1. society
2. unrest and war

THE
battlefields, history & Art
2014 tours
Visiting the great moments of world
history
We at The Cultural Experience have a real passion for history – and for the places where it was made. Only by bringing together time & space in
this way is it possible to put the great events of history into context and evoke the spirit of those who were there:
“In great deeds something abides. On great fields something stays. And reverent men and women from afar, and generations
that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for
them, shall come to this deathless field, to ponder and dream; and lo! the shadow of a mighty presence shall wrap them in its
bosom, and the power of the vision pass into their souls.”
Major General JL Chamberlain, on visiting the battlefield of Gettysburg some years later
But the key to unlocking this vision is to have an experienced and entertaining guide who can bring history to life as a result of his academic
research or military experience, or both. And the key to making this experience enjoyable as well as interesting, is to put all this in the context
of the of local countryside, customs and cuisine – and to pull all these themes together in a relaxed but organised way. That is what The Cultural
Experience is all about: a well planned themed holiday which is informative, informal and inclusive – aimed at both enthusiasts and those with
a general interest in history & travel. Most of all, we want the experience to be memorable and enjoyable – and we go to great lengths to ensure
this is so.
Contents
introduction
3.
About your Holiday
3.
Bespoke Tours and Holidays
4.
Tour Guides
Tours
Art & Autocracy
5.
Overview of Art tours
6.
Paris & Berlin
7.
Florence & Madrid
Medieval
8.
Death of Chivalry
9.
Scotland Forever!
Napoleonic
10. Wellington in India
11. Dutch Courage
12. Wellington in Portugal
13. Wellington in Spain
14. Abdication and Exile
2
15. A Near Run Thing
29. D-Day: Operation Overlord
The Nineteenth Century
30. The Rise and Fall of Berlin
16. American Civil War: Eastern Theater
31. The Holocaust
17. American Civil War: Western Theater
Miscellaneous
18. The Crimean War
32. The Sick Man of Europe
19. The Austro-Prussian War
33. Kaliningrad
World War One
34. The Holy Land in Turmoil
20. Mons and Le Cateau
35. Sarajevo
21. Ypres & The Christmas Truce
2015 Tours
22. The Classic Western Front Tour
36. Escape from Elba
The Twentieth Century
37. Waterloo 200th Anniversary
23. The Spanish Civil War
38. Lawrence of Arabia
World War Two
Important
Information
24. Fortress Malta
25. The War in the Desert: Tunisia
26. The Eastern Front 1941 - 1943
27. Hitler Moves South
28. From Despair to Triumph
39. TCE Points Reward Scheme
39. Tours by Departure Date
40. Booking Procedure & Conditions
41. Booking Form
43. What you said
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
About your Holiday
Hotels
A considerable amount of effort has gone
into identifying high quality, comfortable
accommodation for our guests. The majority
of our hotels are four star or above, but
occasionally our search for historical locations
takes us well ‘off the beaten track’ and we may
settle for a good three star establishment. All
hotels have been selected for their character,
location and facilities – often they have a
historic link to the tour theme.
Food and drink
You will find breakfasts served in your hotel.
We normally stop for an informal light lunch
each day – or provide one. When it comes
to the evening meal, many of the hotels
we select specialize in regional cuisine –
alternatively we will dine at local restaurants
within walking distance, where we will always
try to ensure that menu choice is available.
And wherever practicable we will serve
house wine, table water and coffee with
all our dinners. For details of exactly which
meals are provided, see the ‘essentials’ box
found alongside each tour’s itinerary.
Coaches
We use modern, comfortable, airconditioned coaches on all our tours. The
actual specification will be dependent upon
the group size and country involved - and
therefore we cannot guarantee that WC
facilities will be available on board, although
we will ensure that we make regular comfort
stops. As no smoking is allowed on board the
coaches, smokers will also benefit from such
a routine.
Group profile
A particular feature of our tours is their
informality and inclusiveness. Our groups are
drawn from a wide spectrum of backgrounds
and interests – but the common theme and
the skill of the tour guide/manager ensures
that everyone feels welcome and relaxed.
Customers get to know each other well and,
if not already, become great friends. For
that reason we have restricted the numbers
on each tour to between 6 and 20. This
means that we can include more in our daily
activities as there is less time spent waiting
for others to catch up. Small groups are also
welcomed by local restaurants which results
in a greater variety in dining. And most
importantly, it means that you can spend
more time with our expert tour guides and,
should you require it, get more attention
from our experienced tour managers.
Financial Protection
The Cultural Experience is a member of the
Travel Trust Association (TTA) which provides
a very secure form of financial protection as
your money is placed into an independent
trust account on your behalf – and we cannot
draw on it until your holiday is satisfactorily
completed. Furthermore, we hold a Civil
Aviation Authority Air Travel Organisers
Licence (ATOL) – so you will never be
stranded. You can find further details on both
these schemes at the back of the brochure.
And, of course, you can pay for your holiday
using your credit card for extra peace of mind.
Extensions, upgrades and regional flights
Subject to availability we can lengthen your
holiday by extending your flight dates, booking
the extra accommodation and making other
ground arrangements. We can arrange pre
and post tour hotels and regional flights to
the tour departure airport. Short-haul flights
can usually be upgraded to business class and
long-haul to either first or business class. Rail
journeys can usually be upgraded to Eurostar
Standard Premier/first class TGV. Often it is
possible to provide connecting flights from
Manchester to worldwide destinations. Please
enquire when you book.
Bespoke tours and holidays
Should you wish to enjoy your own
personalised itinerary, whether as a solo
traveller, with a group of friends or an
association or club, The Cultural Experience
would be delighted to bring its wealth of
expertise and international contacts to your
assistance. Thus you can specify your own
tour content, duration and departure date.
You can determine the type and quality of
hotel, meal requirements, type and style of
transport and the level of expertise required
from the tour expert.
For example we have organised tours for
family and friends to Austerlitz, the Crimea,
Gallipoli, the Western Front and Normandy
and we are presently organising tours for
The British Army to North America and India.
There are a whole host of reasons why you
might wish to use The Cultural Experience
for your private tour, but here are just a few;
• Our network of worldwide tried and
trusted travel experts and tour guides
understand the ethos and needs of
historical and battlefield tours.
• We have access to a fantastic range of
expert guides including academics,
armed forces (serving and retired),
historians, local and international specialists.
• Not only do we know the historical sites
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•
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and battlefields intimately, but we are
familiar with all the requisite tour logistics
thus avoiding poor quality or badly
situated hotels, unrealistic itineraries
and rapacious, or worse, unreliable local
operators and coach companies.
We can supply a complete or partial
package, the elements of which can
include flights, ferries, rail, car hire,
coaches, hotels, restaurants, picnics, visa
support, translators, tour managers and
of course expert guides.
We are ATOL licensed and members
of the Travel Trust Association so you can
rest assured that you and your fellow
travellers’ money will be totally secure
and that your holiday will be guaranteed
to run.
We can organise as much of the tour
administration that you require: tour
promotional literature, process bookings
and take all forms of payment (including
credit and debit cards).
We can extend a planned or already
organised holiday or cruise. Indeed as
members of the Travel Trust Association
we have access to a whole range of tour
operators’ products. In short, if your local
travel agent can book a holiday, so can
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
we. But we can add even more – see our
TCE points scheme on page 39.
So if you are thinking of a bespoke tour to
anywhere in the world, please request our
tailor-made accompanied group tours
brochure or telephone us to see what we
can do for you.
School Tours
In 2013 we became members of the
prestigious School Travel Forum and
we were awarded the Quality Badge for
Learning outside the Classroom.
Our portfolio of school tours features,
but is not limited to, subjects such as
languages, art & design, music, history
and pilgrimage.
Our dedicated school tours website
www.tceschooltrips.co.uk details many
of the tours that we offer.
If you are a schoolteacher or parent
whose school runs school trips,
please telephone or email us for a no
obligation opportunity to discuss your
requirements. or simply request our
dedicated schools brochure.
3
tour guides
Jeremy Black
Professor Jeremy Black MBE is a renowned
historian and Professor of History at the University
of Exeter. He is a senior fellow at the Center for
the Study of America and the West at the Foreign
Policy Research Institute. He is the author of over
100 books, especially on eighteenth century
British politics and international relations. Recent
publications include War and World 1450-2000,
The British Seaborne Empire, Maps and History,
George III and European Warfare in a Global
Context, 1660-1815. His Waterloo was published
in 2010.
Erkut Aldeniz and Kenan Celik
As a Turkish citizen and professional historical
and cultural tour guide, Erkut has led tours for
over 20 years, travelling extensively throughout
his country. His great passion is for Turkish cuisine
ensuring that dinner on one his tours will be a
gastronomic delight. Kenan Celik is one of Turkey’s
leading experts on the Gallipoli Campaign,
having guided there for over 25 years. In 2000 he
was awarded the Order of Australia in recognition
of his services to Australian history. He gained his
MA in literature with his dissertation on the poet
Rupert Brooke.
Bruce Cherry
A former university lecturer with his PhD in
military history, Bruce has been guiding on
the Western Front since the late 1980s. Indeed
for many years he operated a range of First
and Second World War tours out of Lille. He is
presently completing a book on the soldiers’
morale and experience which is scheduled for
publication in 2014. As an academic, his tours very
much emphasise the learning aspect that is to be
gained from battlefield touring.
Tim Cole
Professor Tim Cole teaches history at the
University of Bristol and is an expert on the
history, representation and memorialisation
of the Holocaust. He is the author of Images of
the Holocaust (1999), Holocaust City (2003) and
Traces of the Holocaust (2011) and is currently
completing a book on Holocaust Landscapes.
Gordon Corrigan
Major Gordon Corrigan MBE was an officer of
the Royal Gurkha Rifles before retiring from the
Army in 1998. He is now a military historian and
the author of numerous books. His television
appearances include The Gurkhas, Napoleon’s
Waterloo and Battlefield Detectives, and so far
he has presented five series on various aspects
of military history. He is an Honorary Research
Fellow of the Universities of Birmingham and Kent,
a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, a Member of
the British Commission for Military History and a
Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farriers.
John Drewienkiewicz
Major General John Drewienkiewicz CB CMG, or
‘DZ’, as he is known, is a former Engineer-in-Chief
of the Army who spent over five years in Bosnia
and Kosovo. He has been studying and walking
battlefields since attending Staff College in 1978.
Initially focussing on the 1940 Flanders Campaign,
he wrote his RCDS Thesis on the Territorial Army in
1939/40 and wrote a chapter of the BCMH France
and Flanders - 60 years on. His study progressed
to the American Civil War, and he served two
years as president of the ACW Round Table (UK),
as well as leading staff rides for the British Army.
His book Wargaming Gettysburg was published
in April 2011.
Nigel Dunkley
Nigel, a former Royal Scots Dragoon Guard,
performed intelligence gathering duties in the
former East Germany with BRIXMIS during the
Cold War. He was awarded the MBE and Bronze
Star Medal for his services with the US 1st Cavalry
Division during Operation Desert Storm. He was
Chief of Staff at the Royal Armoured Corp Centre
at Bovington, ending his army career as Defence
Attache at the British Embassy in Berlin. Living so
much of his life in Berlin allows him to indulge in
his interest in the Nazi era and World War Two in
general and being fluent in German and Russian
enables him to study campaigns from the ‘other
side’ adding colour and an extra ‘insider’ aspect
4
to his tours. Most recently, he featured on the
National Geographic Channel’s Battle of Berlin
programme.
Eamonn Gearon
Eamonn is an historian and analyst who has
lived and worked across the Greater Middle
East – from Kabul to Casablanca – for twenty
years. Like T.E. Lawrence, he is a noted desert
explorer, whose camel-powered Saharan
explorations grew out of time spent living with
the Bedu in the Libyan Desert. Eamonn works as
a Special Advisor to government and military; a
consultant to private business; and is an analyst
of both the region’s armies and Islamist terrorist
groups. Co-founder and President of The Siwa
Group, today he continues to work with clients
who rely on specialist, regional insight and
reliable local networks. He has taught at the
University of London, the American University
in Cairo (AUC), and at Johns Hopkins University
(SAIS), Washington, DC. Eamonn is the author
of “The Sahara: A Cultural History,” which the
BBC described as, “vital background reading for
anyone who wants to understand the deep roots
of the Arab Spring.”
Fred Hawthorne
Fred served four years as an intelligence analyst
with the United States Air Force during the latter
stages of the Vietnam War. Leaving active service,
Fred earned a degrees in American History and
another in Secondary Education. He went on to
acquire an advanced degree in Colonial American
History and Historical Archaeology. He spent
sixteen years teaching history and economics
on both the university and secondary school. In
1981 Fred took the battlefield guide qualifying
examination administered by the National Park
Service earning a federal license to serve as a
Licensed Battlefield Guide. Over the past twentynine years he has conducted more than 5,000
tours encompassing every major battle site of the
Civil War.
Mick Holtby
Captain Mick Holtby was a career soldier and
officer in the 17/21st Lancers. He is presently
Assistant Regimental Secretary of The Queen’s
Royal Lancers and curator of their museum.
Consequently he has in depth knowledge of
British cavalry and armoured warfare. His special
interests include the Crimean campaign of 1854–
56 (in particular the charge of the Light Brigade)
and the Second World War in North Africa where
he has travelled extensively.
Bob Kershaw
Colonel Robert Kershaw joined the Parachute
Regiment in 1973 and commanded 10 PARA.
He attended the German Staff College, the
Fuhrungsakedemie, and served alongside the
Bundeswehr. An established historian, he has
published seven books, written many articles
in the national press and featured in numerous
TV documentaries. He is an internationally
acknowledged expert on the Eastern Front,
his books: War without Garlands, the story of
Operation Barbarossa and Tank Men, about World
War II tank crews, being published in both English
and Russian. Most recently he has authored
Battles that changed the World, in which he
takes a unique view of the battles of Stalingrad,
Hastings and Waterloo.
Nick Lipscombe
Colonel Nick Lipscombe served in the Royal
Artillery, seeing considerable operational duty
with the British and American armies, the latter
including an award of the US Bronze Star in 2006.
A keen interest in military history followed his
academic studies at Sandhurst concentrating
on the Napoleonic era and the Peninsular War in
particular. He has written a number of articles on
matters relating to the war; his first book, An Atlas
and Concise Military History of the Peninsular War
was published in 2010 and selected as the Daily
Telegraph (History) Book of the Year. His latest
work, Wellington’s Guns, has just been published.
His last military appointment was as Defence
Attache in Portugal and he now lives in Spain –
so he has an in-depth knowledge of the Iberian Peninsula.
Patrick Mercer
Patrick Mercer OBE read History at Oxford
University before joining his family’s regiment,
The Sherwood Foresters. He completed many
operational tours in Northern Ireland and
Bosnia, for which he was decorated several
times. After leaving the army he became a
defence correspondence for the BBC, he is
presently a Member of Parliament. His first
love, however, is military history. Having
walked many of the battlefields of the British
Army, his greatest expertise lies in the Crimean
War, the Indian Mutiny, the Afghan Wars, the
First World War and in the Second World War
particularly the Italian Campaign. Published
several times, he has just completed his first
trio of novels concerning the mid Victorian
period and he is now working on another three
revolving around Casino, Anzio and Gothic Line
fighting of 1944.
Alan Rooney
Alan Rooney has been exploring and guiding
the battlefields of the Peninsular and Napoleonic
Wars for 20 years. He is a Fellow of the
International Napoleonic Society and holds a
Masters in Business Administration in which he
specialised in consumer financial protection in
the travel industry. He is the founder director
of The Cultural Experience and was previously
Managing Director at Holts Tours and Midas
Tours.
John Sadler
Dr John Sadler is a lawyer, a lecturer in war
studies at the University of Sunderland Centre for
Lifelong Learning and an experienced battlefield
tour guide, widely published on the themes of the
Border and Scottish Wars. He is an acknowledged
authority on armour, weapons and fighting
styles of the period and adopts an interactive
approach with his audience with demonstrations
of swordplay, musket drill and the odd dash of
drama! He sees delivery as much a performance
as a lecture!
Jennie Spiers
Jennie is an accomplished Art Historian
experienced in lecturing and running courses
both at home and abroad. Jennifer studied Fine
Art at Edinburgh College of Art, followed by a
BA (Hons) from Southampton University in Art
History and a Masters Degree in History of Art:
Art Histories and Interpretations from Bristol
University. Jennifer lectures and runs study days,
weekly courses and residential courses for many
art and educational organizations, including
the Royal West of England Gallery in Bristol and
Southampton City Art Gallery.
Ashley Truluck
Major General Ashley Truluck CB CBE served
worldwide with the Brigade of Gurkhas, Royal
Signals and in Command & Staff appointments
in the British Army and NATO. He holds a degree
in European History, is a graduate of the Royal
College of Defence Studies and author of several
Defence studies. Ashley now works as a Defence
& National Security Advisor and is a key member
of the The Cultural Experience team. He is also
Controller, Royal Signals Trustees and Chairman
of The Gurkha Welfare Trust (South). He has had
a life-long fascination for Military History and
has led many battlefield tours taking a particular
interest in Wellington’s campaigns and the
Second World War.
Ray Wilkinson
Ray has had a regular and reserves military
career spanning over 30 years. He is a member
of the International Brigades Memorial Trust,
the Battlefield Trust, and the American Civil War
Roundtable. A romantic idealist at heart and
an amateur historian of military matters Ray is
fascinated by the ‘human spirit’ aspects of military
history. He has a particular interest in the British
Battalion of the International Brigades during the
Spanish Civil War, the activities of Generals Robert E.
Lee and Ulysses S. Grant during the American Civil
War, the Roman Invasion of Britain in 43 AD, and the
military career of Major General James Wolfe.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
ART & autocracy
Power, Patronage & Propaganda
During the last year of the First World War, in support of General Pershing’s call for American artists to volunteer to produce work from the
front-line to bolster support at home, Duncan Phillips, himself an artist, collector and philanthropist wrote that
“we need art in our business of winning the war….we need art to sustain us in pursuing a single minded and unchanging purpose to the
war’s successful conclusion – and after…..Our national emergency then demands of artists that they continue to do the work for which
they are best fitted, striving in so far as they are able to help us win the war“.
It was a message that had long been understood and cynically applied by many a despot both prior and subsequent to the Great War.
Accomplished art historian, Jennie Spiers, MA, leads a unique series of though-provoking and enlightening tours in which she examines and
re-assesses some of the iconic and lesser known works of art which were produced both during and after the regimes which patronised them.
Through a series of illustrated lectures and accompanied visits you will be led towards your own re-evaluation of our selected works and
encouraged to contribute to the informal debate on how they were used to communicate, justify and engage support for both the activity and
existence of their respective administrations. For historians who rely on contemporary art to illustrate their comprehension of the past, it is
essential to understand the prevailing relationship between power, patronage and propaganda as well as the symbolism, characters, subjects,
styles and colours that were selected by the artists themselves.
weekend extensions
These weekend tours have been designed so as to allow you to extend your visit to the individual cities either before or after the tour thus
allowing you to make the most of your visit. Subject to availability we would be delighted to arrange alternative flights and train journeys or add
extra nights to your stay at our centrally located four star hotels.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
5
Paris: The Napoleonic Legend
We visit the Louvre, the Palace of Fontainebleau and Versailles and examine
Napoleon’s legitimisation of power through his masterful manipulation of
art.
We will discover the political statements Napoleon was making in his use
of symbols, including bees, swans, eagles and lyres used in paintings,
furniture and costumes. We will make an in-depth study of the works of
his court painter, Jacques-Louis David, nicknamed the ‘ferocious terrorist’,
and the propaganda properties of paintings such as Napoleon Crossing the
Alps (1802, Versailles), and The Coronation of Napoleon (1805-7, Louvre). We
will view the wonderful Hall of Battles in Versailles where many paintings
glorifying France’s military might were brought together by Louis-Phillipe as
he cynically acknowledged the accomplishments of Napoleon’s Empire. Did
Leonidas at Thermopylae (1799 & 1814, Louvre) serve to strengthen resolve
during the Allied threats to France in those years; how were the works of an
exiled regicide handled by a vengeful Bourbon restoration?
Post visit lectures and discussions will reflect upon carefully selected paintings
in order to discuss the concepts and inspirations behind their creation, and
place the decorative arts under Napoleon into their art historical context.
