NEWSLETTER January 2017 THE HISTORY THAT SHAPED US
Dear Traveller, What a fantastic twelve months it’s been for everyone at Historical Trips, including me personally.
are running the tour again this October, as it is one of our best.
In this anniversary year, it was an honour and a privilege to accompany the Accrington Pals Commemoration group to the Somme, and to stand on the front line as they did, 100 years ago to the day. Thinking of these men — waiting for the whistle and the order to go over the top — in the eerie early morning silence punctuated only by skylark song, was a profoundly moving experience. I was also lucky enough to accompany this year’s Spanish Civil War tour, visiting memorials to the 500,000 people killed in that tragic conflict. We were favoured with the company of historian Jason Webster and brilliant local guides as we made our way across Spain, charting the course of the War. I am delighted that we
And just last week, I returned from Crete, where I have been researching April’s upcoming Patrick Leigh Fermor tour. It has everything: a daring military operation, a brilliant cast of characters and a thrilling chase across beautiful Crete, including the snow-capped heights of Mount Ida. The food is fabulous too! Our anniversary tours continue next year as we commemorate the centenaries of Passchendaele and the Battle of Cambrai, as well as the Russian Revolution, with its profound implications both for Russia and for the entire West. You will find a full list of the 2017 tours for which we still have availability in this newsletter. Looking further ahead to 2018, we will be commemorating the end of the First World War by looking at the German
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Join us in Iran in 2017
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Mirrors of the Unseen Due to the overwhelming popularity of our 2017 Iran tour, we’re now delighted to announce an additional date in October. Don’t miss your second chance at discovering this fascinating country.
Spring offensive, which led ultimately to the Armistice. You will find a sneak peak of this tour inside, as well as a few others running in 2018. And finally, thank you all for the fantastic feedback and kind letters you have sent over the course of the year. Overall, in the last twelve months our tours have scored 9.3/10, and our Guide Lecturers and Tour Managers, 9.7/10 and 9.6/10 respectively. I wish you all a Happy New Year and I very much hope to catch up with you in 2017.
Michael Ivey Director, Historical Trips
What’s Inside 2017 Centenaries....................... pg.2 Accrington Pals Tour Report... pg.3 Study Days.................................. pg.4 Books From our Guides........... pg.5 Tours by Month......................... pg.6 2018 Tours.................................. pg.8
7th – 19th October | £3,995 See our website for more information
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HISTORICAL TRIPS NEWSLETTER
January 2017
Timeline 1917
From 1917 to 2017
The year in its crucial events, as they played out one by one
This year, like the three years before it, marks a series of centenaries from the Great War and beyond — come join us in commemoration
February 23rd - April 5th German forces begin withdrawal to strong positions on the Hindenburg Line March 15th Tsar Nicholas II abdicates as a consequence of Russian Revolution April 6th US declares war on Germany
The Russian Revolution
April 9th - 20th Nivelle Offensive (Second Battle of Aisne, Third Battle of Champagne) ends in French failure
10 Days that Shook the World The Russian Revolution remains one of the most debated, most controversial, and most misrepresented events in history. On our tour, Dr Neil Faulkner aims to right that misrepresentation, and enable us to discover the full story behind this explosion of grassroots democracy in the place it was felt most strongly — St Petersburg.
April 9th Battle of Arras begins and Canadians capture Vimy Ridge
31st May – 7th June | £2,795
April 16th Lenin arrives in Russia April 29th - May 20th Mutiny breaks out among French army June 7th British explode 19 large mines under the Messines Ridge June 16th Third Battles of Ypres (Passchendaele) begins November 7th Bolshevik Revolution in Russia results in Communist government under Lenin taking office November 20th British launch surprise tank attack at Cambrai December 22nd Russia opens separate peace negotiations with Germany (Brest-Litovsk)
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The War Walk
Strange Meetings
A Journey Along the Western Front
The Poets of the First World War
As we approach the centenary of the 1918 Armistice, Historical Trips invites you to join Great War historian Nigel Jones in Belgium and France as he walks the most formerly active sectors of the Western Front. If Siegfried Sassoon is to be believed, then for four long years of conflict, here on the Front was “the world’s worst wound”. 8th – 13th October | £1,495
Beyond the brilliance of their verse, the lives of Owen, Thomas, and others, cut tragically short, have become enduring symbols of the Great War. Over five days, we visit the settings for some of their greatest works and even, in the case of Owen, their last moments, in the nowquiet battlefields and towns of Belgium and France. 10th – 14th July | £1,350
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HISTORICAL TRIPS NEWSLETTER
January 2017
Accrington Pals Commemorative Tour A letter from Michael Ivey It was both an honour and privilege for Historical Trips to take 40 friends and relatives of the Accrington Pals to Belgium and France for the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme. The tour was planned and hotel space booked almost three years ago and it was gratifying to see the tour finally come to fruition.
