War Poets & War Literature
5 days from £709pp
About the tour: War Poets & War Literature
Tour Introduction
The experience of both World Wars provoked a huge amount of war poetry and literature. On this new tour, Head Battlefield Guide Paul Reed is joined by Dr Victoria Humphreys – the author of two novels about WW2 – who will offer a fascinating insight into conflict through the eyes of poets and writers. We’ll hear the stories of Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves and Frank Richards, before exploring the complex life and relationships of Edward Thomas. With other highlights including Newfoundland Park, Wilfred Owen’s grave and visits to several cemeteries, this is an ideal tour for those looking to learn about the importance of war literature and poetry.
Tour Includes
- 4 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Two Specialist Battlefield Guides
- Convenient local joining points
(Deposits from £150pp)
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your battlefield tour either online, or by telephone (), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can -
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Tour Itinerary
For customers living outside of the UK, if you want to make a booking you will need to provide a UK postcode on our online booking system. If you are not able to provide a relevant UK postcode then you can enter the postcode for London Victoria Coach Station – SW1W 9TP. You should then be able to proceed to complete your booking.
If you do encounter a problem then you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will be happy to help.
Please Note : After completing your booking, a member of our Customer Service team will be in touch to make sure everything is okay.
Either e-mail our Reservations Department or call on 01709 830 333 and they will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
Day 1
Local departure by coach, then to our hotel in northern France where we stay for two nights.
Day 2 - Somme Poets – Wilfred Owen
We begin on the battlefields of the Great War where we examine the Battle of the Somme. At Mametz and High Wood we bring together the stories of three poets and writers to bring the battle into sharp focus; Siegfried Sassoon who took part in the opening phase of the battle; Robert Graves who was wounded at High Wood; and Frank Richards, a working-class miner who wrote the classic ‘Old Soldiers Never Die’. We then examine some of the lesser-known writers and poets, and how the losses in the war affected the women left behind. In the afternoon we travel to Ors to look at the battlefield where one of the most iconic war poets, Wilfred Owen, fought. We see the canal where he died, walk the battlefield and visit his grave.
Included meals: Breakfast
Mametz Wood (5)
Key Visits
- Mametz Wood
- High Wood
- Sambre Canal at Ors
- Wilfred Owen's grave at Ors
Day 3 - Edward Thomas – Normandy
This morning we return to the First World War Battlefields, examining the complex life and relationships of poet and nature writer Edward Thomas, seeing his grave at Agny. We then examine the depiction of trench warfare in the pages of Great War literature via the preserved trenches at the Newfoundland Park on the Somme. After lunch we travel to Normandy, and move on to the subject of writing about the Second World War. At Ranville War Cemetery we visit the grave of John Jarmain – one of the WW2 war poets – and look at how the story of the Normandy campaign was depicted in poetry. We then continue to our hotel in Normandy for two nights.
Included meals: Breakfast
Ranville War Cemetery (5)
Key Visits
- Ranville War Cemetery
- Trenches in Newfoundland Park
- Agny Military Cemetery
- Edward Thomas grave at Agny
Day 4 - War Poetry & Literature of WW2
In Normandy, we uncover the details of the battles beyond D-Day in the Bocage Hedgerows, following the experiences of war poet Keith Douglas, visiting his grave at Tilly War Cemetery, and seeing the battlefield where he fought. We also examine some of the lesser-known soldier-authors, and how war trauma haunted many writers. Our afternoon is spent looking at the American involvement in Normandy through the writing of American authors who were there, and we’ll also hear more about the depiction of the French Resistance in fiction. Rounding the tour off at Bayeux War Cemetery, we look at how war continues to inspire writers and poets today.
Included meals: Breakfast
Normandy French Resistance Memorial (5)
Key Visits
- Bayeux War Cemetery
- Omaha Beach
- Tilly War Cemetery
- Normandy French Resistance Memorial
Day 5
Return home.
Included meals: Breakfast
Specialist Battlefield Guides
All of Leger’s battlefield tours are accompanied by specialist guides. Their individual in-depth knowledge of warfare will be informative, as well as enhance your overall experience, as they recreate a fascinating perception of the history and factual events of each battle. Discover the actual catalysts for war, the strategies employed and the final, inevitable outcomes, as well as experiencing the emotional human side of the front line.
Please note: On certain tours, you may get tour guides other that the ones listed below.
Hotel
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333
Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Your hotels will supply towels in your room.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
Ibis Styles Ouistreham
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About the hotel
Situated in central Ouistreham, the Ibis Styles Ouistreham is just 6 minutes’ walk from the beach and the fishing harbour. The beaches of Ouistreham were codenamed Sword Beach during the WW2 Normandy Landings.
Hotel Features
- Bar
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- Restaurant
- WiFi Available
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Telephone
- TV
Holiday Inn Express Arras
+ View moreAbout the hotel
The hotel Des Acacias Lille Tourcoing is near to the towns of Halluin, Roncq, Tourcoing, Bondues, Comines, Bousbecque, Linselles and Roubaix in a calm and leafy setting. The hotel offers facilities of guest lounge, a bar and Wi-Fi/Internet Access. The bedroom features desk, telephone, Wi-Fi/Internet access, Tea and Coffee making facilities, TV with major channels, hairdryer and en-suite bathroom.
Hotel Features
- Bar
- Bureau de Change
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- WiFi Available
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Tea and Coffee Making Facilities
- Telephone
- TV
Travel Options
Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on feeder journeys to/from the U.K. port. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port are not allocated.
Hot and cold drinks are served on the main tour coaches. Prices are approximately £1 or 1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by the driver. Drinks may also be served on the transfer coaches but this is not guaranteed.
Transfer vehicles are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the U.K. port may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Stop 24 Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
One medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage can be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach.
It could be either - This will be confirmed in your travel documents.
When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.
Silver Service Coach
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Silver Service Features
- Sit back and relax in specially-designed, deluxe reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and more legroom than standard coaches.
- Enjoy the perfect temperature onboard with climate control.
- Relax and have a chat in the spacious rear lounge.
- Servery on board offering a range of refreshments.
- Porterage* at most hotels, so you really don’t have to lift a finger.
- Time flies with our onboard entertainment system.
- With free personal headphones you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs.
- Onboard toilet
Silver Service Seating Plan
Silver Service Virtual Tour
Travel Extras
With an overnight stay or the option to meet us at the interchange, our travel extras allow you to create a travel experience to suit your needs...
Join coach at Interchange
+ Find out moreJoin your tour coach at the interchange.
On most tours if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.
Excludes tours to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.
