Sacred Ground Tours

17/01/2025

13/01/2025

Come and join Adam Holloway - Author and I on an immersive 8 Day Western Front experience…

Aussie Guides - Aussie Battles - Aussie Stories

12/01/2025

Come and join us for a complete WWI & WW2 experience..

Very proud & grateful to be working with our 5 star Australian battle tour partner, DND Battle Tours..

NEW TOUR!!! We are excited to announce our new 5-Day 'Western Front & Normandy' Tour for Aussie travellers starting May 2025!!
If you enjoy Anzac WW1 military history, then you would also enjoy WW2. So, why not combine them into a convenient package and make the most of your time during your next European adventure!
With accommodation, most meals, transport and the itinerary sorted, it takes the stress out of planning and allows you to relax and enjoy each day. Starts in Arras and ends in Bayeux.
See website for full itinerary details or DM us for a full copy of the flyer. www.dndbattletours.com.au
5-Star Battlefield Partner - Sacred Ground Tours

09/01/2025

Menin Gate in white…
photo taken by the friendly Canadian, Steve Douglas. A visit to Steve’s “The British Grenadier Bookshop” is highly recommended, just down the road from Menin Gate..

08/01/2025

01/01/2025

The allure of the French countryside

ANZAC soldiers often wrote longingly about the French countryside.

Its beauty and tranquility provided them much needed respite from the Somme front line, as was the case in late July 1916, when the 1st AIF Division was relieved from Pozières and rested in the countryside.

The mid-summer days were beautiful and warm. The country was at its best: the flowering flax created vast fields of deep and intense blues. The aroma of fresh grass, the sound of singing birds, and the tranquillity of the leafy lanes provided a wonderful tonic for the shattered men.

The soldiers slowly wound down and began to feel normal again. On warm summer nights, they took off their puttees, rolled them up, and used them as pillows; they lay in the open fields among the long grass and fresh flowers, staring at the stars.

‘It is beautiful among the trees,’ recorded Albert Coates, ‘after being like rats living in shell holes with dead.’

The soldiers tried to forget the war. Some immersed themselves in helping peasants to harvest their ripening crops. Others gathered in a shaded spot to toss the ‘browns’ in a game of two-up, or shed their clothes for a quick dip in a nearby stream.

The troops had anticipated a long rest. Yet as early as 27 July, rumours circulated that they would be returning to the line. Despite the loss of 5285 men, there simply wasn’t fresh divisions to continually call upon as replacements.

On a dreary 16 August, the troops tramped through the mud toward Pozières. Steady rain and thick mists had replaced summer sunshine.

The singing, joking, and high-spirited antics that marked the troops’ mood in late July had faded, replaced by resignation to their pending fate in the mire and filth of the Somme battlefield.

Photo credit: AWM and WW1 Colourised Photos (DB Colour)

26/12/2024

24/12/2024

Arras Christmas Market.. one of the most spectacular in the world.. come and visit, you’re sure to love it..

20/12/2024

15/12/2024

The restoration of the Menin Gate in Ypres is now entering its final stages, marking a significant milestone in the preservation of the iconic First World War memorial. Since April 2023, it has been surrounded by scaffolding as part of an extensive restoration project. This week the first sections of scaffolding will begin to be dismantled.

From mid-January, a Living Roof will be installed. Also known as a 'green roof', this is a system where vegetation will cover the structure and enhance the longevity of the monument. It will also support biodiversity, improve air quality and optimise rainwater drainage. These additions reflect the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's commitment to sustainable preservation.

By Spring 2025, all name panels in the main hall and galleries will once again be visible to the public.

The Last Post Ceremony continues in the main hall without disruption.

📷 © Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

18/11/2024

'In Flanders Fields' was written by Major John McCrae at Essex Farm Dressing Station in 1915. The dressing station dug outs remain next to Essex Farm Cemetery. One of our guests did a magnificent job reciting the most famous poem of the Great War...

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

17/11/2024

While the battlefields are our main focus, your adventure will be further enhanced by the amazing local tributes and museum displays that recreate aspects of WW1 & WW2.
We visit a range of different WW1 places from Pozieres to Passchendaele where the mannequins are often very 'life-like', hey Jeffrey Vk 😄.
If you're coming with us to the D-Day beaches, then Normandy has many wonderful WW2 sites to immerse yourself and feel part of history.
Whatever you are looking for, DND Battle Tours has you covered.


Sacred Ground Tours Passchendaele Museum Radar 44 - Musée Franco Allemand du radar de Douvres la Délivrande D-Day Experience, Saint Côme du Mont

23/10/2024

23/10/2024

Autumn @ the Bullecourt Digger…

11/10/2024

Hi everyone (), join me and Adam Holloway of DND Battle Tours for an amazing tour in April or September 2025 while spots last! 2026 tours filling already!!

06/10/2024

A humbling review from the Bennett family who visited the Western Front with Sacred Ground Tours last week....

We recently completed an incredible two-day Western Front tour, focusing on the Australians’ role in the First World War, and it was an unforgettable experience. The tour was thoughtfully customized to follow in the footsteps of our relatives who had served, making it deeply personal and meaningful.

Our guide, Phil, was an absolute legend. His knowledge of the history was vast and detailed, but what set him apart was the passion and respect he brought to every site we visited. From the larger battlefields like Villers-Bretonneux and Pozières to lesser-known, intimate locations, Phil made sure every stop was rich in context. His storytelling brought the events to life, helping us better understand the significance of what our relatives had endured.

The Monash Musuem was a highlight opening our eyes the role Monash played for Australia in the war.

What made the experience even more special was Phil’s attentiveness to our personal connection to the sites. He went out of his way to research specific areas where our relatives fought and fell, weaving their stories into the larger narrative of the Australian forces’ efforts on the Western Front. This thoughtful approach transformed the tour from a historical overview into a journey through our own family’s legacy.

Visiting cemeteries and memorials, especially knowing the personal links, was emotional but also very rewarding. Phil gave us the time and space to reflect while also providing insightful commentary that added even more depth to these sacred places.

Searching through a freshly dug up field to collect a few souvenirs was exciting.

Overall, this tour exceeded our expectations. The combination of Phil’s expertise, the attention to detail in incorporating our family history, and the moving sites made it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We can’t recommend this tour enough to anyone interested in the Australian role in WWI, and especially to those wanting to explore a personal connection to the past.

Sent from Bert Bennett