LOOKING AHEAD


A Weekend In Norwich
February
Our travellers' choice for the winter weekend takes us to Norwich and the beautiful wetlands with their rich medieval heritage. We will visit the fine Norman cathedral and the grave and statue of Edith Cavell. We hear some interesting stories at the Aviation museum at Horsham St Faith, visit Wymondham Abbey and Kettering Hall and learn about Ketts Rebellion (1549) and the battle of Mousehold Heath. Farewell lunch in 13th century pub.

The Intelligence War
March
Beginning with a trip to London, where the WW2 intelligence war was planned and coordinated including the Intelligence Corps Museum, we move to Bletchley Park, home of the Government Code and Cypher School. By the end of the war some 12,000 people worked at Bletchley – Churchill's 'geese that laid the golden eggs and never cackled'. Fortunately some will now share their fascinating secrets and we will meet some Bletchley veterans and see the reconstructed Colossus in action.

Gibraltar And Tangier
March
On this tour we base ourselves in Gibraltar while taking a two day excursion across the straits to the fascinating city of Tangier (part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza). Exploring Gibraltar's history as a British colony since 1704, we discover why both the Rock' and the straits have been so important to British strategic interests in the Mediterranean and beyond. We explore the defences and tunnels of The Rock, look at its vital role in the second word war and stand on the old ramparts of Tangier not far from where Samuel Pepys wrote his despatch about the winding up of the British garrison in 1683.

Stuart London
March
Explores the splendours of the city from the days of Charles I and Cromwell, through the Restoration to the fabulous rebuilding following the Great Fire. Westminster, Whitehall, Covent Garden, the Royal Naval College Greenwich. St Pauls Cathedral, St James' Park and Palace and Lincoln's Inn. Inigo Jones, Charles II and Nell Gwyn, Pepys and Christopher Wren. Discover this fabulous city on foot and by boat – the history, the buildings the larger-than-life personalities.

Berlin And The Cold War
April
We have often been asked for a tour which looks at different aspects of Berlin, a city of so much historic interest. This tour begins with the surrender on May 9th 1945, visiting Cold War sites and museums – including the Karlshorst museum, Potsdam, the Stasi HQ. We discuss the Blockade and Airlift, the Berlin Wall and life from 1945 to 1989, with time to explore the earlier history of city.

Wellington In The Peninsula
April
Studies many of the battles of the Peninsula War around Lisbon and along the Portuguese / Spanish border. Many of Wellington's best known battles were fought here and our exploration of the scenes of actions from 1810 to 1812 will include Rolica and Vimeiro, Busaco and Ciudad Rodrigo, Almeida, Fuentes de Onoro, Salamanca, Garcia Hernandez, Albuera and the Lines of Torres Vedras.

The English Civil War In The Midlands
April
Considers three of the battles and their impact. The battle of Edgehill, 23 October 1642, the first important battle of the Civil War; a tactical victory for the Royalists but King Charles was nevertheless obliged to withdraw to Oxford. In June 1644 there was a Royalist success at Copredy Bridge but this was overshadowed by the disaster at Marston Moor. Finally we study the battle of Naseby in June 1645, the decisive battle which destroyed the Royalist cause in the Midlands.

Hadrian's Wall
May
The Emperor Hadrian (117 – 138 AD) wanted peace, strong, stable frontiers and a well trained and disciplined army. His solution in northern Britain was to extend the existing defences to a wall running from sea to sea, to separate the Romans from the Barbarians. The Roman Army built the wall, the camps, the towers and manned them for 300 years. With historian Adrian Goldsworthy, foremost authority on the Roman Army, we will explore the Wall and study the lives and achievements of the men who served along Britain's Northern Frontier.

Gallipoli
May
Explore the evocative battlefields of the 1915 campaign. Cape Helles, Lancashire Landing and the battles of Krithia; north to the ANZAC area, the beaches, gullies and the ridges of Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair; finally the landings and unsuccessful actions at Suvla and the evacuation of the peninsula. A boat trip along the landing areas adds to your understanding of the terrain.

