VIP AUSTRALIAN ITINERARY

Would you like to experience a special VIP treatment during the VIP WWI Battlefields tour?

VIP Tours will give you full satisfaction taking you on this unforgettable journey of 12 hours that will introduce you to the history of the Great War.

Your personal, licensed driver-guide who is a specialist of the history of the WWI will pick you up at your hotel in a luxurious Mercedes minivan or car and tailor your tour to your specific wishes and needs.

The Great War took place in several parts of Europe and cost the lives of more than 22 millions people among civilians and soldiers. After the first year of war (1914), the opposing armies changed from a mobile war into static one, the infamous trenches war. The major effort of the B.E.F. (British Empire Forces) was in France and Belgium, also known as the Western Front. On the other hand the most memorable war event for the U.S. army was in the Marne Valley who fought the German around the town of Chateau-Thierry.

An important number of memorials, museums, cemeteries and historic sites can be found in these ancient battlefields and difficult task is trying to visit all of them, especially in one day. Keep in mind that, only for the department of Calais, there are 575 WWI cemeteries.

Everyone knows about the decisive intervention of the Allies forces during World War II. Very few though know their action during WWI. We offer you to discover this forgotten memorial tour.

Nonetheless, in a way, it is possible to focus on sites where Canadians, Australians, Americans, New Zealanders, South-Africans had fought. Certain battlefields are undoubtedly dearer to some nationalities than others so you can choose the sites where to go (Ypres, Verdun…).

AUSTRALIAN ITINERARY

Your private guide will pick you up at 7.30 am to take you to the sites of Villers-Bretonneux where the Australian Army came to assist the British Army in 1916. Villers-Bretonneux became famous in 1918, when the German advance on Amiens ended in the capture of the village by their tanks and infantry on 23 April. On the following day, the 4th and 5th Australian Divisions, with units of the 8th and 18th Divisions, recaptured the whole of the village and on 8 August 1918, the 2nd and 5th Australian Divisions advanced from its eastern outskirts in the Battle of Amiens.

First, your private guide will take you to the Adelaide Cemetery that was begun early in June 1918 and used by the 2nd and 3rd Australian Divisions. It continued in use until the Allies began their advance in mid August, by which time it contained 90 graves. After the Armistice a large number of graves were brought into the cemetery from small graveyards and isolated positions on the north, west and south of Villers-Bretonneux and they were, without exception, those of men who died in the months from March to September 1918.

Then, you will visit the Australian National Memorial erected to commemorate all Australian soldiers who fought in France and Belgium during the First World War, to their dead, and especially to name those of the dead whose graves are not known. The Australian servicemen named in this register died in the battlefields of the Somme, Arras, the German advance of 1918 and the Advance to Victory.

After this visit, you will take the direction of the Franco-Australian Museum, unveiled the April 25th1975, is situated on the first floor of the Victoria school.

The Museum tells the story of the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, particularly on the Western Front in 1918.

It is now time for lunch in a nice, typical, local restaurant (not included in the price).

After the lunch, your private guide will drive you to Le Hamel where took place a successful attack launched by the Australian Corps of the Australian Imperial Force and several American units against German positions in and around the town. The battle was the first time in the war that American troops participated in an offensive action under non-American command. Ten American companies joined with Australian troops under Australian command.

Then, you will see the impressive Lochnagar crater (if time), the largest crater ever made by man in anger is now a unique memorial to all those who suffered in the Great War. It is dedicated to peace, fellowship and reconciliation between all nations who fought on the Western Front.

You will continue the day by the visit of Beaumont Hamel. At the time of WWI, Newfoundland was a British Colony to raise volunteer army. At 7.30 am, on July 1st 1916, the men of the Royal Newfoundland regiment had scarcely left their trenches before they came under intense German machine-gun fire. 30 minutes later only 68 men remained unscathed.  In terms of casualties relative to the number of men engaged, this battle was among the most murderous of the entire Battle of the Somme.

To end the tour, you will go to Peronne where you will enjoy the visit of the Historic Museum of the Great War, located in a very imposing fortification that, as the whole town, was badly damaged during WWI.

Then, your private guide will drive you back to your hotel in Paris.

This tour due to the VIP treatment that we provide will leave you without doubt outstanding memories.

(All Entrance fees included)

*Additional: During the tour, it is possible to visit a very special place known as Creute de Froidmont where young American soldiers were stationed and left their print in the stone of that former stone quarry. This requires perfect physical conditions as the access to the cave is done by ladder. In case you would choose that option it would replace the Aisne et Oise Cemetery.