Service & Sacrifice
A Western Front Battlefields Tour for Women

10 Day Fully Escorted Battlefield Tour
03 – 12 September 2025
Twin Share – $5,995 per person
Single Room Supplement – $1290

Fully escorted by Australian Military Historians: Dr Meleah Hamilton & Emma Campbell

Boronia Travel Centre is pleased to offer a unique opportunity for women to explore the service and sacrifice of Australians on the First World War battlefields of the Western Front in an inclusive and encouraging environment.

The tour will run from 3 to 12 September 2025 and encompasses a wide variety of experiences of the men of the Australian Imperial Force in France and Belgium during the First World War from battlefield combatants to wartime tourists.

About Your Tour

Visiting numerous battlefields of the Western Front, this tour will look at Australian involvement on the Somme in 1916, at Bullecourt and Passchendaele in 1917 and the 100 Days’ Offensive in 1918. An interpretation of each battlefield site will explore what the objectives were, how they set about achieving those objectives, and what the ultimate outcome of the battle was – from the vast loss of life of 1916 to the great territorial advances of 1918.

The tour also examines what other parts of life was like during the war for Australians far from home. We visit Vignacourt, the site of a photography studio responsible for thousands of soldier portraits sent home to Australia. The Underground City of Naours is a network of caves marked with thousands of pieces of soldier graffiti. The Franco-Australien Museum in Villers Bretonneux demonstrates the affection the area feels for Australians even today.

At Trois Arbres Cemetery in Steenwerck we will see the site of the 2^nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, where four Australian nurses received Military Medals for their courage so close to the battlefield. Chateau de Bertangles is famous to Australians for being the site General Sir John Monash chose to have his knighthood ceremonially conferred.

From Fromelles to Bellenglise, this tour encompasses the experience of Australians during the First World War – from battle to the back lines. Visiting both popular sites of commemoration and little-visited, yet very significant places, it gives a wide-ranging understanding of the men and women from Australia who valiantly participated in the Great War.

The tour is fully escorted throughout by two of Australia’s most respected female historian’s, Dr Meleah Hampton and Emma Campbell.

About Your Tour Guides

Meleah Hampton has written extensively on the operational conduct of the war from Gallipoli to Montbrehain, and is the author of Attack on the Somme: 1st Anzac Corps and the Battle of Pozières Ridge 1916 (Helion, 2016) as well as numerous book chapters and articles. She is the producer and presenter of the popular podcast Fragments of the First AIF which explores the lives of Australians who served during the war.

Emma Campbell is the author of The Last Post: A Ceremony of Love, Loss and Remembrance at the Australian War Memorial (NewSouth, 2018), and numerous biographies presented at the Last Post Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial. She is currently writing a biography of Alice Chisholm, a central figure for Australian soldiers serving in Palestine during the First World War.

Meleah and Emma met while working in the Military History Section of the Australian War Memorial and, while both have moved on, they thoroughly enjoy working together to share what they know about the conduct of the war, and to never stop learning more.

They look forward to personally introducing themselves to all tour members prior to departure, and invite you to advise of any subject of particular interest, such as relatives who had fought (and sometimes died) during the conflict so they can then research the matter to ensure, where possible, that the tour visits the particular site and that detailed information on the actions are provided.

Visit the main sites of the World War One campaign of 1914 -1918 in France and Belgium where the AIF suffered thousands of casualties.

Highlights include:

• Fully escorted by Australian historians Dr Meleah Hampton & Emma Campbell
• The opportunity for like-minded women to explore the World War One battlefields of France & Belgium
• All battlefield excursions, scenic drives and sightseeing as described in the itinerary.
• Somme Battlefields including Australian National Memorial at Villers Bretonneux & the Sir John Monash Centre
• The Australian headquarters, Chateau de Bertangles & Vignacourt 14-18 Interpretive Centre
• The 1917 Battlefields of Bullecourt
• Visit theFromelles battlefields, the site of the disastrous action 19/20 July 1916
• Retrace the steps of the terrible Third Battle of Ypres and the former battlefields of Hill 60, Menin Road, Polygon Wood and many other sites of key interest.
• Messines Battlefields
• The medieval city of Bruges with its picturesque canals surrounding the quaint cobblestone lined streets.

Your Battlefield Tour Includes:

• Breakfast daily.
• Services of a local English-speaking expert female battlefield guide with years of experience escorting visitors around the battlefields
• Ground transport in deluxe air-conditioned coaches
• All entrance fees as per the itinerary.
• Boronia Travel Centre cap, ticket wallet and luggage tags.
• With the exclusive resources available, Rod Margetts may be able to assist with any family research you may be doing.