Day 1
Travel from London by Eurostar to Paris. Book into our hotel for two nights.
Introductory talk and visit to the Louvre to view works by artists such as
David, Gros and Géricault, Gérard and Ingres.
Day 2
Visit to Versailles, Louis-Philippe’s museum of French History, where we
view the First Empire rooms with its paintings by David and Gros and the
Hall of Battles which celebrates France’s martial past. Evening talk before
dinner.
Day 3
Visit to the Palace of Fontainebleau that Napoleon Bonaparte transformed
as a symbol of his power and splendour. Return to London by Eurostar.
Essentials
13th - 15th June 2014
Four star hotel, buffet breakfast and
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £645
Single supplement: £100
Deposit: £75
Price without Eurostar: £575
Extra night B&B from £75/person
Berlin: Art under the Third Reich
In 1930’s Berlin, Hitler’s Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda,
Joseph Goebbels, was charged with taking control of all aspects of public life,
both intellectual and cultural, thus the Third Reich took control of the media,
performing arts, literature and the visual arts.
We will study how this managed to permeate German society at this time, from
children’s toys to the denigration of previously famous and much admired works
of art by artists such as Franz Marc, Emile Nolde and Picasso and which were
displayed in the Entartete Kunst (Degenerate Art) Exhibition.
By studying paintings in the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) and the
German Historical Museum, as well as Otto Hoyer’s In the Beginning Was the Word
(c.1937), we can realise the alignment of the dictator and the divine; in Hubert
Lanzinger’s The Flag Bearer (c.1933), we see Hitler being represented as a knight in
shining armour. What were these and other images attempting to display to the
public and how effective were they in their aims?
Essentials
1st -3rd August 2014
Four star hotel, buffet breakfast and
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £695
Single supplement: £100
Deposit: £75
Price without Flights: £545
Extra night B&B from £60/person
6
Hitler himself was known to have held Frederick the Great in high esteem,
carrying an oil portrait of the Prussian monarch wherever he travelled. We shall
look at the ways, through paintings and architecture, in which Hitler tried to
emulate Frederick’s philosophy but in so doing he subverted those ideals through
his self-serving manipulation of the visual arts.
Day 1
Fly London to Berlin and check into our hotel for two nights. Visit to the Alte
Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery). Evening Talk on Art and Propaganda
Day 2
Visit to the German Historical Museum. Evening talk and discussion on details of
work seen in the Museum.
Day 3
Visit to the Jewish Museum in the morning and depart for return flight to London.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Florence: In the Shadow of the Dome
The 15th Century Renaissance in Italy provided the western world with some of the
most innovative and enduring concepts, paintings, sculptures, architecture and gardens.
And in Florence, the Renaissance flourished under the private patronage of Cosimo de
Medici, which equalled and replaced the earlier corporate patronage of the Guilds and
the Church.
Focusing on the production and consumption of art and architecture at this time,
we will examine the motives of Cosimo, his son Piero and grandson Lorenzo’s lavish
expenditure on public building and art. We will learn the significance of the completion
of Bruneschelli’s Dome on the Cathedral, and consider the move away from the earlier
condemnation of the profits of usury being utilised for personal pleasure and displays of
wealth?
To answer these questions and more, we will visit the Bargello Museum, the Uffizzi
Gallery with its Vasari Corridor, and the magnificent Palazzo Pitti that was bought and
extended by Cosimo de Medici, becoming the chief residence of the ruling families of the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany. This grand palace, a potent show of wealth and splendour, was
also used by Napoleon in the late 18th Century as a power base.
Day 1
Fly London to Pisa and transfer to Florence where we check-in to our hotel for three
nights. Introductory talk and visit to the Duomo and Baptistry. Evening talk on the
Italian Renaissance.
Day 2
Visit to the Bargello Museum and tour of the Uffizi Gallery and the Vasari Corridor,
and a visit to the Boboli Gardens. Visit to the Palazzo Pitti with its collection of Italian
Renaissance paintings, once part of the Medici’s private collection. Evening talk on
Gardens and Villas of the Italian Renaissance.
Day 3
Coach to visit Villa Medici, commissioned by Cosimo the Elder for his son, Giovanni de
Medici, at Fiesole. Inherited by Lorenzo de Medici (Lorenzo the Magnificent), the Villa
and its gardens demonstrated the intellectual, ideological and aesthetic values of the
times.
Day 4
Depart hotel for return flight to London.
Essentials
11th - 14th April 2014
Four star hotel, buffet breakfast and
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £995
Single supplement: £100
Deposit: £100
Price without Flights: £820
Extra night B&B from £70/person
Madrid: The Golden Age
We visit the Prado to explain how Valasquez interpreted Philip IV’s desire
to communicate authority and grandeur during the challenging period of
the Thirty Years War to an increasingly disgruntled populace. We consider
the lengths to which Philip’s patronage of the great painter provided the
King King with a powerful and strong ally in his quest to project an image of
supremacy in an age when Spain’s star was waning.
How Velazquez attempted to achieve this through his portraits of Philip IV, his
family and court will be discussed in detail. What part did the horse, hunting
scenes and armour play in these portrayals? What devices did Velazquez use
in his methods and style of painting to emphasize the splendour and power?
Essentials
3rd - 5th October 2014
Four star hotel, buffet breakfast and
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £725
Single supplement: £70
Deposit: £75
Price without Flights: £575
Extra night B&B from £50/person
Our visit to El Escorial, built by Philip IV’s grandfather, Philip II of Spain, in the
16th and 17th centuries, managed to combine both the Spanish monarchy
and the Roman Catholic church in an architectural representation and
expression of power, being at once a royal palace and a monastery. At Valle
de los Caídos we will study another legacy of power and status, that of the
Valley of the Dead, a monument ostensibly built to commemorate the dead
of the Spanish Civil War, but which also remains a legacy of the dictatorship
of Franco’s rule.
Day 1
Fly London to Madrid. Check into our hotel for a two-night stay and our
first visit to the Prado to view works by Velazquez . Evening talk to discuss
several works by Velazquez representing the Royal Family of Spain.
Day 2
Second Visit to the Prado to re-examine works by Velazquez and trip to El
Escorial and the Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Dead).
Day 3
Depart hotel for return flight to London
The Cultural Experience • Military History
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7
Death of Chivalry
The Second Barons’ War 1264 -1266
•
•
With medieval expert Dr John Sadler
Beautiful Sussex Downs & Vale of Evesham
•
•
Medieval castles and weapons
750th Anniversay battle re-enactment
Henry III’s rejection of the ‘Provisions of Oxford’, probably England’s first written constitution, to which he had paid lip service whilst raising
much needed taxes, resulted in his brother-in-law, Simon de Montfort, raising an army of disenchanted nobles. For two years during the midthirteenth century England was torn by a bloody civil war during which Henry and his son were taken prisoner after the battle of Lewes in 1264
leaving De Montfort as de facto leader of England for a short time. However Prince Edward (later Edward I) made good his escape to raise a new
royal army which slaughtered the rebels at Evesham in 1265, mutilating de Montfort’s corpse in the process. The survivors fled to Kenilworth
castle to endure the longest ever siege on English soil, finally surrendering in December 1266.
This long week-end tour provides an expert in-situ narrative of the major battles and sieges of the war. Through handling weapons and
equipment, demonstrations of battlefield tactics and personal combat during the Lewes 750th anniversary commemorations you will gain a
thorough appreciation of mediaeval warfare under the guidance of Dr John Sadler.
“I shall maintain and defend the honest adoes and quarrels of all ladies of honour, widows, orphans, and maids of good faith”.
The Oath of Knighthood
Day 1 - Siege of Rochester. Assemble
in London late morning for the drive to
Rochester Castle where we examine de
Monfort’s great siege of 1264. Check-in to
our Lewes hotel for two nights where we
enjoy a talk before dinner.
Day 2 - Battle of Lewes. Although not the
exact anniversary of the battle of Lewes, the
local council has planned its commemorative
events over this bank-holiday weekend to
include re-enactors, their camps and a series
of marches, skirmishes and demonstrations.
We will enjoy a stroll across the rolling
Sussex Downs in the wake of Simon’s
advance, whilst from the battlements of
the castle we will enjoy far reaching
8
“The age of chivalry is gone”.
Edmund Burke
views of the battlefield.
Day 3 - Evesham & Kenilworth. Evesham
was Simon’s last battle and a field that is
easily identifiable so we can follow his uphill
march to Battle Well, where he lost his life.
We also visit the Almonry interpretation
centre, de Montfort’s memorial and St
Lawrence’s church. This afternoon we travel
to Kenilworth castle with its magnificent
keep and enceinte. Check-in to our hotel for
our last night.
Day 4 - Runnymede. Return to London via
Runnymede, where the Magna Carta was
signed.
Essentials
2nd – 5th May 2014
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast and
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £895
Single supplement: £75
Deposit: £100
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Scotland forever!
The 700th Anniversary of Bannockburn
•
•
With medieval expert Dr John Sadler
The legacy of Flodden, Stirling & Bannockburn
•
•
Exclusive Bannockburn Live King’s tickets
The largest battle re-enactment seen in Scotland
The sixteenth century was the last to see armed conflict between England and Scotland. Whilst the last battle was fought at Pinkie in 1547, it is
the English victory at Flodden in 1513 that is the most celebrated. With Henry VIII’s attention focused on leading his army in France, a Scottish
army under James IV invaded England and drew up on a low ridge known as Flodden Edge to meet a hastily formed English army under Thomas
Howard. Lacking restraint, the impetuous Scots were badly mauled. The result was a far cry from the disciplined success achieved by the armies
of William Wallace and Robert Bruce almost 200 years previously where, at two carefully selected and prepared defensive positions outside of
Stirling, the Scots won immortal fame as they destroyed the English forces of John de Warenne and Edward II on the fields of Stirling Bridge
and Bannockburn respectively. The period between these two great conflicts was the crucible in which Scottish nationhood was formed with
the continuing pendulum of the ‘Three Hundred Years War’ between the two kingdoms as a backdrop; events which remain both current and
topical in terms of the current Scottish nationalist debate.
Inescapably the major commemorations of two of these battles could have a significant influence on the outcome of the current Scottish
nationalist debate, we will examine the impact of these battles both militarily and politically each day ending with a topical talk to lead
discussions on the historical impact on the independence debate. The tour will provide opportunities to wear actual harness and wield the
swords of the period. For the more adventurous, there will be opportunities to try your hand as a man (or woman) at arms. The tour is based
entirely out of the Norton House Hotel & Spa, one of the finest country house hotels in Edinburgh and AA Hotel of the Year Scotland 2010.
“For that is the mark of the Scot of all classes: that he stands in an attitude towards the past unthinkable to Englishmen, and
remembers and cherishes the memory of his forebears, good or bad; and there burns alive in him a sense of identity with the dead
even to the 20th generation”.
Robert Louis Stevenson
Day 1 - Introduction. Assemble at our
Edinburgh hotel and check-in for four nights.
Introductory talk ‘The Great Cause, England
and Scotland at War’ followed by dinner.
Day 2 Flodden. Just over 500 years since
the battle of Flodden was fought, we visit
the exhibition at Etal castle which was taken
and held by the Scots prior to the battle.
Thence to Flodden where commence our
tour from Piper’s Hill. Talk ‘The days of the
Steel Bonnets; unification of the crowns &
legacy’ followed by dinner.
Day 3 - Stirling. We look at the success
of two icons of Scottish independence:
William Wallace and Robert Bruce. We visit
the Wallace Monument, Stirling Castle and
explore the probable site of the battle of
Stirling Bridge (1297). Talk ‘Flowers of the
Forest – how Flodden came about’ followed
by dinner.
“For so long as 100 men remain alive, we
shall never submit to the domination of the
English. It is not for glory or riches or honours
that we fight, but only for the liberty which
no good man will consent to lose, but with
his life”.
Declaration of Arbroath 1320
Day 4 - Bannockburn. We visit
Bannockburn Memorial Park, where, by
virtue of our ‘VIP Kings Ticket’ we will take
grandstand seats for ‘Bannockburn Live’,
the largest re-enactment of the battle ever
held in Scotland and explore the themed
villages and be one of the few to enter the
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
newly opened battlefield visitor centre. Talk
followed by dinner.
Day 5 - Home. Check-out of our hotel for
homeward journeys.
Essentials
25th – 29th June 2014
Four star hotel, buffet breakfast and
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1195
Single supplement: £50
Deposit: £125
9
Wellington in India
The Master Learns his Trade
•
•
With cavalryman Mick Holtby
Magnificent Gawighur Fortress
•
•
Tipu Sultan’s Seringapatam
Assaye – Wellington’s finest battle
India was where Sir Arthur Wellesley, later to become the Duke of Wellington, first exercised independent command and learnt his trade. His
performance during the 4th Mysore War in 1799 won him promotion to Major-General, whilst he regarded his victory at Assaye in 1803 to be
the finest of all his battles. Here he learnt the importance of logistics and planning and how to use ground to compensate for operating against
superior numbers, all of which prepared him for the challenges he was to face later in the Peninsular and Waterloo campaigns. And it was for
these victories that Napoleon was to dub him the ‘Sepoy General’.
Our nine day tour to the Deccan and Mysore is set amongst some of India’s most spectacular scenery and we will encounter some fabulous
architecture and heritage sites. Because of their remote locations, many of the battlefields and other places are just as they were over 200 years
ago and some of the fortifications, such as that of Gwalighur, are still as awesome and impressive. However such access necessitates some long
journeys by road and participants will require at least an average level of fitness and stamina. During our stay in India we will be staying at
the best accommodation available which will range from three-star in the Gawilghur Hills to five-star in the cities. And of course you will enjoy
some fine ~Indian cuisine throughout.
“ Now, my brave fellows, follow me and prove yourselves worthy of the name British soldiers”.
Major General David Baird
inner fort and view the great canon that still
remains. Make no mistake this is challenging
ground. Continue to our hilltop station hotel
at Chikhaldara via the stunning viewpoint at
Mozari Point. Check-in to for one night.
Day 6 – Nagpur & Bangalore. A necessarily
long to drive to Nagpur for our evening flight
to Bangalore (Bengaluru) where we check in
to our hotel for one night.
Day 7 – Seringapatam. The fortress was
stormed by the British in May 1799 and it
was here that the Tipu Sultan met his death.
We will visit his palace and the garrison
cemetery before continuing to Mysore
where we check in to our hotel for one night.
Day 1 - Depart. Fly London to Bombay
(Mumbai) and check-in to our hotel for one
night.
Day 2 - Bombay. We take an orientation
tour including the Gateway to India and
other architectural gems. Early evening
flight to Auranagbad. Check-in to our hotel
for two nights.
Day 3 - Ahmednagar Fort. This 400 year
old fort was captured by Wellesley on 12th
August 1803. Still a military establishment
today, it was also here that Ghandi and Nehru
were interred during WW2. In the afternoon
we visit the impressive Ellora Caves, a
UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site,
renowned for its demonstration of harmony
between three of India’s main religions.
10
“Assaye was the greatest of Arthur
Wellesley’s Indian victories… an astonishing
display of offensive spirit, quick thinking
and tactical competence”.
Jac Weller: Wellington in India
Day 4 – Assaye. Fought on 23 September
1803, it was here that Wellesley decisively
defeated the Mahrattas. From Peepulgaon
we will cross the Kaitna (there is a bridge
there today) and follow in Wellesley’s
footsteps as he advanced on Assaye. Colonel
Maxwell’s grave is still extant. Continue to
Akola where we check-in to our hotel for
one night.
Day 5 – Gawilghur Fortress. This morning
we explore the remains of the huge fort
taken by Wellesley in December 1803. Here
we will walk up to the breech, tour the
Day 8 – Mysore. We explore this wonderful
city including many sites associated with
Wellesley’s presence such as the Maharaja’s
Palace, Government House and the museum
in Wellington Lodge. Drive to Bangalore and
check-in to our hotel for one night.
Day 9 – Return. Fly Bengaluru to London.
Essentials
20th – 28th November 2014
Best available hotels, buffet breakfast,
seven lunches and three course
dinner with drinks each evening,
all entrance fees and expert guide
throughout.
Tour price: £2695
Single supplement: £395
Deposit: £275
Price without flights: £2095
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
dutch courage
The Low Countries during the
Napoleonic Wars
•
•
With Napoleonic historian Nick Lipscombe
Holland’s iconic northern coast
•
•
The ‘proving ground’ for many Peninsular Generals
Walcheren and Bergen Op Zoom
On three occasions during the Napoleonic Wars, the British Army chanced their luck in Holland and each time the outcome was abject failure.
Unsurprisingly, the final analysis shows that they all shared common themes: poor planning and logistical support, lack of government support
and unclear objectives. In 1799, the Duke of York, assisted by commanders such as Sir Ralph Abercrombie, Sir John Moore and Sir Harry Burrard
and supported by Russian allies failed to get anywhere near their objective of Amsterdam. In 1809, in what was the largest amphibious assault
during the war, the Earl of Chatham led his army to stagnation, fever and death on the island of Walcheren and finally in the closing years of
1813 in an attempt to control Prussian access to Antwerp, Sir Thomas Graham led a hopeless expedition which ended in ignominy at Bergen
op Zoom.
During our tour to this iconic part of Holland you will appreciate the difficulties of manoeuvre across flat barren polders that are interlaced with
dikes and embankments, and grasp the importance of the beaches and sand dunes to the opposing armies. You will see where many of the
commanders who came to fame under the Duke of Wellington fared less well without him particularly when up against some of France’s more
abler commanders.
“Les Anglais... c’est toujours la question des Pays-Bas qui les préoccupe”.
Prince Metterach
Day 1 - Depart. Fly London – Amsterdam.
Check-in to our hotel for two nights.
Day 2 - North Holland 1795 – 1799. We
travel to Den Helder to discuss the capture
of the Dutch fleet by French cavalry in 1795
and visit the Dutch Navy Museum. After
lunch we examine the Duke of York’s much
maligned campaign of 1799. We visit the
landing beaches, discuss his inaction, follow
his march southwards and see where the
French, under Brune, made their fierce stand.
We also look out to sea from Camperduin to
discuss Admiral Duncan’s important victory
over the Dutch fleet in 1797.
Day 3 - National Military Museum. This
brand new museum is scheduled for
opening in the autumn 2014. Continue to
Bergen Op Zoom where we check-in to our
hotel for two nights.
walls. Return to Amsterdam for return flights
to London.
Essentials
13th – 17th November 2014
Day 4 - Walcheren. We examine the ill-fated
Walcheren expedition of 1809 and visit the
landing beaches, Middelburg, the perfect
star fort at Ritthem and Flushing.
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast and
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Day 5 - Bergen op Zoom. This morning we
discuss Sir Thomas Graham’s failed assault
of March 1814 visiting his entrenched camp
and walking around the remains of the town
Tour price: £1475
Single supplement: £180
Deposit: £150
Price without flights: £1325
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
11
Wellington in Portugal
The French Invasions
•
•
With Peninsular War expert Nick Lipscombe
Classic battles of Vimiero and Bussaco
•
•
Wellington’s defence of Portugal
Lisbon & Porto and lovely Portuguese countryside
During the years 1808 – 1810, the forces commanded by Sir Arthur Wellesley successfully repulsed three French invasions of Portugal. In 1808
he scored his first victories in the Peninsula at Rolica and Vimeiro. 1809 saw the French invading the country from the North only to be brilliantly
out-manoeuvred at Porto when Wellesley audaciously crossed the Douro. Then in 1810, after receiving a bloody check at Busaco, Marshal
Massena’s forces forced themselves towards Lisbon only to be stopped before the ingeniously conceived Lines of Torres Vedras. Making no
attempt to break through, the starving French were forced to abandon Portugal for the last time, hotly pursued by Wellington’s (as he was by
then known) forces, the Light Division seeing many sharp actions and capturing an ‘eagle’ at Foz de Arouce.
On this eight day tour we escape the main roads to discover the Portugal known so well to the men of Wellington’s Army during the years 1808
– 1811. As well as the battlefields we will see the landing beaches of 1808 with their treacherous rolling surf, the lagoons through which Hill
and Cameron’s brigades sailed in an attempt to out-manoeuvre before Porto, explore the forts and signal redoubts along the Lines of Torres
Vedras and see how, during Massena’s retreat in 1811, Marshal Ney honed his rear guard fighting techniques against Wellington’s Light Division,
a quality for which Napoleon dubbed him the ‘bravest of the brave’ after the disastrous French retreat from Moscow the following year. There
will be time to explore the historic centre of Lisbon, take Port in Porto, walk the walls of the pretty Moorish town of Obidos, and see much of
rural Portugal.
