| The Somme in 1916 was very much an agricultural area dominated by rolling fields, not dissimilar to those of Salisbury Plain. Many of these sites are exposed and harsh winds are not unusual. The reality of these sites should provide students with a clearer understanding of the difficulties encountered by the soldiers at war.
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| The Historial de la Grande Guerre museum is located in the medieval chateau of Peronne and is dedicated to the memory of the people who fought in and experienced the Great War. Based around four large rooms, the 'Historial' deals sensitively with the multi-cultural aspect of the war, demonstrating British, French and German exhibits. The museum also houses a small cinema, which shows a 20 minute film about Harry Fellows, a survivor of the Battle of the Somme who died in 1989. This film may be more beneficial to older students. | ||
| Delville Wood was the location of some of the Western Front's most savage and intense fighting. In 1916 the wood was obliterated by shellfire but has since been replanted. The brunt of the fighting was borne by the South African Brigade and the Delville Wood Memorial now serves as the South African National War Memorial for both World Wars. | ||
| The Lochnagar Crater is situated east of the village of La Boiselle and is very impressive. Approximately 90 metres in diameter and 60 metres deep, it was created by a mine detonated on 1st July 1916. | ||
| Musée Somme 1916, Albert. Albert was subject to continuous bombardment in the months before the Battle of the Somme. Built within the shelters constructed during the Second World War, most of the museum displays weapons of the era, wartime equipment and lifelike tableaux detailing trench life. | ||
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The Thiepval Memorial stands out from the surrounding countryside. It is dedicated to the 73,000 Allied troops who lost their lives in the Somme and who have no known grave. Standing 45 metres high on the old German frontline, it was the site of some of the bloodiest fighting of 1916 and remains a truly poignant reminder of the scale of the suffering encountered during the battle of the Somme. There is a new Visitor Centre, which is very interesting for school groups. | |
| Newfoundland Park is a Canadian National Historic Site. A memorial to the Newfoundland Battalion, it remains very much as it was in 1916. Opened in 1925 and maintained by Veterans Affairs Canada, the site commemorates soldiers who died in the most dramatic days of the 1916 Campaign. Two opposing trench systems can be clearly seen. At least an hour is required to enable the groups to spend time at the interesting visitor centre, walk the battlefield and visit the cemeteries. | ||
| Vimy Ridge This spectacular site centres on the Canadian Corp's superbly planned capture of Vimy Ridge in April 1917, an event that proved to be a turning point for the Allies in the First World War. The trenches and subways have been preserved and restored for visitors. On top of the ridge is the Vimy Memorial and a very interesting exhibition showing the history surrounding the battle. | ||
| Teacher’s guides for WWI | ||
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Holts Tours has produced a comprehensive full-colour guide to aid teachers in effective preparation for their tours to Ypres and the Somme. These packs are exclusive to Holts Tours and are available to you, the teacher, when you book your tour with us. They have been designed in conjunction with a Chief Examiner in GCSE History and we feel that they are one of several features that make our Battlefield Tours the most comprehensive available. We also provide a Teacher’s Guide and student worksheets for Vimy Ridge, written by Malcolm Chandler. Everything that is required by the student is in their workbook and will provide the necessary work for the National Curriculum KS3 and a basis for GCSE work. |
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| If you have any questions or would like to get a quote, click here to go to the contact page where you can download a fax-back form or click here for the on-line enquiry form. | ||