Meals Included: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Day 1.  Wednesday 03 September
Following a mid-afternoon check-in to the hotel, you are invited to join our local Tour Director, expert Australian military historians and fellow tour members for a welcome drink in the hotel.
Overnight: PARIS, France

Day 2.  Thursday 04 September – SOMME BATTLEFIELDS
After breakfast board the coach and travel north of Paris to begin treading the First World War battlefields. We head to the Somme battlefields of 1916, paying particular attention to the area around Pozieres and Mouquet Farm, where the AIF suffered 23,000 casualties in several short weeks. See the Lochnagar Crater, created by one of the many mines blown by the British on 01 July 1916 to mark the beginning of the Battle of Somme, then the 1^stAustralian Division Memorial, and the remains of the famous ‘Gibraltar’ blockhouse and onto the Windmill site, which war correspondent and later official historian CEW Bean wrote in his diary was an area “more densely sown with Australian sacrifice than any other place on earth”. After a stop for lunch, we continue on via Mouquet Farm to Thiepval, where the great British memorial to the missing stands. It’s then onto Amiens, located on the Somme River and overshadowed by the largest UNESCO World Heritage listed Cathedral in France, Amiens will be our home for the next few nights. Later we’ll meet for dinner at a restaurant located on the picturesque canal waterfront.  B
Overnight: Mercure Amiens Cathedral, AMIENS, France    

Day 3.  Friday 05 September – AUSTRALIANS AT WAR
An interesting morning that begins with a visit to the Vignacourt 14-18 Interpretive Centre. During the war local farmers Louis and Antoinette Thuillier turned their farmyard into a photo studio and took thousands of portraits of Allied troops. Located within the original farmhouse, the exhibition displays some of the photographs which were only discovered in recent years.  We then explore The Underground City of Naours, a network of caves marked with thousands of graffiti drawings made by soldiers during the Great War. Then, passing by Chateau de Bertangles, the Australian Headquarters where General John Monash received his knighthood, we travel onto the village of Villers Bretonneux which was recaptured by Australian troops after a short period of German occupation in April 1918 and displays many signs of the local people’s appreciation of Australian efforts there. We spend time at the Sir John Monash Centre, including time for lunch in the café and wander the Australian National Memorial and cemetery, the site of the official Dawn Service. It’s then onto the Franco-Australien museum situated in the Ecole Victoria (the Victorian School), rebuilt in the 1920s with funds donated by the Australian public and then Adelaide cemetery, the original resting place of the Unknown Australian Soldier now entombed in the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Return to Amiens and perhaps for dinner, enjoy one of the many restaurants located on the picturesque canal waterfront.  B
Overnight: Mercure Amiens Cathedral, AMIENS, France

Day 4.  Saturday 06 September – BULLECOURT 1917 & REMEMBRANCE
Today we explore the main Australian battlefields of 1917. We travel to Bullecourt, via the battlefields of the 1916 Somme winter region around Butte de Warlencourt and Flers (where “trench foot”, and the wet and freezing cold was remembered by many soldiers as the worst experience of the war). We’ll visit Noreuil Australian Cemetery and Heilly Station Cemetery at Mericourt-l’abbe before touring the battlefield of Bullecourt where the AIF suffered 10,000 casualties in April/May. We visit the Jean and Denise Letaille War Museum and inspect the local memorials including the Bullecourt “Digger” and the Slouch Hat Memorial. We then return to Amiens for free time for the remainder of the day to wander the cobblestone streets and explore the magnificent Cathedral at your leisure.  B
Overnight: Mercure Amiens Cathedral, AMIENS, France

Day 5.  Sunday 07 September – THE HUNDRED DAYS’ OFFENSIVE, 1918
This morning we begin at the Richthofen (‘The Red Baron’) crash site for discussion on the infamous German fighter pilot, and the nearby 3^rdAustralian Division Memorial at Sailly-le-Sec. Then to the tiny village of Hamel, where General John Monash planned and executed the brilliant operation which set the scene for the Allies’ final offensive of the war. Located on the site of the final objective of the Battle of Hamel, we visit the impressive Australian Corps Memorial commemorating over 100,000 Australians who served with the Australian Corps in France during the First World War. Afterwards we travel further east to Mont St Quentin – which was regarded by some British commanders as the ‘finest feat of arms by the Australians’ in the entire war – to see the famous 2^ndAustralian Division Memorial before stopping for lunch in Peronne, a town occupied by the Germans for most of the war and captured by Australian forces in early September 1918. This afternoon we follow the Australians’ final battles by looking at the breaking of the Hindenburg Line in September 1918. We visit the 4^thAustralian Division Memorial standing on the heights at Bellenglise, for discussions on the final offensive, Bellicourt to explore the tunnel and remaining German bunkers and to Calvaire Cemetery Montbrehain, where the AIF fought its last action of the First World War. We will also stop at Somme American Cemetery at Bony before making our way back to Amiens for a free evening for rest or to wander and eat at the many available cafes/restaurants.  B
Overnight: Mercure Amiens Cathedral, AMIENS, France

