Tour pictures

SOMME BATTLEFIELD TOURS LTD

AWARD WINNING SELF-DRIVE TOURS TO THE BATTLEFIELDS OF
.
THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918

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TOUR PICTURES

The Somme (Lochnagar Crater)

TOUR GROUPS

Here are just a few pictures of the many tour groups that have visited the battlefields with us over the past eleven years. Ages usually range from 20's to late 80's-90's. Approximately 50% of our clients come on their own. As for gender mix, well usually one third female and two thirds male. Tour groups are now limited to a maximum of just six people.

And on one occasion two single travellers who met on one of our tours later got married!

Where edges are bevelled, click the images to enlarge.

Above - Mr Norman Lovell aged 92, standing where his father Frederick was killed at Longuval on 27 July 1916. Norman had his father’s picture and wallet which were taken from his body following his death, the whereabouts of which was later lost in the continuing battle for Delville Wood. We found the exact spot where his father was killed, which happened to be in the back garden of a house where the mother was hanging out the washing and her two young children were playing in a sandpit. This sandpit was precisely where the trench was where the occupants all died that same day (did the occupants of that trench ever envisage that one day a sandpit with kiddies playing and laughing would one day be built above their heads?). Norman's father is commemorated at Thiepval Memorial to the Missing (right).

It is with great sadness that Frederick Lovell's 'little boy', Norman, who sat on his lap before he retuned to the Somme in 1916, passed away on 5 February 2006 at the age of 96. Norman was just one of so many children of those who never returned, just a few of whom I have had the pleasure of meeting over the years.

I came across this beautiful concentration of poppies
with a tour group growing in a field at a road junction
on the Somme battlefield called 'Crucifix Corner'
in the summer of 2002.

..We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow..

1996 - 2001

Due to computer problem, many pictures stored on my hard disk 1996-2001 were lost. If you came on a tour and have a picture not included here, then please send a copy and I will pay all expenses. If you would like one of the photos sent to you by e-mail at a higher resolution please let me know and I'll be pleased to help.

Here are some of the 1996-200 tour groups salvaged
following the computer problem:

(Harry Enfield
top middle)

Hunters Cemetery (Newfoundland Park), the Somme battlefield.

Newfoundland Park, the Somme battlefield.

Serre Road No.1 Cemetery, The Somme (Serre).

23.5.00

The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme battlefield.

25.9.00

A chilly group! (Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme battlefield).

2.4.01

2002

Evening meal at the Hotel Basilique, Albert, Somme.

2001

The Canadian Memorial to the Missing at Vimy Ridge.

13.5.02 (Vimy)

Dochy Farm Cemetery with the slopes of Passchendaele to the rear.

15.4.02 (Passchendaele)

The Thiepval Memorial to the missing of the Somme battlefield.

24.5.02 (Thiepval)

Evening meal at the Hotel Old Tom (Ypres).

24.5.02 (Ypres)

10.6.02 (Somme)

Thiepval Ridge - with the dawn sun.

21.6.02
(Lonsdale, Thiepval Ridge, with my son Simon as helper extreme left)

Hermies Hill Cemetery situated on the 1918 battlefield to the east of Bapaume (Somme).

24.7.02 (Somme)
(private group - Hermies Hill)

'Trev' and his chums!

4.8.02 (Ypres)
(Top - Grave of Capt. Noel Chavasse, the only person awarded two WWI VCs. Below - grave of Capt Albert Ball VC, Royal Flying Corps)

The Windmill memorial at Pozieres (Somme).

20.9.02
(The Windmill Memorial, Pozieres, Somme)

Polygon Wood (Australian Memorial), the Ypres Salient.

30.9.02
(Ovillers Cemetery, Mash Valley, Somme)

Picture thanks to Stephen Liddell.

(Hill 60 bunker, Ypres)

Lochnagar mine crater, La Boisselle, the Somme battlefield.

7.10.02
(Lochnagar Crater, Somme)

Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.

15-20 October 2002
Private tour to Somme, Metz and Nancy.