“Wellington: A fine fellow with the best nerves of anyone I ever met with”
Major General Sir Lowry Cole: letter from Portugal 1811
Day 5 – Massena’s Retreat. As we make our
way back to Lisbon we visit selected actions
that took place during the French retreat
from the Lines of Torres Vedras including
Foz de Arouce and Pombal. Check-in to our
hotel in Lisbon for three nights.
Day 6 – Lisbon. We spend a full day in Lisbon
and its environs including the impressive
military museum with its large model of
the Lines, take the elevator to the top of the
Cristo Rei statue for breath-taking views over
the Lisbon peninsula, visit the dominating
Castello de Sao Jorge and explore Belem,
the home of the British forces for most of the
war.
Day 1 - Opening Shots. Fly London to
Lisbon. Check-in to our hotel in Obidos for
one night. From Wellington’s observation
tower we discuss the opening shots of the
campaign.
Day 2 - Rolica and Vimeiro. Explore
the battlefield tour of Rolica including
both the French positions and Lake’s
monument. Thence to Maceira Bay, where
British reinforcements came ashore prior
to Vimeiro, our next stop. From the visitor
centre and terrace beside it we get a great
view of the battlefield before travelling out
to Ventosa to look at the French flanking
attacks.
Continue to Mondego Bay,
Wellesley’s initial landing beach. Check-in to
our hotel in Curia for three nights.
Day 3 - Porto. Today we examine Wellesley’s
audacious crossing of the Douro and the
events preceding it. We stop at the River
12
Vouga, the French defensive line and
the Aveiro lagoons through which Hill’s
flanking forces sailed. At Vila Nova we stand
at the monastery from where Wellesley
commanded before crossing over to the
seminary. We end the day at one of Porto’s
fine port lodges to sample their wares.
Day 4 - Busaco. Today is dedicated to the
battle of Busaco, the field of which is situated
in the heart of the Portuguese National
Park. We will visit Massena’s headquarters,
Wellington’s command post, the military
museum and Craufurd’s rock and take a
late lunch at the magnificent Busaco Palace
hotel.
“Wellington: The long-nosed bugger what
beats the French”.
Remark by a British private in the Peninsula
1811
Day 7 – The Lines of Torres Vedras.
Explore the forts in the 2nd lines and visit
Colonel Fletcher’s monument at Alhandra.
See the site of Beresford’s and Wellington’s
headquarters at Pero Negro, the great
redoubt of Sobral and the restored fort of
San Vicente.
Day 8 - Home. Fly Lisbon – London.
Essentials
17th – 24th May 2014
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
a two course lunch on Day 4, three
course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £2150
Single supplement: £295
Deposit: £225
Price without flights: £2000
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Wellington in Spain
The Classic Peninsular War Tour
•
•
With Peninsular War expert Nick Lipscombe
From Talavera to Salamanca via the border fortresses
•
•
Accompanied by TCE’s Maj Gen Ashley Truluck
Superb Parador hotels and historic towns
Often referred to as the ‘classic’ Peninsular War tour, this eight-day tour visits some of the most beautiful and historic parts of central Spain and
Wellington’s most notable battles and sieges during the period 1809 – 1812. After his initial successes in twice driving out the French from
Portugal, Wellington advanced towards Madrid to fight his first battle in Spain at Talavera in July 1809. Uncomfortable with the support that
he received from his Spanish Allies, 1810 saw him recuperating in the rugged countryside along the Portuguese border fighting a series of
small actions, particularly around Almeida and Ciudad Rodrigo, where the Light Division founded its legendary reputation. After defeating a
third invasion of Portugal, he strengthened his position on the border with the twin sieges and bloody storming of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badjoz
before making his second advance on Madrid which resulted in the classic encounter battle of Salamanca.
This fascinating tour travels through some of the most spectacular countryside inland Spain has to offer and we stop at many historical towns
and cities. Accommodation throughout the tour is mostly in the superb Paradores, each a monument in its own right. The tour will be led
by the award winning author of The Peninsular War Atlas (and concise history) Nick Lipscombe who has spent many years living in Iberia and
many more studying the entire War and Wellington’s campaigns in particular. Nick will overlay his extensive knowledge of military tactics,
and artillery and logistics in particular, to give a complete and unique perspective to this Classic Peninsular Tour. Nick will be joined by Ashley
Truluck who will also lend his wealth of military expertise to broaden the interpretation of events.
“The Spaniard… does not leave his country to make war on other nations, but as soon as anyone sets foot in his country, everyone
is the enemy of the invader.”
Stendhal: A Life of Napoleon 1880
Day 1 - Oropesa. Fly from London to
Madrid. Travel to Oropesa and check-in to
our Parador, a 15th century palace and castle
with magnificent views over the Tagus valley.
Day 2 - Talavera and Almaraz. Walk the
battlefield of Talavera and thence to the
bridge at Almaraz, and Fort Napoleon to
retracethe steps of General Hill’s raid of May
1812. Check-in to our 16th century convent
Parador situated in the heart of the exquisite
conquistador town of Trujillo.
Day 3 - Albuera and Badajoz. At Albuera
Marshal Beresford secured a narrow victory
over Marshal Soult in what was the bloodiest
battle of the entire war. Thence to the
fortress town of Badajoz, captured at such
tremendous cost: where we will see the
site of the breaches, stormed by the Light
and 4th divisions and the castle, scaled by
Picton’s Fighting (3rd) Division. Cross over
the border into Portugal, and check in to
our 4 star hotel built into the walls of this
magnificently fortified town of Elvas, which
has recently been designated a European
Heritage site
“The English, silent and impassive, with
grounded arms, loomed like a long red wall”.
Marshall Bugeaud: of the British line at
Talavera 28 July 1809
Day 4 - Light Division Country. Before
leaving Elvas we pay our respects at the
British Peninsular War Cemetery on the
bastion walls. Then head north into Light
Division country via the spectacular Roman
bridge at Alcantara. During the afternoon
we visit Barba del Puerco, the little outpost-
action at the Roman bridge situated at the
bottom of the breath-taking gorge of the
River Agueda. Continue to Ciudad Rodrigo
and check-in to our 14th century castle
Parador for two nights.
Day 5 - Almeida, the Coa and Fuentes de
Onoro. On the River Coa we see where ‘Black
Bob’ Craufurd so nearly lost his celebrated
Light Division whilst walking through the
beautiful walled town of Almeida we see the
remains of the castle which was destroyed
in a cataclysmic explosion during the siege
of 1810. Thence to the village of Fuentes de
Oñoro to explore the field of the battle that
raged for three days in early May 1811.
Day 6 - Ciudad Rodrigo. From our parador
we walk along the city walls to the cathedral.
We walk-up the Greater Teson where the
heavy siege guns were sited and inspect
the Great Breach assaulted by Picton’s 3rd
Division, and the Lesser Breach, attacked by
the Light Division. Continue to Salamanca
to examine the attack and capture of the
Salamanca Forts before checking-in to our
hotel.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Day 7 - Salamanca. Travel to the wonderful
battlefield of Salamanca, one of Wellington’s
finest victories. We climb the hill above
Miranda de Azan and the Greater Arapile
from where superb panoramas of the
battlefield can be gained. There will be
ample opportunity to continue exploration
of the magnificent city later in the day.
Day 8 - Avila. To Madrid, via a brief photoopportunity of the spectacular walled town
of Avila, for our return flight to London.
Essentials
10th – 17th September 2014
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £2295
Single supplement: £175
Deposit: £225
Price without flights: £2150
13
Abdication and Exile
Napoleon 1814
•
•
With TCE Director Alan Rooney
Paris, Isle of Elba and Rome
•
•
Napoleon’s last days
Fontainebleu re-enactment
After fighting the brilliant yet unrealistic campaign of France during the winter of 1814 with his motley force of boys, pensioners and exhausted
veterans, Napoleon found himself facing mutiny from some of his most trusted marshals at his favourite palace of Fontainebleau. It was with
much reluctance that he was coerced into abdication and thence banished to the small Mediterranean island of Elba. Once there he set to
improving that island’s economic outlook with gusto. But the ignominy and isolation were too great for him and within the year he escaped to
once again chance his luck with France.
This anniversary tour takes you to the scene of pivotal events prior to the Napoleon’s last campaign which ended at Waterloo. Two hundred
years to the day, you will stand in the very courtyard where, from the iconic horseshoe staircase at Fontainebleau, Napoleon bade ‘adieu’ to
his Old Guard. Like the Emperor, you will make your way from France to the island of Elba where you will spend a couple of days and nights
exploring Napoleon’s legacy in and around its beautiful capital. We even spend a day in Rome en-route to discover a small, but important,
Napoleonic collection. This is a truly unusual, diverse and fascinating tour.
“In order to have good soldiers, a nation must always be at war”.
Napoleon: to Barry Amira, St Helena, 26 October 1816
Day 1 - Paris. Depart London for Paris by
Eurostar. Visit the marvellous Musee de
l’Armee and pay our respects to Napoleon at
the Eglise du Dome at Les Invalides. Check-in
to our hotel for three nights.
Day 2 - Abdication. Today it will be exactly
200 years ago when Napoleon said ‘farewell’
to his Guard at Fontainebleau. Here we enjoy
a tour of the magnificent chateau, visit the
special anniversary exhibition and mingle
with the many uniformed re-enactors who
are sure to recreate this celebrated event.
Day 3 - Josephine. One of the first places
visited by Napoleon upon his return from
Elba was Malmaison in order to grieve
for Josephine, who had died there of
pneumonia whilst he was in exile. We enjoy
a guided tour of the chateau, visit Bois Préau
with its recollections of life on St Helena
and pay our respects to Josephine and her
14
daughter, Hortense, at the Eglise Saint-Pierre
Saint- Paul.
Martino. We will also explore the Stella and
Falcone forts.
“Waterloo was cast in my teeth… I ought to
have died in Moscow”
Napoleon: Centre Helena 1816
Day 7 - Escape. We take the return ferry to
the mainland (1 hour) and drive to Pisa to
catch our return flight to London Gatwick.
Day 4 - Rome. We fly to Rome where we visit
the interesting Museo Napoleonico with
its collection of Bonaparte family portraits.
Check-in to our hotel for one night.
Day 5 - Elba. We drive to Piombino to catch
the ferry(1 hour) to Portoferraio, the capital
of Elba. After checking-in to our hotel for
two nights we take a stroll around the centre
of this historic town
Day 6 - Exile. Today we visit the simple but
atmospheric Villa dei Mulini, Napoleon’s
home for much of his time on the island as
well as his summer residence at Villa di Dan
Essentials
19th – 25th April 2014
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1995
Single supplement: £275
Deposit: £200
Price without flights: £1795
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
A Near Run Thing
The Waterloo Campaign
•
•
With Prof Jeremy Black & Maj Gen Ashley Truluck
Ligny, Quatre Bras and Waterloo
•
•
Our popular classic Waterloo Campaign tour
Based in historic and gastronomic Brussels
The Waterloo campaign in June 1815 ensured the relative peace of Western Europe for the next fifty years. It was the first time that two of the
greatest commanders of all time, Napoleon and Wellington, were to be in direct confrontation and it was also to be the last battle for both of
them. The circumstances surrounding the battle of Waterloo are well enough known: the Prussian Army under Blucher arriving in time to tip
the scales in the Allies’ favour as Wellington’s ‘infamous army’ hung on grimly to the ridge at Mont St Jean.
Our three day Waterloo tour takes a very relaxed approach to the Waterloo campaign, visiting the significant sites and many of the museums. At
Quatre Bras we stand at the crossroads resolutely held against the advancing forces of Marshal Ney whilst at Ligny we stand on the spot where
Wellington met Blucher, explore the hard fought-over villages and see Napoleon’s observation point at the Fleurus windmill. The highlight
will be a comprehensive exploration of the field of Waterloo; from the Allied right flank at Hougoumont, along the ridge which saw the Allied
squares hold off the dramatic French cavalry attacks, to La Haye Saint and Picton’s crossroads, the scene of d’Erlon’s massed infantry attacks
and British cavalry charges. On the French side of the battlefield we visit Napoleon’s quarters the night before the battle, the desperate
fighting in and around Plancenoit, the site of the French Grand Battery and walk the route of the final attack of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard. If
we are fortunate we may encounter the traditional Sunday morning battlefield re-enactment at Plancenoit, although the dates had not been
confirmed at the time of going to print.
“A damned nice thing – the nearest run-thing you ever saw in your life”.
Wellington to Creevey the day after Waterloo
Day 1 - Ligny & Quatre Bras. Depart
London by coach via Eurotunnel and drive to
Ligny for the attrition battle fought between
the French and Prussians at the same time as
Quatre Bras. We visit Blucher’s observation
point at Brye, Napoleon’s mill at Fleurus and
the villages of St Amand and Ligny which
were virtually destroyed during the battle.
Continue to Quatre Bras and visit the famous
crossroads, Gemioncourt farm and the
Duke of Brunswick’s memorial. Continue to
historic central Brussels to check-in to our
hotel for two nights.
Day 2 - Waterloo – the British defence.
Start at the excellent Wellington museum
and St Joseph’s church in the town of
Waterloo. Thence on to the field of Waterloo
and the Allied ridge which houses the
Visitor’s Centre, the Lion Mound, Panorama
and Waxworks all of which we visit during
an extended lunch break. We stroll down to
the atmospheric chateau of Hougoumont,
the battle for which raged all day. Drive to
Picton’s crossroads for the massed French
infantry attacks and British cavalry charges.
From here it is a short walk via the Sandpit
to La Haye Sainte to discuss its desperate
defence. Next we look at the massed French
cavalry attacks and the British squares
before travelling to the French side to visit
Napoleon’s headquarters at Le Caillou and
his observation point at La Belle Alliance.
setting off on our return journey to London.
Day 3 - Waterloo – the tide turns. We
visit the the atmospheric Waterloo Crypt
at Evere cemetery. Continue to Plancenoit
and the bloody battle for its possession
against the advancing Prussians before
returning to La Belle Alliance and the
final attack of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard.
We return to the Allied Ridge for lunch prior to
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
“I never heard of a battle in which everybody
was killed; but this seems likely to be an
exception, as all were going down by turns”.
Captain John Kincaid, reminiscence of
Waterloo 1815
Essentials
20th – 22nd June 2014
Tour price: £795
Single supplement: £80
Deposit: £75
15
American Civil War
The Classic Eastern Theater Tour
•
•
With Civil War expert Fred Hawthorne
Beautiful Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley
•
•
The road to the iconic battle of Gettysberg
Superb parks, museums and East Coast hospitality
During their Civil War more Americans lost their lives than during the whole of WW1 and WW2 combined. For five years battles raged across
their continent, but rarely was the fighting fiercer than in the Eastern Theatre, specifically Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Encouraged by
their early victories, the Confederate forces held off subsequent Federal advances around Richmond until they felt confident enough to take
the war into the North, where at Gettysburg, in 1863, they were bloodily repulsed by an indomitable Union army. After achieving their ‘high
water mark’, Southern forces were engaged in a fight against the inevitable which was to finally end at a small court house in Appomattox in
April 1865.
Our comprehensive Eastern Theater tour encompasses all the major sites of engagement, especially in Virginia where more major battles
were fought than in any other state. We will explore the environs of Richmond, travel up the beautiful Shenandoah Valley during the Fall and
visit the tremendously atmospheric battlefields of Antietam and Gettysburg. You will stay at some wonderful and extremely well-located fullservice hotels where you can take a drink in the bar prior to enjoying dinner and fabulous American hospitality at a variety of the excellent local
restaurants.
“…we cannot dedicate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far
above our poor power to add or detract”.
Abraham Lincoln: Gettysburg Address 1863
Day 1 - Depart Fly London to Washington
Dulles. Check-in to our Manassas hotel for
one night.
Day 2 - The battle of Manassas. We
explore the first major battle in the east and
visit its visitor centre, ending our day on
the adjacent battlefield, known as Second
Manassas, Continue to Fredericksburg and
check-in to our hotel for two nights.
Day 3 - Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. A full day discovering these neighboring battlefields, the former famous for its
Marye’s Heights and the Stone Wall against
which the Union army threw itself whilst the
latter is considered by many to have been
Robert E. Lee’s greatest military victory.
Day 4 - The Wilderness Campaign. We
examine the bloody battles of attrition in
the early summer of 1864 including the
“Wilderness”, Spotsylvania Court House
and Grant’s costly assaults at Cold Harbor.
Check-in to our Richmond Hotel for three
nights.
Day 5 - The Seven Days’ Battle and
Richmond. From Gaines Mill to Malvern Hill
we follow the Union’s first serious attempt to
capture the city. In Richmond itself we visit
the White House and the Museum of the
Confederacy.
Day 6 - The Siege of Petersburg. We visit
the Union HQ and supply-base at City Point,
the trenches, redoubts, fortifications and
the famous Crater. This afternoon we visit
the superb Pamplin Historical Park and the
National Museum of the Civil War Soldier,
ending our day at Five Forks where Lee’s
siege lines were irretrievably broken.
16
Day 7 - Lee’s Retreat. Follow Lee’s army
on their final journey westward via Saylor’s
Creek to the beautifully restored 19th
century village of Appomattox Court House
where Lee surrendered the remnant of his
army. Continue to Lynchburg where we
check-in for one night.
brilliantly restored Cyclorama painting set
within one of the finest military museums in
the world. Then commence our tour of the
battlefield including Oak Hill, Cemetery Hill,
Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Devil’s Den
and the famous Angle. The highlight of the
day will be the ‘Pickett’s charge’ walk.
Day 8 - The Shenandoah Valley. We pay
our respects at the tombs of Robert E.
Lee and Stonewall Jackson at the Virginia
Military Institute and visit the latter’s home.
Drive through the beautiful Shenandoah
Valley stopping at the cadet’s battle at New
Market. Check-in to our hotel in Winchester
for two nights.
Day 13 - Gettysburg. Visit David Will’s
House in downtown Gettysburg where
Abraham Lincoln prepared his famous
Gettysburg Address. Depart for Washington
and our return flight.
Day 14 - Home. Arrive London
Day 9 - Cedar Creek Re-enactment.
Spend the entire day enjoying the 150th
anniversary re-enactments of Cedar Creek
where over a 1000 re-enactors are expected
to participate. This pivotal battle saw the end
of Confederate influence in the Shenandoah
Valley.
Day 10 - Harper’s Ferry. We visit this
strategic town which changed hands
eight times during the war. Continue to
Gettysburg and check-in to our hotel for
three nights.
Day 11 - Antietam. We follow Union General
George McClellan’s army as it tries to force
the strategic South Mountain passes. Then
it is on to Sharpsburg along the Antietam
creek, one of the best preserved battle sites
of the war, where we see, amongst others,
the Dunkard Church, Miller’s and Otto’s
Cornfields, the Sunken Land and Burnside’s
Bridge.
Day 12 - Gettysburg.
We start at the
Essentials
10th - 23rd October 2014
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £3650
Single supplement: £425
Deposit: £375
Price without flights: £3050
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
American Civil War
The Western Theater
•
•
With Civil War expert Fred Hawthorne
Kentucky, Tennessee and down the mighty Mississippi
•
•
Follow the Union Army south into Confederate heartlands
Carefully preserved battlefields and warm hospitality
Whilst the American Civil War seemed to ebb and flow in the east during the years 1862 – 1864, in the west it took the form of a gradual,
systematic Federal march southwards in order to open the symbolic, but nevertheless important, Mississippi River from the Union heartland to
the Gulf of Mexico, simultaneously splitting the Confederacy in to half. Today some historians argue the real victory of the northern states came
from these three years of battles in the mid-west. It was during these lesser known Western Theater battles that many of the great commanders
built their reputations; Grant, Forrest, Sherman, Johnston, and Thomas.
Our thirteen-day tour traverses the mid-western states of Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi roughly following in the wake of the Union
forces. We travel through beautiful countryside and many of the battlefields visited have been carefully preserved to provide superb platforms
from which to interpret the fighting. As with all our Civil War tours, we will be staying at carefully selected full service hotels and dining in local
restaurants each evening.
