weekend was superb. Thank you.Both hotels were excellent and made it a holiday as well as a tour. Jacques [private tour guide] was of course superb. Flanders Museum in Ypres and the Paschendale one book ending Jacques trips to venues such as Hill 60 and 62 really brought it to life.2020 - 2021Tours cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic. . .Dear James,IfIcanechowhatAndrewsaid(below)regardingthebattlefieldtour.Ihavedonemanyin mytimeasaservingmilitaryofficer,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,havingdropped offourLondonresidentenroute....Ijustwantedtothankyouforhelpingtoorganise ourvisitand,inparticular,forthemassivecontributionyourfabulousguidesandmaps made to our trip. Forus,theself-guidedoptionwasundoubtedlytherightone-wewereabletopickhow deeplywewantedtogointoeachofthepotentialsites(insomecaseswewentintothem ingreatdetail,inotherslessso)withtheresultthatwefeltthatweabsolutelycrammed theperfectamountofinformationandviewingintotimeavailable.Highlights(amongst somemanyoutstandingspots)wereunexpectedlycominguponandbeingverymovedby WarlencourtCemetery,justaswearrivedintheareaearlyonMondaymorning, NewfoundlandPark,ThiepvalMemorial,thecemeteryatOvillers-lesBoisselle,Lochnagar Crater(wenearlyleftthisout-whatagemitis),theGermancemeteryatFricourt,the evenmoreunexpectedcemeteryatFlatironCopse,Ypresgenerally(andtheArianewas excellent-perfectforus),alloftheThirdBattlesitesbuttheonethatmoved(and shocked)usthemostwassittingbythestreamatRavebeekreadingyourdescriptionof 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,includingviaMessenger, 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.Theseareinformedbyahighdegreeofwellexpressed understandingoftheactionswhichtookplaceandatwhathumancost.Usingthemaps andguideprovideditwasstraightforwardtorelatethemoderngroundtothecontours andviewsofacenturyago,albeitwithoutthedesolation.Theitinerarywasfaultlessand thedescriptionsofeventscomprehensiveandalwayswrittenwithanappropriatedegree ofrespectandreverenceforthegravityoftheeventsandremindingusthatmuchofthe groundoverwhichwetravelledwasthefinalrestingplaceofsomanysoldiers.Itisalso worthmentioningthattherecommendedhotelwhichwechose,theAriane,wasexcellent inallrespectsandideallylocated.Thankyouforfacilitatingsuchamemorableexperience, 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.Wehadlunchathertearoomsand asitwasn'tbusyshestayedandchattedwithusforsometime.Wealsonoticedapicture onherwallofAndyRobertshaw,thearchaeologist,doingatrenchreconstruction/digin her garden. [. . .].WedidhaveacoupleofissuesfollowingtheYprestour,astheBelgians,intheirwisdom, decidedtodigupandclosethecentreoftwotowns,ZillebekeandLangemarkandthe diversionsignswerenon-existentandresultedinuswastingalotoftimetryingtofindan alternativeroutetogetbackonyourtour.InLangemarkwecouldn'tevenseeanyobvious signstotheGermanmilitarycemetery,sohadtogivethatamiss.NotyourproblemI knowbutitwasquitefrustratingtosaytheleast!italsomeantwewerenotabletofit everythinginonourfinaldayandhadtomissoutonthefinaltwolocationsofthetour which was a bit annoying but we had to get back to Calais to catch the Eurotunnel home.Iwouldalsosuggestthatitmightbeagoodideaifyouaddkilometrestoallyour distancesintheguidebooksaswesettheodometerandcarsettingtokilometresandall the road signs etc are in kms on the continent.WedidfindinFrancethatmostthingswereclosedontheMondayofourvisitanditwas alsoapublicholiday(AscensionDay)onThursdayinBelgiumandalotofthingswerealso closed,TheHoogeCraterMuseum,anumberofrestaurantsinYpres.Itmightbeworth lettingfutureclientsknowwhenpublicholidaysareasthisdoesmeanthatcertainthings mightnotbeavailable.ThemostbizarrewaswhenwevisitedthecafeatHill60forlunch andtheytoldusthattheywerenotservingsnacksatlunchtimebuttheydidhavetheir full a la carte menu available!Wewerealsodistractedbyabout150LotuscarsthatgatheredoutsidetheClothHallon