Follow in the footsteps of Heroes
on an In The Footsteps®
Welsh on the Western Front Tour
Welshmen fought all along the Western Front during the First World War, not only in Welsh Regiments but also in other British and Commonwealth units. Their exploits are legion and diverse; they include fighting in the trenches, fighting in the air and in the underground war. Our Welsh on the Western Front tour encapsulate these exploits drawing on the stories of heroic deeds carried out by Welshmen in battle, not just those in the infantry, but those in the other Arms and Services too.
Inevitably when one thinks of the Welsh on the Western Front one is drawn to the 38th (Welsh)
Division, the Welsh New Army division championed by David Lloyd George. They had their baptism of
fire in the epic struggle at Mametz Wood during the Battle of the Somme and a year later took part
in the assault along the Pilckem Ridge at the beginning of the Third Battle of Ypres. In 1918 the
division attacked several fortified German positions during the German Spring Offensive and the
subsequent Allied Hundred Days Offensive; crossing the River Ancre, braking through the Hindenburg
Line and German positions on the River Selle, to end the war on the Belgian frontier.
Welshmen served with distinction in the air including: Captain James Ira Thomas 'Taff' Jones
DSO, MC, DFC & Bar, MM who scored 37 victories in just 3 months whilst flying an SE5 with 74
Squadron in France; and Lieutenant T Rees who was acting as observer for his friend L B F Morris on
17 September 1916 when they were shot down by the Red Baron to become his first victim.
Many Welsh miners found themselves serving on the Western Front in the underground war. Forty
thousand South Wales miners volunteered for service in the First World War and by mid April 1915
about a quarter of the UK's miners had enlisted. In some mines the shifts had to be reduced from
three to two per day and eventually the government was forced to take measures to stop miners
leaving the industry for fear coal output would collapse. One notable Welsh miner was Captain Arthur
Edwards, a mining engineer who served in the 2nd Battalion of the Monmouthshire Regiment who was
awarded the Military Cross and twice mentioned in despatches for gallant and distinguished
service.
Many Welsh Battalions distinguished themselves during the First World War fighting on the Western
Front:
The Royal Welsh Fusiliers [RWF] — The RWF raised 39 Battalions, was awarded
77 battle honours and 8 Victoria Crosses in the First World War. Of these the 1st Battalion, 2nd
Battalion, 1/4th (Denbighshire) Battalion, 1/5th (Flintshire) Battalion, 1/6th (Carnarvonshire &
Anglesey) Battalion, 1/7th (Merioneth & Montgomery) Battalion, 9th (Service) Battalion, 10th
(Service) Battalion, 11th (Service) Battalion, 13th (Service) Battalion (1st North Wales), 14th
(Service) Battalion, 15th (Service) Battalion (1st London Welsh), 16th (Service) Battalion, 17th
(Service) Battalion (2nd North Wales), 19th (Service) Battalion, 24th (Denbighshire Yeomanry)
Battalion and 25th (Montgomery & Welsh Horse Yeomanry) Battalion all served on the Western
Front. Within its ranks it had several notable authors, including; David Jones (both a painter and
one of the first-generation British modernist poets), Siegfried Sassoon (an English poet, writer who
greatly influenced the work of Wilfred Owen), Robert Graves (an English poet,
scholar/translator/writer) and the Welsh-language poet Hedd Wyn, who was killed at Ypres in
1917.
The South Wales Borderers [SWB] — The SWB raised 19 Battalions, was awarded
64 Battle Honours and 6 Victoria Crosses in the First World War. Of these the 1st Battalion, 2nd
Battalion, 5th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers), 6th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers), 10th (Service)
Battalion (1st Gwent), 11th (Service) Battalion (2nd Gwent) and 12th (Service) Battalion (3rd Gwent)
all served on the Western Front during the First World War. The SWB lost 5,600 men during the course
of the war.