attack started - a silence only punctuated by the songs of skylarks circling overhead. Whistles then blew, much as they would have done in 1916, and there followed a moving ceremony of music, poetry and readings.
At 7.30am, the young men of Accrington went ‘over the top’ into a hail of machine gun and artillery fire. Within about 30 minutes, 585 men out of a total 700 became casualties. Some 235 were killed and 350 were wounded. The town was devastated by the scale of the losses and this deep rooted sense of loss continues to this day. The story is a tragic one. The Pals battalions were conceived by Lord Kitchener in 1914 and his idea, broadly, was that men who grew up together in communities were better off serving together on the Front Line. The 11th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment were one example of this principle and, in the main, were recruited from Accrington or other nearby towns. On July 1st 1916, they were situated on the far left of the British line with orders to capture the fortified village of Serre immediately opposite them. What followed was a military disaster.
At the beginning of our tour, wreaths were laid at the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres, by representatives of our group including the Mayor and Mayoress of Hyndburn as well as the two youngest members of the group, Luke and Emily-Rose. On the morning of July 1st itself, there was an early start in order to drive from our hotel in Amiens to Sheffield Memorial Park on the Somme where there is a monument to the Accrington Pals. Everyone was in place by 7.30am and there was a solemnly observed silence by a group of about 300 people, 100 years to the minute that the
The rest of the morning was spent in similarly moving fashion, visiting graves and cemeteries associated with the Accrington Pals, including Queens cemetery, which sits in what would have been ‘No Man’s Land’ and contains the graves of 50 Pals. In the afternoon, we were the guests of honour at a ceremony in Puisieux where books of remembrance were presented to the Mayors of both Puisieux and Bapaume. Looking back on the trip, it is, I think, one of the most important we have done and also one of the most memorable. To be on the Somme at 7.30am on July 1st 2016 was an unforgettable experience. — Michael Ivey
Bespoke Tours Allow us to help tailor-make your perfect tour. You decide on the destination, the duration, and the guests — we do the rest. Our recent Accrington Pals commemorative tour through the scarred landscapes of France and Belgium might seem as if it were designed just for us. As it was, it was a perfectly crafted private tour for friends and relatives of the Accrington Pals themselves, and just one example of how very special a bespoke Historical Trips tour can be. If you’re an individual or couple looking to delve into history with a handful — or more than a handful! — of friends, or
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one of a private group or society with a special interest in history, get in touch. Let us know who, what, and when, and we’ll work hard to help you bring your dream historical trip to fruition. To find out more, get in touch with us by email on info@historicaltrips.com, or give one of our friendly team a call on 01722 713820 to discuss what we can do.
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HISTORICAL TRIPS NEWSLETTER
January 2017
Study Days When they’re not travelling around the world with us, hot on the trail of historical knowledge, we know that our guests are a busy lot. But take just one day, and you’d be surprised what you can do — that’s why we’ve condensed all the startling revelations and expert insight you’d expect from our tours into single Study Days, right here in the UK. Here are two we’ve finalised for next year, but we will be regularly updating our list, so keep an eye on our website!
Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace with Dr Suzannah Lipscomb
Agent Garbo and Bletchley Park with Jason Webster
Spend a relaxing day visiting Henry VIII’s palace of pleasure – the extraordinary Hampton Court. Originally built for Cardinal Wolsey, the palace passed to Henry VIII in 1529 and he embarked on an ambitious building programme to create a palace to rival Versailles. We’ll examine the architecture, and visit the kitchens, State Apartments, and Young Henry VIII exhibition, to look at the nature of his court and how the palace functioned. Dr Suzannah Lipscomb is a historian, author, broadcaster, and academic based at New College of the Humanities 19th May | £150
In this Study Day, Jason Webster tells the fascinating story of Agent Garbo — Juan Pujol — the most extraordinary double agent of the Second World War, who was awarded both an Iron Cross by Germany and an MBE by Britain. In Operation Fortitude he diverted German Panzer divisions away from Normandy, playing a crucial role in safeguarding D-Day and ending the war, and securing his reputation as the greatest double agent in history. Jason Webster is a historian, author, and frequent contributor to national newspapers 29th Sep | £125
Why Historical Trips? Over to our guests... “Simply first class all round! I came home having learnt so much and feeling really happy and that the time on this trip was well spent.” Churchill’s Warriors
“To describe this trip as very good simply does not do it justice. Every aspect was first class from the itinerary to the hotels and food.” The Face of Evil
“The tour was every bit as good as we had anticipated, perhaps even better. Informative, interesting and really enjoyable.” Brothers in Arms
“I am very happy and consider myself to be very privileged to have been on one of your historical trips. The accommodation, food, locations transport and tour guides are second to none.” The Making of a Tyrant
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Top-notch guides
10 10 Neil Faulkner
“Very knowledgeable, very organized, great voice to listen to, very engaged, nice to everybody, ready to discuss any subject, any time.”
Find out why Neil has been awarded a perfect 10 on our Russian Revolution tour
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HISTORICAL TRIPS NEWSLETTER
January 2017
Books From Our Guides With such a fine group of expert guides, it’s easy to forget that they lead double lives as academics, working historians, and authors, too...
Red Heat
The King is Dead
Alex von Tunzelmann
Dr Suzannah Lipscomb
A People’s History of the Russian Revolution Dr Neil Faulkner
In Red Heat, the story of America’s secret war in the Caribbean is told through the actions of both sides — the great, lumbering superpowers, and the mavericks who took them on. A riveting exploration of a potentially apocalyptic moment in international politics, of a world consumed by paranoia and teetering on the edge of nuclear war.
Mere hours before his death on 28th January 1547, the last will and testament of King Henry VIII was signed, sealed and finalised, thus creating a document that would spark intrigue and debate among historians for centuries to come. Learn of Henry’s last days and the drafting of the will in this beautiful, illuminating — and illuminated — tome.
The Russian Revolution is possibly the most misunderstood event in modern history, but in this accomplished volume, Dr Neil Faulkner seeks to right that once and for all. Debunking many a popular myth, he paints a picture of the Russian people as heroes coming together in their millions to dismantle a destructive regime.
Learn more about conspiracy, murder and the Cold War in the Caribbean, while travelling with Alex herself, on our Red Heat tour to Cuba.
Visit the settings of the Tudor clan’s triumphs and defeats — personal and political alike — with Suzannah on our UK tour The Making of a Tyrant.
Get more insight into revolution in Russia in the places where it occurred, in the company of Neil himself, on our Russian Revolution tour.
Germany Ascendant
¡Guerra!
The Spy Who Loved
James Holland
Jason Webster
Clare Mulley
Twelve years of research, in which survivors were interviewed, battlefields visited and archives delved into, form the basis of James Holland’s first War in the West volume. Examining the period between the beginning of the war and mid-1941, this is the first in a series of groundbreaking new histories of World War II.
A rare insight into the true essence of modern Spain, and the dark secrets buried just under the surface, from its adoptive son Jason Webster. In this skilful account of a country’s unwillingness to apprehend its bloody past, he encounters a legacy of violence that seems to linger even seventy years after the shocking events of the civil war.
Dropped fearlessly into Egypt, France, and occupied Poland, Christine Granville was saved on more than one occasion by her quick wit and courage, and survived the war only to be murdered by an obsessed colleague in 1952. An engrossing biography of one of the Allies’ most enigmatic and daring wartime agents.
Join James in taking a new stance on one of our most well-known conflicts on our Blitzkrieg 1940: The Nazi Invasion of France tour, departing 2018.
Hear more about Jason’s forays into the secretive history of Spain’s Civil War in the company of the man himself on our Brothers in Arms tour.
Learn more about the life and loves of Christine Granville, in the company of Clare, on our Churchill’s Warriors: Women of SOE tour
Reserve your place on any of the tours mentioned above, and receive its corresponding book free
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HISTORICAL TRIPS NEWSLETTER
January 2017
Tours By Month March
July
MIRRORS OF THE UNSEEN A History of Iran
LIFE & DEATH IN OCCUPIED POLAND
Iran | £3,995 | Fully booked!