Reconstruction And Remembrance
May
What happened on the Western Front after the Armistice, when 'the guns fell silent'? We look at the work of reconstruction; the clearing of the battlefields, the establishment of the cemeteries, great and small and the rebuilding of the farms, towns and villages. Focussing on the marvellous reconstruction of the medieval town of Ypres, the work of the War Graves Commission from 1918 and culminating in the extraordinary story of the establishment of a new CWGC cemetery at Pheasant Wood, Fromelles.

D-Day – 6th June 1944
May
Operation Overlord, the great Allied Invasion of North West Europe. We look at the planning, the landings by air and sea and visit the landing zones and beaches . We study the actions of the PBI, the tanks and armoured cars, the guns and planes in this great all-arms campaign and consider the strengths and weaknesses of the opposing forces and the challenges of coalition warfare nearly 7 decades ago.

Waterloo
May
The campaign of 1815, fought following the Emperor's return from Elba. On rolling ground south of Brussels the armies of three great Generals, the Emperor Napoleon, the Duke of Wellington and Prince Blücher fought a series of battles that would decide the future of Europe. We see how the story unfolds at Ligny, Quatre Bras and across the Waterloo battlefield from Hougemont to Plancenoit, at La Belle Alliance and La Haye Sainte and the ridge at Mont St Jean.

The English Kingdom Of France
May
The story of the English in France after Henry V's victory at Agincourt. We will visit Rouen and 'Medieval Paris'; the Chateau of Vincennes where Henry died in 1422, Notre Dame where his son was crowned in 1431 and the Medieval Museum at Cluny. We look at the success against the French and Scots at Verneuil (1424) and see where the French, inspired by Joan of Arc, started to fight back; the Siege of Orleans (1428) and the battle of Patay (1429).

War Lords Of The Italian Renaissance
May
Drawing on Hugh Bicheno's book about the Italian mercenary warlords, Vendetta, we will visit their castles in Cesena, Rimini, Verucchio and San Leo, the fortified village of Montegridolfo, the palace of Urbino in the jagged country of strategic Romagna, and the Marche, which produced many famous Condottieri. We then cross the Apennines to the once great Renaissance city states of Siena and Florence and the famous battlefields described by Dante.

The BEF At Bay
May
In June 1940 Churchill reminded the British public that "wars are not won by evacuations" and not all the BEF had been rescued in the Miracle of Dunkirk. We will look at some of the actions of the men who fought on to make that miracle possible, including the Guards at Boulogne, the Rifle Brigade and other British and French units at Calais who were asked to fight on to the end and the ill fated 51st Highland division at St.Valery.

Walking Messines
June
Study the 1917 'Bite and Hold' limited objective battle, most famous for the huge mines exploded under the German strong points which signalled the start of the action. We will examine the mining operations as we visit many of the sites from the Caterpillar Crater and Hill 60 in the north to the area of the 'lost mines' near Ploegsteert Wood, where 300,000lbs of explosives still lie under ground. We will also examine the battle from the wider experiences of the tactics used and the experiences of soldiers on both sides of the wire.

The Crimean War In Turkey
June
This is a fascinating 'follow on' tour if you have already studied the Crimean War battlefields of the Ukraine, an opportunity to discover more of the vital area along the Bosphorus and around Istanbul, travelling east to study the siege of Kars 1855 and consider the role of Britain's ally, Turkey. Most of the sites are not accessible to the public and we will visit them with special permission. A wonderful combination of battlefields and history. Accompanied by Colonel Peter Knox, Chairman of the Crimean War Research Society.

The American Civil War In The East
150th Anniversary
June
In 1862 the Union Armies undertook their first campaigns to defeat the forces of the Confederacy and we will look in some detail at many of the actions in the 'cockpit' of the war in East Virginia, including the Peninsula Campaign, the Seven Days Battle, Fredericksburg, Cedar Mountain, Harpers Ferry, Second Bull Run and Antietam. Based in Richmond and Alexandria.

The Making Of England
June
From our historic hotel in the planned Norman town of Ludlow we will trace the development of England, looking at continuity and changes from the end of the Roman period through the Mercians, the rise of Wessex, the Danes, the arrival of the Normans and, finally, the re-establishment of an English speaking state. Our story will be told at Wroxeter, Offas Dyke, Buttington - where a battle was fought against the Danes in 893AD, Dore Abbey created from a historic Cistercian monastery and the remarkable church at Kilpeck.

