Battlefields Trip - 10 - 11 July 2024

Battlefields Trip

 

The History department is delighted to offer a two-day tour of the World War One battlefields in Belgium and France. This trip allows students to experience elements of the year 9 History syllabus and will help further students’ enjoyment and understanding of the topic, which they have studied this year.  

The tour will include the following:

• On day one, students will visit the historic town of Ypres in Belgium – here the students will experience what life was like on the frontline in a restored trench system.  They will visit Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest commonwealth war cemetery in the world.  They will hear stories of tragedy and heroism and will visit some of most famous memorials on the Western Front. In the evening they will experience the last post ceremony at the Menin Gate where they will have the opportunity to pay their respects to the fallen. The evening concludes with a visit to a world-renowned chocolate emporium.
• On the second day, students will visit the battlefields of the Somme, where the British army suffered its darkest ever day on 1^st July 1916. Students will go ‘over the top’, following in the exact footsteps of those who fell over a 100 years ago. They will see the site of Hawthorn Ridge mine crater, visit Newfoundland Memorial Park and finally, the Thiepval memorial to the missing.
• Throughout the two days we will hear personal accounts of the experience of the men and women who lived and died during this seismic event in world history.
• There will also be an opportunity for students to personalise the trip. We encourage pupils and parents to delve into their family history and research whether they have any relatives who fought and died or survived the Great War. In previous years we have been able to use this information to make specific stops along the way to allow students to make a pilgrimage to visit their fallen relatives.

We will travel to Dover by coach for a channel crossing by ferry, leaving Rodborough at 5. 45 am on Wednesday 10^th July, and will return at approximately midnight to the Rake Lane entrance on Thursday 11^th July.  The cost of trip will be £300.00 and this includes the cost of the tour, return channel crossings, coach fare and one night’s bed and breakfast hostel accommodation. Evening meals are provided on both days as well as brunch on day one and a packed lunch on day two.

As with most school trips, places are limited 43 and, in the event that this trip is oversubscribed, we will allocate places fairly by lottery.

Payment Schedule:

£50 - 22 November 2023

£70 - 5 January 2024

£180 - 18 April 2024

Please contact Miss H Allsop for further information: hallsop@rodborough.surrey.sch.uk