Staff Rides
 

Hi all


I'm trying to organise a staff ride to the WW1 battlefields, namely Ypres and the Somme, hopefully to lay a wreath at the Menin Gate. I'm in the Diaspora, so limited access to Dii, not that I have the faintest idea how to get around the MOSS system.


Anyway, has anyone done one of these before and is able to give me a bit of help? If one has already been done, then it would make sense to use it as a template for mine. The logistics of travel, accommodation etc is pretty straightforward. It's more the itinerary I'm interested in.


Any help gratefully received.


Fatjoff

I've organised a few trips and go across at least twice a year. To get a good overview of both the salient and the Somme will take three full days. My advice would be for a first timer to engage a guide after determining what you want to see. The professional ones are excellent and fairly reasonable. On the salient I would split it up and on the first day take in the southern part. Messines Ridge, Hyde Park Corner, Ploegsteert Wood. Going north up to Sanctuary Wood, Hill 60, Menin Road, Ypres itself and Yorkshire Trench.

The Somme is a fair old hack down the road but Arras and Vimy Ridge are on the way. Newfoundland Park is a must and drive along the old front line south to Beaucourt-sur-Ancre and on to Thiepval Monument, Delville and Trones Wood, Sausage and Mash Valleys. Bite to eat in Albert. Lots and lots to see.

Back to the salient the next day and start in Poperinge and TOC-H working around the northern side via the casualty clearing cemeteries to Poelcapelle and Passchendaele and Tyne Cot.

Hire a good guide and you will see far more than the bog standard bus trip gets to see. You choose where and he will take you. Enjoy, it is a marvellous place to visit. If you want any specific info please PM me.

Might be worth trying to touch base with the academic side of the house at JSCSC Shrivenham as they do a very good 'tour guide' for many of the courses that are run there (or at least used to!) - I think one or two might even post on here.....

Thanks. A great idea to contact JSCSC. I never thought about that.


Cheers all.

I wrote the tour guide for ICSC(A) and devised the route. The Somme and Arras can be done in one day at a push, and if based centrally.