On This Day in History in 1945 - Hitler Commits Suicide

On this day in history, the tyrannical dictator and leader of Nazi Germany committed suicide in his bunker beneath the Reichstag in Berlin as Soviet troops began to overwhelm the devastated city.

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau am Inn, Austria. After leaving school with limited education, Hitler wished to study Art in Vienna and twice applied to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts and failing to secure a place leading to a life of isolation for some years, eking out a living as a postcard and advertisement painter.

In Vienna, as a young man, he demonstrated a number of the traits that would characterise his later life: secretiveness and solitariness, a bohemian and unconventional lifestyle and most ominously a hatred of the cosmopolitan and multinational Vienna.

After moving to Munich in 1913, Hitler was rejected by the Austrian army, petitioning King Louis III of Bavaria to be allowed to serve. One day after submitting his request, he was notified that he would be able to join the Bavarian Infantry Reserve regiment.

Hitler was sent to Belgium after 8 weeks of training where he fought in the first Battle of Ypres. His military service as a runner spanned the entire First World War where he was wounded in 1916 and gassed near Ypres in 1918. He received both the Iron Cross Second Class and the First Class, which was unusual for a lowly Corporal. Hitler left hospital in the midst of the political chaos raging throughout Germany after its defeat and the army sent him as a political agent to Munich to join the small German Workers' Party.

In 1920 he left the army to lead the party's propaganda wing and devoted more time to improving his position within the party which had renamed itself the National-sozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (Nazi party). Hitler was astute at building his power within the Nazi party and became its leader in 1921 where he set out to build a mass movement surrounded by mysticism which would bind members' loyalty entirely to him.

His early political ambition would culminate in the failed 1923 Munich Putsch where the Nazi Party and its military arm the SA (Sturmabteilung) attempted to seize power in Munich to take advantage of the prevailing political confusion and failings of the Weimar Republic. Hitler, not missing the propaganda opportunity of his trial, was sentenced to 5 years in Landsburg prison for treason, of which he served just 9 months. While in Landsberg, he dictated the first edition of his political autobiography, Mein Kampf or My Struggle in which he outlined his complex and meandering political beliefs; the most prominent and foreboding of which was his implacable belief in the inequality of races, nations and individuals, and the natural order which exalted the "Aryan race". He saw the Jewish race and Marxism as the most significant enemies of Nazism rather than liberal democracy, which was already unstable in Germany by this time.

After his release, Hitler realised that gaining the power he craved would have to be achieved through legal, or semi-legal, means, although while in prison the Weimar republic had regained some much needed stability and Hitler found the German public less receptive to his racist and antagonistic message ... until the 1929 Wall Street crash and Great Depression ushered in a new period of instability across Germany and the world. The Nazi Party subsequently became the second largest party in Germany and by 1932 Hitler was challenging for the chancellorship after securing 36.8% of the vote. President Hindenberg's position was becoming precarious and he made Hitler chancellor on January 30, 1933.

Hitler wasted no time in moving to become absolute dictator by forcing new elections, removing freedoms and intensifying violence against opponents in the wake of the Reichstag fire, which was blamed on a Dutch Communist called Marinus van de Lubbe. On March 23, 1933 the Enabling Bill was passed giving full powers to Hitler and less than 3 months later, all opposition parties, organisations and labour unions ceased to exist. Once dictator of Germany, Hitler set about a campaign of economic recovery, alliance building with fascist Italy and Japan, overturning the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles which limited Germany's military capabilities, and expansion to secure living space or lebensraum for the German people.

Hitler launched the Second World War by invading Poland on September 1, 1939 in a joint attack with the Soviet Union. Germany's war strategy was assumed by Hitler from the very beginning to the end of World War Two and by 1942 saw Nazi occupation of much of Western Europe and vast swathes of the Soviet Union.

From 1933 to the early years of catastrophic destruction caused by Hitler's war of aggression and occupation was the Nazi policy of expulsion of European Jews, Roma Gypsies and numerous other people the Nazis considered undesirable. In 1941, "Total War' was declared after America's entry in the war, and the Nazi policy of expulsion changed to the insidious systematic genocide epitomised by the gas chambers of death camps like Auschwitz. From the end of 1942, the tide of war began to turn with German defeats in North Africa and at Stalingrad. In early 1943, Musolini was arrested and Italy sued for peace, necessitating German occupation of Italy taking valuable military resources away from the life and death struggle being fought inch by bloody inch in the East.

