WFA battlefield tour: Somme 110, autumn 2026

The Western Front Association is pleased to offer members the opportunity to join this autumn battlefield tour of the Somme, run in association with Battle Honours.

The tour focuses on the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, examining the events of 15 September 1916 – when tanks were used in action for the first time – across the breadth of the offensive from the Canadian sector near Courcelette to the fighting south of Delville Wood.

The tour is led by Dr Jack Sheldon MA PhD FRGS, honorary vice-president of the WFA and a leading authority on the German Army in the First World War, alongside historian Julian Whippy, who has studied the Somme campaign and its participants for decades.

Running from 12 to 15 September 2026, the tour is based in central Arras and limited to 25 participants.

Itinerary

Saturday 12 September — Travel from UK pick-up points via Dover–Calais. En route to Arras, a stop at Cabaret Rouge CWGC cemetery on the outskirts of Arras, where many casualties from the Somme fighting were later concentrated.

Sunday 13 September — The northern sector of the battle: the Canadian sector near Courcelette, High Wood (assaulted by the 47th (London) Division), and the Tank Corps Memorial at Pozières. Discussion of the challenges faced by both the BEF and the German defenders on the opening day.

Monday 14 September — The southern sector: Delville Wood to Combles, taking in Guillemont, Ginchy, and the wooded areas towards Leuze Wood and Combles. The fighting of the Guards Division, 16th (Irish) Division, 56th (London) Division, and 20th (Light) Division is examined through cemeteries, divisional memorials, and the ground itself.

Tuesday 15 September — The 110th anniversary of the assault on Flers. The morning follows the New Zealand Division and 41st Division towards the village, concluding with a short act of remembrance at their memorial. The tour closes with a visit to the Thiepval Memorial before onward travel to Calais and the UK.

Personal visits to graves or memorials of family members or individuals of interest are welcomed and will be incorporated into the itinerary where possible.