28-30 October 2002
(Vimy Ridge)

31 March - 2 April 2003
(China Wall & Essex Farm Cemeteries, Ypres)

2003

5-7 April 2003 (private tour)
(Serre Road No 3 Cemetery, Somme and the ' 3 Pigeons' Cafe, Albert!)

25-27 April 2003 - and what happens if one parks overnight in Ypres Square when tomorrow's market day...
(a good laugh was had by all!!)

Private tour 5-8 May 2003
(Peter & Margaret Darkin
from Australia)

Tour 13-15 May 2003
(Hotel Basilique, with myself & my wife, Somme and Highland Memorial, Newfoundland Park, Somme).

Tour 23-25 May 2003 at the grave of Albert Ball VC and Ray Holland (3rd from left) from Australia, who is related to this brave young airman.
Below Hotel Basilique (including myself and my wife)

Tour 30 May - 1 June 2003.
Dinner in Albert, with myself and my son (top), and Vimy Ridge Canadian Memorial).

Tour 4-6 July 2003 - outside our hotel in Albert (incl. my wife Annette and myself far right) and Delville Wood visitor centre.

Tour 4-6 August 2003, a very hot and sunny three days!
(new role for our 'poppy' umbrellas...)

Tour 1-3 Sept 2003 - Mill Road Cemetery (Somme-headstones laid flat due to collapsing German dugouts etc below) and Langemark German cemetery, Ypres.

Tour 12-14 September 2003 -Fricourt German Cemetery (Somme) and 'Brooding Soldier' Canadian Memorial, Vancouver Corner (Ypres).

Tour 26-28 September 2003 at Thiepval Memorial (Somme), lunch at our hotel and old WW1 3-D viewers at the small 'Hill 60' Museum (Ypres).

(click badge to go to web site)

Coldstream Guards tour 18-19 October 2003.

2004

Tour 21-23 October 2003 (Ancre Cemetery, Somme and at a WW1 British pill box near Beaumont Hamel, Somme)

Tour 16-18 April 2004
Above-Beaumont Hamel, Somme (Beaumont Hamel church in background).
Below-rain and wind at Ypres (hence need to shelter behind the Stone of Remembrance) and our 'poppy' umbrellas in use at Hill 60.

Tour 27-29 April 2004 at the Welsh Memorial (with Mametz Wood in the background), Brandhoek Cemetery (Ypres) and taking 'light refreshments' after a long day on the Somme battlefield.

Private tour 4-6 June 2004 at Newfoundland Park (above) and Serre (below), the Somme battlefield.

Tour 11-14 June 2004 at Martinstart Cemetery (above) and Thiepval (Somme).

Tour 9-11 July 2004 at Thiepval Memorial (top) and Sunken Lane (bottom).

Tour 14-16 July 2004 at Newfoundland Park (Somme) and Albert, Somme (Basilica)

.
Tour 23-25 July 2004 at Serre Road No.3 Cemetery (Somme) and restaurant 'Old Tom' (Ypres).
.

Tour 6-8 August 2004 at Lochnagar Crater, Somme.

Tour 2-5 September 2004
with the Albert (Somme) Basilica in the background, and evening meal at the Ariane hotel (Ypres).

and the finding of the lost stool...

Private tour 15-19 September 2004 Verdun (top) and Citadel Cemetery, Somme (above), followed by a welcome evening meal at Arromanches after tour of D-Day Beaches.

Tour 28-30 September 2004 at Langemark German Cemetery (top - Ypres) and Brandhoek Military Cemetery (below -Ypres).

Tour 5-7 October 2004
Inside Thiepval Wood (top), Thiepval towards the Ancre (middle) and Lochnagar Crater (all Somme battlefield)

(click badge to go to web site)

Coldstream Guards Sgts Mess battlefield tour 16-17 October 2004 (see above for 2003 tour...)

Tour 26-28 October 2004 visiting recently discovered German bunkers on the Messines Ridge (and one of our more adventurous group members taking a peek inside...)

2005

Tour 11-13 March 2005 at the location of the Christmas Truce of 1914 and at Fricourt German cemetery (Somme).

Private tour 20-23 March 2005 at High Wood, Somme (47th Div. Memorial) and Hill 60 (Ypres).

Private tour 8-10 April at Festubert (Windy Corner) - plus relics from the battlefield.

