The Great War 1914-1918
Battlefield Tour
INSPIRED BY LIEUTENANT LESLIE MILLER
& THE VIMY OAKS
& THE VIMY OAKS
The Great War Tour 1914-1918 Battlefield TourInspired by Lieutenant Leslie Miller & The Vimy OaksAt a glance
April 6-14, 2025 • France & Belgium • 9 days Overnight destinations Paris • Arras • Ieper (Ypres) • Mons Highlights All of Canada’s Great War Monuments • Thiepval Memorial • The Royal Newfoundland Regiment's Trail of the Caribou • Tyne Cot Cemetery • The Menin Gate & the Last Post Ceremony • scroll down to see complete details November 11, 1918 at 11:00 in the morning. The eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. So came to an end “the war to end all wars.”
The guns finally fell silent, bringing to a close four long years of unspeakable conflict. The Canadians will suffer gas attacks, infested trenches, misery. Yet through it all the Canadian Expeditionary Force will prove to be the fighting force, which will win them the nickname ‘shock troops’ as they earn important victories at Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens and more. Canada will earn its place as a signatory to the Treaty of Versailles. It is the birth of a nation. |
Our Inspiration.Lt. Leslie Miller served with the 5th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, through most of World War One. His personal diary recounts his journey from Canada to the United Kingdom, and onward to continental Europe and the Western Front where he described in great detail his experiences from 1915 through 1918.
On this tour, we follow in Lt. Miller's footsteps through France and Belgium. In doing so, we retrace most of the major battles fought by Canada including St. Julien, Passchendaele, The Battle of the Somme, Vimy Ridge, and especially Canada's 100 Days leading up to the Armistice of 1918.
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Saturday April 5
For many of our travelers it is departure day, for the overnight transatlantic flight to Europe. Some travelers may choose to leave sooner, to extend the start of the trip with additional nights for sightseeing. Perhaps you would like to go to London first, to visit places mentioned by Lt. Miller while he was on leave there. Additionally, you might wish to add on some nights in Paris to explore more. Let us know, and we can quote you on pre-tour accommodations and connections from the UK to France if needed. Guests who have other travels already in progress, or guests from other points of origin including the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere, will meet the start of the tour on Day 1 in Paris. |
Day 1
Sunday April 6 In the mid-afternoon all clients can check into the group hotel. In the meantime, luggage is stored with the concierge. Today you have the day free to explore Paris, the City of Light. Sightseeing highlights could include the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, the Arc de Triomphe, Jardins de Luxembourg, Père Lachaise Cemetery, the Eiffel Tower, shopping along the Champs-Élysées, and so much more! In the early evening we gather in the heart of Paris for our Welcome Dinner, to share a glass and set the stage for a special journey. Overnight Paris - Novotel Centre Tour Eiffel. [D] |
Day 2
Monday April 7 Day Two is steeped in history as we wind our way into the French countryside to consider the Battle of the Somme, one of the largest, bloodiest and most destructive battles of World War One. You will be intrigued with a tour at Beaumont-Hamel - it is here that the Newfoundland Regiment was nearly wiped out in the first few hours of the attack. This proudly Canadian battleground is one of the best preserved sites on all of the Western Front. We will also visit the Thiepval Memorial. It is the largest monument of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, on which are inscribed the names of more than 72,000 soldiers who fell during the Battle of the Somme and have no known grave. The day includes a visit to the Lochnagar Crater, preserved as a place of peace and reconciliation. Overnight Arras - Mercure Arras Centre Gare. [B,L] |
Day 3
Tuesday April 8 The tiny village of Courcelette is forever linked with the advent of the tank, which first appeared on the battlefield here in September of 1916 - alongside Canadian infantry. We'll visit two monuments to this event, then take a short walk to nearby Regina Trench Cemetery. Following a visit to the Ulster Tower Memorial, including an amazing guided tour of Thiepval Wood, we visit the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Memorial at Gueudecourt as we continue the Trail of the Caribou. To conclude the day, we visit the War Graves Commission's factory in Beaurains for an special guided tour at the CWGC Experience. This is here where the soldiers' headstones are engraved, with meticulous reverence and care. Overnight Overnight Arras - Mercure Arras Centre Gare. [B,L] |