Day 6.  Monday 08 September – TO THE YPRES SALIENT
We leave Amiens and the Somme region heading for Belgium and the ancient town of Ieper (Ypres, as it was known during the war). En-route we’ll see Forceville Cemetery, one of three “experimental cemeteries” built by the Commonwealth War Graves and, which became the model for all other CWGC cemeteries, before stopping at Vimy Ridge, the spectacular Canadian Memorial. After a lunch stop, we make an important stop at Fromelles to see where the Australian and British troops participated in a costly and unsuccessful attack on 19/20 July 1916.  We will explore the Battle of Fromelles Museum and the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Cemetery where the 250 men whose remains were found in 2010 now rest. We also see the Cobbers Memorial, VC Corner and Hitler’s blockhouse on the Fromelles battlefields. We then travel to Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, the site of the 2^ndAustralian Casualty Clearing Station, bombed in 1917 and where four Australian nurses received Military Medals, for “great coolness and devotion to duty” that night. Afterwards we cross the border into Belgium and onto Ieper, our base for the next few days. After settling in and freshening up, together we will attend the Last Post Ceremony at the nearby Menin Gate Memorial during which we will participate in the wreath laying. Every evening since 1928, traffic around the imposing arches of the Menin Memorial is stopped while the Last Post is sounded beneath the gate by the local firemen. This tribute is given in honour of the memory of British Empire soldiers who fought and died there. The remainder of the evening is free to explore our new surroundings.  B
Overnight: Novotel Centrum, IEPER, Belgium

Day 7.  Tuesday 09 September – BRUGES
Today we visit the picturesque medieval city of Bruges, with its wonderful art, architecture, canals, chocolate and lace shops. Enjoy lunch or ice-cream and waffles in one of the many little cafes, or a scenic boat cruise along the canals. Later we return to Ieper for free time to explore the town square, and perhaps visit the In Flanders Fields Museum, located inside the famous Cloth Hall.  B
Overnight: Novotel Centrum, IEPER, Belgium

Day 8.  Wednesday 10 September – YPRES SALIENT 1917
This morning we travel down the Menin Road to Hooge Crater Museum and cemetery and then Polygon Wood before making our way to the enormous Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing. The largest Commonwealth War Cemetery, it contains over 11,000 graves including two Australian VC recipients. We continue to The Brooding Soldier (St Julien Canadian War Memorial) and the huge German war cemetery at Langemarke via Essex Farm Cemetery, where Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae of the Canadian Army Medical Corps wrote the poem ‘ In Flanders Fields’ in May 1915. Returning to Ieper, we stop at Hill 60 Tunnellers’ Memorial and explore the craters by foot. This evening is free to enjoy the picturesque town square or join the historians for a stroll along the ramparts. Ypres (Ieper) is fascinating and ancient town, and is known to have been raided by the Romans in the first century BC. Renowned for its linen trade with England, Ypres is mentioned in the Canterbury Tales. Since its almost total destruction during the First World War, the medieval Cloth Hall has been reconstructed to its original and imposing magnificence. This majestic building has World Heritage significance.  B
Overnight: Novotel Centrum, IEPER, Belgium      

Day 9.  Thursday 11 September – MESSINES TO PARIS
Following breakfast and check out, we visit the reconstructed German Bayernwald trenches at Wijtschaete before proceeding to Ploegsteert, where we will visit the Plugstreet 14-18 Experience, and the Berks Cemetery Extension / Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery. There we will be able to directly compare the modern ground to contemporary photographs of Australians at Hyde Park Corner and the entrance to the Hill 63 Catacombs. Afterwards we visit Prowse Point Military Cemetery and walk via Mud Corner Cemetery to the atmospheric Toronto Avenue Cemetery discussing Australian casualties and the experience at Messines. We then move to the New Zealand Memorial at Messines taking in one of the best overall views of the battlefields. We then cross the border back into France for our return journey into Paris.  B
Overnight: PARIS, France

Day 10.  Friday 12 September
This morning after breakfast, sadly the tour comes to an end and it’s au revoir! B

** Itinerary subject to change due to prevailing circumstances.

Novotel Centrum, Ieper

Novotel Centrum Flanders Fields is a 3-star city centre Ypres hotel, a stone’s throw from Ypres Market Square and In Flanders Fields Museum. You’ll also be within 5 minutes of Cloth Hall and Menin Gate Memorial. The hotel has a restaurant and free WiFi along with an elevator (lift). There is also a bar/lounge where guests can enjoy drinks, plus there is a fitness centre and steam room for guests to take advantage of also.