Tour 19-21 April 2005 (Mill Road Cemetery, Thiepval and a rainy afternoon at Pozieres).

Private tour 6-8 May 2005 (Montauban, Somme and German ceremonial helmet).

Tour 17-19 May 2005
(1914 Christmas truce near Ypres and Hill 60 Australian Tunnellers Memorial)

Tour 21-23 June 2005
(Sun-up over the River Somme and Dochy Farm Cemetery, Ypres).

Tour 22-24 July 2005 in the centre of Ypres.

Tour 19-21 August 2005 at Lijssenthoek Cemetery near Ypres and the Ariane Hotel (Ypres).

Tour 6-8 September 2005 at Bailluel cemetery (near Ypres) and Grave of Capt. Noel Chavasse, VC and Bar, MC, the only soldier awarded two VCs on the Great War

Tour 23-25 September 2005 at Newfoundland Park (51st Highland Div Memorial) and Messines Ridge.

Tour 4-6 October 2005 at Serre (Somme) and Thiepval Wood with 'Teddy' from the Somme Association showing us the recently excavated trenches.

Tour 21-23 October 2005 at Hill 60 museum, Ypres (pictured with curator Michele) and Ypres town centre with Cloth Hall in background.

2006 update: It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the demolition of this wonderful ram-shackled museum, with its leaking roof, smokey atmosphere and priceless artefacts (which we understand are now in storage).

2006

Tour 10-12 March 2006 at Sunken Lane, Somme.

Tour 21-23 March 2006 at Fricourt German Cemetery.

Tour 4-6 April 2006 at Messines Ridge.

Tour 21-23 April 2006 at Lochnagar mine crater, Somme.

Dorset Police (my former force) visit to the Somme and Ypres battlefields 28-30 April 2006, led by Assistant Chief Constable Adrian Whiting (in ceremonial dress of the period).

A wreath was laid at the Menin Gate in memory of the ten Dorset Constabulary officers who lost their lives in the Great War 1914-1918.

Tour 12-14 May 2006 at Pozieres ('Gibraltar'), Somme.

(click above to enlarge and click here for CWGC link)

A very caring woman and her family visit the grave of a very special soldier (private tour 30 May-1 June 2006).

A (hot) tour 14-16 July 2006 at Serre Road No 3 cemetery (above) and sun-up over the River Somme valley (below).

Tour 24-26 July 2006 at Ypres (Cloth Hall background) and 'Old Tom' restaurant.

Tour 22-24 August 2006 at the end of the first day in the Three Pigeons Bar in Albert (my wife and me left of photo) and Westhof Cemetery, Messines.

Tour 1-3 September 2006 at Sunken Lane and Grove Town Cemetery (Somme battlefield).

Tour 16-18 September 2006 at Thiepval Memorial to the Missing (Somme) and St Eloi battlefield (Ypres)

Tour 6-8 October 2006 at one of the sites of the 1914 Christmas Truce near Messines, and Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, Ypres.

Our final tour for 2006.
Tour 20-22 October 2006 at La Boisselle (above - Somme) and Hill 60 (Ypres).

2007

Our first tour for 2007, 23-25 March, at Danzig Alley Cemetery (Somme) with Mametz Wood in background, and dinner at the our hotel in Ypres on the last night.

Tour 17-19 April 2007 at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Ypres) and Ypres town centre.

Tour 1-3 May 2007 at Hill 60 (above) and the Menin gate, Ypres.

Tour 11-13 May 2007 at Newfoundland Park, Somme Memorial to the Missing of Newfoundland and Hunter's Cemetery)

Tour 6-8 July 2007 at the Hotel Basilique, Albert (Somme).

Tour 24-26 July 2007 at Hunters Cemetery (Somme) and at the Memorial to the Civilian Dead of Albert

Tour 3-5 August 2007 taking a break at the end of a hot, sunny day and in front of Albert Basilica (Somme)

Private tour 12-15 August at the Australian 'Cobbers' Memorial and VC Corner Cemetery at Fromelles

Tour 31 August - 2 September at Thiepval Memorial to the Missing (Somme) and Hill 60 (Ypres).