1st – 8th Jul | Roger Moorhouse Follow the entire course of events, from the opening shots of the war at Gdansk to the liberation of the death camps.
4th – 16th Mar | Jason Elliot Neither East nor West, an off-the-beatentrack adventure through ornately tiled palaces and ancient desert cities.
The Final Solution
Poland | £1,995 | Last few spaces, book now!
OPERATION SEA LION The Nazi Invasion of Britain
31st Mar–2nd Apr | Prof. Gary Sheffield A counterfactual exploration of what could have happened if the Nazis’ plan to invade Kent had come to fruition... UK | £795 | Availability
STRANGE MEETINGS
UMBRIA: ONE HUNDRED HILLS
The War Poets
History & Wine
29th May – 4th Jun | Dr Sophie Ambler The former seat of papal power, Umbria’s churches boast some of the finest Medieval art and architecture in Italy. Italy | £2,445 | Availability
10th – 14th Jul | Nigel Jones From Ypres to the Somme, discover the lives and works of Great War poets where their immortal words were penned. Belgium & France | £1,350 | Availability
THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION 10 Days that Shook the World
31st May – 7th Jun | Dr Neil Faulkner A thorough exploration of the last days of Imperial Russia, and of the revolutions that triggered popular revolt worldwide. Russia | £2,795 | Last few spaces, book now!
June THE FACE OF EVIL
April
The Third Reich
10th – 18th Jun | Nigel Jones Trace the rise and fall of the Third Reich, from its beginnings in the beer halls of Munich to its end in Berlin-under-seige.
KIDNAPPING A GENERAL Crete and Patrick Leigh Fermor
4th – 10th April | Dr Roderick Bailey Tales of immense courage and daring subterfuge, played out against Crete’s sun-baked landscape
Germany | £2,495 | Availability
Greece | £2,275 | Availability
September THE LOIRE CHÂTEAUX History & Wine
3rd – 9th Sep | Dr Michael Jones The royal residences and historic châteaux of the Loire Valley form the backdrop to our oenological odyssey. France | £2,445 | Availability
EL CID: HISTORY & WINE
May
In the Domain of Rodrigo Diaz
5th – 12th Sep | Dr Hugh Doherty Follow the Castilian nobleman through modern-day Rioja and Ribera, examining remarkable remains and royal palaces.
BEYOND THE PILLARS OF HERCULES The Golden Age of Spain
15th – 22nd May | Jason Webster Visit the Age of Discovery and the world of the Conquistadors, and discover the Spanish Empire at its zenith.
Spain | £2,595 | Availability
Spain | £2,495 | Availability
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HISTORICAL TRIPS NEWSLETTER
January 2017
THE MAKING OF A TYRANT
MIRRORS OF THE UNSEEN
BERLIN AT WAR
7th – 19th Oct | Jason Elliot Neither East nor West, an off-the-beatentrack adventure through ornately tiled palaces and ancient desert cities.
20th – 23rd Oct | Roger Moorhouse Hear of chilling fantasy and grim reality in wartime Berlin — from ‘World Capital Germania’ to the Berliners’ own bunkers.
A History of Iran
Conspiracy, Heresy & Treason
11th – 17th Sep | Dr Suzannah Lipscomb Follow in the footsteps of the man who continues to horrify and fascinate us in equal measure — King Henry VIII.
Iran | £3,995 | Availability
UK | £2,795 | Last few spaces, book now!
Due to the popularity of our first Iran departure, we’ve added another — book your place now!
LANGUEDOC
Cathars, Templars & Crusaders
15th – 22nd Sep | Dr Sophie Ambler The story of the beautiful Languedoc — one of knights, saints, and sinners in a battle for Medieval hearts and minds.
THE SUGAR BARONS
Dark Secrets & Sweet Success
9th – 18th Nov | Matthew Parker Delve into the troubling legacy of this former jewel of the British West Indian Empire, built on the backs of slaves.
A Journey Along the Western Front
8th – 13th Oct | Nigel Jones Hear stories of generals, poets, and ordinary soldiers alike as we walk the hallowed ground of the Western Front.