With defeats on the battlefield came increased tensions with the military and a string of assassination attempts ensued, the most famous was led by Colonel Claus von Staffenburg in July 1944. By January 1945, with the US led Western allies closing in from the West and the Soviet Red Armies advancing on the shattered shell of Berlin from the East, Hitler, exhausted and increasingly ill due to stress and regular use of amphetamines, abandoned a plan to lead a last ditch resistance from the South, never again left his bunker underneath the chancellery. Before he shot himself, he married Eva Braun and appointed Admiral Karl Donitz Head of State and Joseph Goebbels Chancellor.

Adolf Hitler's reign of terror was not inevitable, nor could he have caused such damage and destruction alone. His ability to take advantage, for his own ends, of the instability in Germany after the First World War was unequalled, as was his ideology of hate which was sadly shared by too many.

Today, there is nothing left of Hitler's bunker and his burned remains were never found. It is possible to stand on the site above the chancellery bunker in Berlin as well as visit the numerous battlefields and significant sites of the Second World War from the beaches of Normandy to the Ardennes forest and the bridge across the Rhine at Arnhem, where the battles were fought and sacrifices made to bring Hitler's reign of tyranny, death and destruction to its end.

Sophie’s Great War tours would be glad to accompany and guide you to help foster a greater understanding of the events and roles individuals played during these dark and dangerous years.

On this Day in History, the Second Battle of Ypres began in 1915

On this day in history, the Second Battle of Ypres began in 1915.

Following just a few days after the heavy fighting at Hill 60, the second of three costly battles on the Ypres salient was intended to mask German troop transportation to the East for a push at Galicia and to shorten the line around Ypres by reducing the salient.

The plan was to deploy the asphyxiating chlorine gas on or around the 14th of April when the winds were favourable and for infantry to follow behind to punch a giant hole in the British line and push them back West of Ypres. At 5pm on the sunny breezy spring afternoon of April 22, 1915, an ominous sickly haze of greenish yellow chlorine gas floated silently towards the French and British lines. Some 200 tons of chlorine gas had been deployed with particular effect on the left flank of the salient defended by French colonial troops.

Those troops flooded back creating a large gap in the allied line but the severity of the unfolding crisis was not fully realised by the Germans despite ground being taken around the Pilkem Ridge, just two and half miles from Ypres.

Canadian troops were thrown into the line around St. Juliaan to desperately close this gap.

Some 200 gassed Algerians reinforced by Canadian machine gun platoons on the exposed and precarious Canadian left flank near the village of Poelkapelle fighting a desperate and gallant battle, managed to secure, despite heavy losses, a shortened left flank and keep from being overrun and rolled up from behind. The Canadian 3rd Infantry Brigade's successful counter-attack on Bois des Cuisinièrs, the old oak forest translated as “Kitcheners’ Wood” by the British and Canadian troops, marked the initial stabilisation of the situation, but the battle was still fraught and desperate with gaps in the line being exploited by German troops and German machine gun fire raking the rear of the allies' old front line.

By the morning of the 23rd of April, further British and Canadian reinforcements had arrived and had begun to work their way towards the French remnants at the Yser canal.

Over the coming weeks the battle bogged down and the toll of wounded and dead mounted without much territorial gain from either side and the battle would eventually peter out on the 25th of May.

During the Second Battle of Ypres, Canadian officer John McCrae penned one of the most famous poems of the war, "In Flanders Fields" in tribute to a friend who had died in the fighting.

Today, Ypres remains a benchmark destination to visit and walk in the footsteps of those who sacrificed and endured the horrors of the Western Front from 1914 to the very end of the war.

Sophie's Great War Tours would be delighted to walk with you and share these stories on location.

On This Day In History: The Fighting for Hill 60 in 1915

On this day in history in 1915, Hill 60 on the Ypres salient, held by the Germans since November 1914, was retaken.

Hill 60 and its neighbours The Caterpillar and The Dump were in fact piles of spoil created by the excavation of earth when building the railway connecting Ypres and Comines which opened in 1854.

Hill 60 was in German hands when the British took over this part of the line in February 1915.

Holding the high ground around Ypres was an enormous advantage for the Germans as their artillery observers could see for miles and direct fire down onto the French and then British dug in around Ypres.