It's A Long Way To Tipperary………
July - October
Our classic introduction to the Great War on the Western Front visiting the key areas of the Ypres Salient - its formation in 1914, 2nd Ypres and the gas attack of 1915, Messines and 3rd Ypres, farmiliarly known as the battle of Passchendaele. We visit the battlefield of Loos (1915) and Vimy Ridge on our journey south to ridges and valleys of the Somme battlefield. The strategy and tactics, the men who fought and their memorials.

More Somme Walks
July
Continues our examination of the Somme battlefield, walking the ground and discovering what happened during more of the 1916 actions, including the 1st July, the Battles for the Woods, the major September offensive and the last days of mud and rain. We then follow the successful attacks of 8th August 1918, finally following the Lancashire Fusiliers during the 'Last Battle of the Somme' north of Albert.

Cambrai
July
Cambrai is best known for the great battle of 1917 when tanks, artillery and infantry came together in the first modern and coordinated all-arms operation. On this tour we study the battle in detail and discuss how the lessons gained there led to the development of tactics during the Allies' series of victories in the final 100 day advance in 1918, and formed an important building block for the later development of tactical thought in the British Army.

Great Captains And The Art Of War
1631 – 1806
July
A tour for all those who have an interest in the development of the art of war in the horse and musket era, visiting key battlefields to discover how the great commanders Gustavus Adolphus, Frederick the Great and Napoleon influenced the military tactics of their times and how successful these were in achieving their strategic objectives of conquest and expansion. The battles studied will be Breitenfeld (1631), Lutzen (1632), Rossbach (1757) Torgau (1760) Saalfeld and Jena/Auerstadt (1806).

More Medieval Battles
July
From the Viking invasions of 865/6 and the devastating Siege of York, King Harolds's pyrrhic victory at Stamford Bridge in September 1066, the battle of Borough Bridge 1322 and two bloody battles of the Wars of the Roses – Wakefield and Towton. The leaders of these battles were kings and noblemen, the fighting men their retainers, local levies and soldiers of fortune. Find out how they shaped the story of medieval England.

Triumph Of The Longbow
July
When the despised infantry of the English Army, whose skills had been honed in the battles with the Scots and Welsh, defeated the chivalry of France in August 1346 it signalled the end of the dominance of the mounted knights and sent shock waves throughout Europe. Sixty years later however, the archers triumphed again at the battle of Agincourt (1415). We study both these battles and discuss how and why this happened.

1917 Forgotten Battles
August
As part of our commemoration programme we shall be looking at some of the smaller, often overlooked actions of 1917. Studying these adds to our understanding of the 'major' battles and the complexity of the Allied war by the third year of the conflict. Included in the Itinerary will be actions at Nieuport, Bullecourt and around Arras, the French contribution at Passchendaele and the last major action of 1917 at Welsh Ridge.

Third Battle Of Ypres 1917
August
From the spectacular success at Messines in June through the summer battles along Pilkem Ridge and the Menin Road, we see how the fortunes of the BEF changed when the September rains and weight of artillery turned the ground to a quagmire. The final tortuous advance to the Passchendaele Ridge epitomises for many the harrowing story of the Great War. Our study of the actions will increase your understanding of the events of 1917 in the Salient.

Retreat From Mons
August
The story of the 'Old Contemptibles' of 1914 from Mons to the Aisne. We follow them from their first contact with the enemy, to the battle of le Cateau, south to St Quentin, Nery, Villers Cotteret and the Aisne. Study the professional excellence of the original BEF in the days before the trench lines were established and ended the war of movement for 4 years.

Stalingrad
August
This tour studies the ferocious and ultimately successful Russian resistance to the German 6th Army at Stalingrad in the winter of 1942-43, including a full exploratory tour of the battlefield, a boat trip up the Volga, memorials and museums including the massive tank museum at Kubinka in Moscow. With Mike Jones, the final part of whose Eastern Front Trilogy was published in July 2011.