“You just tell me the brand of whiskey Grant drinks – I would like to send a barrel of it to my other generals”.
Abraham Lincoln’s reply to advisors who complained of Grant’s drinking habits.
Day 1 - Depart Fly London to Louisville,
Kentucky and check-in to our hotel for one
night.
Day 2 - Perryville. Visit the battlefield of
Perryville, the largest battle in Kentucky
and which represented the Confederacy’s
“high water mark” in the mid-west. As did
the retreating Southern troops, so we head
south to Nashville, stopping en-route at
Hodgenville, birthplace of the wartime
President Abraham Lincoln. Check-in to our
hotel for two nights.
Day 3
- Battles around Nashville.
As Nashville was a major Federal base
throughout the war between 1862 and 1864,
the battles of Stones River, Nashville and
Franklin saw Confederate armies try and fail
to wrench the city from its Union masters.
Day 4 - Forts Donelson & Henry. We drive
north to examine how the Federal forces
under a young Brigadier U. S. Grant opened
the way to Nashville by attacking the twin
forts Donelson and Henry and forcing their
‘Unconditional Surrender’, a term that was to
stick with Grant for the rest of the war. Drive
southwards in to Mississippi and check-in to
our hotel in Corinth for two nights.
Day 5 - Shiloh. When reports emerged of
the 23,000 casualties incurred at “Bloody
Shiloh” the nation, both North and South
was shocked.
Confederate General
Albert Sidney Johnson led his army out of
Mississippi to launch a surprise attack on
Grant’s approaching army. We spend a full
day exploring this remarkably preserved
battlefield with its Visitor Center and
National Cemetery.
Day 6 - Corinth. We visit the two battles in
1862 fought around this vital rail crossing
and the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center.
Our long drive south is interrupted by brief
stops at the smaller battlefields of Brices
Crossroads and Tupelo. We will approach
Vicksburg along the scenic and historic
Natchez Trace Parkway and check-in to our
hotel for three nights.
Day 7 - Battles around Vicksburg. Today we
will look at Union General Grant’s numerous
attempts to approach the crucial river city of
Vicksburg including sites associated with his
successful 1863 approach and encirclement;
the Chickasaw Bluff, Grand Gulf, Port Gibson,
Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill and Big
Black River.
a Civil War oriented waking tour of the city.
Free time for lunch and time on your own to
explore the famous French Quarter. A late
afternoon visit to the National World War II
Museum followed by a farewell dinner.
Day 12 - Home. Transfer to New Orleans
airport for our return flights to London.
Day 13 - Home. Arrive London
Day 8 - Vicksburg. Follow the events
surrounding the 17 day siege. We visit the
wonderful commemorative park; see the
restored trenches and fortifications and
many of its numerous monuments. We will
also visit the remains of the Union gunboat
USS Cairo raised from its Yazoo riverbed
grave in 1964.
Day 9 - Port Hudson and Baton Rouge.
Today we drive south to Port Hudson,
Louisana which fell on July 9 five days after
Vicksburg’s surrender sealing the Mississippi
River. We continue to Baton Rouge and
check-in to our hotel along the Gulf Coast at
Biloxi.
Day 10 - New Orleans. This morning we
visit Beauvoir, the retirement home of
Confederate ex-president Jefferson Davis.
Then a drive along the coast will bring us to
the Crescent City of New Orleans, captured
by the Union forces in the spring of 1862.
We will visit the Louisiana Civil War Museum
formerly known as Confederate Memorial
Hall. Check-in to our hotel for the last two
nights.
Essentials
24th April – 6th May 2014
Three and four star hotels, buffet
breakfast, three course dinner with
drinks each evening, all entrance fees
and expert guide throughout.
Tour price: £3850
Single supplement: £495
Deposit: £375
Price without flights: £3250
Day 11 - New Orleans. The day begins with
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
17
The Crimean War
The Reason Why
•
•
With ‘Death or Glory’ Cavalryman Mick Holtby
Alma, Inkerman, Balaclava and Sevastapol
•
•
Classic Crimea tour – The Charge of the Light Brigade
Hill walks and harbour tours
Throughout the 18th & 19th centuries Russia consistently looked to expand its southwest border towards the Black Sea, the Balkans and
ultimately an egress to the ice-free Mediterranean. In 1853 she occupied Rumania, incurring the wrath of both France and Britain who found
themselves allied in support of Turkey for the first-time after many years of enmity. But the post Waterloo years of peace in Western Europe
had left the Allies with badly trained, ill equipped and poorly supplied armies led by aging and inexperienced commanders. With little forward
planning a joint expeditionary force was transported to Varna where it initially lay idle, rapidly deteriorating from cholera. Some five months
later on the premise that it could seize the vital naval port of Sevastopol and drive the Russian navy from the Black Sea, the expeditionary
force was transported to the Crimea where it landed at Kalamita Bay in September 1854. There ensued a campaign that would result in nearly
500,000 casualties, more than half of which were from disease due to poor hygiene management. The ineptitude of those in command was not
to go unremarked and reports from war correspondents such as William Russell of the Times caused a public outcry back home resulting in the
collapse of Lord Aberdeen’s government.
During our comprehensive battlefield tour we will see the Russian positions atop the River Alma, walk the ground over which the Light Brigade
charged to immortality, climb up the hills where the British Guards fought hand-to-hand with Russians at Inkerman, and walk around the lovely
port of Balaklava. During our stay in Sevastopol, we stand amidst the Malakov, Flagstaff and Redan bastions, enjoy far reaching views over the
city and its harbour, exploring the latter from the water by way of a boat trip.
“Half a league, half a league, half a league onward, into the Valley of Death, rode the six hundred”
Tennyson: The Charge of the Light Brigade 1854
Day 1 - Depart. Fly London to Simferopol
via Kiev. Drive to Sevastopol and check into
our centrally located and recently renovated
hotel for five nights.
Day 2 - Kalamita Bay and the Alma. Today
we survey the Allied landing beaches and the
action on the Bulganak River. At the Alma,
where we have a picnic lunch, we follow
the British attack on the Great Redoubt and
drive down to the river mouth to examine
the French attack on the right flank.
Day 3 - Balaklava. We spend the whole of
today exploring the battlefield including the
Causeway Heights, “Sutherland Knoll” where
‘the thin red streak’ of 93rd Highlanders
made their stand and from where we can
view the Heavy Brigade charge and the
Sapaune Gora from where that Raglan
watched the fateful events. We end the day
in the North Valley to trace the route of the
heroic but tragic Charge of the Light Brigade.
“Those fancy fellows in the cavalry got
themselves in a pretty pickle yesterday. The
whole Army is delighted!”
Letter home from an infantry subaltern,
Crimea 26 October 1854
Day 4 - Sevastopol. Tour its bastions
including the Malakov Memorial Park, the
Vorontsov Ravine, the First Parallel and the
British attacks on the Great Redan. After
lunch we visit the Black Sea Fleet Museum
before driving to the Flagstaff Bastion,
home to the incredibly breathtaking 1854
Panorama and recreated trenches and gun
positions
18
Day 5 - The Harbours. Drive to the town of
Balaklava to walk to its harbour mouth with
the option of climbing up to the Genoese
forts. We see traces of the railway and the
engine house that was used to bring up
supplies to the front. Later we see the site of
the Tractir Bridge and climb the Fedoukine
Heights to view the tragedy of the battle of
the Chernaya. Return to Sevastopol and take
a boat trip around the harbour.
Day 6 - Inkerman. We climb up the St
Clement Ravine towards the Barrier and
Sandbag Battery, explore Shell Hill, Cossack
Mountain and the Home and Fore Ridges.
After lunch we visit the impressive Michael’s
Ravelin museum with its focus on the history
of Sevastopol during the Crimean and
Second World Wars. Continue to Simferopol
and check-in to our hotel for one night
Day 7 - Home. Morning return flight from
Simferopol to London via Kiev.
Essentials
22nd – 28th May 2014
Three star hotels, buffet breakfast,
five lunches, three course dinner with
drinks each evening, all entrance fees
and expert guide throughout.
Tour price: £1950
Single supplement: £175
Deposit: £200
Price without flights: £1700
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
The Austro-Prussian War
The Road to Königgrätz
•
•
With Maj Gen John Drewienkiewicz
Picturesque Czech countryside and historic towns
•
•
Prussian military power smashes the Austrian Empire
The start of modern warfare in Europe
Over the course of a week in the high summer of 1866 the Prussian Army comprehensively defeated the Austrian-led German Confederation
in a series of five preliminary clashes and the climactic battle of Kőniggrätz in Bohemia. At Kőniggrätz almost half a million men fought in a
sprawling battle that decided the outcome of the war in a single day. This was a battle that dwarfed any of those fought in the recently ended
civil war in America. Here was born the myth that all future wars would be quickly settled, a myth that was reinforced in 1871 but which was so
painfully shattered in 1914.
As a result of the new research for his recently published book, John Drewienkiewicz has devised what is probably the most comprehensive
tour of this war through a combination of museum visit, battlefield exploration and travel over the entire campaign area. It will quickly become
clear how Napoleonic planning and strategy rapidly became victim to the quantum change in weapon technology, the science of staff work
and modern logistics. Based entirely in the Czech Republic you will enjoy wonderful countryside, revealing scenic and forest walks (often of up
to 2 kms each) and stay at two of its most picturesque and historical towns.
“Place in the hands of the King of Prussia the strongest possible military power… policy cannot succeed through speeches, and
shooting matches, and songs; it can only be carried out through blood and iron”.
Bismarck 1862
Day 1 - Depart
Fly London to Prague. Drive to Podol to
view the scene of the first clash of the war.
Continue to Jicin and check-in to our hotel
for two nights. Orientation briefing before
dinner.
Day 2 - Explore the battlefield of Gitschin
where, on 29 June 1866, two Prussian
divisions attacked the Austrian 1st Corps.
Day 3 - Tratenau & Burkerdorf. We follow
a well laid out wooded path to St John’s
Chapel to discuss the battle of Trautenau
fought on 27 June where the Austrian 10th
Corps advanced to block the passes through
the wooded hills and clashed with the
1st Prussian Corps as it emerged from the
defiles. Thence to Burkersdorf to follow the
following day’s attack by the Prussian Guard
Corps against the Austrian 10th Corps as it
attempted to disengage. Drive on to Hradec
Kralove and check-in to our hotel for four
nights.
“Build no more fortresses, build railways”.
Helmuth von Moltke ‘the Elder’
Day 4 - The battles of Nachod, Skalitz
and Schweinschädel (27, 28 and 29 June)
where three Austrian corps through uncoordinated attacks failed to halt the
Prussians debouching from the defiles of the
Bohemian passes.
Day 5 & 6 - Starting at the Austrian rearguard action at Königinhof, we commence
our two day exploration of the Kőniggrätz (3
July) battlefield. From the Chlum Museum,
with its well sited viewing tower, we obtain
a magnificent panorama of the sprawling
field of battle. We examine and discuss the
initial Austrian defensive line to the north
of Kőniggrätz and evaluate the opposing
High Command positions. We drive over
the entire battlefield to gain an overall
impression of the sheer scale of the terrain.
Thence to the actions at Prims Wood and
Problus on the Austrian left flank and walk
through Swiep Wood, the pivotal ebb and
flow battle that sucked in so many of the
Austrian reserves. View the Austrian Battery
of the Dead and explore the Chlum and
Rosberitz positions to discuss the Austrian
attempts to retake them.
Day 7 - Home En-route to Prague airport we
stop at Stresetitz, the scene of the massed
cavalry action at that checked the Prussian
pursuit. Return flights to London.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Essentials
24th – 30th July 2014
Three and four star hotels, buffet
breakfast, three course dinner with
drinks each evening, all entrance fees
and expert guide throughout.
Tour price: £1650
Single supplement: £150
Deposit: £175
Price without flights: £1450
19
Mons and Le Cateau
Opening Shots and Leadership Crisis
•
•
With soldier, MP and historian Patrick Mercer
Atmospheric locations, command dilemmas
•
•
The British Expeditionary Force earns its spurs 1914
Comfortably based in centre of historic Mons
The well-trained army regulars and reservists of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) saw their first action of the Great War on the outskirts of
Mons in Belgium on August 22nd. The Kaiser disparagingly referred to them as ‘a contemptible little army’ and by late November they had
been virtually destroyed but in so doing they had succeeded in helping foil the German ‘Schlieffen Plan’ keeping the enemy both out of both
Paris and Ypres. During the retreat from Mons, the commander of II Corps, General Smith-Dorrien, disobeyed the direct orders of his superior,
Sir John French, to make his famous stand at Le Cateau.
This tour focuses on both the first fights and high-command issues involving the British in August 1914: Mons, the subsequent retreat, the
stands at Le Cateau and Landrecies and the contradictory strategic options . Based out of Mons during this hundredth anniversary year, you
will appreciate how the professionalism of the BEF in terms of tactics, training and leadership was able to stem the tide of the German advance
and draw them away from their intended objectives. Under the guidance of MP and retired senior soldier Patrick Mercer you will gain an insight
into the politics and rationale of high-level military thinking that prevailed at the beginning of the war with particular emphasis on those
surrounding Smith-Dorrien.
“It is my Royal and Imperial command… that you address all your skill, and all the valour of my soldiers, to exterminate the
treacherous English, and to walk over General French’s contemptible little army”.
Kaiser Wilhelm II: General Order 19 August 1914
Day 3 – Mons. Withdrawing from the
villages and slag heaps of Mons to a new
defensive line, the 5th Division fought a
fierce rear guard action around the villages
of Audregnies and Elouges. In particular we
will examine the last stand of Lt. Colonel
Boger’s 1/Cheshires and the heroic stand of
the The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment at
Wasmes and finish at the local communal
cemeteries.
“The First World War had causes but no
objectives”.
Correlli Barnett: The Sword Bearers
Day 4 – Le Cateau. From Mons we follow
British 2nd Corps who made their vastly outnumbered, costly and controversial stand
at Le Cateau, Unavoidably our tour passes
Ors where, besides the canal, poet Wilfred
Owen was killed just a week before the end
of the war. Thence to Landrecies where the
4th (Guards) Brigade made their desperate
defence. The tour ends with a brief overview
of the battle of Guise at ‘La Désolation’
International military cemetery and the
Monument du Souvenir at St Quentin.
Return to London.
Day 1 – Contact. Depart London by coach
via Eurotunnel and drive to Casteau where
the cavalrymen of Major Tom Bridges’ C
Squadron 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards
made first contact with the German Imperial
Army. Ironically we also find that the last
British shots of the Great War were fired
here. Thence to Mons town centre to visit
the new Mons War Museum and check-in to
our hotel for three nights.
20
Day 2 – Mons. We explore some of the iconic
actions that took place on August 22nd
and 23rd such as the defence of the Canal
du Centre by 1/Royal Scots Fusiliers, the 4/
Royal Fusiliers action at Nimy bridge and the
4/Middlesex’s at Oburg railway station and
the support of the 2/Royal Irish Regiment
at the crossroads of La Bascule. The day
ends at the Flenu communal cemetery and
the remarkable Commonwealth War Grave
Cemetery at Saint Symphorien.
Essentials
4th - 7th July 2014
Four star hotel, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £825
Single supplement: £100
Deposit: £75
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Ypres &
the Christmas Truce
The end of open warfare & the creation
of the Salient
•
•
With soldier, MP and historian Patrick Mercer
Flanders Fields Museum and Last Post ceremony in Ypres
•
•
A Christmas pilgrimage to the Ypres Salient
French style and Christmas market in Lille
After the German failure on the Marne, the protagonists continued their ‘race to the sea’ in search of the illusive out-flanking manoeuvre.
Once the Belgians had opened the sea locks at Nieuwpoort and flooded the coastal region, the last remaining opportunity lay around the
unremarkable countryside around Ypres where, during October and November 1914, the Old Contemptibles of the British Expeditionary
Force successfully held off a much larger German force whilst in the process creating the impregnable Ypres salient. These late autumn and
early winter months of fighting, which inflicted 250,000 casualties, lay claim to many acts of heroism and the creation of many myths: the
Worcesters at Gheluvelt, the Household Cavalry at Zandvoorde, the aristocrats at Zillebeke, the London Scottish arriving in their London buses,
the massacre of the innocents at Langemarck and, of course, the Christmas truce and football match at Ploegsteert Wood.
The timing of this tour allows us to experience the climatic conditions and the short daylight hours that both sides had to endure in and
around the Salient during the four winters of the war. Our short weekend tour is based in the centre of Lille, where you will be able to enjoy the
wonderful Christmas market, held within close proximity of our hotel.
“On Xmas Day, after singing and shouting, a Boche figure suddenly appeared on the German parapet. It didn’t take our Bert long
to be up on the skyline. This was the signal for more Boche to be matched by all our Alfs and Bills and in less time than it takes to
tell .. the belligerents were all outside their trenches and advancing towards each other in No Man’s Land”
2Lt Bairnsfather, 1st Warwicks, Plugstreet Wood
Day 1 - Orientation. Depart London by
coach for Ypres via Eurotunnel to discuss
the start of the German October assault and
gain an overall appreciation of the salient.
Check-in to our central Lille hotel for two
nights.
Day 2 - The German Offensive. The German
push along the Menin Road: Gheluvelt,
Hooge, Herenthage Chateau, Polderhoek
and Polygon Wood. Langemarck German
Cemetery. In Flanders Fields Museum.
Dinner in Ypres Grote Markt. The Last Post
ceremony at the Menin Gate.
Day 3 - The British Defence. The defence
of the Messines Ridge, the Christmas truce
at Ploergsteert Wood, the football match
at Wulvergem and the Frelinghien truce
memorial. Return to London.
Essentials
12th - 14th December 2014
Four star hotel, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £725
Single supplement: £105
Deposit: £75
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
21
The Classic
Western Front Tour
The British & Commonwealth forces
1914 - 1918
•
•
With First World War expert Bruce Cherry
Mons, Ypres, The Somme, Cambai, Route to Victory
•
•
An introductory tour of the Western Front
All the classic battlefields in one week
For over four years, British and Commonwealth forces locked horns with the Germans in the fields of Northern France and Flanders: by the
end of 1914 the mobile warfare fought by the professionals of the British Expeditionary Force had been ground down to the stalemate of
trench warfare which the Territorial and Commonwealth troops could not break in 1915. The new Kitchener armies, despite massive artillery
support, failed to achieve the hoped-for breakthrough on the Somme in 1916, but the technological advances developed and trialed that year
resulted in the first major contribution of the tank at Cambrai in 1917. With the clock ticking, the Germans reverted once more to mobile warfare
and launched their Kaiser’s offensive in the spring of 1918 only for it to be exhausted by Allied defence in depth. But the consequent August
‘Hundred Days’ counter offensive led to an unstoppable Allied march to victory and the end of the First World War.
This week-long tour provides a timely overview of the major events involving British and Empire forces on the Western Front to mark the centenary
celebration of The Great War. Visits to the battlefields of Mons, Ypres, Neueve Chapelle, the Somme, Arras, Cambrai, the Kaiserschlact and the
final advance to victory will put the whole war into perspective geographically, chronologically, strategically, tactically and technologically.
Such a tour acts as both an introductory tour for the novice and as an essential ‘aide memoire’ to the experienced who might be considering
more in-depth anniversary tours over the next five years.
“Until the world comes to an end the ultimate decision will rest with the sword”.
Kaiser Wilheim II of Germany: speech in Berlin in 1913
Flesquieres
Day 7 - Kaiser’s Offensive 1918. We follow
the German spring advance to Villers
Brettonneux, Le Hamel and the tank battle
at Cachy. Overnight in central Amiens.
Day 1 - Mons 1914. Depart London by
coach via Eurotunnel to where the first and
last shots of the war were coincidently fired
just outside Mons. We then follow the course
of that battle including Nimy railway bridge
and the skirmish at Casteau. Check-in to our
hotel in Mons for one night.
Day 2 - Le Cateau 1914. Visit the newly
opened Mons museum and Obourg station.
Thence to the last ‘one-day’ battle at Le
Cateau. Check-in to our central Lille hotel for
three nights.
Day 3 - Ypres 1914 - 1917. A full day spent
examining the establishment of the Salient
in 1914, its subsequent defence against the
gas attacks of 1915 and the bloody assault
at Passchendaele. We visit the recently
updated ‘In Flanders Fields’ museum and
22
attend the famous Last Post ceremony at
the Menin Gate.
