RETREAT TO DUNKIRK

TOUR DATES - 17^TH TO 20^TH JUNE 2010

(provisional programme)

To mark the 70^th anniversary of Dunkirk, Bartletts are including a 4 day tour following the retreat of the BEF. The tour will follow events from the 21^st May to the 4^th June 1940. As always with Bartletts, the itinerary may be varied to follow any specific interest of our clients, however, it will be based around the following itinerary:

Day 1 – 17^th June. Travel early morning from Dover to Calais and onward to Vimy Ridge. The afternoon will be spent following events around Arras on the 21^st May in particular the attack made by the 4^th & 7^th RTR on Rommel’s 7^th Panzer Div.

Day 2 – 18^th June. After an overnight stay in Arras the tour continues with a visit to Tournai where it will follow the fighting on the Escaut line in particular the Guard’s Brigade action near Pecq when Harry Nicholls won his VC. After lunch the venue moves to Bethune and follows the loss of the 7^th Bde, 2nd Div on the 27^th May. This action culminated in the murder of 97 British soldiers near the village of Merville. A visit to the CWGC where they are buried will be included before the tour moves on to the Hotel Ariane, Ypres.

Day 3 – 19^th June. The morning visit will be to the hill-top town of Cassel following the stand of the Gloucesters and Ox & Bucks under Brig-Gen Somerset. Leaving Cassel it now follows then Dunkirk perimeter line along the Breques-Furnes canal including the action in which Capt Ervine-Andrews won his VC. After lunch in Fumes the tour moves to the beaches between Bray-Dunes and La Panne before returning to Ypres.

Day 4 – 20^th June. Our final visit is to the town of Dunkirk and the East Mole at Malo-les-Bains. The tour returns to Dover arriving late afternoon.

The all inclusive tour price for this memorable journey is £859 per person (+ £25 per person per night single supplement. Returning customers receive a 10% discount on the advertised price).