My sister and I recently holidayed in Europe & UK and our Sacred Ground Tour of the Western Front was the best part, by far. The company offers three different one-day tours over consecutive days and we elected to spend all three days with Phil and Mathilde. Their knowledge is second to none, the way they impart it is second to none, and the way they organised each day and delivered a first class service was amazing and highly professional. Every minute was jam-packed with interest.
You genuinely feel that you are walking in the footsteps taken by your relatives 100 years ago. Our great uncle enlisted in Jan 1915, served at Gallipoli and lasted all through the war in France and Belgium until he was killed 6 hours before his artillery unit was withdrawn in Oct 1918. Thanks to Phil, we got to see all the places where he’d been up until that last Australian battle on the Beaurevoir line. We were able to place crosses on our great uncle’s grave at Roisel, especially moving for us as his war cemetery doesn’t get many visitors from home, being so far eastwards in the Somme.
Everywhere we went it was wonderful to see how much the French recognise and appreciate the contribution made by Australians in the years 1916-1918, and not just at Villers-Bretonneux.
We felt so fortunate to be part of this small-group tour experience. Phil is the archetypal Aussie (although not actually native-born!), with an engaging sense of humour, and Mathilde is wonderfully ‘French’ while speaking perfect English. We saw France through both sets of eyes, became immersed in today’s lush landscape and relived the battle horrors of an appalling war. The cultural experience was heightened by three very memorable lunches in different locations and a memorable evening meal in Ypres, followed by the Last Post ceremony. Several thousand people turn up at the Menin Gate every night – always a different crowd, said Phil.
There’s no way you could replicate what Sacred Ground Tours offer by trying to find all the right places yourself or by joining a tourist bus. It’s money well spent to take this tour. Phil is a great story-teller. If only he had the time to write down what he knows about the Australian experience on the Western Front he would have a best-seller on his hands.