Day 4 - Neuve Chapelle 1915. To Messines
to examine the most successful Allied
offensive of the war: that of June 1917.
Thence to the ‘blooding’ of the first empire
troops at Neuve Chapelle in 1915.
Day 5 - The Somme 1916. A full day spent
on the battlefield of the Somme including
Serre, Beaumont Hamel, Thiepval, Pozieres,
La Boiselle and Delville Wood. Check-in to
our hotel in central Arras for two nights.
Day 6 - Arras and Cambrai 1917. The battle
of Arras, in particular Vimy Ridge including
the Canadian Memorial, the Grange tunnels
and trenches. In the afternoon we look at
the tank battle of Cambrai at Louverval and
Day 8 - Advance to Victory 1918. As we
drive back over the ‘old’ Somme battlefield
following the final offensive of the war,
we consider the recapture of Albert, the
crossing of St Quentin Canal and complete
our tour besides Wilfred Owen’s grave at
Ors. Return to London.
“For all we have and are / For all our
children’s fate / Stand up and take the war /
The Hun is at the gate!”
Rudyard Kipling 1914
Essentials
3rd – 10th August 2014
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1895
Single supplement: £325
Deposit: £200
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
The Spanish Civil War
The battle for madrid
•
•
With soldier and expert guide Ray Wilkinson
Beautiful Madrid, Toledo and El Escorial
•
•
British and American brigades at Jarama
History and culture combined
The Spanish Civil War was a particularly bloody conflict that led to the deaths of half a million people, and over 30 years of fascist dictatorship
under General Franco, the social and political impact of which is still being felt in Spain today. It started as what was seen as a purely internal
affair but following international intervention, the conflict became regarded by some countries as a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the Second World War.
Commentators have gone so far as to say the Second World War started in 1936 not 1939. Yet despite a non-interventionist policy adopted by
most western governments (Italy, Germany and Russia excepted), some 40,000 individuals from around 50 countries volunteered to fight in
Spain on the Republican side, whilst 1,500 foreign nationals, mainly from Britain, Ireland, and Portugal, volunteered to fight for the Nationalists.
Amongst their ranks were left-wing writers such as George Orwell and John Cornford, Winston Churchill’s anti-fascist nephews Giles and
Esmond Romilly, and passionate anti-communists like Peter Kemp. Why did they feel so passionately that they left their homelands, many from
countries thousands of miles away, to fight and die in a foreign land?.
Our four-day tour is based in the beautiful city of Madrid from where we explore many of the iconic sites associated with the war to provide
a much greater understanding of some of the key events of late 1936 and early 1937. In visiting Toledo and San Lorenzo we inescapably, yet
pleasingly, combine our battlefield exploration with some of Spain’s finest cultural and architectural heritage.
“With France and Spain menaced by Bolshevism, it is not inconceivable that before long it may pay us to throw in our lot with
Germany and Italy, and the greater our detachment from European entanglements the better”
Sir Maurice Hankey, Cabinet Secretary, 20 June 1936
Day 1 - Battle of Madrid. Fly London –
Madrid. After checking-in to our hotel for
three nights we explore the university
grounds and the trenches in the Casa de
Campo where much of the hard fighting
took place.
Day 2 - Siege of Toledo. A short drive
to the beautiful city of Toledo to explore
the Alcazar, besieged by the Republicans,
but staunchly resisted by the Nationalist
Colonel Moscado. We visit his office, left just
as it was during the siege, bullet holes still
visible, and explore the cellars where the
besieged sheltered and which today holds a
fascinating collection of improvised articles
created during the siege. There are also
many other military collections on display
and we allow some free time for you to
explore this beautiful city.
Day 3 - Battle of Jarama. We visit the
memorial to the International Brigades at
Jarama and walk the ground, including
Suicide Hill, which the British Battalion,
under Captain Tom Wintringham, and
the Lincoln Battalion, their American
counterparts, fought over for 3 dreadful days
in February 1937. Thence to the privately
owned museum dedicated to the battle at
Morata de Tajuna.
Day 4 - Valle de los Caidos & El Escorial.
Visit the Valley of the Fallen built by Franco
to commemorate the dead of both sides
and San Lorenzo de El Escorial the imposing
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
historical residence built at the instigation of
King Philip II. Return flight to London.
Essentials
17th - 20th September 2014
Four star hotel, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1125
Single supplement: £105
Deposit: £125
Price without flights: £975
Extend your stay from £50/person B&B
23
Fortress Malta
An Island Besieged
•
•
With Major General Ashley Truluck
Personal stories of the Land, Air and Sea battles •
•
Superb Five Star hotel in Valetto
Relaxing Mediterranean winter sun themed break
The Island of Malta stands at the crossroads of the Mediterranean where it has played a strategic role for centuries. During the Second World
War it was famously besieged for three years whilst the Axis forces tried to bomb and starve its garrison and people into surrender. At stake
was the supply line to the Western Desert which was continually harassed from this island fortress, denying the Axis forces essential supplies.
And once the war in the desert was won, the island became the staging post for the invasion of Sicily.
We will take in the major sites of the siege and the museums dedicated to the sacrifices made by both the armed forces and the civilian
population. And, of course, in recognition of such sacrifice the island itself was awarded the George Cross. Much of our tour follows the story of
the siege through the eyes of those who were there: the fighter pilots, the soldiers, the sailors, the submariners, the auxiliaries and the civilians:
accounts of heroism, resilience, love, and loss, highlighting one of the most remarkable stories of World War II. It’s a fascinating and uplifting
story, all set against the backdrop of this friendly and beautiful Mediterranean island with its wealth of history and architecture.
“The greatest of battles for supply fell upon Malta. This was now turned into a hell. In the spring of 1942 the axis decided to
obliterate Malta and they wanted to starve it as well. Right through the spring they turned such blitz upon Malta as no other island
or city had seen in the war. It was a siege of annihilation. Malta became the most bombed place on Earth”.
Australian war correspondent Alan Moorhead
Day 1 - Valetta. Fly London to Malta and
check into our hotel for three nights. Before
dinner we will take a guided tour through
the historic streets of Valetta.
Day 2 - Air. Drive out to the ancient city
of Mdina to gain a fine island orientation
from its city walls. Visit one of the many
shelters used by the population during the
frequent air-raids and the military hospital
at Imtarfa. After lunch we visit the Malta
Aviation Museum at Takali, housed in former
RAF buildings. Here we will see a rebuilt
Hurricane and its crash site, just outside of
Rabat.
Day 3 - Sea. This morning we take a trip
around Marsamxett and the Grand Harbours
to see, amongst others the submarine base,
24
where HMS Urge was sunk, the damaged
breakwater and Frenchman’s Creek where
HMS Illustrious was bombed. Disembarking
at Valleta we explore St Elmo’s Fort which
contains the National War Museum. This
evening we take dinner at the Royal Malta
Yacht Club.
“To honour her brave people, I award the
George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta
to bear witness to a heroism and devotion
that will long be famous in history”
King George VI
Day 4 - Land. Visit the Lascaris War Rooms
underground complex and the Malta at War
exhibition at Vittoriosa where we will explore
the rock hewn tunnels and galleries and gain
an appreciation of the tough conditions
under which the Maltese population lived.
Transfer to the airport for our late afternoon
return flight to London.
Essentials
4th - 7th November 2014
Five star hotel, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and guide
throughout.
Tour price: £1150
Single supplement: £60
Deposit: £125
Price without flights: £995
Extend your stay from £55/person B&B
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
The War in the Desert:
Tunisia
The Final Chapter in North Africa
•
•
With North Africa expert Mick Holtby
Mareth Line, Kesserine Pass, and Tunis
•
•
Alexander, Montgomery and Patton vs. Rommel
Wealth of ancient sites and comfortable hotels en route
On 8th November 1942 Operation Torch saw Anglo-American task forces land on the northern coast of Africa, just out of range from Axis aircraft
based in Tunisia. The race was on for the 1st Army to reach Tunis and take the enemy in the rear before it could be reinforced. However politics
and appalling weather stalled their momentum, whilst the strength of the Axis forces continued to grow. Meanwhile Rommel still holding
fast in Cyrenaica realised that unless he rapidly withdrew westwards he was likely to be cut off by Allied forces advancing through the centre
of Tunisia. There followed a rapid retreat by the Afrika Korps and its Italian allies hotly pursued by the 8th Army across the northern coast of
Libya until they came to a halt behind the recently decommissioned Mareth Line which was ironically a range of ‘Maginot Line’ forts built by
the French to keep the Italians out of Tunisia. What followed over the next six months was some of the hardest fighting of the entire war in the
Western Desert.
During our nine day tour to Tunisia we examine the dogged German resistance in the mountainous north which continued throughout; follow
opportunist German thrusts at Kasserine and Medenine; view the brilliant New Zealander Mareth Line outflanking manoeuvre and trace the
advance of the 8th Army on Tunis via Wadi Akarit, Sfax, and Enfidaville. But this not just a military history tour as we take in some of the ancient
and present culture of this beautiful country; exploring the remains of the ancient city of Carthage, home to Hannibal; walking around the
magnificent and almost complete Roman amphitheatre at El Djem and visiting the curious Troglodyte houses at Matmata.
“Bold decisions give the promise of success”.
Erwin Rommel, Rules of Desert Warfare
Day 6 – El Djem and Enfidaville. Explore
the magnificent Roman Amphitheatre at El
Djem. Thence to Enfida, the Eighth Army’s
last battle in Tunisia and in particular the
crucial Berber village of Takrouna. Check-in
to our hotel in Hammamet for three nights.
Day 7 - Medjez el Bab. View and discuss
the battles for the Mejerda Valley including
the important Longstop Hill, the Guards
Memorial at El Hari and Medjez el Bab
CWGC. Later we visit Dougga, the ancient
city that time forgot.
Day 8 – Tunis. A full day including the
American Cemetery and Memorial, the ruins
of Carthage, the Tophet and the military port
and an opportunity to explore the Medina
and ancient souks of Tunis.
Day 1 – To Tunis. Fly London – Tunis and
check-in to our hotel for one night.
are buried. Check-in to our hotel for one
night.
Day 2 – Medenine and Mareth. Fly to
Djerba and drive to examine Montgomery’s
superb defensive battle of Medenine.
Thence to Mareth where we visit the Military
Museum and walk the ground at Wadi
Zigazaou. Check-in to our Matamata hotel
for one night.
Day 4 – Kasserine Pass. We examine von
Armin’s offensive against the US II Corps and
follow the American withdrawal to Sbeitla
where we admire its Roman ruins. Continue
to Kasserine Pass and Patton’s battle. Thence
to Thala where the German thrust north was
halted. Return to Sbeitla and check-in to our
hotel for one night.
Day 3 - Wadi Akarit and Sfax. A full tour
including 4th Indian Division Monument; the
Fatnassa Feature and the night attack; the
anti-tank ditches; the knoll of the Roumana
Feature and 51st Highland Division’s attack.
Continue to Sfax, via the Commonwealth
War Grave cemeteries where 4 VC winners
Day 5 – Kairouan. We visit to the Great
Mosque of Kairouan, one of the largest and
most impressive of Islamic monuments
in North Africa. Afternoon check into the
wonderfully located La Kasbah Hotel in the
heart of the city.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Day 9 - Home. Late morning check out of
our hotel. Fly Tunis – London.
Essentials
22nd - 30th September 2014
Three and four star hotels, buffet
breakfast, seven lunches, three
course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1895
Single supplement: £190
Deposit: £200
Price without flights: £1745:
25
The Eastern Front 1941 - 1943
The Classic Tour
•
•
With soldier-historian Bob Kershaw
1st Class Rail and Volga River tour
•
•
Moscow, Stalingrad, Battle, Kursk & Borodino
Victory Day Parade in Kursk
The defence of Moscow, the siege of Stalingrad and the battle of Kursk - three of the most pivotal events of the Second World War (or the Great
Patriotic War as it is known in Russia). In August 1941 Hitler turned south relinquishing his best chance to breach the Moscow defensive line.
A staunch defence during the winter of 1941/42 was the catalyst for the beginning of the Soviet fight-back. A second German offensive in the
summer of 1942 saw great advances in the south terminating in the abortive drive to the Caucasus and the monumental battle for Stalingrad, a
turning point of the Second World War. Surrounding and isolating their beleaguered German adversaries at Stalingrad, the Russians commenced
their drive to the west. In a last ditch attempt to stem the Russian tide, the Germans launched a massive offensive in July 1943 which culminated
in the battle of Kursk, the greatest tank battle in history which involved as many as 6,000 tanks, 4,000 aircraft and 2 million fighting men.
Our nine-day tour visits many significant sites and allows us to enjoy the Victory Day Parade in Kursk and we travel the breadth of this vast
battlefield visiting preserved trenches and gun emplacements. At Stalingrad (now Volgograd) we see buildings left just as they were in
1942 including the basement in which Field Marshal Paulus surrendered. The tour necessarily involves much travelling due to the distances
involved - internal air-travel to Stalingrad is by scheduled Aeroflot Airbus flights, rail travel is overnight in comfortable 1st class sleeping
accommodation (two berth compartments), whilst the remainder of the nights are spent in the best available tourist hotels in this area.
“The duty of the men at Stalingrad is to die”.
Adolf Hitler: during a lunch conference January 1943
We visit the superb Central Armed Forces
museum before catching the overnight train
to Kursk.
Day 6 - Kursk. We drive to the southern part
of the salient to follow ‘the death ride’ of
the Fourth Panzer Army, the furthest extent
of von Manstein’s advance, Prokhorovka,
the monument, museum and preserved
trenches and gun emplacements. Check–in
to our hotel for one night.
Day 7 - Kursk. After enjoying the victory
parade at Kursk we travel to the ’northern
shoulder’ of the salient to follow Model’s
assault on Ponyri, the station and Teplov
Heights and view Rokossovky’s HQ. Catch
the overnight train back to Moscow.
Day 8 - Kubinka. We spend a full day at the
magnificent tank museum at Kubinka, with
its wealth of exhibits including a German
Mark VIII Maus tank. Check-in to our Moscow
hotel for one night.
Day 8 - Moscow and home. Visit the Great
Patriotic War Museum. Fly Moscow - London.
Day 1 - Depart. Fly London – Moscow and
check-in to our hotel for two nights.
Day 2 - The Mozhaisk Line and the defence
of Moscow. We travel out to the battlefield
of Borodino and explore the battles of both
1812 and 1941. We then follow the German
advance on Moscow through Istra and
Yakrohmato to its closets point.
Day 3 - Stalingrad. Fly Moscow - Volgograd.
Landing at Gumrak airport, we commence
our tour of the Stalingrad area from the
heights of the Mamyev kurgan, with its
26
impressive memorial complex. Thence to
the Grain Elevator, the Volga River crossing
and Pavlov’s House. Check-in to our hotel at
Volgograd for two nights.
Day 4 - Stalingrad. A full day covering
the battle beginning with the Volga River
crossing with a view of the city from a boat
trip on the Volga, the Panoramic Museum,
the Factory district, Lyudnikov’s Island,
Paulus’s final HQ at the Univermag store and
the Soldier’s Field.
Day 5 - Moscow. Return flight to Moscow.
Essentials
3rd - 11th May 2014
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
seven lunches, three course dinner
with drinks each evening, all entrance
fees and expert guide throughout.
Tour price: £3350
Single supplement: £275
Deposit: £325
Price without flights: £3100
Train compartment solo occupancy: £220
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Hitler Moves South
Ukraine in the Great Patriotic War
•
•
With soldier-historian Bob Kershaw
Kiev, Kharkov, Poltava and the Dnieper Crossings
•
•
Following Hitler’s advance into the Ukraine
Grand tour of the Steppes, ‘the breadbasket of the USSR’
After significant advances by Army Group North to Leningrad and Army Group Centre towards Moscow, Hitler regrouped his panzer forces and
moved south into the Ukraine, the ‘bread-basket’ of Russia. The closure of the Kiev pocket was the largest encirclement in military history and
netted 600,000 Soviet Prisoners of War. Kharkov and the Donets Basin was taken by the Germans before the Soviet Winter counter-offensive
of 1941-2 burst upon them. Kharkov was to change hands twice in 1942 and 1943. Its recapture by the II SS corps in February 1943 set the stage
for the formation of the huge Kursk salient. The Soviet victory at Kursk in the summer of 1943 forever broke the strategic offensive capability
of the German Army in the east. The Red Army was back before Kiev and contemplating a crossing of the Dnieper River before the end of the
year, providing the essential springboard for the decisive Soviet summer counter-offensive in the summer of 1944 that was to ultimately destroy
German Army Group Centre.
This eight day tour through Ukraine complements our Russian Great Patriotic War tour of the epic battles for Moscow, Stalingrad and Kursk
between 1941-3. It covers the early Red Army catastrophe at Kiev and the key battles at Kharkov that set the stage for Russian victories at Kursk
and the successful re-crossing of the Dnieper River. Many of the vast battlefields that we shall visit are little changed being commemorated by
impressive memorials and excellent museums from where we gain commanding panoramas of the key ground. Passing through Poltava we see
where, in 1709, Sweden’s Charles XII had his Russian chevauchée brought to an abrupt end, the consequence of which was to introduce Russia
as a European power.
“I do not play at war. I shall not allow myself to be ordered about by commanders-in-chief. I shall make war. I shall determine the
correct moment for attack. I shall shrink from nothing”.
Adolf Hitler: Regarding the Russian Campaign 1943
Day 5 - Battle of Poltava. Drive to Poltava
to explore the 1709 battlefield and its
interpretation centre. Nearby we visit the
museum of Long Range Aviation with its
fine collection Cold War aircraft. Continue
to Cheraksy for one night.
Day 6 - The Dnieper Crossings. We visit
the September 1943 bridgeheads at Bukrin
and the last ever Soviet airborne assaults.
The Korsun-Cherkassy offensive and the
subsequent German breakout. Check-in to
our hotel in Kiev for two nights.
Day 7 - Defence of Kiev. Explore the fine
outdoor complex at Novo Petrivski with its
labyrinth of trenches dating from both the
1941 defence of Kiev and the 1943 crossings
of the Dnieper. We also visit some of the
Stalin line bunkers which form a semi-circle
to the west of Kiev.
Day 1 - Depart. Fly London to Kiev. Check-in
to our hotel for two nights. Orientation tour
of Kiev.
where Marshal Koniev oversaw the assault
on Kharkov in 1943. Check-in to our hotel in
Kharkov for two nights.
Day 2 - Kiev and around the city. A
full day including the hugely impressive
Great Patriotic War museum and memorial
complex, Babi Yar Ravine, where over
100,000 of Kiev’s citizens were systematically
murdered by the Germans, and the ‘Match of
Death’ memorial, which commemorates the
football game played between the Germans
and Ukranian PoWs.
“History
shows
that
there
are
no invincible armies
Joseph Stalin: address to the Russian people
3 July 1941
Day 3 - Kiev Pocket. Travel westwards
to Lokhvytsia where the Kiev pocket was
closed. Thence to the Solonytsivka from
Day 4 - Battles for Kharkov. A full day
exploring the sites associated with the
four battles for the city including following
the route take by the 1st SS division to
Dzerzhinsky Square, Shevchenko Park,
Assumption Cathedral, the Mirror Stream
Fountain and the Glory Memorial in Forest
Park.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Day 8 - Home. Return flights from Kiev to London.
Essentials
7th - 14th September 2014
Three and four star hotels, buffet
breakfast, six lunches, three course
dinner with drinks each evening,
all entrance fees and expert guide
throughout.
Tour price: £2195
Single supplement: £195
Deposit: £225
Price without flights: £1995
27
From Despair to Triumph
Calais to Falaise 1940 - 1944
•
•
With Gordon Corrigan and Ashley Truluck
The major British battles in France
•
•
The British Army learns the hard way
A fascinating and varied tour through Northern France
On 10 May 1940 the German army launched Fall Gelb, Case Yellow, the invasion of Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France, and the legend
of Blitzkrieg was born. Despite the Allies having more infantry divisions and more tanks (and for the only time in the war better tanks), the
Germans were better led, better motivated and better trained with a superb cadre of highly trained staff officers to plan operations, and
skilled and experienced commanders to direct them. For the British it was soon a case of retreating back across the Channel and saving what
they could. Despite much rhetoric about the ‘Miracle of Dunkirk’ what became known as the Battle of France was a disaster, and only the
competence of the Royal Navy prevented the only army that Britain had from complete destruction. From then on, while preparing for an
eventual return to Fortress Europe the British could only launch raids, of varying size and success, until at last the United States entered the war
and plans could be made for an invasion of northern France that would push the Germans back into Germany, help the Russians to defeat them
and end the war.