ThursdayfortheYpresLotusRally2019.AnumberoftheLotusOwnerswerestayingin the Ariane and it made for quite an occasion.Overall,wehadafantasticholidaythatwasquiteanexperienceandyourtoursshowedus manyplacesthatothervisitorswouldnotgettosee,sothankyouverymuchforputting allyourknowledgeandcarefulthoughtintothetourthatwedid,itwaswonderfulwitha fewtearsshedonthewayroundbecauseofthebackgroundstoriesthatmadeitallthe more relevant and real. Many thanks again.With best wishes,Jonathan & Debra King(Somme and Ypres tour May 2019)Dear JamesIjustwantedtosayahugethankyoufortheamazingtourwehavejustreturnedfromto theSommeandYpresBattlefields.AsyouknowmywifeRachelboughtthisformeasa surpriseChristmaspresentandfromreceivingtheincrediblydetailedinformationpack 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”trip wouldnotappealtomyselfandIamsuremanyotherpeople,comparedtoaself-drive tourofthequalitythatyouorganisedwherewecanmanageourowntime).Locations liketheWelshMemorialwiththeamazingreferencesandviewsoverthebattlegroundof MametzWoodissomethingthatIamsure90%ofvisitorstotheareajustdonotgetto see.Similarly,intheYpresSalient,Iwonderedhowmanypeoplehavehadthe opportunitytospendtimeconsideringtheeventsthattookplaceattheRavebeekStream with the more well-known and well-visited sites being so close. Therecommendedhotelswereexcellent.TheHoteldelaBasiliqueAlbertwaswonderful –classicallyFrench,withasuperbrestaurantandlocatedintheheartofthehistorictown and with ample parking right outside the door.Asyouknow,wedidhaveaglitchwiththeNewReginahotelbookinginYpres,whichwas absolutelynofaultofyourswhatsoever(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,itwasafantasticallyorganisedtripwitheveryattentiontodetailcatered 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.Avrilwasveryinformativeandhelpfuland 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,WehavejustcomebackfromthreeamazingdaysandfeelsoluckythatDarjiechoseyou, 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 gravesofthethousandsoffallenmenwassoverymovingandhowgeneroustheywereto put their lives on the line for all of us so that we could live in freedom. Yourinformationpackswereincredibleandperfecttothelastarrowanddescriptionsand 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.Theonlytimeswewent wrongwerewhenwedidnotpayattentiontoyourspot-oninstructions!Also,thehotels you booked for us were first class; the dinner in the Picardie in Albert was 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.Yourdetaileditineraryandnoteshelpedustoappreciatetheterribleconditions andsacrificesmadeonbothsidesduringthebattles,takingustoplaceswewouldhave 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.Bothofusweresurprisedathowmovinganexperience itwas.Weknewthehistory,thefatalmilitaryjudgementsandhugenumberoflosses,but historybooksdon’tgiveanysenseofthemagnitudeofthecasualtiesintheterrainthat exposedsomanytroopstoslaughter.Beingtheredoes.Seeingallthosecemeteriesdoes. Andyourguidewithit’sdetailandmeticulousandcompassionateexplanationsbrought theSommebattlestolife.Whatmadeourexperienceallthemorepoignantwasthatthe beautyofthegentlerollingPicardiecountryside,itsfields,copsesandsteepledvillages todaybeliedwhattookplacethere102yearsago.WewereespeciallymovedbySheffield ParkandthePALSmemorials,andthought,"There,butfortime,placeandtheGraceof God” we could have been among those young men.Imightadd,thehotelwascomfortableandpleasant,itsfoodsurprisinglygood. Coincidentally,stayingattheRoyalPicardieweregraphicnovelsartist,publishersand editorsattendingabookfairinAlbert.Someofthemhadbeeninvolvedwiththe publicationforthecentennialofagraphicnovel,“TracesoftheGreatWar”;justonemore 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.Octoberwasagoodtimetogoandtheweatherwas amazing too - just like