The British decision to take Hill 60 was made in part because of upcoming offensives which were expected to be 'war winning', therefore possession of Hill 60 was considered necessary in order to gain the advantage of the high ground on the Ypres salient.

The unenviable task of taking the hill fell to the 13th Brigade of the 5th Infantry Division. But, the British had a surprise in store for the German defenders which could well turn the tide of the attack in their favour. In the months preceding the assault on the dreaded Hill 60, French and British miners tunnelled under No Man's Land and dug out chambers large enough to hold several thousand kilos of explosives.

At 7pm on the 17th April, 1915, all 6 mines were detonated at 10 second intervals and the 1st Battalion Royal West Kents assaulted the hill, reaching the massive mine craters and the German positions in very quick order.

The war diaries of the time tell us that “severe fighting ensued all night. The enemy kept up a constant and heavy artillery fire and attacked incessantly, using hand grenades freely and with great effect”.

Over the course of the next few hours and into the 18th April 1915, units were relieved and fresh men sent in to hold the newly captured crest of the hill. German forces however, continued to engage in savage close quarter combat, slowly inching British troops back down.

The fighting for Hill 60 would presage the opening of the Second Battle of Ypres which would commence 5 days later. Hill 60 would once again be lost to the Germans by early May and the dawn of a new era of chemical warfare had begun.

Today, Hill 60 still bears many scars of this fighting in 1915 and the mining activity of that year and 1917 too.

There are so many stories to tell and Sophie’s Great War Tours would be delighted to share them with you on location.

On This Day In History: FDR Dies

On this day in 1945, President Franklin Deleno Roosevelt collapsed and died of a cerebral haemorrhage while sitting for a portrait. Harry Truman would be sworn in as the 33rd President.

Nicknamed FDR, Roosevelt's presidency spanned 12 years. It was marked by the most significant domestic crisis for the United States since the civil war, the Great Depression, and it's most momentous foreign one, the Second World War.

FDR's optimism, hope and political capability culminated in the 'New Deal' series of economic experiments to get the U.S moving again from the quagmire of the depression.

Despite partial paralysis of the legs resulting from contracting polio, Roosevelt's tenacity in his own recovery enabled him to set about reform and recovery for the U.S economy, declaring that Americans "had nothing to fear but fear itself".

One man alone could not put at end to economic depression, it was war that helped turn the tide for a new American future.

Roosevelt led the U.S to the brink of victory over fascism and cemented its position by emerging from those dark years of war as the world's foremost economic, political and military power.

On This Day In History: Buchenwald Concentration Camp is Liberated

On this day in 1945, lead elements of the U.S Third Army’s 6th Armoured Division liberated Buchenwald Concentration Camp, near Weimar, Germany.

Buchenwald was one of the first Nazi camps to be liberated by the Western allies who on their arrival found 21,000 prisoners clinging to life.

Buchenwald Survivor taken after liberation by the US 3rd Army

On the day of liberation as American troops neared the camp, the SS were ordered to abandon Buchenwald. As senior SS commanders fled, the International Camp Committee mobilised its fighters, distributed hidden arms, and took over the camp overpowering the remaining SS guards.

From 1937 when Buchenwald opened to its liberation in 1945, over a quarter of a million men, women and children from over 50 countries passed through its gates or the gates of its numerous satellite camps.

Nearly 60,000 people died at Buchenwald while thousands more were sent on death marches to other camps or on death transports to Auschwitz.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, allied supreme commander, visited Buchenwald where the experience clearly left an indelible mark; he stated, “I have never felt able to describe my emotional reaction when I first came face to face with indisputable evidence of Nazi brutality and ruthless disregard of every shred of decency.”

For more information on visiting Buchenwald to keep the memory of those that perished alive, please see their website: Buchenwald Homepage - Buchenwald Memorial

For more information on the work of the Holocaust Educational Trust, please see their website: Holocaust Educational Trust - Latest News (het.org.uk)

#NeverForget

On This Day in History: Battle of Arras Begins

The Battle of Arras

On this day in 1917, the battle of Arras began, the beginning of the allied offensive operations in 1917.

The opening phases of the battle were successful, with the British achieving the furthest advance into German lines of the war to date. This gave allied commanders hope that the significant breakthrough they desired was now on the cards.

This initial optimism soon died away however, and the allied armies were drawn back into a slogging match for ground.

The battle continued with a number of operations until 16th May 1917 where it closed with a casualty list estimated at 300,000 men across both sides.