This tour will begin by examining some of the actions of 1940 when the British fought to stem the relentless advance of the Nazi blitzkrieg and
then tried to defend the ports prior to embarkation for home. We then examine the largest of the raids on the occupied coast of France, that at
Dieppe in 1942, before leaving failure and despair and joining the Normandy invasion of 1944 where we shall concentrate on the inland battles
that culminated in the Battle of Falaise and the destruction of the German Seventh Army.
“Mobility, velocity, indirect approach…”
Heinz Guderian’s definition of blitzkrieg – ironically based on British teaching by Basil Liddell Har
Day 1 - Blitzkrieg 1940. Depart London
by coach via Eurotunnel to Calais. The
Arras counterstroke on 21 May 1940: the
British attempt to stop Rommel’s Panzers.
Overnight Calais. Pre-dinner Lecture: ‘Fall
Gelb – The Battle of France 1940’.
Day 4 - D-Day and the breakout 1944.
Gold Beach and the landings by 50 Div on 6
June 1944. The only VC awarded for D Day.
4/7 Dragoon Guards and the first brush with
the panzers. The Battle of Villers Bocage, 12
June 1944. Operation Epsom 25 June 1944.
Day 2 - The defence of Calais 1940.
Travel to St Valery en Caux. The loss of 51st
Highland Division at St Valery en Caux, 11 –
12 June 1940. Overnight in Dieppe.
Day 5 - Breakout and envelopment.
Operation Goodwood 18 July 1944. The
Battle of Falaise 19 August 1944.
Day 3 - The Dieppe Raid 1942. Lunch
in Honfleur. Continue to Bayeux and
check-in to our hotel for three nights
Pre-dinner Lecture: ‘The Background to the
Normandy Invasion’.
28
Day 6 - Home. Travel to Calais via La
Coupole, the Ambleteuse WW2 museum
and the casemates of the Todt Battery.
Return to London via the Channel Tunnel.
The British invariably wage war by losing the
first battle and winning the last
British Army saying
Essentials
25th - 30th April 2014
Three and four star hotels, buffet
breakfast, three course dinner with
drinks each evening, all entrance fees
and expert guide throughout.
Tour price: £1495
Single supplement: £250
Deposit: £150
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
D-Day: Operation Overlord
The 70th Anniversary
•
•
With Bruce Cherry
American, British, Canadian beaches and DZs
•
•
Our classic D-Day tour
Normandy coast and cuisine
The largest invasion in history struck at the west wall of Hitler’s Festung Europa on the morning of 6th June and opened the second front that
was to put an end to the Second World War. In a single day along 50 miles of Normandy’s coastline more than 13,000 aircraft, 700 warships and
4000 transport vessels supported the landing of 160,000 soldiers and their equipment. Although regarded as an overall success, many of the
assigned objectives had not been reached by the end of that day, the casualty list of over 10,000 being a testament to the tenacious German
defence.
We will be exploring the coast and attractive ‘bocage’ countryside of Normandy, with its pretty villages, delicious cuisine and distinctive
‘calvados’. But our D-day tour involves much more than sight-seeing. Your expert guide will explain the logistical preparation, the politics
within the Allied high-command, the German defensive plans, the Allied objective as well as relating the narrative of events through analysis
and eye-witness accounts to enable you to imagine the plight of the common soldier as he scrambled ashore amidst murderous German fire,
fighting with his generation to ensure the freedom that we enjoy today.
“ The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you”.
General Eisenhower
Day 1 - Depart London by coach via
Eurotunnel for Caen and check-in to our
centrally located hotel for 4 nights.
Commission cemetery and enjoy some free
time to explore the restored medieval city or
view the Bayeux Tapestry.
Day 2 - The American Sectors. The US
airborne landings, St Mere Eglise, Utah
Beach and it memorials, the German battery
at Point Du Hoc, “Bloody Omaha” and
climb through the German defences to The
American National Cemetery and Memorial
at St Laurent.
“The nature of armies is determined by the
nature of the civilisation in which they exist”.
Basil Liddell Hart, comparing the
performance of democratic and totalitarian
armies
Day 3 . Mulberry Harbour and Bayeux.
At Arromanches we see the vestiges of the
man-made harbour and visit its wonderful
‘debarquement’ and 360 panorama
museums. Thence to the German battery
at Longues Sur Mer and to Bayeux to visit
the evocative Commonwealth War Graves
Day 4 - The British and Canadian Sectors.
Further east we visit Gold Beach, Juno
Beach and Courselles sur Mer. From Sword
Beach we follow the fight for CollevilleMontgomery and explore the Hillman
bunker complex.
Day 5 - Pegasus Bridge. Finally on the
extreme east end of the landings we visit
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
the site of the British glider-borne assault on
the river Orne crossings and visit the superb
airborne museum. Return to London.
Essentials
30th June - 4th July 2014
Three star hotel, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1095
Single supplement: £125
Deposit: £100
29
The Rise and Fall of Berlin
Life under the Third Reich
•
•
With Russian and Berlin expert Nigel Dunkley
Nazi and Soviet historic sites and relics
•
•
Berlin’s strife under Nazi control from 1933-1945
The architecture of Germany’s vibrant capital city
Berlin in the 1930’s and 1940’s was the largest city in Europe and for twelve years capital of the Third Reich. Between the end of 1942 and the
spring of 1945, having been the capital of an empire extending from the Pyrenees to the Volga, it was reduced to a wasteland by British and
American bombing and Russian artillery. Re-united after the fall of the Berlin Wall and once again the vibrant capital of Germany, the city is
packed full of history and culture but still bears the visible scars of its most infamous era under Nazi rule from 1933 until the desperate Battle for
Berlin and Hitler’s suicide in 1945 finally brought World War Two to an end.
Throughout our six-day tour we are based in the very centre of Berlin from where many of the sites and great restaurants are within easy
walking distance. During this fascinating tour you will visit many of the places that were instrumental in establishing the Nazi regime of terror
and from where it planned its conquests. You will see where opponents were imprisoned and resistance was ruthlessly put down. And finally
you will follow the final Russian advance from the Oder to the city itself, where the curtain was drawn on the Third Reich.
“Nothing is left of Berlin but memories”
Russian officer on arrival 1945
Day 1 - Orientation. Fly London - Berlin.
Check-in to our city centre hotel prior to
taking an orientation tour.
Day 2 - Sachsenhausen. Remembered
not only for its concentration camp, but
also as the establishment of the SS guards
training regime devised by Theodor Eicke
in the Administration nearby. Thence to the
Glockenturm of the Olympic Stadium where
the SS performed their ‘guard of honour’ for
Adolf Hitler on 1 Aug 1936.
Day 3 - Seelow Heights. We drive towards
the Polish Border to examine the Germans’
last desperate attempt to stop the advancing
Red Army on the River Oder. Here we will
find General Zhukov’s bunker, the Soviet
Army museum and its panorama.
Day 4 - Battle for Berlin. We visit the site
of Hitler’s bunker, the Tiergarten Red Army
30
Memorial, the Reichstag itself and climb
the new cupola for magnificent views over
the city. Thence to the massive Soviet War
Memorial at Treptow Park and Karlshorst,
where the final instrument of surrender was
signed in May 1945.
Day 5 - Berlin. We visit the villa, now a
Holocaust monument, where the Wannsee
Conference took place that determined
the ‘final solution’. At the Bender Block we
will discuss the July 20th plot and visit the
back-yard where Stauffenberg and some
of his conspirators were shot. Our final visit
is to the haunting ‘Topography of Terror’
exhibition housed in the former Gestapo
and SS HQ on Prinz Albrecht Strasse.
Day 6 - Zossen. We explore the vast bunker
complex which served as the headquarters
of the Wehrmacht from 1939 and from
where plans for both Barbarossa and the
July 20th plot were hatched. Captured by
the Russians during the last days of the war,
its massive underground communications
bunker became the epicentre of the Soviet
forces stationed in Germany during the Cold
War. Fly Berlin – London.
Essentials
8th - 13th November 2014
Four star hotel, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1445
Single supplement: £195
Deposit: £150
Price without flights: £1295
Extend your stay from £60/person B&B
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
The Holocaust
Poland and the Death Camps
•
•
Long tour with Dr Tim Cole, short tour with local guides
Warsaw, Treblinka and Auschwitz
•
•
The story everyone should hear
Schindler’s factory, Krakow and Wieliczka salt mine
Some six million Poles died during the Second World War, half of whom were Jews murdered in the forests in the east of the country or the
death camps set up after the German occupation of their country. By far the largest of these was Auschwitz-Birkenau which was the site of over
one million deaths, mainly Jews brought here from all over Europe. The smaller, purpose built ‘killing’ camp of Treblinka where Warsaw’s Jews
were taken, was said by its commandant SS-Obersturmfuhrer Franz Stangl to be able to murder over 1000 people per hour at its peak. With
the positioning of the Majdanek camp on the outskirts of Lublin, the Germans made no effort to disguise the killings, its gas chambers and
crematorium being plainly visible to passers-by. The overarching narrative of the tour is about the shift from Polish Jews to European Jews and
the evolution of policy from concentration camps to death camps.
In this, an eight-day tour to Poland, we visit the sites of the former ghettos in Warsaw, Lublin and Krakow alongside three of the concentration
and death camps – Treblinka, Majdanek and Auschwitz-Birkenau - that played such a significant role in this genocide. We look at the struggle of
both the Jews and the Poles against their oppressors, visiting the scenes of the Ghetto Uprising in 1943 and the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. You
will see the shift from complete physical destruction of ghetto and camp to the actual remnants due to the rapid advance of the Soviets. We
will also visit Oscar Schindler’s factory in Krakow. However the tour is not limited to the serious and emotive history of the Holocaust – with its
clear message for future generations. We also enjoy expert guided tours of Warsaw and Krakow, sample much of the local culture and visit the
world famous salt mine at Wieliczka. Each evening we will dine in a different local restaurant to sample a wealth of diverse local cuisine. This
year we also offer a shortened weekend tour simply based out of Krakow
“In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply cannot build up my hopes on a foundation of
confusion misery and death… I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if they look up to the heavens, I think that it will all come
right, that this cruelty will end, and that peace and tranquillity will return”.
Anne Frank
Day 1 - Depart. Fly London to Warsaw.
Check-in to our central hotel for two nights.
Day 2 - Warsaw. Guided tour around
Warsaw including the Warsaw Rising
monument, ‘44 Rising Museum, Nozyk
Synagogue, and the Jewish Cemetery. We
walk the ‘memorial route to the struggle
& martyrdom of the Jews’ in the site of the
former ghetto.
Day 3 - Treblinka & Lublin. Visit the death
camp of Treblinka before driving to Lublin,
with its imposing castle/prison which served
as a Nazi processing centre. Check-in to our
hotel for one night.
Day 4 - Majdanek. Drive to Krakow via the
concentration camp of Majdanek, where the
barracks, guard towers, the only remaining
gas chamber that is completely intact and
long lines of (formerly) electrified double
barbed wire remain just as they were over
fifty years ago. Check-in to our hotel for four
nights.
Day 5 - Krakow. A change of pace and
emphasis with a guided tour of the
architectural wealth of Krakow’s Old Town
with its busy street life. In the afternoon
we will visit the Wawel, the very symbol of
Poland where its cathedral houses the last
resting place of many of Poland’s monarchs
whilst the castle plays host to the legendary
Wawel Dragon.
Day 6 - Auschwitz and Birkenau. We travel
out to the concentration and death camps of
Auschwitz and Birkenau. To enter the camp
of Auschwitz, one passes under the infamous
inscription ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ mounted
upon its main gate, before visiting the
exhibitions in the surviving prison blocks. In
the afternoon we visit Birkenau, also known
as Auschwitz II, the purpose-built camp that
had hundreds of barracks and 4 massive gas
chambers and functioned as the epicentre
of the Holocaust during 1943 and 1944.
Day 7 - Kazimierz and Wieliczka. Before
WW2, some 70,000 Jews lived in Krakow,
mostly in the suburb of Kazimierz. We
explore this tiny area including the Old
Synagogue Museum and the ‘Schindler’s
Factory’ museum. This afternoon we visit the
awesome 700 year old salt mine at Wieliczka,
its labyrinth of 300km of tunnels revealing
chapels, underground lakes and a museum.
Day 8 - Home. Some free time in Krakow
before we catch our return flight from
Krakow to London.
Short Krakow tour
(Local guides only)
Day 1 - Depart. Fly from London to
Krakow and check-in to our hotel for
3 nights. Guided tour of Krakow’s Old
Town.
Days 2 & 3 are identical to days 6 & 7 of
the longer tour above.
Day 4 - Home. Check-out of hotel and
then visit the Wawel before catching
our return flight to London.
Essentials
Essentials
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and local
guides throughout.
Tour price: £1995
Single supplement: £235
Deposit: £200
Price without flights: £1845
Tour price: £895
Single supplement: £135
Deposit: £100
Price without flights: £745
15th - 22nd July 2014
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
31st October - 3rd November 2014
31
The sick man of Europe
Turkey’s military history from the fall
of Constantinople to Gallipoli
•
•
With Erkut Aldeniz and Kenan Celik
From the siege of Troy to the Gallipoli Campaign
•
•
A fascinating potpourri of Turkish history & culture
Historic Istanbul/Constantinople and Scutari
Successively a Byzantine, then Ottoman Empire and presently a republic, Turkey has endured a turbulent past, having been fought over from
the earliest of times. Its ancient capital, Constantinople suffered numerous sieges by the Persian, Arab and Rus until finally falling into Ottoman
hands in 1453. For the next 450 years the tide of Ottoman influence ebbed and flowed throughout the Balkans and the Orient. Even during
its decline it was courted by the major European nations, playing an important role in the Crimean and First World War, in particular, Gallipoli,
where on 25 April 1915 General Sir Ian Hamilton’s Mediterranean Expeditionary Force landed in what was the largest amphibious operation in
history to that time. This turbulent past has left Turkey with a rich tapestry of history, cuisine and culture to explore.
This week-long cultural and military history tour is centred on Canakkale and Istanbul, the former provides a base from which to explore the
Gallipoli Peninsula under the guidance of one of Turkey’s leading military historians, Kenan Celik. We also examine the remains of the nearby
legendary city of Troy. Whilst at Istanbul we explore many of the sites associated with its dramatic fall to Mehmet II, the role of Florence
Nightingale during the Crimean War and familiarise ourselves thoroughly with Sultanahmet, the heart of this wonderful city. The tour is led
throughout by Erkut Aldeniz who, whilst one of Turkey’s finest historical guides, has a great passion his country’s cuisine allowing you to enjoy
a variety of exotic restaurants.
“The Turkish nation consists of the valiant descendants of the people that has lived independently and has considered
independence the sole condition of existence. This nation has never lived without freedom, cannot, and never will”.
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Day 1. - Depart. Fly London – Istanbul. Drive
to Canakkale and check into our hotel for
three nights.
the extraordinary Haghia Sophia, the
imperial Topkapi Palace, the graceful Blue
Mosque and the enchanting Grand Bazaar.
Day 2 & 3 - The Gallipoli Campaign.
A thorough exploration of the Gallipoli
battlefields over two days, including the
French and British landings at Cape Helles,
the attempted breakout battles for Krithia,
the ANZAC landings, the subsequent siege
of the beachhead perimeter, the Suvla Bay
landings and the final evacuation.
Day 6 - The Fall of Constantinople. We visit
Rumeli Hisari castle, built by Mehmet II in
1451, walk along sections of the outstanding
Byzantine Walls which staunchly held out
for two months against and take a boat
trip along the Golden Horn and Bosporus to
examine the sea walls.
Day 4 - Ancient Troy. A morning visit to the
ruins of ancient Troy. In the afternoon we will
return to Istanbul and check-in to the hotel
for four nights.
“Turkish soldiers are brave. They love their
country and can die for it any time”.
Albert Einstein
Day 5 - Sultanahment. A full day exploration
of the imperial quarter of Istanbul including
32
Day 7 - A miscellany of military history.
The Turkish Military Museum, Florence
Nightingale’s room in the military barracks
in Uskadar (Scutari) and the Haidar Pasha
Consular Cemetery which contains the
Crimean War Memorial and graves of Allied
prisoners from the Gallipoli Campaign.
Day 8 - Home. Fly Istanbul – London.
Essentials
31st May - 7th June 2014
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1845
Single supplement: £195
Deposit: £175
Price without flights: £1645
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Kaliningrad
A Miscellany of Military History
•
•
With expert guide Patrick Mercer
Battles of Eylau, Friedland, Gumbinnen, Pillau,
•
•
From Napoleon to Hitler
Based in capital of former East Prussia
Königsberg, the former capital of Prussia, home to the Teutonic Knights and the great philosopher Immanuel Kant, is today known by its Russian
name, Kaliningrad and is now the capital of the isolated exclave of the same name. Due to its proximity to Russia, the former East Prussia has
frequently been the scene of conflict between the two nations. During the Seven Years War, a smaller Prussian army was defeated at Gross
Jagesdorf in 1757, whilst fifty years later the region played host to the armies of Napoleon and Tsar Alexander at the great battles of Eylau and
Friedland followed by the treaty of Tilsit signed on a raft moored on the River Neiman which sealed the fate of Europe in 1807. At the outbreak
of the First World War, against specific orders to the contrary, General Prittwitz took the fight to the Russians but was defeated at Gumbinnen
in August 1914 and abandoned Prussia as far as the Vistula. Flattened by the RAF in 1944, Königsberg was besieged for almost three months
in 1945, and when its defenders finally surrendered they found themselves some 500 kilometres behind the front line. Of great strategic
importance, the region was ethnically cleansed of its German inhabitants after WW2.
Today the city of Kaliningrad, a city that is still recovering from the ravages and scars from 65 years ago, is gradually re-discovering
its past with great efforts being made to restore and open up hitherto abandoned remains of its rich and varied history. The region still
has plenty of echoes of its Teutonic past that the former regime found it impossible to erase. The original German places names are no
longer whispered, indeed many of the Russian population embrace that past as their own. Our hotel is in the very centre of the city on the
banks of the River Pregel and within easy walking distance of Kneiphof Island, where Kant lays guardian to his seven bridges conundrum.
Perhaps you will be the one to solve it?
Prussia, with all the veils that hide the thing, is a military organisation led by a military corporation.
Ardant du Picq: Battle Studies
Frederich-Wilhelm III and Fort Stein.
Day 4 – Kaliningrad and Pillau. We spend
the morning exploring modern Kaliningrad
including a visit to the outstanding and
restored Dom Cathedral before following
the route of many of the German evacuees
to the Baltic seaport of Pillau, so bitterly
fought over during the closing days of
the war and where we visit its impressive
Swedish citadel.
Day 5 – Gumbinnen 1914 and Tilsit
1807. This morning we visit the battlefield
monument at Gross Jagersdorf en-route to
Gusav to discuss the battle of Gimbinnen
and visit the new memorial complex recently
erected by the Russians to commemorate
their part in the foiling of the Schliefen plan.
Thence to Tilsit and the banks of the River
Nieman where today stands the Queen
Lousia Bridge and an EU funded museum.
Day 1 - Depart. Early afternoon flight from
London to Kaliningrad via Riga. Check in to
our hotel for five nights.
Day 2 – Eylau and Friedland 1807. At Eylau
Napoleon received the first real check of his
career. We travel to the Polish border where
we examine this winter battlefield from the
French and Russian perspectives; we see
where Augereau’s division was destroyed
and Murat led his massed cavalry charge,
visit the small museum, churchyard and
battlefield monuments. Continue to the
unspoilt battlefield of Friedland where from
the top of the church tower we will gain
great views of the surrounding countryside
and understand the importance played
by the River Alle and its tributary to one of
Napoleon’s finest victories. Other than a
couple of monuments there is very little
evidence that a battle of such importance
was ever fought here!
Day 6 – Home. Morning return flight to
London via Riga.