Day 4
Wednesday April 9 Each Canadian ought to visit Vimy Ridge once in their lifetime and today is your day. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is arguably the most impressive of all the war monuments in Europe. The trenches yield a first-hand feel for trench warfare. We will join with officials for the annual remembrance ceremony on this, the 108th Anniversary of the battle. Scheduling permitting, we will also take a guided tour of the tunnels which reveal how soldiers lived and prepared for battle beneath the earth. This day also features a visit to the Hill 70 Memorial, newly created in 2017 to commemorate a battle largely forgotten. At the Cabaret Rouge Cemetery you will have a chance to visit one very special grave, amongst the more than 7,000 who rest here. The tour will also pause at Neuville-Saint-Vaast German Cemetery where over 44,000 German soldiers are buried. Overnight Arras - Mercure Arras Centre Gare. [B,L] |
Day 5
Thursday April 10 Our Thursday morning takes us north, across the border into Belgium. We'll make stops at the Ploegsteert Memorial and the Christmas Truce Memorial in Messines. This area is more densely populated with war cemeteries than anywhere else on the Western Front. The tour carries onward to the lovely town of Poperinge and a visit to Talbot House, where soldiers found brief respite behind the lines. We arrive in Ieper (Ypres) for two nights. This is your first of two opportunities to witness the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate at 8pm, a daily act of remembrance stretching back to 1928. Overnight Ieper (Ypres) - Novotel Centrum. [B] |
Day 6
Friday April 11 Ieper (Ypres) was the center of fierce, prolonged, bloody fighting in World War I and the remnants of this are all around. We pass Hellfire Corner on our way to the monument at Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood). Our route includes The Brooding Soldier at St. Julien, which commemorates the Canadians who suffered the first gas attacks of the Great War in 1915. We will visit Essex Farm ... it is here, in the province of West Flanders, that Canadian LCol John McCrae is believed to have penned his famous poem In Flanders Fields. The monument to the Battle of Passchendaele at Crest Farm will feature a compelling account of life in battle here, and an optional walk along the country lanes. The day includes visits to Langemark German Cemetery, and Tyne Cot Cemetery - the largest of all the commonwealth war cemeteries in the world. In the evening, guests will have a second opportunity to observe the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate. Selected travelers will be invited to lay a wreath on behalf of the tour group. Overnight Ieper (Ypres) - Novotel Centrum. [B] |
Day 7
Saturday April 12 Today we continue our exploration of the WW1 memorials, returning to France to explore 'Canada's 100 Days.' We encounter the Royal Newfoundland Regiment at Masnières and Monchy-le-Preux, and the Canadian Corps at Bourlon Wood and Dury. Once again, Canada will distinguish itself and individual acts of bravery will earn numerous Victoria Crosses. We pause mid-day for a group lunch in Cambrai. The day also includes a very special guided tour of the Cambrai Tank 1917 Museum, where the remains of an extremely rare WW1 tank have been preserved in a new and modern exhibit - adjacent to the cemetery where most of its crew are laid to rest. Overnight Mons - Martin's Dream Hotel. [B,L] |
Day 8
Sunday April 13 The tour winds down with a final day on the battlefields. In the morning we visit the monument to Canadian George Lawrence Price - the last soldier of the British Empire to die in The Great War - which stands next to a bridge named in his honour and near to the place where he fell on November 11, 1918 at 10:58 am, a mere two minutes before the armistice took effect. A short drive then takes us to St. Symphorien Cemetery, the burial location of the first (John Henry Parr, Britain) and last (George Lawrence Price, Canada) soldiers to die in World War One. Appropriately, we conclude the tour where it all stared, and ended, in the city of Mons. Here we gather for our Farewell Dinner, to raise a toast and honour all those who have served, past and present. In particular, we pay tribute to the legacy of Lt. Leslie Miller, 5th Battalion, CEF, in whose footsteps we have followed. Overnight Mons - Martin's Dream Hotel. [B,D] |
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If you have questions, contact your favourite travel agent or:
John Cannon, Tour Director 1-833-252-0001 | booking@liberationtours.ca Travel Agents ✈ click here. |