Today there are some key sites that can be visited and areas traditionally ‘off the beaten track’ where you can follow the movements of specific battalions or even an individual soldier that you may wish to follow in the footsteps of.

Visit Vimy Ridge

Vimy Ridge is a must visit for any Canadian pilgrim to the battlefields of the Western Front. Here your guides will not only be able to talk about the critical mission Canadian troops had here in 1917, but they shall also be able to put into context what the attack meant politically and socially to a future Canada.

Take a brief trip underground in the preserved Grange tunnel, look at how close the trench lines ran here and see how the scars of war still show vividly upon the land.

Walk up to the beautiful memorial which bears the names of more than 11,000 Canadians who lost their lives along the Western Front and who have no known grave.

It was unveiled by King Edward VIII on 26 July 1936, his only official overseas engagement before abdication.

Walk the Battlefields

Arras is a battlefield best explored on foot, particularly as many of the roads really are unsuitable for cars. If you a following a specific battalion or soldier, with the aid of a guide, trench maps and today’s technology, begin at that unit’s jump off position and follow their advance. This method of touring allows you to understand not only the terrain, but all the elements soldiers had to face when going into battle.

Notre Dame de Lorette

The dominant position of Notre Dame de Lorette gives you a view of the battlefields below. After the Great War, it was established as a place to commemorate the sacrifice of thousands of soldiers. More than 42,000 soldiers remains are here, making it the largest French necropolis in the world. It is a truly staggering site. In the centre of the necropolis is a beautiful lantern tower and basilica.

Much has been added nearby in recent months for visitors, including a visitor centre, excellent museum and reconstructed trenches.

Visit Wellington Tunnels

Descend 20 metres underground into the chalk quarries of Arras that were dug out by New Zealand soldiers - a network that could house 24,000 soldiers! Walk this underground city with a guide and see carvings on the walls from soldiers in the Great War.

Visit CWGC Arras Memorial

This beautiful Lutyens memorial bears the names of almost 35,000 servicemen from the UK, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918 and whom have no known grave. Indeed, Sophie’s Great Uncle, Private Hough, is remembered here. Notably too is the name of 2nd Lt Walter Tull, an exceptionally talented British footballer of Afro-Caribbean decent. Clearly a brave officer, he saw action on the Somme, went to Italy but was sadly killed in the German Spring Offensive.

There is also the Flying Services Memorial which commemorates almost 1,000 airmen of the Royal Naval Air Service, the Royal Flying Corps, and the Royal Air Force, either by attachment from other arms of the forces of the Commonwealth or by original enlistment, who were killed across the Western Front and who have no known grave.

Step down from the memorial and into the cemetery which contains the graves of over 2,650 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and a further eight from the Second World War.

On This Day: 1st April 1945: Allied Troops Encircle German Army in Ruhr

On this day in 1945, lead elements of the US 9th and 1st armies linked up and secured the most successful US encirclement of World War II.

By early Spring 1945, it was clear the war was coming to its inevitable end and the defeat of Hitler's reich was beyond doubt. That said, the formidable forces of Model's Army Group B supported by the 5th Panzer Army guarding the Ruhr and the 15th Army watching over the bridgehead at Remagen stood in their way. Field Marshal Walter Model, 'Hitler's Fireman' to his troops, was known for his tenacity and willingness to fight to the bitter end. Army Group B's 400,000 troops could cause mass casualties and hamper allied efforts to end the war quickly if confronted head on.

Ike needed a plan ...

🪖Germany's industrial heartland in the West, the Rhur, had always been on the allied operational 'to do' list.

🪖It's vast array of cities, factories and millions of civilians had the potential to become a supercolossal Stalingrad style blood bath.

🪖Eisenhower, often criticised for being a dull 'broad-front' strategist, had always planned to encircle the Rhur.

🪖The lucky break at Remagen provided the opportunity for a classic pincer movement.

🪖The 1st Army would cross the Rhine at Wesel as part of Monty's multi-army operation Varsity-Plunder while the 9th would break out of the Remagen bridgehead on March 25.. Luck was on the allies side with perfect conditions for air support for the Rhine crossing and the breakout.

Progress was initially slow for the 9th army because of dogged German resistance and tough terrain, but the 1st army achieved its textbook breakout by noon on the first day of operations. On April 1, Easter Sunday, the pincers snapped shut around Model's forces, trapping them all in an ironically egg-shaped pocket, 30 by 75 miles in diameter.

