Visit Flanders Fields – WW1 Battlefield Tours
Discover The Great War
As the war draws to a close and the year nears its end, surviving soldiers in Flanders pause to remember those who didn’t make it home. This year‑end reflection explores how men marked New Year’s Eve in the trenches, how the Armistice changed daily life and suggests winter visits to Ypres, Tyne Cot, Messines and the Yser Tower to contemplate sacrifice and peace.
The Allied evacuation of Gallipoli on 19 December 1915 was a rare success in a failed campaign. This post follows the ANZAC, British and Irish troops who slipped away under cover of darkness, traces their return to Flanders with units like the 29th Division and Royal Newfoundland Regiment and invites visitors to connect Gallipoli beaches to Ypres memorials and stories of Captain Leslie Morshead.
On 14 December 1914, a British soldier wrote home from a trench near Ploegsteert Wood describing the mud, cold and rumours of a Christmas truce. His letter captures the human side of the war and links to preserved trenches and memorials visitors can explore in Flanders today.
On 9 December 1917, Ottoman forces abandoned Jerusalem and British General Edmund Allenby entered the city on foot, lifting Allied morale. This post highlights the fall of Jerusalem and connects the Middle Eastern front to soldiers from Flanders, illustrating the global nature of World War I.
The German counterattack at Cambrai on 30 November 1917 overwhelmed British positions using infiltration tactics and returned the lines close to where they had started. This post looks at the aftermath and invites readers to visit Flesquières Hill, the Cambrai Tank 1917 Museum and local cemeteries to understand the battle’s legacy.
By the last week of November 1917, British attacks at Cambrai had stalled. On 29 November both sides paused, unaware that German commanders were preparing a massive counterattack for the next day.
On 23 November 1914 the British and German armies in Flanders hunkered down for what the British government’s Battles Nomenclature […]
This post marks 19 November 1916 when the Battle of the Somme finally ended after months of brutal fighting. It reflects on the enormous casualties and how units from the Ypres Salient were drawn south to the Somme and back again, encouraging visitors to link tours of the Somme memorials with remembrance in Flanders.
In November 1914 inexperienced German student volunteers were ordered to assault Allied positions near Gheluvelt. The attack failed disastrously and became known as the “Massacre of the Innocents,” a poignant symbol of youthful sacrifice. Visit Gheluvelt Park and nearby cemeteries to reflect on the human cost of war.
Canadian troops advanced toward Mons on 9 November 1918, anticipating the end of World War I. Today visitors can explore the Route of Remembrance and the Mons Memorial Museum to learn about the last days of the war.