Belgium 1914

Day 1: After an early departure we head out of Flanders and into Wallonia to investigate the German invasion of Belgium in August 1914. Today we look at some of the very first clashes on the Western Front and explore some of Belgium’s martyr towns, taking stock of the catastrophic impact of the first days of the war on Belgium’s civilians.  

Day 2: Belgium’s army played a significant role in scuppering Germany’s pre-war plans to bring the war in the west to a quick conclusion. We will visit Liege, and look at the story of pre-war fortifications and how they managed to slow the advance of a massive number of troops, but at a huge cost. Then it’s on to stunning Dinant to pay a visit to the Leffe museum.

Day 3: Starting our day in Dinant, where a total of 674 locals were killed in frenzied attacks at the end of August, we talk more about the civilian cost as German troops continued to march through Belgium. By now, allies were also fighting on Belgian soil. In the vicinity of Charleroi we will examine the clash of the French and German armies during the Battle of the Frontiers.

Day 4: Today we look at how the fledgling British Expeditionary Force fit into all this by examining the Battle of Mons in detail. We’ll visit key sites such as St. Symphorien and Nimy Bridge.                                          

Day 5: Moving into the autumn we will spend today at Ypres talking about how the British front came to rest in front of this iconic town. We’ll look at crucial clashes on the Menin Road, at Messines and Nonne Boschen. 

Day 6: We talk about Ypres, but rarely look at the fighting going on in the Battle of the Yser. Today we head north and finish our tour examining how the Belgian Army finished the year clinging fiercely to retain a small piece of their homeland, with French help.