Over the next 7 days, the pocket would be squeezed tighter and tighter and then sliced in half at Hagen. On April 14, with mass surrenders in full swing, over 317,000 prisoners were taken. Field Marshall Model however could not surrender and shot himself in Duisburg on April 21, one day after the Fuhrer's last ever birthday.

The battle of the Rhur marked a decisive victory for the allies and demonstrated the hard won maturity of US forces and their ability to wage effective manoeuvre combined arms warfare.

A Great 2022 - Happy New Year!

As 2022 draws to a close, this blog looks back on what was to be a great year for touring after such difficult times.

This year the team toured across the Somme, Ypres, Nieuwpoort, Loos, Verdun, Arras, Fromelles, Bullecourt, Villers-Bretonneux, Meuse Argonne, D-Day landing sites and deeper into Normandy to name just a few locations.

Individuals, couples, families, friendship groups and a school came away with us. Guests ranged from 6 yrs old to 80+, all equally enthusiastic and ready to engage with their specialist guide.

We are delighted to count many guests as new friends, thank you for your company.

Guests came from across the UK, all over the USA and Sydney too!

Sophie and the team have researched soldiers & helped guests follow in the footsteps of their relatives. We’ve tracked many regiments including the DLI, The Buffs, Northamptonshire Regiment, DCLI and Northumberland Fusiliers to name just a few.

Thank you to my amazing team for your dedication to our guests enjoyment and comfort, to sharing history in such a fun and memorable way.

My final comment is to say one last thank you to everyone that has followed and supported SGWT. It’s a dream to run this special business. We have so much more to offer in 2023, including new products and locations to visit. Watch this space & come along with us in 2023!

Menin Gate in Ypres to Close for Restoration - Details Here

The Menin Gate in Ypres is to close for essential restoration work in 2023.

While the exact date is yet to be set, the contract for works is out for tender and should be finalised by mid February.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWCG), who are tasked with looking after this incredible memorial, believe the first set of scaffolding will be erected by mid March.

Eventually the Gate will be completely entombed in boarding so none of it will be visible and visitors will not be able to see the names engraved on the panels.

Undoubtedly, this will be very disappointing for those that wish to find a loved one’s name.

Vehicles will still be able to pass underneath the Gate.

There will be a digital recreation of the memorial located on the ramparts beside the Gate, and the Last Post ceremony will continue each night at 20:00.

If you would like to see the Gate before it undergoes this essential restoration, make your way to Ypres in early 2023 or get in touch with Sophie’s Great War Tours about a special trip soon.

Battlefield Tours for 2023

If taking a special journey across the First and Second World War battlefields has been on your bucket list for a long time, perhaps 2023 is the time to embark on that trip!

The beauty of bespoke touring is that we go where you want WHEN you want.

Get in touch soon so we can ensure your chosen dates for travel are available with our expert guides.

sophie@sophiesgreatwartours.com

The Legacy of the Iconic Roaring Lion Portrait

Sir Winston Churchill is one of the most instantly recognisable faces in British and arguably world history. An icon of World War II, Churchill led the United Kingdom through some of its darkest days and ultimately emerged victorious against the Nazis. A key part of Churchill's public persona was his no-nonsense attitude and his willingness to stare down adversity, which was perfectly encapsulated in an iconic portrait of him that came to be known as the Roaring Lion.

What I love about Roaring Lion is that it encapsulates not only a moment in time but prompts us to think about one of the horror of the Second World War.

Taken in 1941, Roaring Lion has been called many things, brilliant and unflattering among them. But, there's no denying that it is an accurate portrayal of one of history's most remarkable figures. When I look at it, I see a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. This man however, stares down the lense, telling us that his duty to his country sustains him.

I also see a man with a dose of confidence, confidence not only in the greater cause but, in himself. Without confidence to calmly lead from the front, be that in his walkabouts through Blitzed London or via his stirring speeches, how on earth could he have gone through five gruelling years of war?