Day 3 – Koenigsberg 1945. We visit the
command bunker where German General
Lasch surrendered to the Russians, the
Friedland Gate museum and the impressive
model used by the Red Army to plan its
assault on the city. It is surprising how much
of the 19th century fortifications remain and
we will visit many of the strong points which
held out against great odds such as Fort
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast, four
lunches, three course dinner with
drinks each evening, all entrance fees
and expert guide throughout.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Essentials
1st - 6th June 2014
Tour price: £1845
Single supplement: £175
Deposit: £175
Price without flights: £1645
33
The Holy Land in Turmoil
The battlefields of Israel
•
•
With Israeli military historian Cliff Churgan
Tel Aviv, Galilee, Golan Heights, Jerusalem, Dead Sea
•
•
A fascinating tour of the full sweep of Israel’s history
David & Goliath to Crusaders to Golda Mier
Since the dawn of civilization the small strip of land, eventually to be called the Holy Land, served as a land bridge between many of the world’s
great empires. In the Bronze and Iron Age Egyptian, Babylonian, and Assyrian armies marched through here fighting for control of cities such
as Megiddo and Jaffa. Meanwhile the Israelites struggled against Midianites, Philistines and others in battles led by men such as Gideon,
Barak and King David. Later came the Romans whose war against the Jews was to leave behind some of the best preserved siege works in the
world at Masada. As Europe emerged from the Dark Ages, Crusaders arrived erecting castles like Belvoir and fighting battles such as that at the
Horns of Hattin against their Muslim foes. In modern times the Holy Land once more became a focus of warfare – at The Battle of Beer Sheba
Australians mounted what many consider the last successful cavalry charge in history and at the Vale of Tears in the Golan Heights a handful of
Israeli tanks made a desperate stand against a massive Syrian force. We can even see military history unfolding before us as Israel faces Hamas
and Hezbollah in a model of modern asymmetrical warfare.
This incredible ten-day journey will include visits to battlefields you have read about in the Bible, in history books and the news. The visit will
cover the gamut of military technologies from ancient to modern and terrain from desert to mountains to woods. The tour will be guided by
Cliff Churgin, author of “Battlefields” a multimedia CD-Rom on the history of warfare, contributor to Ancient Warfare Magazine and expert on
Israeli history. Throughout the tour Cliff will provide a series of illuminating talks and lectures on Israeli military history and culture from Biblical
times right up to the modern day.
“Some people like the Jews, and some do not. But no thoughtful man can deny the fact that they are, beyond any question, the
most formidable and most remarkable race which has appeared in the world”.
Winston Churchill
Harod where Gideon met the Midianites
(and where 3,000 years later Orde Wingate
trained commandoes to quell an Arab
uprising); Mt. Saul where the first king of
Israel died fighting the Philistines. Check-in
to our hotel in Beit Shean for one night and
enjoy a sound and light show.
Day 5 – The Galilee. Visit the Crusader
castle of Belvoir, Arbel, where Jewish rebels
fought Herod and the Horns of Hattin where
Saladin broke the Crusaders. Overnight in
Kibbutz HaGoshrim.
Day 1 – Depart. Fly London – Tel Aviv.
Check-in to our hotel for two nights.
Day 2 – Old Jaffa. Visit Pharaoh Thutmose
III’s Egyptian palace. At the Etzel Museum
we discuss the battle for Jaffa in Israel’s
War of Independence in 1948. Thence to
the Palmach Museum dedicated to the
underground fighters of pre-state Israel.
Day 3 - The Western Coast. Visit Apollonia
(Arsuf) where Richard the Lionheart fought
Saladin to a standstill, then travel to Caesarea
- a Roman and Crusader stronghold. We visit
the Haifa Naval Museum. Thence to Acre, the
final Crusader capital, to walk its walls and
check-in to our hotel for one night.
Day 4 - The Jezreel Valley. A biblical day
when we visit: Megido where some believe
the biblical final battle of Armageddon will
take place; Mt. Tabor where Deborah and
Barak defeated Sisera and his chariots; Ein
34
Day 6 – The Golan. Travel to Tel Faher, a key
battle during the Six Day War. See where
a handful of Israeli tanks held up a Syrian
assault column at Oz 77 during the famous
Battle of the Vale of Tears in 1973. Thence to
ancient Gamla mercilessly taken from the
Jews by the Romans in the 67 AD. Check-in
to our Jerusalem hotel for 5 nights.
Day 7 – Jerusalem. An orientation of
Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives before
visiting Ammunition Hill, site of the Israeli
paratroopers’ most famous battle from
the 1967 war. Walk the ramparts of the Old
City that have been assaulted by Assyrian,
Crusader and Israeli alike.
Day 8 – The South. Visit Beersheba where
General Allenby’s forces broke through the
Ottoman lines in 1917, the Israeli Air Force
Museum, the remains of Tel Sheva, biblical
home of Abraham and the Australian Light
Horse Memorial.
Day 9 - The South. Visit Yad Mordechai
where a small group of fighters held off
the Egyptian army during the 1948 War.
Continue in the footsteps of the Egyptian
army to Gesher Ad Halom, their farthest
northward advance in 1948. At Tel Lachish
see the ruins of what was the second largest
city in Judea and site of the largest Assyrian
siege ramp in existence. Our final visit is
to Tel Azeikah, overlooking the Ela Valley,
where David and Goliath are believed to
have fought each other.
Day 10 - The Dead Sea. Visit Masada site
of the famous siege that ended the Great
Jewish Rebellion against Rome, walk
through a 2,000 year old Roman siege camp
then take a relaxing swim and lunch at the
Ein Gedi spa.
Day 11 - Jerusalem Hills and Departure.
Visit Latrun, the site of several key battles
during the 1948 war and which today
houses a spectacular international collection
of tanks. Late afternoon return flight
to London.
Essentials
16th - 26th November 2014
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
seven lunches, three course dinner
with drinks each evening, all entrance
fees and expert guide throughout.
Tour price: £2995
Single supplement: £395
Deposit: £300
Price without flights: £2445
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Sarajevo
Assassination & Siege
•
•
With Maj Gen John ‘DZ’ Drewienkiewicz
Vienna, Sarajevo, Tito’s and NATO bunkers
•
•
From Serbian assignation 1914 to Serbian siege 1992
A story told by the man who was there
On 28th June 1914 in Sarajevo, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were shot dead by Serbian nationalists. The outcome was a
European-wide mobilisation and ultimately the outbreak of the First World War. Nearly eighty years later, the city was once again at the centre
of world attention as it held out against the Bosnian-Serbs during the longest siege in modern history in which more than 10,000 people were
killed.
Our tour to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is timed to coincide with 100th anniversary of the momentous assassination and
we will stand as close as possible on the very spot that it occurred. Leading the tour will be Maj Gen John Drewienkiewicz who served here
for 18 months between October 1996 and September 1998: firstly as Chief of Staff to the NATO mission and then as Commander of the NATO
support operation in Zagreb. He returned for a second time between 2002-2005 when he was heavily involved in uniting the three armies that
had fought against one another into one Bosnian Armed Force. Through his intimate knowledge of the city, its history and its people John will
introduce you to its culture and many of the fighters and civilians that endured the terrible siege.
“War talk by men who have been in a war is always interesting”.
Mark Twain
Day 3 - Assassination. Drive to Franz
Ferdinand’s Residence at Ilidza and follow
his route in to the Old Town and from there
along river to Latinski Most (Latin Bridge),
the scene of the assassination. Then visit
the Assassination Museum. Enjoy lunch in
the Old Town (perhaps a ‘Cevapi’, mutton
sausages in pitta bread). Drive to the
heights overlooking Sarajevo, which housed
much of the 1984 Winter Olympics, to walk
1992-1995 Front Line including the Jewish
Cemetery and Pale Transit Road. We enjoy
drinks from the rotating viewing platform
at the top of the Unis Tower. We take dinner
at Jez, an underground restaurant which
stayed open throughout the war.
Day 4 - Konjic. Visit the ‘Tito Bunker’, a
massive underground nerve centre for the
defence of Yugoslavia. Return down the
mountain track following supply route into
Sarajevo (if negotiable) and visit the site of
the NATO Balkan HQ Ilidza. Transfer to the
airport for our return flight to London via
Vienna.
Essentials
26th - 29th June 2014
Day 1 - Vienna. Fly from London and spend
the afternoon in Vienna’s Military Museum,
viewing its WW1 Collection, including the
Gräf und Stift Double Phaeton Limousine
in which the Archduke was riding when he
was assassinated. Check-in to our hotel for
one night.
Day 2 - Siege of Sarajevo 1992 – 1995. Fly
Vienna to Sarajevo. We view aspects of the
siege including the airport and the tunnel
which was for much of the war the only link
with the outside world. Check-in to our city
centre hotel for two nights followed by a
guided tour of the Old Town.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1495
Single supplement: £115
Deposit: £150
Price without flights: £945
35
20
15
escape from elba
route napoleon
•
•
With TCE director Alan Rooney
Beautiful South of France & Grenoble
•
•
Napoleon’s march to his destiny at Waterloo
Re-enactment at Golfe Juan
Banished to Elba after his abdication, Napoleon found the restrictions of the small island too great for his restless ambition. Regularly receiving
reports from France as to the unpopularity of the Bourbon regime that had replaced him, he determined upon the last great gamble of his
career. Slipping away under the cover of darkness and evading the Royal Navy, he landed at Golfe Juan on 2 March 1815 and immediately
commenced his march on Paris to regain his place at the head of the French Empire and prepare for what was to be his final campaign –
Waterloo.
The citizens of Golfe Juan have been preparing and practising for the 200th anniversary of the return of Napoleon for many years so sharing
their celebrations and enjoying the beach re-enactment is guaranteed to be a memorable commemoration. Tracing his footsteps along the
eponymous Route Napoleon to Grenoble, we enjoy breath-taking mountain scenery and visit picturesque villages at which he made his
celebrated rests. For the finale of our tour we will enjoy superb French cuisine at the Michelin starred Auberge Napoleon in Grenoble. This tour
is the sequel to our Abdication & Exile tour and an ideal prelude tour for our 200th anniversary Waterloo tour later in the year.
“ Before Grenoble I was an adventurer. At Grenoble I became a reigning prince again”.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Day 1 – Depart. Fly London to Nice and
check-in to our hotel for 3 nights. Visit the
Musée Massena, the one-time home of
Napoleon’s marshal. These evening we
dine in old Nice and see the house from
where Napoleon planned his 1796 Italian
campaign.
Day 2 – Antibes and Golfe Juan. Visit
Fort Carré (or Gabelle), where it is said that
Napoleon was imprisoned in 1794. Thence
to the beach at Golfe Juan to visit the reenactor camps and market stalls.
Day 3 – Return from Exile. 200 years ago
today, Napoleon’s Old Guard landed on
the beach and we will see ‘Gronards’ galore
commemorating that event here at Golfe
Juan. No doubt the Emperor himself will
make an appearance. We spend the full day
enjoying the festivities.
Day 4 – Route Napoleon. Exactly 200 years
ago Napoleon commenced his famous
march to Paris. In slightly quicker time we
follow his route through the mountains
to Grenoble visiting many of the places at
which he stopped en-route. Our final stop of
the day is at La Prairie de la Recontre where
he memorably confronted and converted
the 5th Line Regiment to his cause. Continue
to Grenoble and check-in to our hotel for
two nights.
Day 5 – Grenoble. We visit the Musée de
la Revolution Francaise at Vizelle and then
take the cable car to Fort Bastille with its
panoramic views and its mountain troops
museum. This evening we end our tour with
dinner at the Auberge Napoleon, the former
hotel at which he spent the night 200 years ago,
Day 6 – Home. Drive to Lyon for our return
flight to London.
“Death is nothing, but to live defeated and
inglorious is to die daily”.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Essentials
27th February - 4th March 2015
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1595
Single supplement: £225
Deposit: £150
Price without flights: £1395
36
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
15
20
Waterloo 2015
The bicentennial
•
•
With Colonel Bob Kershaw and Professor Jeremy Black
All the major battle anniversaries
•
•
The largest Napoleonic re-enactment in Western Europe
Grandstand tickets assured
In response to the numerous enquiries that we have received regarding this highly anticipated occasion, we have decided to announce and
take bookings for Waterloo 2015 early. This means you can guarantee your place on the tour and ensure a prime viewing grandstand platform
from which to view the magnificent spectacle of what is sure to be the largest Napoleonic battle re-enactment that has ever been performed.
Demand on these tours is sure to be great so you should act quickly in order to secure your place.
“ Never did I see such a pounding match - Napoleon did not manoeuvre at all. He first moved forward in the old style, and was
drawn off in the Old Style”.
The Duke of Wellington
The full anniversary
Waterloo
Campaign
tour
The weekend
anniversary
Waterloo tour
This is the ultimate campaign tour which
will visit all the major battlefields and
actions of the campaign. You will visit the
battlefields of Quatre Bras, Ligny, Wavre and
Waterloo and trace the route of the Allied
armies. And as these dates fall on a week
day, you will also be able to enjoy all the reenactment events which are scheduled for
the following week-end. The tour will be led
by accomplished military historian Colonel
Bob Kershaw whose Battles That Changed
The World was released last year and 24
Hours at Waterloo will be published next
year. Throughout the eight days the tour
will be based out of central Brussels with its
wealth of historic architectural interest and
excellent restaurants.
This is our standard Waterloo tour led by
internationally renowned historian Professor
Jeremy Black. It is timed to coincide with the
two major re-enactments of Waterloo.
Exploration of the three main battlefields
is by coach although there will be the
opportunity for some short walks. It is based
throughout in central Brussels and travel
from London is by Eurostar rail.
Day 1 – Prelude. Depart London St Pancras
for Brussels. Visit the Waterloo Crypt at Evere
and the Wellington Museum in Waterloo
village. Check-in to our Brussels hotel for 3 nights.
Day 1 – Sambre crossings. Depart London
via Eurotunnel and drive to Charleroi to
examine the French army routes into
Belgium. Continue to Brussels and check-in
to our hotel for 7 nights.
Day 6 - Exhibitions, camps and markets.
This will be your opportunity to enjoy the
special exhibitions, markets and re-enactor
camps or revisit some of the key sites on the
Waterloo battlefield.
Day 2 – Ligny and Quatre Bras. A full day
spent exploring both these battlefields
including a selection of short walks.
Day 7 - Re-enactment. This will be
the major re-enactment of the whole
anniversary which you will enjoy from the
best possible seats. On our return we will
visit the Waterloo Crypt at Evere.
Day 3 – Retreat. We follow the routes
taken by both Blucher and Wellington and
examine a number of the rear-guard actions.
At some point during the day we will attend
the official inauguration of the renovated
Hougoumont Chateau.
Day 4 – Waterloo. All day spent exploring
this battlefield intertwining all the major
sites with a selection of short walks along
the Allied Ridge, following the Prussian
advance on Plancenoit and the final attack
of the French Guard.
Day 5 – Wavre & re-enactment. Another
mixture of key sites and short walks from the
Dyle to Rixensart Woods. This evening we enjoy
the first of the scheduled Waterloo re-enactments.
Day 8- Peronne and Home. We depart for
London via Peronne, the last action of the
campaign for Wellington’s army. Continue
to Calais for the Eurotunnel crossing.
Day 2 – Ligny and Quatre Bras. A full day
spent exploring both these battlefields. This
evening we enjoy the first of the scheduled
Waterloo re-enactments.
Day 3 – Waterloo. All day spent exploring
this battlefield intertwining all the
major view-points with visits to selected
exhibitions and re-enactor camps.
Day 4 – Re-enactment. This will be
the major re-enactment of the whole
anniversary which you will enjoy from the
best possible seats. Return to London via
Eurostar.
Essentials
Essentials
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast,
three course dinner with drinks each
evening, all entrance fees and expert
guide throughout.
Tour price: £1995
Single supplement: £275
Deposit: £200
Tour price: £1045
Single supplement: £120
Deposit: £100
15th - 22nd June 2015
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
18th - 21st June 2015
37
20
15
Lawrence of Arabia
Jordan & the Arab Revolt
•
•
With historian and desert explorer Eamonn Gearon
Aqaba, Wadi Rum, Petra, Dead Sea, Jerash, Amman
•
•
Epic tour following an epic historic and cultural story
Far more than ‘just’ a battlefield tour
Initially dismissed by critics as a sideshow, the Arab Revolt was one of the most successful campaigns of the First World War. Conceived and
plotted by the Arab Bureau, a branch of British Military Intelligence, from their rooms in Cairo’s Savoy Hotel, Lawrence and his colleagues
brought the idea of a Bedouin uprising to life. Between 1916 and 1918, the Arab Revolt wrought havoc and destruction upon Ottoman-Turkish
forces, from the deserts of Arabia to the gates of Damascus. Subsequently called “the first modern intelligence war,” the Arab Revolt is the
perfect example of what we might today call asymmetric warfare. Using guerrilla tactics and superior knowledge of geography and tribal
alliances, the irregular Bedouin forces, supported by Lawrence, secured numerous dramatic victories – and kept tens of thousands of enemy
troops running in circles trying to find them – until their eventual, triumphant entry into Damascus.
At the outbreak of the First World War, Thomas Edward Lawrence – Ned to his family – was a 26-year old post-graduate researcher at the
University of Oxford. Enlisting in the Army in late 1914, Lawrence was posted to Cairo and the nascent Arab Bureau. Sent to western Arabia,
in 1916, Lawrence was not content to simply act as an observer and liaison to Prince Faisal (later King of Iraq) and his Hashemite troops. This
tour follows the same northward path of Lawrence and the Arab Revolt, from the capture of Aqaba towards victory. We will cross the path of
the Hejaz Railway, visit the stunning rock-hewn city of Petra, pass through Wadi Rum, route of Lawrence’s incredible desert march, and visit a
number of the Crusader castles Lawrence surveyed and sketched as an undergraduate. This is the most memorable chapter of the First World
War, which we will follow exactly a century after Lawrence started his journey, from Cairo to legend.
“The few active rebels must have the qualities of speed and endurance, ubiquity and independence arteries of supply. They must
have the technical equipment to destroy or paralyse the enemy’s organised communications”.
TE Lawrence, The Science of Guerrilla Warfare
“With 2000 years of example is behind us,
we have no excuse when fighting, for not
fighting well”.
TE Lawrence
with its examples of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Day 8 – Depart. Fly Amman to London.
Day 4 – Petra. A full day to explore the
wonders of Petra, the incomparable capital
of the Nabatean Empire, known throughout
the ancient world for the wonders of its
architecture and innovative means of
moving water across the city. Lawrence
visited Petra before and during the war and
was captivated by the beauty of the rockhewn Treasury, the Royal Tombs, Qsar alBinty and the Temple of the Winged Lion, all
of which we will visit.
Day 1 – Depart. Fly London to Amman,
transfer to Aqaba and check-in to our hotel
for two nights.
Day 2 – Aqaba. Visit the archaeological and
Arab Revolt museums. Explore the battle
site, also known as Aqaba Castle.
Day 3 - Wadi Rum. It was from this multicoloured gorge that Lawrence and the Arab
troops operated throughout 1917 and from
where they launched their attack on Aqaba.
The wadi was widely used by David Lean
for the epic 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia,
with sites including Lawrence Springs and
Lawrence House. Continue to Petra and
check-in to our hotel for two nights.
38
Day 5 – The Dead Sea and Kerak. Visit
the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth
where you might choose to float on the
Sea’s famous healing waters. After lunch
we visit the dominating Crusader castle at
Kerak which most impressed Lawrence the
architecture undergraduate prior to WW1.
Check-in to our hotel in Amman for three
nights.
Day 6 - Azraq, Jerash and the Hijaz
Railway. It was at Azrak with its castle
that Lawrence based his operations for
much of the Arab revolt. We explore the
magnificently situated Jerash, one of the
best-preserved Roman sites in the world.
During our travels we will also pass the Hijaz
Railway with its abandoned stations, track
and rolling stock still extant after 100 years.
Day 7 – Amman. A full day exploring
Jordan’s capital including its Roman Theatre,
Odeon and the Archaeological Museum
Essentials
14th - 21st March 2015
Four star hotels, buffet breakfast, six
lunches, three course dinner with
drinks each evening, all entrance fees
and expert guide throughout.
