Late availability for Battlefield tours
Thursday 9th July marked the 30,000th Last Post at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium.
Every evening since 1928, the iconic Last Post has been played by a bugler from the local fire brigade underneath the Menin Gate Memorial at 8pm, except for when the country was occupied during WW2, when the ceremony briefly transferred to a cemetery in Surrey.
The Menin Gate was opened in 1927 and is dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in Ypres during the First World War and whose graves are unknown.
Leger Holidays offers battlefield tours which help to bring to life some of the history and stories behind the Great War, with the help of a specialist Battlefield Guide. Recent research from Leger revealed that only one in 10 people (12 percent) were able to identify the main British battlefield in the First World War as Ypres, dropping from 31 percent who could name it in 2009. In fact, 43 percent of people openly admitted they don’t really have any knowledge of the First World War.
For anyone interested in finding out more about Ypres, or attending the Last Post ceremony for themselves, some of the battlefield tours from Leger Holidays based in the area include:
Late Deal - The Old Contemptibles in Flanders – five days, departing 13th July 2015 – save £60pp
Over a century after some of the first shots of the Great War were fired, travel through Belgium following the Old Contemptibles in their battles of 1914. Find out about the forgotten Battle of the Yser in North Belgium and the battle for the Antwerp forts. Visit Menin Gate, Nimy Bridge and Ypres, hearing the stories that bring history to life from your Battlefield Guide.
Price now £379 per person (save £60pp). Includes four nights’ accommodation with continental breakfast. Travel by luxury Silver Service coach from over 500 regional joining points. Includes specialist Battlefield Guide and battlefield visits.
Victoria Cross Heroes of WW1 – five days – departs 31st August 2015
This fascinating tour follows the stories of some of the 627 men who were awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry and bravery in the Great War. Visit Flanders Fields and Ypres, and attend the poignant Last Post at the Menin Gate. Travel to Zeebrugge, Tyne Cot cemetery, Richebourg, Bethune and Loos following the stories of some truly inspirational individuals.
Prices from £409 per person including: four nights’ accommodation with continental breakfasts, specialist Battlefield Guide, battlefield excursions, and travel by Silver Service luxury coach from over 500 regional joining points.
All Quiet on the Western Front – four or five days – various dates available across 2015/2016
Discover the stories, tragedy and bravery of the First World War Battlefields on this unforgettable tour, accompanied by a specialist Battlefield Guide. Witness the scarred earth and immaculately preserved trenches from the battlefields at Ypres and the Somme. Moving visits to memorials and cemeteries, including Menin Gate, put the scale of loss into perspective while trips to some of the area’s best museums will provide insightful historical context.
Prices from £279 per person including: three or four nights’ accommodation with continental breakfasts, specialist Battlefield Guide, battlefield excursions, and travel by Executive, Silver Service or Luxuria coach from over 500 regional joining points.
For further information about Leger Holidays or to book a break, visit leger.co.uk