summer! Youaskedtomentionanyerrorsthatmightbefound-justoneverysmalloneonpage 49aoftheSommeguidePrivateJSweeney’sgraveisRowB-thearrowdoespointtothis althoughAiswritteninbrackets.Goodtoseehewasgivenagraveyardburialandnow thereisamemorialtothoseShotatDawnattheNationalMemorialArboretum.Howvery difficultitwasinsomanywaysforallthoseintheGreatWarandhowpowerfulhindsight is.Thereweremanyverymovingandemotionalmomentsforbothofusincludingthe GermancemeteryatLangemark.Thankyouagainforsuchacomprehensivetourwhich 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&restaurantsthat yourecommendedincludingtheHoteldeBasiliqueandtheOceanVillasTearoomswhere we met Avril.All best wishes and thanks once againRichard Steeden (October 2018)Dear James,GotbackonFriday.Everythingworkedlikeclockwork;JanandIwanttothankyouforthe detailedandcomprehensiveplanningwhichwentintothewholetrip.TheArianeHotel wasexcellent,includingtheupgrade,andwewereblessedwithsuperbweatherwhichno doubtyoualsoarranged.(Wecouldn'thelpthinkingthatasteadydownpourwouldhave 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,onewewilldo again. ThankyouforplanningthistourforusJamesitwasalifetimewishofmyBrotherandI andoneIwillnowdoagainbecausetherearestillmoreplacesIwanttovisitlikeAmiens, it was to busy to go there because of the celebrations going on whilst we was there. Once again Thank you JamesKindest Regards Ian J Blakey. (August 2018)JamesWegotbackfromourtourlateonFridayandwantedtothankyouforthetourthatyou prepared for us. Itwassoinformativeanddetailedandeventhoughwedidnotmanagetocoverthewhole itinerarybecauseoftime,wenowfeelthatwehaveamuchbetterunderstandingofthe horrorsandtheawfulmistakesmaderesultinginthehugesacrificesofmeninthis dreadful war.The directions and road information was clear and precise on your routes.ThehotelArianewaslovelyandweatethereontheirterraceandtheHoteldelaPaixwas 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.Wehavelearned so much on this trip- at times it was almost overwhelming! Inaddition,theoverallarrangementsworkedperfectly-thehotelsweregreat,restaurant recommendationsprovedreallyhelpfulandthedrivinginstructionswereclearand informative.Wehadagoodteam-driver,navigatorandeducator,thelatterremindingus ofspecificinformationateachstop(wehaddonealotofpreparatoryreadingbutitwas difficulttoretainalltheinformationformthoseextensivedossiers!).Ourdayswerevery fullanditwasexcellenthavingslightlymorethantwodaysforeachcentreoverall.Itwas interestinghowthedifferentmuseums/visitorcentreseachhadsufficientinformationand displaytomeritsomerealtimeandwewerefortunatetobeabletolingeraswewished. WethoughttheprivatemuseumatHoogewasveryimpressive(thatatHill62possibly ratherlessso)..Welocatedsomefamilygraveswhichwasparticularlyspecialforus-at Bonnay,PeronneandIeper,plusanameontheMeninGate.WealsovisitedtheAustralian cemeteryandmemorialatVillers-Brettoneux(betweenAmiensandAlbert),andthe trenchesandwonderfulmemorialatVimyRidge.Iknowyoucouldnotpossiblycover everythingbutitmightbeworthmentioningthisforthosedoingbothareasofthe‘tour’- wewentfromAlberttoArras,exploredthelatterquitebrieflyandthenwenttoVimyen route to Ieper, which worked well.IwouldbemorethanhappytoaddthegistofthistoTripAdvisororsimilarifthatis helpful.With thanks again and best wishes from us allDeborah (May 2018)Hi James,WeareonourlastnightinYpresandtheentiretriphasbeenFANTASTIC!Ouronlyhiccup wasbeingunabletoreachthehotelduetoseveralroadclosures.Oursat/navwasalso stumped,butnothingthatgoingthewrongwayonaonewaystreetcouldn’tfix!Wetold thefrontreceptionistthatwehadtogothewrongwayonthestreetandherresponse was “Oh that’s ok, it’s Sunday”. This made me and Peter laugh so hard!WefollowedyourexcellentguidetotheletterandweevenhadenoughtimetovisitCalais andDunkirkbeforewebegantheYprespartofthetrip!YesIknow,wewentbackand forth,butthat’sthebeautyofhavingyourowntransportation!Wenoticedthattherewere