dunkirk ww2 tours

TTC family of brands

My Trafalgar

Destinations

Get Inspired

866 513 1995

WWI and WWII Battlefields

329 reviews

Seasonal Sale

Save up to $600

Available Dates

Your itinerary

Dates & prices

11 Day Battlefield Tour of UK, Belgium and France

11 days, 3 countries and 11 cities

Accommodation

10 Breakfasts, 4 Dinners

View day-by-day trip itinerary

Travel to the front lines of Europe, where brave soldiers once fought for freedom. On this epic battlefield tour through the countryside of Britain, Belgium and France, you’ll explore the tragedy and triumph of two World Wars.

Looking to book in a group of 9 or more?

Deals, savings and exclusive private touring options available plus if you need a different date or itinerary change we can create a custom trip. Contact us for more details

Trip code: 

Low deposit from $200

Deposit protection

Free booking changes

Trip map & itinerary

Day by day itinerary

11 days itinerary trip from London to Paris visiting 3 countries and 11 cities

Download itinerary

Print itinerary

Expand all days

About this trip

Sightseeing highlights.

Explore London and Paris with a Local Specialist

Discover Normandy, Amiens, the Somme Region, Ypres, Brussels and Rouen

Visit the Imperial War Museum in London, the D-Day Landing Beaches, Saint-Sulpice church in Paris, Amiens Cathedral, military cemeteries throughout northern France and Belgium, the Australian National Memorial, the Caen Memorial, WWI & WWII Battlefields, the Dunkirk War Museum and evacuation beaches, and the Memorial Museum Passchendaele

View Buckingham Palace in London, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the Menin Gate

Travel highlights

Specific transfer information can be found here:

Airport Transfers

An expert Travel Director and professional Driver

Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted

All porterage and restaurant gratuities

All hotel tips, charges and local taxes

Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals

Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras

Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing

Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)

Optional Experiences and free time

Eurostar high-speed train from London to Brussels

On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences

Every one of our tours includes at least one conscious travel experience that supports one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS). Look out for yours within the day-by-day trip itinerary.

Find out more

Net-zero by 2050

Travel knowing our 4-point climate action plan will ensure net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Support Local

Your tour directly supports local communities by visiting family-run businesses, UNESCO sites and places of cultural significance.

Sustainable Practices

Every part of our business, from trip design to how we run our offices, aligns to our 5-year sustainability strategy which ensures a positive impact on people, the planet and wildlife.

Philanthropic Efforts

Our not-for-profit, the TreadRight Foundation, invests in nature-based solutions to address climate change.

You’ll make a positive impact to people, planet and wildlife on this tour

LIVE, UNEDITED & INDEPENDENT TRAVELER REVIEWS

WWI and WWII Battlefields trip reviews

#ttbattlefields.

Real moments from real travelers, creating the greatest travel stories they’ll ever tell

Or search for something else

Help & Info

WE MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Unedited Reviews

Our Destination Management Companies

Frequently Asked Questions

Travel Updates

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Travel Planning

Get Your Free Brochure

Travel Insurance

Booking Conditions

Trip Deposit Level

Recommendations

Trafalgar Tours Limited is a proud member of  The Travel Corporation  family of companies.

#SimplyTrafalgar

Travel House, Rue du Manoir St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 2JH

Selected Region

United States

United Kingdom

New Zealand

South Africa

Copyright 2024 Trafalgar. All rights reserved.

Terms and Conditions

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

Dunkirk Battlefield Tour

• See all photos

Private battle of Dunkirk Operation Dynamo Tour

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Dunkirk Battlefield Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Availability

It’s possible to book the Dunkirk Operation Dynamo Battlefield Tour almost 365 days a year. The available slots are 10:00-12:00, 12:00-14:00, 14:00-16:00 and, from April to September, 16:00-18:00.

It’s also possible to book a longer tour, including the wreck of the Crested Eagle on Zuydcoote beach (tides permitting). Ask us for a quote.

Rates (2024)

2h private tours:

On board your car or coach: € 140 (€ 200 on Sundays and bank holidays) On board our Renault Kangoo (up to 3 people): € 185 (€ 225 on Sundays and bank holidays)

Dunkirk Battlefield Tour

• See all photos

Private battle of Dunkirk Operation Dynamo Tour

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

DUNKIRK BATTLEFIELD TOUR - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Guide to Operation Dynamo Sites in Dunkirk

The planned mass evacuation of May 1940, known as Operation Dynamo, was both a disaster and a triumph. With the Germans bombing Dunkirk and the nearby beaches from May 18, the flotilla of vessels—including the immensely courageous crews of the 336 Little Ships—managed the excavation of 338,226 allied soldiers, including 123,069 French and 16,816 Belgian soldiers.

There are a significant number of sites in and around Dunkirk that are important to the evacuation operation and it is possible for enthusiasts to visit these places to trace historical events . You can walk to some of these places, but you will probably need a car or some form of transport to get to the Dynamo Museum on the Digue des Bains and to the Military Cemetery.