The Welsh Regiment — The Welsh Regiment raised 36 Battalions, was awarded 71
Battle Honours and 3 Victoria Crosses during the First World War. Of these the 1st Battalion, 2nd
Battalion, 1/6th (Glamorgan) Battalion, 9th (Service) Battalion, 10th (Service) Battalion (1st
Rhondda), 13th (Service) Battalion (1st Rhondda), 14th (Service) Battalion (Swansea), 15th (Service)
Battalion (Carmarthenshire), 16th (Service) Battalion (Cardiff City), 17th (Service) Battalion (1st
Glamorgan), 18th (Service) Battalion (2nd Glamorgan), 19th (Service) Battalion (Glamorgan Pioneers)
and 24th (Pembroke & Glamorgan Yeomanry) Battalion all served on the Western Front. The Welsh
Regiment lost 8,360 men during the course of the war.
The Monmouthshire Regiment — The Monmouthshire Regiment raise 10 Battalions
and received 25 Battle honours in the First World War. Of these the 1/1st Battalion, 1/2nd Battalion
and 1/3rd Battalion served on the Western Front.
Our In The Footsteps® tour of the Welsh on the Western Front usually begins in the
Somme, but can easily be reversed, and typically takes in the important Welsh locations of the Somme
and the Ypres Salient.
The cost of your tour
The typical cost for a 3-day / 3-night tour following in the footsteps of the Welsh on the Western
front is £850.00 per person.*
This price per person are based upon:
- Two people sharing a twin room.
- A minimum of 4 people touring. If less than 4 people travelling we will produce a specific proposal for your consideration.
- Travel in a dedicate tour vehicle driven by our expert battlefield historian / guide.
A supplement of £160.00 GBP * applies where single occupancy is required.
A deposit of 30% or £200.00 per person, whichever is the greater, is payable on
booking.
An additional supplement may apply for anniversary dates to cover any increase in the associated
costs.
Booking indicates your acceptance of our Tour Terms and Conditions.
* The costs may vary from those shown above due to the availability and selection of hotels and
other associated costs.
What your tour includes
- In-tour land travel only.
- 3-days escorted tour of the battlefields with one of our expert Battlefield Historian / Guides.
- Comprehensive touring of all the major battlefield sites, including many of the less frequently visited out-of-the-way sites.
- All museum admission fees.
- 3-nights bed and breakfast accommodation at one of our 3-star partner hotels.
- The opportunity to visit specific cemeteries and graves within tour area (as agreed prior to your tour).
- The opportunity to discuss your battlefield travel plans with our expert team.
What your tour does not include
- Lunch and Dinner.
- Snacks and Drinks.
- Personal expenses.
- Personal travel insurance.
Optional Extras
All of our Flexi-date tours can have optional extras added to them. We can, for example, add any of the following to your tour: -
- Transfer to the battlefield area.
- Ferry crossings or Eurostar from the UK.
- Accommodation the night before the tour.
- Accommodation the night night after the tour.
- Lunches.
- Full-board.
- All inclusive.
- Additional days.
Customising your Flexi-date tour
All of our Flexi-date tours are fully customisable to allow you to see the sites that are most important to you. Where changes to the standard itinerary are made there may be an additional charge to cover the associated additional costs.
Financial Protection
Your money is safe. We are members ot the TTA and all monies paid to us are held in a trust account and cannot be drawn down by us until the tour is over.
Why travel with In The Footsteps?
- We have over 16 years experience in designing and operating Private Battlefield Tours, Battlefield Studies and Staff Rides.
- Our team of battlefield historians and guides are selected for their experience, depth of knowledge, enthusiasm and ability to tell the story in an entertaining and engaging way. The majority are accredited members of the prestigious Guild of Battlefield Guides. This means they endeavour to maintain high levels of good practice commensurate with the Guild's ethos.
- We operate a full booking, planning and design service.
- Office is open 24-hours a day whilst the tour is operating.
- Combined Employers and Public Liability Insurance (a copy can be supplied upon request).
Enquire About Your Welsh on the Western Front Tour Today
If you are interested in this tour please contact us on enquiries@inthefootsteps.com or click on the button below which will take you to our Enquiry Form. Either way, please tell us which tour you are interested in, when you would like to go and how many people there are in your party. You will receive a reply within 24 hours.
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Page last updated: 25 October 2020.