notourbusesontheroutesyougaveusandveryoften,weweretheonlyonesatthe sites.ThestaffatHotelArianeweregreatandthebreakfastwassuperb!Wearelooking 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.Hereallywenttheextramile inmakingitatrulymemorableexperience.Onewhichwewillallrememberforalongtime 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’stearooms thefoodwasoutofthisworld.Iamwholeheartedlyrecommendingyourcompanytoany 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,asthegenerationsaffectedbythe world wars (mine is probably the last) die off.Regards, Dominic Rooney (September 2017)Dear JamesIamjustwritingtothankyouverymuchfororganisingtheexcellenttouroftheSomme and Ypres battlefields for Christopher and myself.Iwasveryimpressedfromtheoutsetthatyoucouldputtogetherthearrangementsfor thetoursoquicklyandefficientlyatsuchshortnoticeandIthankyouforputtingyourself out just before you were going away yourself.WethoughtyourchoiceofhotelsinbothAlbertandYpreswasverygoodandthejourney toandfromfromCalaiswentseamlessly.Weateverywellwiththeexceptionofthe AubergedelaValleeAncrewherethemaincoursewasverydisappointing..butthewine 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.WewereparticularlymovedbyatemporaryexhibitionofartbyOttoDix whichdisplayedthetruehorrorofitall,bothrealandimagined.WecalledinonAvrilfor coffeeandatefartoowellattheHoteldelaBasilique!Oneofthemostmoving experienceswasourvisittoDelvilleWoodMuseum,andRichardfoundtheMametzWood area very foreboding.OnourwaytoYpres,westoppedatMessinesforcoffeeandvisitedtheIrelandPeacePark andtheNewZealandmemorial.Wealsohadamissiontofindagraveofasoldierlocalto ushereandstoppedatWijkstaetetolocatehisrestingplaceintheverypeacefulcemetery
2023EmailfromCrisDayfollowingaSelf-DrivedrivetouroftheYpres& Somme battlefields April 2023.Dear James,IhaverecentlyreturnedfromfourdaysinBelgiumandFrancevisiting theplaceswheretwoofmyuncles,mymothersbrothers;served, werekilled,andarenowrememberedontheMeninGateandThiepval Memorials.YourbattlefieldGuidesforYpresandtheSommewereexcellent,and althoughIwasdrivingonmyown,Iwasabletonavigatewithlittle difficulty.Iwouldparticularlyliketothankyouforalltheresearchyou didonmybehalfandespeciallyforthenumerousmapsyouprovided aswesoughttolocatetrenchB13intheYpresarea.Nothingwastoo much trouble and I am grateful.TheAmbrosiahotelinYpreswasjustwhatIwantedandtheowners mosthelpful.IwouldalsomentiontheYpresResearchDepartment whichwasabletoprovidemewithamapshowingB13,andthen markeditononeofthemapsyouhadprovided.Theyarelocated behind the Cloth Hall; tel +32 (0) 57 239 450, and are brilliant.With thanks,Chris Day.Trust Pilot 5-Star review!fromPenelopeSmartfollowingaSelf-Drive drive tour of the Ypres battlefields April 2023.Whatamemorabletripthisturnedinto.Havingdiscussedwithmy husbandthepossibilityofvisitingtheWW1battlefieldswedecided againstacoachtripwhichwouldhavemeantrushingfromoneplace toanotherwhichisnotwhatwewanted.Wethoughtof'doingit alone'butthenfoundthiscompanyorganisingaself-drivetripwhich leftoneabletospendasmuchtimeatanyoneplaceasonewished. What a joy this was and how well it worked. Wespent3daysdedicatedtoJames'ssuggestedroutearoundthe Ypresareaandthedetaileditineraryhesuppliedwasbrilliant.Using What-3-Wordswasagreatadvantage.Theinformationpackwasso explicitandleftnothingtotheimagination.Averypowerful educational experience.JamesalsosuggestedhavingaprivateguideforadayasIwantedto seethefinalrestingplaceofmyGreatUnclewhowaskilledonthe firstdayoftheBattleofLoos.Wetookupthisadviceandhearranged contactwithJacquesinYpreswhowasafountainofknowledgeand providedmewithextensivepersonaldocumentsaboutthelast journeymyrelativetook.Extraordinaryattentiontodetailandworth every penny. Thiscompanygoesaboveandbeyondtoofferanexceptionalservice. ThehotelArianeinYpreswasextremelycomfortable,friendlyand