Dieppe 1942
August
70 years ago, the Allies carried out one of the most controversial actions of the Second World War. We will discuss why the raid took place, what it was hoped it would achieve and what actually happened. We will examine the coast from the sea and visit the beaches and cliffs where the Canadians and British Commandos fought and died. Accompanied by Colonel Graham Dunlop, whose long service with the Royal Marines will enlarge your understanding of this tragic operation.
The Holocaust
August
A journey of pilgrimage and remembrance, which commemorates the period of persecution and genocide during the fascist regimes in Europe. This tour recalls the tragedies of those years and includes visits to the Warsaw ghetto, Treblinka, Majdanek and Auschwitz. We pay our respects to those who perished and suffered and also look at the often heroic history of Poland from medieval times to the late 20th century and enjoy a taste of Polish culture and hospitality.
The Royal Flying Corps
September
We trace the development of aviation in the Great War, looking at aerial combat, the changes in technology and tactics and the increasing use of aircraft from reconnaissance in 1914 to other requirements from artillery spotting to supply and early bombing raids. We will look at some of the Airfield sites and discuss the exploits of fighter aces such as Mick Mannock, Albert Ball, Lanoe Hawker and von Richthofen, 'the Red Baron'.

Salonika
September
A rare opportunity to visit this little visited battle area, where British troops fought with the French and Serbians as part of the Allied Balkan Strategy. Their experience in this harsh terrain was little known to the British public whose attention was focussed elsewhere but it is an essential element in understanding the complexity of Allied warfare in the Great War. Marvellous scenery, great walks and splendid hospitality.

The Monastery – The Battles For Monte Cassino
September
Looks at the brutal, bloody battles for Monte Cassino, largely on foot so that you get a real feel for the difficulties of the terrain and the complexity of the operations. We study the first Allied attempts to break through, the river crossings, the battles for the ridges, the town and ultimately the Monastery itself, following costly and heroic fighting of the men of the British, Polish, New Zealand, American and French forces against the determined German resistance.

Arnhem
September
Explores the Allies' actions in Holland in autumn 1944, intended to clear the way through to Germany. We study the heroic actions of the British, American and Polish airborne divisions at Arnhem and Nijmegen, the difficulties of the tanks and infantry of XXX Corps' advance towards them and consider why the actions failed, walk the perimeter of the 'cauldron' of Hartenstein, and discuss the evacuation back across the Rhine and the fate of those left behind.

Borodino
200th Anniversary Commemoration
September
In the autumn of 1812 Napoleon's Grande Armee invaded Russia. On 7th September they met the forces of Marshal Kutuzov 75 miles west of Moscow in a long, brutal battle of attrition. Although a technical French victory Napoleon has been criticized for his decisions as the Russians were able to withdraw. Our study of this battlefield and the later battle of Maloyaroslavets increases our understanding of the campaign. Commemorative details TBA.

Rome - Republic & Empire
September
The dramatic story of ancient Rome's growth and change, from the days of Romulus and Remus to the splendour of the Empire. We will use the buildings – the temples, palaces, shops, aqueducts and amphitheatres to bring it to life. The old Colonia at Cosa, the splendid remains of the harbour at Ostia, the ruins in the Forum and on the surrounding hills, the Pantheon and Hadrian's villa at Tivoli are the background to this story of the glory that was Rome.

Pompeii
September
One of the classic stories, superbly told, as we visit the ancient sites of towns destroyed in the great eruption of Vesuvius in AD79, Pompeii and Herculaneum and the Villa Oplontis. Further back in time we look at the Greek colonies at Paestum and Cuma. The vibrant city of Naples is home to a superb Archeological museum and many wonderful historic buildings. You can make the ascent of Vesuvius to look down across the beautiful Bay of Naples and drive along the coast to Ravello.

El Alamein
October
Examining the high point of the Africa Corps advance towards Cairo, we will study the battles of the reinvigorated 8th Army under the newly appointed Lt.General Bernard Montgomery. In this anniversary year we will be looking at the battles of Alam Halfa and First and Second Alamein. Our tour also looks at Alexandria during the Second World War, the important Fleet Base which prevented the Mediterranean from being dominated by the Axis Powers.