Look long enough at the photograph, and you can almost hear Winston telling the photographer to hurry up as he had important work to be done. Indeed, photographer Yousuf Karsh only had two minutes with the Prime Minister. Karsh asked Churchill to put down his cigar for the photograph as the smoke would interfere with the final result. Churchill said no, so in a bold move, Yousuf Karsh snatched the cigar away. Karsh would later say that "by the time I got back to the camera, Winston looked so belligerent, he could have devoured me". Churchill stated, "you can even make a roaring lion stand still to be photographed," thus giving the picture its notable name. More than 20 photos by Karsh appeared on the cover of Life magazine, but Roaring Lion was seen as his breakthrough moment.

The legacy of Yousuf Karsh's photograph of Winston Churchill, Roaring Lion, lives on today as a symbol of British strength and resilience during some of our country’s darkest days.

What do you think about when you look at Roaring Lion?

The Passing of HM, Queen Elizabeth II

Like millions of others across the country and around the world, I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of our Queen, Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth became Queen at the age of 25, when her father died unexpectedly in 1952. She has since been a pillar of strength for our country for seven decades.

She has been an icon in every sense of the word. She will be remembered for her strength, her compassion, and her tireless dedication to our country and its people.

Rest in peace, Your Majesty. Thank you for everything.

God Save the King!

Covid-19 Update - Travel to France

Sadly once again I write with updates on new travel restrictions.

Travel to France from the UK is now only permitted in certain circumstances. Neither tourism or business travel is considered a permitted reason.

With the rise of Omicron cases, countries are taking different measures to limit the spread of transmission.

Please contact Sophie to discuss travel opportunities in 2022 or any concerns you may have: sophie@sophiesgreatwartours.com / 07973 956373

Attending the Last Post Ceremony, Ypres - Covid Update

With effect from today, Monday, 22 November 2021, access to the Last Post Ceremony in Ypres will only be possible with a COVID Safe Ticket (confirming double vaccination, recovery from infection, or the results of a negative PCR test within the last 48 hours). Please have the necessary documentation ready for presentation when you arrive at the Menin Gate.

The wearing of a facemask will continue to be obligatory throughout the ceremony, from arrival to departure.

For British travellers, your vaccine status will show on the NHS App via a QR code. You can also print this off.

Covid-19 Update - September 2021

Changes to Travel Restrictions - What You Need to Know

From 4am Monday 4 October 2021, the rules for international travel to England will change from the red, amber, green traffic light system to a single red list of countries and simplified travel measures for arrivals from the rest of the world. The rules for travel from countries and territories not on the red list will depend on your vaccination status.

From 4am Monday 4 October, if you have been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days:

• under an approved vaccination program in the UK, Europe, US or UK vaccine programme overseas

• with a full course of the Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna or Janssen vaccines from a relevant public health body in Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Dominica, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea or Taiwan – mixing between two-dose vaccines (Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna) in this list is also recognised

• under a formally approved COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial in the US, Canada and Australia and have a proof of participation (digital or paper-based) from a public health body

You must:

• book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test – to be taken after arrival in England

• complete your passenger locator form – any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in England

• take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 after you arrive in England

You do not need to:

• take a pre-departure test

• take a day 8 COVID-19 test

• quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days after you arrive in England

You must be able to prove that you have been fully vaccinated (plus 14 days) with a document (digital or paper-based) from a national or state-level public health body that includes, as a minimum:

• forename and surname(s)

• date of birth

• vaccine brand and manufacturer

• date of vaccination for every dose

• country or territory of vaccination and/or certificate issuer

Travelling to France from the UK

Travellers who are fully vaccinated do not need an essential reason to travel to France and do not need to self-isolate on arrival. From 18 July, fully vaccinated travellers no longer need to present evidence of a negative test result before travel. Fully vaccinated travellers will need to present the following documents:

• a completed ‘sworn statement’ (déclaration sur l’honneur) form self-certifying they are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight. This can be found on the French government’s website

• proof of vaccination status

Please contact Sophie’s Great War Tours if you’d like to discuss travel opportunities.

New Partnership with Camper Holiday!

Sophie’s Great War Tours is excited to announce a new collaboration with Camper Holiday.

Camper Holiday’s goal is to help you have the campervan adventure of your dreams. Their growing fleet of brand new VWs gives Sophie’s Great War Tours guests even more flexibility when it comes to creating the perfect battlefield tour, be that in the UK or Europe.

Why not explore the Somme by day and relax by the campfire with the family by night? We are also creating UK based tours together, so watch this space!

Sophie says, “teaming up with Camper Holiday means I can now offer my guests another type of experience - and a really cool one at that!”.