ideally located for our trip. Well done, James!EmailfromSteve&JackieEggletonfollowingaSelf-Drivedrivetourof the Ypres battlefields February 2023.Hi James,ReturnedhomeacoupleofdaysagofromourBattlefieldtourand thought we would give you some feedback !Absolutely brilliant!Thetripthereandbackwasexcellentwithnoproblemseitherendof thetunnel.Thedirectionsyouincludedwerespotonandwefound whatwewerelookingforandmore!Weonlyintendedtovisit3or4 cemeteriestovisitpastrelativesbuttheextrainformationinyour books meant we could learn more about the whys and when’s as well.TheArianeHotelwasexcellentwiththestaffreallyhelpfulandthe foodwasfirstclass.WealsodinedatDeHeerlyckheidwhichwas lovely.AllinallJames,yourhelpandinformationwerespotonforwhatwe wanted and we thank you for everything you did.Best wishesSteve & Jackie2022EmailfromChristopherStephensonfollowingaSelf-Drivedrivetourof the Somme and Ypres battlefields November 2022JamesSorryit’stakenmesolongtocontactyou.Inevercomplete testimonials but in this instance I was so impressed with the service.Icontactedyoujustover1weekbeforewewantedtodotheWW1 BattlefieldsTourbye-mail.Youtelephonedmethefollowingdayandit wasallprovisionallybooked,brilliant.YouadvisedtheTunnelwhich wehadneverdonebeforeanditwassoeasy(apartfromtheOil BridgeprotestersmakingourjourneyfromWarringtontwicethetime itshouldhavetaken).WebookedtheHolidayInnExpressFolkestone ChannelTunnelHotelovernightbecauseoftheearlytrainstartand would recommend it to anyone.Thecomprehensivemap,directions,hotelsanddetailedroutewere amazingandextremelysimpletofollow.Wefollowedtheroutes preciselyandonlygotslightlylostoncewhichwasmyfault!Your detailsandexplanationssectionsweresuperbandwefollowed everything you set out and suggested.YourguidanceastohowbesttoseetheArmisticeDayattheMenin Gatewasspotonandwithyourtimingswehadbestpositionson3 occasions.TheArianewastopclassinYpres,andweunderstandwhythe MacassarB&BisoneofTripAdvisor’stop10inEurope!Itisan amazingplace(pityitdoesn'thaveTVandkettleinthebedroom).You couldn'thavebetterhostsandtheArtDecoandArtNouveauinteriors need to be seen and enjoyed to be fully appreciated, Wonderful!Thanks very much again and recommended for anyone.ChrisEmail from Sarah McLeod following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields October 2022Dear JamesJust a note to say thank you for organising such a great trip for us to the Somme & Ypres. The hotels were fabulous, the French one so friendly with amazing food and the second so luxurious (and again great food). We were slightly undone by roadworks through the centre of Ypres but we managed to find the hotel.We added in a trip to Vimy Ridge on our way from Albert to Ypres, that was lovely and may be a good suggestion for your clients?Your information was amazing and gave us lots of insights.All in all a super trip - thank youKind regardsSarahEmail from Donald Wilkinson following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields October 2022Dear JamesJustaquicknotetothankyouverymuchforallyoudidtomakeour triptoFranceandBelgiumsosmoothandenjoyable.Everything workedbrilliantly.TherecommendationtogobyEurotunnelwasa revelation(althoughit'sabitofatrailbacktothenorthofEnglandon thewayhome).Thehotelswereexcellent.TheArianeisclearlyone ofYpres'best,butwewereveryimpressedwiththecuisineandthe ambience of the de la Paix in Bapaume.Yournotesweresuperb.WhilemywifeandIhavebeentoboth theatresbefore-mywifemorefrequentlythanI-thefriendswewent withwerehugelyimpressedbyyourknowledgeandthecoherenceof yourroute.WestucktoitprettymuchtotheletterontheSomme, verymuchenjoyingmakingtheacquaintanceofAvrilWilliams(clearly oneofyourgreatestfans!)andhersonandthreegrandchildren.In Belgium,wewentabitmoreoffpiste.Oneofmywife'srelatives-a greatuncle-isburiedatLijssenthoekMilitaryCemetery.Hediedin theCanadianCasualtyHospitalthereon8June1917,havingbeen