| 40 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NN |
Tel : 01244 314999 Fax : 01244 319555 | |||
Galina International |
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The Poetry of Ypres and Passchendaele |
Locations Visited |
| Essex Farm - while working here as a Canadian Army surgeon, John McCrae wrote the poem "In Flanders Fields". Originally the site of an Advanced Dressing Station, the surgeons' dug-outs can still be visited. |
| Pilckem Ridge - the scene of the first German Gas Attack in April 1915 during the opening phase of the Second Battle of Ypres. |
| Langemark German Cemetery - the "Kameradengrab" or mass grave contains many of the casualties of the Student Battalions who encountered the professionals of the BEF. |
| Vancouver Corner - site of the Memorial to the Canadians who died holding the line after the Gas Attack and near the "Totenmuhle" Observation Post. |
| Tyne Cot Cemetery - largest British War Cemetery in the world containing nearly 12,000 casualties and recording the names of 35,000 missing. |
| The Menin Road - scene of bitter fighting at Gheluvelt, Hooge and the Bellewaerde Ridge from First Ypres to Passchendaele. |
| Hellfire Corner - a crossroads just outside Ypres, Hellfire Corner was one of the most heavily-shelled junctions in the Salient. |
| Sanctuary Wood and Hill 62 - private museum containing many fascinating artefacts with the preserved trenches to the rear. Entrance is 80 Belgian Francs on arrival. Advance booking is not required. |
| The Menin Gate - commemorates 55,000 Missing of the Ypres Salient. The Last Post is sounded every evening in a short ceremony commemorating the fallen of the Salient. |
| In Flanders Fields Museum - the Museum now has a number of inter-active terminals providing biographical information and accounts of the war in the Salient. Audio-visual displays relay archive footage and the artefacts on display are related to particular themes including the use of gas, weapons, medical facilities and the devastation and post-war rebuilding of Ypres. The centrepiece of the museum is the presentation on No Man's Land with large format video projection onto two walls. Allow between one and two hours for a visit. Educational materials and worksheets are available. Entrance is currently 125 Belgian Francs per student. Payment is on arrival although pre-booking is advised and can be arranged by Galina. |
| The poetry of the First World War provides an ideal subject for a Combined Tour for English and History. The poetry is allied to and placed in the context of significant dates and events. The change in intent, tone, style, language and form that characterized a change in attitudes to the war is highlighted. |
| Recommended Anthologies - "Men Who March Away" edited by I. M. Parsons, "Up The Line To Death" edited by B. Gardner, "The Poems of Wilfred Owen" edited by J. Stallworthy and "The Lost Voices of World War 1" edited by T. Cross. |
A typical 2-day itinerary |
| Day 1: Pick-up from school and travel by executive coach/cross-channel ferry to hotel for evening meal. |
| Day 2: Breakfast in hotel and battlefield tour to include Ypres and In Flanders Fields Museum. Return to UK. |
| Bespoke tours - if you have a specific anthology or specific poems that you would like incorporating into a tour, please ring to enable design of a poetry tour for your school. Itineraries can be tailored to your requirements. Contact us now by clicking here. |
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