Contact Sophie for further details: sophie@sophiesgreatwartours.com

How We Do Things Here at Sophie's Great War Tours

What makes Sophie’s Great War Tours different and what can you expect from a private tour to the First and Second World War battlefields?

• It’s your tour. Your itinerary reflects exactly what you want to get from your special tour experience.

• We travel at the pace that suits you.

• We spend real time on the battlefields, walking in the footsteps of soldiers and trying to understand their experiences.

• We follow soldiers’ stories throughout so that you can build up an understanding of conflict, from recruitment to remembrance and everything in-between.

• We have fun. Travelling, learning and exploring in good company is the best way to spend time.

We'd love to help you by organising the perfect historical tour whenever works for you. Feel free to get in touch anytime. Sophie.

Covid-19 Update - May 2021

Thank you for visiting my website. If there is anything you would like to ask about travel in 2021, please do get in touch and I’d be delighted to assist you.

Here are some key considerations when thinking about International Travel.

The French Roadmap

President Macron has announced the French roadmap out of the pandemic.  On 9th June, foreign visitors will be able to enter France with a 'Health Pass' and hospitality venues will be allowed to open indoors.  Later in the month on 30th June, the country's curfew is set to end.  There is still some uncertainty around the 'Health Pass', but UK & US authorities are working to make it compatible.  It has been said that the NHS app could indeed be the 'Health Pass'.  

Traffic Light System 

Destinations around the world have been assigned a green, amber or red status based on a range of Covid-19 health metrics, including vaccination numbers, infection rates and variants. If a country is on the green list you don’t have to quarantine when you return home. You will, however, still need to take a pre-departure test before leaving the country to return to the UK.  When countries open to UK travellers they may still require you to provide proof of a negative PCR test on arrival or proof of two vaccine doses. 

At Sophie's Great War Tours, we are regularly monitoring the situation and will be here to give you guidance as the regulations unfold. 

1) Government Guidelines

Sophie’s Great War Tours is always reviewing the Government guidelines to understand how we can operate safely.

In the months leading up to a tour departure, if it becomes obvious that a trip may not go ahead as planned, due to local or national lockdowns, guests will be informed with plenty of time so that plans can be rearranged.

2) Our Covid-19 Guarantee

If we need to move a tour to a later date due to Covid-19, no customer will incur any increases on the cost of that tour: the price you were promised will stay at that rate. Our full terms and conditions apply.

3) Financial Protection for Customers

As a UK Tour Operator, Sophie’s Great War Tours operates in line with the Package Travel Regulations 2018. Your deposit monies and final balance payments for tours are held securely in a Travel Trust Account to ensure enhanced financial protection for all customers.

4) Our Cleaning Regime

Before the outbreak of this pandemic, we at Sophie’s Great War Tours ensured that our vehicles were cleaned regularly throughout the day, to create a comfortable environment for customers to relax and enjoy.

All customers will be issued with their own hand sanitizer bottle and the cleaning programme has stepped up another notch too.

Sophie’s Great War Tours would love to help you with a special trip to the battlefields. The diary for 2022 is also getting very busy, so if you’d like to discuss dates that work for you, please do get in touch.

The Festival of Cats! Ypres, Belgium

The Festival of Cats takes place in Ypres, Belgium on the second Sunday of May every three years. The meaning behind this fun festival is however, a little sinister.

During Ypres winter months, cats were allowed to roam the town freely, catching mice and ensuring the little creatures didn’t get at the town’s main product – lace.  By summer however, the cats became a nuisance and so it was said that they were rounded up and thrown from the top of the Belfry. This cruel act continued for hundreds of years into the 1800s.

After the Second World War, Ypres Burgomeister (master of the town) came up with a brilliant idea to reinvigorate the town and to get locals enjoying themselves again.

The festival continues to be a really big day in the town’s calendar.  The parade is full of incredible floats, there are numerous entertainment acts, people in fancy dress, and of course, cuddly cat toys everywhere.  The day always ends with the ceremony of throwing toy cats from the balcony of the Cloth Hall.

To get a real feel of the day, check out some YouTube videos and see just how big this day is! 

Kattenstoet | Cat Parade Ypres 2018 | Best moments, dance acts and big cats - YouTube

We believe the 2021 scheduled festival has been moved 2022.

Want to visit this beautiful town of Ypres? Get in touch with Sophie and her team today to discuss your very own special trip.