woundedatMessinesRidgethedaybefore.WethenwenttoTalbot HouseinPoperingeandlatertotheGermanCemeteryatVladslo (whichIhadvisitedbefore)toseetheKatheKollwitzsculptures- althoughtheywereenclosedinameshcageastheywerebeing restored!Thank you once again for your outstanding work on our behalf.Best wishesDonald WilkinsonEmail from Sarah McLeod following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields September 2022Dear JamesJustanotetosaythankyoufororganisingsuchagreattripforusto theSomme&Ypres.Thehotelswerefabulous,theFrenchoneso friendlywithamazingfoodandthesecondsoluxurious(andagain greatfood).Wewereslightlyundonebyroadworksthroughthe centre of Ypres but we managed to find the hotel.WeaddedinatriptoVimyRidgeonourwayfromAlberttoYpres, that was lovely and may be a good suggestion for your clients?Your information was amazing and gave us lots of insights.All in all a super trip - thank youKind regardsSarahEmail from Liz Humphreys following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields August 2022Hello James,We returned from our trip Friday. I just wanted to say a huge thank you. The trip was for my dad’s 60th and he/we all throughly enjoyed it!The directions are super accurate and the information in the packs really helps to bring the battlefields alive, as looking over the beautiful landscape as it is now, it is hard to imagine the horror. The war photos really do help.Ocean Villas, or Avrils was perfect! So peaceful, welcoming and on the battlefield - I chose this accommodation for the history behind it rather than a hotel. We were accommodated in the apartments which were just perfect! We were well looked after!In Ypres we stayed in the Ariane which again was perfect! The hotel will also give free presentations about Elise and Mairi, the British ladies who went over to Belgium to do their bit during the Great War. There’s also a nice memorial to them in the gardens. Not sure if it was because we were booked in via you, but the hotel also gave us a voucher book which got us into most museums and attractions around Ypres free or half price.One thing that doesn’t seem to be well known by tourists is there are free tours provided at Thiepval, Newfoundland and Tyne cot. These are well worth doing too.Overall an excellent holiday thank you, I’ll definitely be going back!Sent from Liz Taylor HumphreysEmail from Christopher Blencowe following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields July 2022Dear JamesJustaquicknotetosayhowmuchweenjoyedthetripyouorganised forustotheSommeandYpres.Transportarrangementsandaccommodationworkedverywellandthedetailedguidesyou providedwereanexcellentbaseforunderstandingboththebroader scope of the campaigns and the personal experiences of the trenches.Thank you for lending us your knowledge and experience for what was a very successful trip.Best wishesChris and grandsons Toma and Sam Email from Dr Sarah Warlker-Bircham following a Self-Drive drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields July 2022Dear James I hope you are well and managing to keep cool!Ijustwantedtosayabigthankyoufororganisingourfabulous holiday.Wehadsuchafabuloustimeandsuchfun.Itwaslikebeing onahugetreasurehunt!Jackanddadnavigated,Idrove(and manageditfine!)andwejustlovedthesightsandinfowegleaned. Wethoroughlyenjoyeditall.Wehad2fulldaysdoingtheSomme, withadaywithJacquestofindUncleHarry’sgrave.Jacqueswas absolutelyfabulous,honestlytheygleanedsomuchmoreinfothanwe couldeverhaveimaginedordreamedof!AndJacquesbroughtthe historyalivesowell!Wethoroughlyenjoyedit.Itwassoironicthat thewholeoftheSommeareawassoverypeacefulwhensomuch bloodhasbeenshed,somanysoulslost.WemetAvril,whata fabulouscollectionshehas.Andthetrenchinhergarden?!Amazing! Myson,Jack,belongstothe2ndDevonshire’sre-enactmentgroup, ww2 so he was particularly interested in