Mercure Cathedral, Amiens    

Located in the heart of Amiens, just 50m from the cathedral, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site, the Mercure Amiens hotel is the perfect destination for leisure. The historic Saint Leu district, the floating gardens and Jules Verne’s house are all just a stone’s throw from the hotel. Airy, modern rooms include free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, as well as work desks. Upgraded rooms and suites have Nespresso coffeemakers, iPhone/iPad docks and/or pull-out sofas, while some suites add private terraces and cathedral views. Amenities include a contemporary French restaurant and an all-day cocktail bar.

Our tour members depend on us to provide a once in a lifetime battlefield experience combined with exceptional customer service. We do our best to meet and exceed their high standards, which is what you’d expect from Australia’s leading battlefield tour company. Here’s what our past passengers say about our efforts…

We had the most marvellous trip through the Western Front through France to Belgium, we were in the front row at the Menin Gate Ceremony, what more can I say, again Rob our tour guide rose to the fore and those of us with pilgrimages were not disappointed, I know that my husband and I have come home with more of an understanding of the whole war and where our ancestors fitted into the overall picture, I can’t thank Boronia Travel enough for the planning, hotels, sight seeing, wonderful special dinners and the standard of the whole experience that you had a part in organising, many, many thanks Peter, I can’t thank you enough either with your help from our first booking to our return to Oz.  We will definitely refer Boronia Travel to our friends, many thanks again for  all your help in making this trip one of a lifetime. (We did actually get to all the Battlefields that we requested).”
Margaret Weston

We really enjoyed our Battlefield Tour thanks to Aaron and John being so organised and calm. We learnt so much from you and it was wonderful to share the stories from other descendants.  I congratulate you on the very efficient manner in which you remembered everyone’s special battlefield place, and how you helped us to pay our respects. It made it very special. I do hope that you had a safe trip home. Many thanks for looking after us so well and for all the wonderful times we had on our tour. Regards and all the best.”
Sandra Walker

” Thank you for making the trip so special, I didn’t know what to expect when I left Australia and it has dawned on me just how special it was. The first day home, I found myself going over the whole trip. It was just amazing and I’d like to say thank you once again for making it so interesting because it really hit me when I got home how important it was. I couldn’t have wished for better people to share it with too. The group of people were just great. I thought I was pretty lucky with the tour. Everything about it was great.”
Roslyn Beauchamp, Queensland 

“I write to commend and thank you for the marvellous Guide we had in Aaron Pegram on the recent Western Front tour in April. Aaron was not only extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the War but he ensured that everyone who had a personal interest in a battlefield, cemetery or memorial had the opportunity to visit the site and was given time for quiet reflection. Although the Tour participants had a collective interest in the Western Front, we were a diverse group of people and Aaron managed us all with great sensitivity and aplomb. Once again, thank you for such a great Tour”.
Lesley Kerr

“Howard and I have been very remiss in not contacting you to tell you how much we enjoyed our trip to the Western Front with Boronia Travel this year. It was all we were hoping for, and more. The “more” was because of the people. Graeme and John, the tour historian and tour leader, were so generous with their time and knowledge and were the ultimate professionals, making our travel experience one of ease and extraordinary interest. Jean-Michel, our bus driver, was a legend and our fellow tour companions completed the experience. Thank you.”
Rae King and Howard Gibbon 

“Thank you for your organisation of the best, and I do mean the best tour I’ve ever been on.”
R Thompson, Stradbroke Island

“Thanks so much for making it such a memorable trip for my mum. She was ecstatic about all the lengths you went to for her to celebrate her father’s life.”
K Holz, Melbourne

“I am writing to simply thank you for a wonderful experience that I will never forget. It was a privilege to be on the Tour… The Australian War Memorial should be congratulated for making these tours possible with such outstanding historians and leaders.”
L Brear, Blackburn South

“Working through Boronia Travel provided a proven platform to leverage off. They were professional at all stages and provided a tour package and guide well matched for the demographic. The itinerary was flexible and was negotiated each day by the tour manager and OIC, and provided participants a balanced experience”.
Matthew Lamerton, Australian Defence Force Academy

“I can honestly say that it was one of the most amazing and enjoyable experiences of my life! Every aspect of the tour far exceeded my expectations.”
R Masters, Koo Wee Rup

Our customers depend on us to provide a once in a lifetime battlefield experience combined with exceptional customer service. Visit our page full of client testimonials.