Tour price: £2395
Single supplement: £250
Deposit: £250
Price without flights: £2045
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
The tce points reward scheme
The Cultural Experience – the travel agent
Did you know that as well as offering our
own range of incredible holidays we can
also arrange your holiday with many of
the leading tour operators and cruise
companies? As members of the TTA/Travel
Network Group we are able to book your
holiday in the same manner as your high
street travel agent.
But here’s the added value that the high
street agent and the tour operator can’t
compete with. For every holiday that you
book through us we will award you TCE
points which can be redeemed against any
of the superb tours featured in our own
brochure or on our web site.
When you are ready to book your next
holiday, no matter where to or who with,
call us first and if you book it with us then
you will earn TCE points. It won’t cost you a
penny more but it could save you hundreds
of pounds. Remember, if you can book it
with your local travel agent, then you can
book it with us - at the same price offered by
the tour operator.
of Antiquity, Kirker Holidays, Cox & Kings,
Warner Leisure Hotels and even Leger.
Booking your holiday with us means that
you earn TCE points as follows:
For example:
•
•
•
•
•
For every qualifying £200 spent, earn 10
points.
Each point has a value of £1 against a
TCE tour.
Don’t just earn points booking
your own holidays, encourage your
colleagues, friends and family to book
with us and ask them to transfer their
points to your account.
Spend your points on any TCE escorted
historical or battlefield tour up to its
total value.
For conditions, see our website.
Just some of the companies that qualify:
Titan Hi-Tours, Kuoni , Virgin Holidays, Swan
Hellenic cruises, Silversea cruises, Voyages
•
•
•
•
Book an eight day Douro River cruise in
Portugal for two next spring with Titan,
and you could earn 180 points. Or
book an ‘Atlantic’ outside cabin for two
people on Swan Hellenic’s Baltic cruise
next summer and earn 410 points.
Even better book those holidays with
another couple and your total booking
could have a redeemable value of £820
against your next TCE tour.
If you know of anybody else that is
thinking of going on holiday then get
them to book it through us and transfer
their points to your account and you
could be going on your next Cultural
Experience tour for free!
You can even earn points on Cultural
Experience holidays.
Tours by Departure Date
April 2014
11th - 14th Art & Autocracy in Florence
with Jennie Spiers page 7
19th - 25th Abdication & Exile
with Alan Rooney page 14
24th - 6th May American Civil War
Western Theater with Fred Hawthorne
page 17
25th - 30th From Despair to Triumph
with Gordon Corrigan page 28
May 2014
2nd - 5th Death of Chivalry
with John Sadler page 8
3rd - 11th The Eastern Front 1941 - 1943
with Bob Kershaw page 26
17th - 24th Wellington in Portugal
with Nick Lipscombe page 12
22nd - 28th The Crimean War
with Mick Holtby page 18
31st - 7th June The Sick Man of Europe
with Erkut Aldeniz page 32
June 2014
1st - 6th Kaliningrad
with Patrick Mercer page 33
13th - 15th Art & Autocracy in Paris
with Jennie Spiers page 6
20th - 22nd A Near Run Thing
with Jeremy Black page 15
25th - 29th Scotland Forever!
with John Sadler page 9
26th - 29th Sarajevo with
John Drewienkiewicz page 35
30th - 4th July D-Day: Operation Overlord
with Bruce Cherry page 29
July 2014
4th - 7th Mons and Le Cateau
with Patrick Mercer page 20
15th - 22nd The Holocaust (full tour)
with Tim Cole page 31
24th - 30th The Austro-Prussian War
with John Drewienkiewicz page 19
August 2014
1st - 3rd Art & Autocracy in Berlin
with Jennie Spiers page 6
3rd - 10th The Classic Western Front Tour
with Bruce Cherry page 22
September 2014
Theater with Fred Hawthorne page 16
31st - 3rd November The Holocaust
(short tour) with local guides page 31
November 2014
4th - 7th Fortress Malta
with Ashley Truluck page 24
8th - 13th The Rise and Fall of Berlin
with Nigel Dunkley page 30
13th - 17th Dutch Courage
with Nick Lipscombe page 11
16th - 26th The Holy Land in Turmoil
with Cliff Churgin page 34
20th - 28th Wellington in India
with Mick Holtby page 10
December 2014
12th - 14th Ypres and the Christmas Truce
with Bruce Cherry page 21
7th - 14th Hitler Moves South
with Bob Kershaw page 27
10th - 17th Wellington in Spain
with Nick Lipscombe page 13
17th - 20th The Spanish Civil War
with Ray Wilkinson page 23
22nd - 30th The War in the Desert: Tunisia
with Mick Holtby page 25
February 2015
October 2014
15th - 22nd The Full Anniversary Waterloo
Campaign tour with Bob Kershaw page 37
18th - 21st The Weekend Anniversary
Waterloo Tour with Jeremy Black page 37
3rd - 5th Art & Autocracy in Madrid
with Jennie Spiers page 7
10th - 23rd American Civil War Eastern
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
27th - 4th March Escape from Elba
with Alan Rooney page 36
March 2015
14th - 21st March Lawrence of Arabia
with Eamonn Gearon page 38
June 2015
39
IMPORTANT Information
BOOKING PROCEDURE
1) Telephone us on 0845 475 1815 or (from outside the
United Kingdom) +44 1935 813700 to discuss any tour,
enquire about availability or reserve and pay for your
holiday. Please make sure that you have your passport
handy and that you have read our booking conditions
printed below.
2) Or fill out the booking form opposite for all members
of your party, select your preferred form of payment
and send it to us. If you are booking your tour less than
ten weeks before departure then the full payment must
accompany your booking form. All bookings, including
telephone bookings need to be accompanied by a
completed booking form.
3) We will acknowledge your booking within 10 days of
its receipt by way of a confirmation invoice and Travel
Trust Association financial guarantee certificate.
BOOKING CONDITIONS
Please read these carefully, as along with our Privacy
Policy, they form the basis of the contract between
you and The Cultural Experience (TCE). An expanded
version of these booking conditions is available on
our website: www.theculturalexperience.com/book/
bookingconditions
BOOKING & PAYMENT
Payment can be made by credit card (2% charge), debit
card, cheque, (payable to ‘The Cultural Experience’),
international money order in sterling (GBP), or bank
transfer net of all bank charges to TTA Trustees (UK)
Ltd Trustee of Client Monies of Midas Tours Ltd T/A The
Cultural Experience, Natwest Bank, London Piccadilly
branch, Sort code: 504101, Account no.: 45150370, IBAN:
GB79 NWBK 5041 0145 1503 70, SWIFT/BIC: NWBK GB 2L.
Upon receipt of your payment, we will issue with a
booking confirmation. At this point, a binding contract
will exist between you and TCE. Please let us know
within 10 days of its issue if the booking confirmation
contains any errors.
The balance of the price is payable not less than 70 days
prior to the departure date. If the balance has not been
paid by 56 days prior to departure, we may cancel the
booking and levy the cancellation charges set out below.
FINANCIAL PROTECTION
The Cultural Experience takes your financial protection
very seriously. The air holidays in this brochure are ATOL
protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL
number is ATOL T10153. The Cultural Experience is also
a member of the Travel Trust Association (No. U6964)
ensuring that we more than meet the requirements of
the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tour
Regulations 1992. This provides security for money paid
by you in the event of our insolvency.
The Travel Trust Association (TTA) exists in order to
protect you, the customer, with 100 per cent financial
protection. Every penny that you pay to us is protected
by the Travel Trust Association. We deposit your money
into a designated trust account which is supervised by
an appointed trustee who is either a banker, chartered
or certified accountant or a solicitor. Both the Cultural
Experience and the TTA trustee are required to authorise
payments from the trust account.The TTA guarantees
your financial protection up to a maximum of £11,000
per passenger. So, for example, if each member of your
party paid £4000 for their place on one of our tours, the
TTA guarantees it will reimburse the loss of the £4000 to
each person, should it not be available to you from the
Trust Account.
The terms of this guarantee can be found on the TTA
website, www.traveltrust.co.uk/guarantee.
In the case of air-based tours, if the Civil Aviation
Authority, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL
certificate, are unable to provide the services listed
(or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL
holder or otherwise) for reasons of our insolvency, the
Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to
(or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You
agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you
assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you
have or may have arising out of or relating to the nonprovision of the services, including any claim against
us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where
applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be
re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid
sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.
FITNESS TO TRAVEL
All tours involve a fair amount of walking often over
uneven cobbled streets, hillsides or steps. Participants
40
on all tours should be able to walk and stand for at
least sixty minutes without aid or requiring a rest. If you
have any concern regarding your ability to join the tour,
please contact us so that we can advise you further. We
reserve the right to refuse to carry anyone who has failed
to notify us of any disability requiring assistance at the
time of booking, or who in The Cultural Experience’s
opinion is unfit to travel, and will impose applicable
cancellation charges. You should also be able to carry
your own luggage as porterage is not provided. For
tours travelling by rail we recommend a suitcase with
wheels.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
To participate in any of our tours you must ensure that you
have adequate holiday insurance to cover: cancellation
and curtailment up to the cost of the holiday for each
participant, medical expenses, emergency repatriation,
loss of luggage, travel delay plus loss of personal items
and cash. We strongly recommend that you and all
members of your party be adequately insured as soon
as you book your holiday. In any event you must let us
have details of your insurance policy at least four weeks
prior to departure.
PASSPORTS & VISAS
For many countries, the passport needs to be valid for
at least six months beyond your date of return. The
cost of visas is not included in the price of each tour.
Approximately eight weeks prior to your departure we
will mail you the requisite supporting documentation
for your visa application together with the relevant
embassy contact details and the name of our visa
handling company. Some countries such as Turkey allow
you to purchase your visa on entry. Of the countries we
plan to visit in this programme presently Russia and
India require visas to be obtained in advance. The USA
requires advance ESTA authorisation.
Whilst we will provide up to date information and
supporting documentation as required, general
information concerning passport, visa and health
requirements will vary between nationalities and are
subject to change. You are responsible for checking
current requirements before departure, ensuring you
comply with all requirements, and taking all relevant
documents on your holiday. TCE will not be liable for any
failure by the Client to discharge these responsibilities
and the Client will have to reimburse TCE for any costs
they incur as a result of such failure on the part of the
Client.
If you change
or cancel
If you or any other member of your party have to cancel
your confirmed booking, the following charges apply
dependent on the period of notice you give:
Cancellation period
before departure
Charge as a proportion of
total invoiced cost
71 days or more
Deposit only
70 days to 49 days
50%
48 days to 29 days
60%
28 days to 22 days
70%
21 days to 15 days
85%
14 days to 8 days
95%
7 days to 0 days
100%
Your cancellation takes effect from the date we receive
your written confirmation. The balance of the cost
of your arrangements is due not less than 70 days
prior to scheduled departure. If we do not receive this
balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat
your booking as cancelled by you in which case the
cancellation charges above will become payable. If
you are forced to return home early, or choose to do so
where you have no reasonable cause for complaint, we
cannot refund the cost of any services you have not used
or be liable for any associated costs you may incur.
If you wish to change any part of your booking
arrangements after our confirmation invoice has been
issued, we will do our absolute best to assist, but we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your
requested change. Where we can meet a request, all
changes will be subject to payment of an administration
fee of £50 per person per change as well as any
applicable rate changes or extra costs incurred as well as
any costs incurred by ourselves and any costs or charges
incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers. These costs
typically increase the closer to the departure date that
changes are made so you should contact us as soon as
possible. Where we are unable to assist you and you do
not wish to proceed with the original booking, we will
treat this as a cancellation by you.
If you are prevented from travelling it may be possible
to transfer your booking to another suitable person
provided that written notice is given and subject to an
administration fee.
IF WE change OR
Cancel THE TOUR
It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes
to your travel arrangements, but we do plan the
arrangements many months in advance. Occasionally,
we may have to make changes and we reserve the right
to do so at any time. Most of these changes will be minor
and we will advise you or your travel agent of them at
the earliest possible date. Occasionally, we may have to
amend the prices of unsold tours or correct errors in the
prices of confirmed tours.
We also reserve the right in any circumstances to
cancel your travel arrangements up to 14 days before
departure. For example, if the minimum number of
clients required for a particular travel arrangement is
not reached, we may have to cancel it. However, we
will make every effort to modify tours to allow them to
continue with low bookings. From the time you agree
to any such modifications, a 100% cancellation charge
will apply.
If we have to make a major change or cancel, we will
tell you as soon as possible and if there is time to do
so before departure, we will offer you the choice of:
i) accepting the changed arrangements, ii) having a
refund of all monies paid; or iii) accepting an offer of
alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard
from us, if available (we will refund any price difference
if the alternative is of a lower value). As we quote prices
both with and without flights or Eurostar, if you choose
to book your own travel you are advised to check that
the tour will run prior to doing so.
FORCE MAJEURE
Except where expressly stated elsewhere in these
booking conditions we can not accept liability where
the performance of our obligations under our contract
with you is prevented or affected or you otherwise suffer
any damage, loss or expense as a result of force majeure.
Force Majeure means unusual and unforeseeable
circumstances beyond TCE’s control, the consequences
of which neither TCE nor their suppliers could avoid,
including but not limited to war, riot, civil strife, terrorist
activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster,
fire, flood, adverse weather conditions or the threat of
any of these.
SPECIAL REQUESTS
Special requests should be indicated on the booking
forms or requested in writing. We will try to arrange
special requests to be met, but can not guarantee that
they will be fulfilled. Adding requests after booking
may incur an amendment charge and we do not accept
bookings that are dependent on any special request
being met.
COMPLAINTS
We make every effort to ensure that your tour
arrangements run smoothly and that you are satisfied
with every aspect of your holiday. If you do have a
problem during your tour, please inform your Tour
Guide immediately who will endeavour to put things
right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please
contact our office on +44 1935 813700. If the problem
still cannot be resolved and you wish to complain
further, you must send formal written notice of your
complaint to us within 28 days of the end of your stay.
Ensuring that your written complaint gives all relevant
information and is concise and to the point will assist
us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our
response to you. Any complaints arising out of, or in
connection with this contract that cannot be resolved
by following the above procedure can be referred in
writing to the Travel Trust Association, 3rd Floor, Albion
House, High Street, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6BD. The TTA
can then offer you an Arbitration Service, administered
and managed independently from both the TTA and The
Cultural Experience.
JURISDICTION
This contract and any matters arising from it are
governed by the law of England and Wales and are
subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and
Wales.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
Booking Form
Tour Information
Tour Title
Departure Date
First Participant
No. of Places
No. of Single Rooms
Amount Payable
(all details should be exactly as shown in passport)
Title:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . First Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Surname:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Known as: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Male
Female
Vegetarian
Single Room
Address: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Passport Details:
.........................................................................
Nationality:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Postcode:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Country:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Passport Number:
Tel:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mob:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date of Issue:
D
D / M
M / Y
Y
Y
Y
Email:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date of Expiry:
D
D / M
M / Y
Y
Y
Y
Date of Birth:
D
D / M
M / Y
Y
Y
Y
Place of Birth:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Place of Issue:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Occupation: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Enter details of additional participants overleaf.
Further Information (anything you think we should know - such as dietary requirements)
Please tell us where you heard of us
Payment Instructions
I wish to pay £
Visa*
Mastercard*
Debit card
Cheque payable to ‘The Cultural Experience’
Bank Transfer
Card Number
Expiry Date
M M Y
Y
Security Code**
*A 2% credit card fee will be applied.
**For all cards except Amex the security code is the last 3 digits of the number printed on the signature strip on the reverse of your card. For American
Express, the security code is a 4 digit code on the right hand side of the card.
Name as on payment card:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Please automatically charge the balance to my card when it becomes due. Yes
No
I confirm the name and address of the credit/debit card holder are as for first participant above.
Signature: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Print Name:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Please complete the reverse of this form.
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
41
Booking Form
Next of kin DETAILS
Name:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Relationship to Lead Participant: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
Postcode:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other Notes:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tel:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mob:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.........................................................................
INSURANCE DETAILS
You must have adequate holiday insurance to cover: cancellation and curtailment up to the cost of the holiday for each participant, medical expenses,
emergency repatriation, loss of luggage, travel delay plus loss of personal items and cash.
Participant Name
Insurance Company
Policy Number
Insurer’s Emergency Contact Number*
*i.e. the number to call to invoke your policy
SECOND Participant
(all details should be exactly as shown in passport)
Title:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . First Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Surname:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Known as: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Male
Female
Vegetarian
Single Room
Address: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Passport Details:
.........................................................................
Nationality:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Postcode:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Country:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Passport Number:
Tel:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mob:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date of Issue:
D
D / M
M / Y
Y
Y
Y
Email:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date of Expiry:
D
D / M
M / Y
Y
Y
Y
Date of Birth:
D
D / M
M / Y
Y
Y
Y
Place of Issue:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Place of Birth:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
THIRD Participant
Occupation: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(all details should be exactly as shown in passport)
Title:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . First Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Known as: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Surname:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Male
Female
Vegetarian
Single Room
Address: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Passport Details:
.........................................................................
Nationality:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Postcode:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Country:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Passport Number:
Tel:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mob:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date of Issue:
D
D / M
M / Y
Y
Y
Y
Email:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date of Expiry:
D
D / M
M / Y
Y
Y
Y
Date of Birth:
D
D / M
M / Y
Y
Y
Y
Place of Birth:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Place of Issue:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Occupation: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BOOKING AUTHORISATION
I agree to accept the booking conditions on behalf of myself and others included on this form.
Signature: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Please return to: The Cultural Experience, The Old Glove Factory, Bristol Road, Sherborne, DT9 4HP, United Kingdom
42
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
what you said about our 2013 tours
The Franco-Prussian War
The Hundred Year War
Gettysburg Sesquincentennial
“I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and am not
sure what could be done to improve the
visits to the battlefields themselves.
“I don’t think your company could improve
this tour.”
“Once again thank you for an excellent tour.
Your policy if going for small groups works
very well and enables everyone on the tour
to get to know and interact with each other.”
Did it meet expectations? I would say,
unquestionably exceeded.”
Wellington in Spain
“Were I to have the chance I would love to
do this again.”
“A spendid holiday.”
“The combination of the military history
and contrasting study of the cathedrals
and medieval mind sets and belief was
fascinating. ”
“Great experience. Good to see the places
written about in books, Russia and its
people.”
“Deep Knowledge, well delivered talks
and willingness to explain all made for
a wonderful experience.
The guides’
enthusiasm is infectious!”
The Crimea
“I thought the tour First Class.”
“The hotel was a gem!”
The Battle of Vitoria
“Excellent and thoroughly enjoyed.”
“We had an extremely good time. The
guides were able to impart their knowledge
in an interesting and imaginative way.”
“Thoroughly enjoyed my trip away. Fred
and Marilyn were extremely good and
The Eastern Front 1941 - 1943
“I had a great time and came home enthused
about the relevant history and indeed Spain
itself.”
Italy in WWI
“Great tour - loved it!”
“The tour added immensely to my
understanding of the Crimean War. [The
guides] showed impressively detailed
and technical knowledge... Altogether a
rewarding ‘Cultural Experience’.”
“A very enjoyable holiday - looking forward
to the next.”
“An excellent and memorable tour - well
done.”
Through the Southern Heartland
“I really liked everything about the tour.
Having a small number of travellers enabled
a ‘family’ atmosphere to develop and made
everything very manageable.”
I don’t think your company could have
improved on this tour.”
“Well done to all - a splendid holiday!”
“Learned a lot and pleased with the indepth explanation of the war, its progress
and seeing the final battlesite and where the
army surrended just made a fitting end to
the journey.”
A Near Run Thing
“One can read a mass of information on a
battle, but to walk where they fought and
died means so much more. It will live with
me forever.”
“I was hugely impressed by the tour guides,
the ‘taxi’ service and the planned battlefield
walks.”
Napoleon in Germany
“I seem to have rated everything excellent but then it was!”
The Cultural Experience • Military History
www.theculturalexperience.com • 0845 475 1815 • +44 1935 813700
43
Tours of discovery for the discerning traveller
The Cultural Experience
The Old Glove Factory,
Bristol Road,
Sherborne, DT9 4HP,
United Kingdom
UK: 0845 4751815
International: +44 1935 813700
info@theculturalexperience.com
www.theculturalexperience.com
THE
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ARCHAEOLOGY
MILITARY HISTORY
ARCHITECTURE
BATTLEFIELDS
HISTORY
MUSIC
ART