the Devon’s cemetery. […]WedidgettovisitMeninGateonbothnights,whichwasa fabulous experience for us all!! […]Bothhotelswereabsolutelyamazing.TheIbis[Somme]staff weresofriendly,helpfulandtolerantofourattemptsatspeaking French!Thedisabledfacilitieswerefabulous(showerwithseatand non-slipsurfacesplusgrabrails),andweweresoluckytobejust oppositesidesofthecorridor.Suchagreatlocation,fabulousfood. LovedAlbert,seemedsoquietandastypicallyFrenchasIhad imagined.TheAriane[Ypres]isastunninghotel,fabulouslyhelpfulstaff,feltso embarrassedtobeonlyabletospeak‘goodday’and‘thankyou’in Flemish!Thestaff’sEnglishandmorewidely,wasamazing!Therooms weresoluxurious.JusttomentionthatalthoughDad’sroomwas accessible,itwasnotsuitableforsomeonewithhismobilityissues. Althoughhecouldeasilystepupintotheshower,itwasslippywhen wetandhecouldn’tgethisfooting.Sadly,therewerenograbrails andourportablerailswouldn’tsticktothetilesastheyweretoo luxurious!Itwasfineintheendasamemberofstaffmanagedtoget holdofashowerstoolwhichweusedinthebathroomandDadjust washedwithmyassistance,insteadofshowering.Youhavetoget roundthesethingsandyouoftendon’tknowuntilyoutry.Great locationandeasytogetintotown!Andthefoodwasamazing-Jack couldn’t believe his eyes when doughnuts were available at breakfast!Wehadsuchafabuloustime,we’resogratefultoyouforeverything you’vedone.I’mwonderingifyouorganiseanyself-driveholidaysfor WW2,althoughIimaginethattheSommeandIeperstoursprobably keep you very busy.Ihopeourpathscrossagaininthefuture,andthankyouonceagain. Please give my best wishes to your wife.With best wishes to you bothSarah WBEmail from Lisa Whiston following a Self-Drive drive of the Somme and Ypres battlefields May-June 2022Hi James,Ijustwantedtosaywhatawonderfultimewehadexploringthe SommeandtheYpresregion,thetourworkedperfectlyforus,en routetotheSommewestoppedatVimyRidgetoo,whichwasagood additiontothetripandonthethewayhomewestoppedatDunkirk [also helpful guide updates].All the bestLisa.Trust Pilot 5-Star reviewsubmitted by Nigel Parsons following a Self-Drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields April 2022:Brilliantly organised and highly memorableAsmanyofthepreviousreviewershavenoted,James'tourmaterials arequitesimplysuperb.Thethree-layersystemofroutemap, directionsguideplusoverview,andfinallythedetailednarrativepack allowseasyplanningandnavigation.Plusdetailed,informativeand insightfuldetailsofwhathappenedduringthosedarkdays.Thisisnot anemotionallyeasytrip,norshoulditbe.Ourscoincidedwiththe terribleandsadlycontinuingeventsinUkraine,makingthemseem even more incomprehensible.Beyondthe'standard'excellentmaterials,Jamesalsohelpedusfind locationsthatwereofhugepersonalinteresttoeachmemberofour party.Weallhaddirectrelativeswhowereinvolved.Somesurvived, othersdidn't.Wewereabletofollowtheirfootstepsonwhatbecame a very moving pilgrimage.Toleaventheemotionalimpact,itwasbrillianttostayisthewonderful hotels that James had organised.AllinallthiswasahugelymemorabletripwhichIcannotrecommend highly enough.Email from Mrs J Middleton (4 x couples) following a Self-Drive tour of the Somme and Ypres battlefields April 2022:Dear James,Manythanksforthepacksforourrecent,muchanticipatedand postponed,triptoBelgiumandFrance.Theinformationpackwas absolutelyexcellent.Withoutallthedirections,maps,hintsand informationwewouldnothaveseenanywherenearasmuchaswe did.Itwasinvaluable,beautifullyresearchedanddetailed.Wewere abletoaccessthehistoryofthebattlefieldsbeforeturningup.From museumrecommendationstoplacesforrefreshmentswewouldnot havemanagedtoseenearlyasmuch.AvrilWIlliamsTeaRoomswere brilliant(manyrestaurantsandcafeswereclosedsofindingaplacefor acoffeewasnoteasy)Nicetomeetsomeonewhoknewyouand showed us your photograph!Foryourinformationforfuturetourists,theIbisHotelwasbasicbut thefoodwasverygood-Iappreciatethiswasnotontheoriginal