CHURCHILL’S WARRIORS The Women of SOE
28th Sep – 2nd Oct | Clare Mulley Meet the women of Churchill’s Special Operations Executive, and learn of their extraordinary acts of bravery.
Barbados | £3,995 | Availability
BRITAIN’S GREATEST BATTLE
Belgium & France | £1,495 | Availability
Imphal & Kohima
10th – 19th Nov | James Holland In the hills and jungles of north-east India, Britain and its allies beat back Japan’s advance in a tide-turning battle.
BROTHERS IN ARMS The Spanish Civil War
UK & France | £1,495 | Availability
14th – 21st Oct | Jason Webster Go further than the sites to the very root of the Spanish Civil War and all its complexities, triumphs, and tragedies.
October SECRET ARMY
Germany | £1,495 | Availability
November
THE WAR WALK
France | £2,575 | Availability
Destroyed and Rebuilt in a Century
India | £3,495 | Availability
Spain | £2,495 | Last few spaces, book now!
The Great Belgian & French Escapes
2nd – 7th Oct | Guy Walters True stories of daring, popularised in Secret Army and ‘Allo ‘Allo, set against the backdrop of the Pyrenees. Belgium & France | £1,995 | Availability
RED HEAT
The Cuban Revolution
16th – 24th Oct | Alex von Tunzelmann Explore key sites of the Cuban Revolution and wider Caribbean history, from the Bay of Pigs to Old Havana. Cuba | £2,995 | Availability
DEEDS DONE BEYOND THE SEA
Where in the world can you see yourself next year?
Israel & Palestine
18th – 27th Oct | Dr Nick Slope Learn how the holy wars shaped the Medieval world on this tour of the Middle East’s former ‘Crusader States’.
Whether your dream destination is Israel’s crusader castles or India’s colonial cities, the sands of Cuba or the slopes of the Pyrenees, we can take you there. For up-to-date availability and information on any of our tours, keep an eye on our website www.historicaltrips.com. Then when the time comes to book your place on tour, give us a call on 01722 713820, or email us at info@historicaltrips.com.
Israel & Palestine | £2,895 | Availability
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HISTORICAL TRIPS NEWSLETTER
January 2017
Not Returning In 2018 These are the tours enjoying their last hurrah in 2017. If you want to discover stories of espionage and occupation, allies and foes, exploration and colonisation, then don’t hesitate — book your place now.
Kidnapping a General
Imphal & Kohima
Crete & Patrick Leigh Fermor
Britain’s Greatest Battle
Follow the tale of daring capture, gallant guerillas, and British secret agents played out on occupied wartime Crete. 4th – 10th April | £2,275
Stand on the site of Allied victory and Japanese retreat, in northern India’s beautiful, remote Naga Hills. 10th – 19th November | £3,495
Pillars of Hercules The Golden Age of Spain Explore a world of Conquistador and colony, Europe and the Americas, when the Spanish Empire was at its zentih. 15th – 22nd May | £2,495
Sneak peek at 2018 It might seem a little soon for looking forward to a whole new year, but with a host of great tours months in the making... why wouldn’t you want to? From revolution to railway, discover more in 2018 • Explore battlefield and grassland; visit solemn memorial and sprawling city • Gain superb insight in the company of expert lecturers and local guides • Spend your nights in style, whether in polished hotels or on remote Kenyan plateaus, under a sea of stars
Blitzkrieg 1940
The Lunatic Express
Join us as we examine Germany’s ‘battle of annihilation’ across the sites where many of the most momentous episodes of the campaign took place.
A whistle-stop tour of colonial expansion in Kenya, tracing the Great War in eastern Africa through the notorious ‘Happy Valley’ and beyond.
Register your interest: Call now on 01722 713820 or email info@historicaltrips.com HISTORICAL
TRIPS
CC: David McLellan
The Rise of Fascism
1918: Year of Victory
Trace the history of Fascism by travelling back to its source — Italy, 1922, when Benito Mussolini came to power as the country’s ruthless, unchallenged ‘Duce’.
A fascinating account of an American entry, a Russian exit, and a German race against time in the year that saw the Great War come to its conclusion.
The Clock Tower, Oakridge Office Park, Southampton Road, Whaddon, Salisbury, SP5 3HT Call: 01722 713820 • Email: info@historicaltrips.com • www.historicaltrips.com
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