The French Resistance
October
Based in the beautiful countryside of SW France, we explore some of the experiences of occupation and resistance. What must it have been like when that knock came at the door in the dead of night; and when friends and aquaintances could not always be trusted? Our guest speaker on this tour is Martyn Cox who has interviewed many WW2 resistance fighters. With him we will see how this part of France was 'set alight' by the Maquis and SOE where many acts of sabotage took place.

Singapore & Hong Kong
October
This new tour takes you to two of the most vibrant cities of Asia; Singapore and Hong Kong. We explore the historic and cultural aspects and discuss the fall of Singapore in 1942, with visits including Kranji CWGC cemetery, the Labrador and Johore batteries and Changi museum and village. Hong Kong is another city with a rich history and our visits here will include the Lyemun batteries and museum, the defences of the Gin Drinkers Line and Stanley CWGC cemetery.

The American Independence War In The South
October
Starting at historic Charleston, site of the siege of 1780, we visit the wonderfully evocative sites where the British won most of the battles but ultimately lost the war: Camden, Waxhaws, Kings Mountain, Cowpens, Guildford courthouse, Hobkirk Hill and Eutaw Springs. And Yorktown, where Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis and his British and Loyalist troops, finally exhausted, were trapped and forced to surrender. With Hugh Bicheno, author of Rebels and Redcoats; the American War of Independence.

The Zulu War
October
The definitive Zulu War tour, with our Guest Historian Ian Knight, studies every action of the war and the armies and tactics of both sides. Follow the southern column from the Tugela to Gingindlovu and Inyezane to the Siege of Eshowe. Learn something of the unique Zulu culture and fighting techniques, visiting Shaka's Grave, the Royal Homestead at Ondini and the battlefield of Ulundi. Consider why Hlobane was a British disaster and Kambula a success and finally experience the awesome battlefield of Isandlwana and the heroic stand at Rorke's Drift. Booking now open for this tour.

Crete
October
Crete, the largest Mediterranean island, owed its importance in the ancient world to its position on vital trade routes and this is reflected in the richness of its history, in particular the Minoan civilisation which came to light with the excavation of the palace of Knossos. This will be the main focus of our tour but we will also see the influence of the later occupations; Byzantines, Venetians, Ottomans all ruled the island, which was united with Greece in 1913. It is a wonderful place to visit with splendid scenery, wildlife, food and wine.

Malta
October
The island of Malta is one of the jewels of the Mediterranean and its strategic position and fine harbour gave it great importance for many centuries. Discover the richness of its heritage from the development of Iron Age settlements to the cultures of many different rulers; Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Sicilians, Normans, knights of St John, French, in 1800 the British; and independence in 1964. The historical events are fascinating and the beauty of the architecture and scenery make it a joy to visit.

The Falklands War
18th November – 28th November 2012
Drawing on Hugh Bicheno's acclaimed book Razor's Edge: the Unofficial History of the Falklands War, we visit the Argentine landings on Pembroke Peninsula and other sites around Stanley; the British landings in San Carlos Bay; the battlefield of Darwin / Goose Green and the site of the Sir Galahad disaster. Also the battle hills around Stanley – Two Sisters, Longdon, Harriet, Tumbledown and Wireless Ridge. On the last day we visit the Emperor penguin sanctuary on Volunteer Point. Booking now open for this tour.

The Battle Of The Bulge
December
Looks at Hitler's last gamble in the West, as he aimed to repeat his successful 1940 attack through the Ardennes. We will follow the rapid Panzer advance towards the goal of Antwerp, study Kampfer Group Peiper, the horror of Malmedy, the encirclement of Bastogne and the Allies 'recovery battles'.

Battlefields Of Cuba
FEBRUARY 2013
The first military tour of Cuba led by Hugh Bicheno who has a lifelong interest in the history of his birthplace. In Havana we see where the British landed in 1762 to assault the fortress commanding the harbour, visit the museum of the Revolution and spend a day at the Bay of Pigs. In Santiago we see many of the places associated with Fidel Castro and we visit the site of Che Guevara's 1958 victory and his mausoleum. A unique insight into this beautiful, vibrant island.