itinerary.Theothertwohotels[hotelDelaPaixandtheArianeHotel] were excellent, particularly the Ariane.WehadawonderfulreceptionfromthecouplerunningtheUlster MemorialTowerwhogaveusanaddedtourofthetrenchesin ThiepvalWood.Goodcoffeeandcakewereturnedforrefreshments.WIththepack'shelpwefoundthespotwheremygreatunclefought withtheSheffieldPalsfortheYorksandLancsandtwoother membersofourpartyfoundfamilymembers'graves.Unfortunately theThiepvalMonumentisundergoingrestorationandwecouldnot getcloseenoughtoseetheinscriptionsbutthemonumentitselfwas imposing,impressiveandhumbling.Wewereallcompletelyoverawed bytheworkoftheWarGravesCommissionwhoseemployeeswere also very helpful in locating family plots.[…]Should you need any further reviews we would be delighted to assist.Many thanksThe Middletons, Lowes, Parsons and Tomlinsons.Email from Nick Hornby following a Self-Drive and private conducted tour of the Ypres battlefield April 2022:Good afternoon James,Thought I would let you know that the visit to Ypres went well without any problems or hitches. We met Jacques [tour guide] OK and he took us down into the Sailley Sur La Leys area and we saw everything we wanted to.We were very happy with the Ariane Hotel and they made us very comfortable.Thanks for arranging it all, you made it all very easy for us. Thanks, Nick Hornby. Trust Pilot review from Dr Katrina Swale April 2022 following a self-drive tour of the Ypres and Somme battlefields:“Fantastic experience all round, cannot fault James and his team one bit.”Email from Carl Laidler following a self-drive and private conducted tour February 2022Hello James.Our weekend was superb. Thank you.Both hotels were excellent and made it a holiday as well as a tour. Jacques [private tour guide] was of course superb. Flanders Museum in Ypres and the Passchendaele one book ending Jacques trips to venues such as Hill 60 and 62 really brought it to life.Take careCarl2020 - 2021Tours cancelled due to pandemic2019Dear James,IfIcanechowhatAndrewsaid(below)regardingthebattlefieldtour. Ihavedonemanyinmytimeasaservingmilitaryofficer,including visitingtheSommebefore.Butdespitehavingusedtomilitary historiansandtourguidesinthepast,andonoccasiondoneitmyself alone,yourmapsandguidesweregenuinelyoutstandingandallowed 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,inparticular, forthemassivecontributionyourfabulousguidesandmapsmadeto our trip. Forus,theself-guidedoptionwasundoubtedlytherightone-we wereabletopickhowdeeplywewantedtogointoeachofthe potentialsites(insomecaseswewentintothemingreatdetail,in otherslessso)withtheresultthatwefeltthatweabsolutelycrammed theperfectamountofinformationandviewingintotimeavailable. Highlights(amongstsomemanyoutstandingspots)were unexpectedlycominguponandbeingverymovedbyWarlencourt Cemetery,justaswearrivedintheareaearlyonMondaymorning, NewfoundlandPark,ThiepvalMemorial,thecemeteryatOvillers-les Boisselle,LochnagarCrater(wenearlyleftthisout-whatagemitis), theGermancemeteryatFricourt,theevenmoreunexpectedcemetery atFlatironCopse,Ypresgenerally(andtheArianewasexcellent- perfectforus),alloftheThirdBattlesitesbuttheonethatmoved (andshocked)usthemostwassittingbythestreamatRavebeek readingyourdescriptionoftheadvanceupthatslopetowardsCrest 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,andgaining anadequateinsightintotheeventsofthattime.Ialso 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.Thegreatadvantageofsuchatouristheabilityto progressatyourownpacewhilstviewingbattlefieldlocations. Theseareinformedbyahighdegreeofwellexpressed understandingoftheactionswhichtookplaceandatwhat humancost.Usingthemapsandguideprovideditwas straightforwardtorelatethemoderngroundtothecontours andviewsofacenturyago,albeitwithoutthedesolation.The itinerarywasfaultlessandthedescriptionsofevents comprehensiveandalwayswrittenwithanappropriate degreeofrespectand