Central Dunkirk

Everything in Dunkirk circles around Jean Bart, the famous French privateer who saved the French from starvation in 1694 by capturing 130 ships full of wheat. His statue stands in the eponymous central Place, the heart of Dunkirk. The statue was not hit during the massive German attacks in May and June 1940 and remained intact during further destruction in the German occupation to the end of the war. It’s a good place for shopping with individual food shops, and it’s also near the Centre Marine which has 23 shops.

Getting There and Tourism Resources

You can travel to France from the UK by ferry . DFDS Seaways have regular sailings daily throughout the year for cars and passengers. The trip takes two hours.

The Dunkirk tourism office is a good place to learn about special events and get more information.

Dunkerque Tourist Office 4 Place Charles Valenti 59140 Dunkerque Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 28 66 79 21

Bassin de Commerce

From Place Jean Bart, it’s a short stroll to the Bassin du Commerce , which suffered during the bombing raids, although the port went on unloading munitions as it could. It was also used to evacuate the British troops, attracting serious German pounding.

The British paddle steamer, the Princess Elisabeth was built in 1927 for the Southampton to Cowes run. In 1939, she was taken over by the Admiralty and converted into a minesweeper. A year later, she was sent to Dunkirk to help clear the mines in the channel off the beaches. She survived, though other ships, including the Brighton Belle, the Devonia, and Gracie Fields were sunk.

All the minesweepers were then used to take the soldiers off the shore for the duration of the evacuation, the Princess Elisabeth making 4 journeys and rescuing 1,673 soldiers.

After the war she became an excursion boat again, then a floating casino, then a restaurant on the Thames in London. In 1988, bought by a French company, she made her way to the Seine just outside Paris. She arrived in Dunkirk in 1999 and today is used for exhibitions and events.

Walk along the Quaie des Hollandais through Place du Minck, along rue Leughenaer to the Colonne de la Victoire in Place de la Victoire. Turn left along rue des Chantiers de France, past the sculpture garden and the modern art museum up to the bunkers that line Bastion 32.

The Operation Dynamo Museum

The Operation Dynamo Museum (Mémorial du Souvenir) is a small museum devoted to the Battle of Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo. This is one of the most interesting places to visit. Start with the 15-minute film whose jerky black-and-white sequences put you right into the heart of the action. 

Photographs, lots of informative maps showing the movement of the war, unformed models, Vichy propaganda, a motorbike which is rare as the majority were taken to the Eastern front and blown up or abandoned, a flag used during the evacuation, and a whole lot more. Everything is in French and English and it’s manned by an enthusiastic group of volunteers who will happily answer any questions you might have. At the end, there’s a large plaque to the Czechs who liberated the town on May 9, 1945, making Dunkirk the last town to be set free.

From here take the Pont Lefol onto rue Marcel Sailly and turn left to the western end of the Digue des Alliés, the long stretch of seafront that goes all the way to Malo-les-Bains for the next memorial.

Memorial to the Allies

The Mémorial des Alliés (Memorial to the Allies) is made from paving stones from the harbor quayside. It commemorates the courage of the Allied troops during the Dynamo operation.

Dunkirk Cemetary

The Dunkirk Cemetery is along the roué de Furnes, to the south of the town. Two stone pillars guard the entrance to the Dunkirk Memorial, the entrance to the British War Graves section, opened in 1957 by the Queen Mother. There are 4,506 soldiers of the British Army and 6 from the Indian Army from 110 different units commemorated here, including those who died in captivity and those captured during Operation Dynamo and have no known grave. 

The Cemetery has also 793 World War II burials, and also Czech, Norwegian and Polish war graves.

Guide to Dunkirk

France Border Travel From the North to Spain

9 Places for Jewish History in Paris, From Museums to Memorials

The Nord-Pas-de-Calais Region: North France

Top Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches and World War II Sites

Dover Castle: The Complete Guide

North Coast of France: The Ultimate Road Trip From Dieppe to Calais

The Top 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in France

Visiting Limoux and Drinking Wine

Top Gardens of France

Top 15 Monuments and Historic Sites in Paris

Albi: Planning Your Trip

Visit the Temples of the Greek Gods and Goddesses

Dordogne Travel Guide and Maps

Essential Ancient Sites to Visit in Rome

Nantes: Jewel of the Loire Valley

Spirit of Dunkirk

• Things to do
• Dunkirk 1940 – Operation Dynamo

Heritage of 1940

In May and June of 1940, Dunkirk was the scene of a major turning point in history. During the Second World War, the famous Operation Dynamo succeeded in evacuating more than 338,000 soldiers to England, in only nine days.

The relative calm of the “Phoney War” period that followed the 1939 declaration of war between Britain and Germany suddenly ended on 10th May 1940, when Germany launched an attack on Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. In the space of just a few days, the German army had pushed through and the allies were retreating towards the North. Fearing that its troops would be trapped, and judging the battle to be lost, Britain decided to evacuate the troops retreating on Dunkirk by sea. Admiral Ramsay led the evacuation, which the British called ‘Operation Dynamo’.

England sent over everything and anything that could float: warships, commercial vessels, fishing boats, sailing boats, barges and “little ships” that had never before been more than a few miles off the coast. Under continual aerial attack, more than 330,000 allied soldiers, including 120,000 French and a few thousand Belgian soldiers were evacuated through Dunkirk, and about a third of the soldiers left from the beaches. 40,000 soldiers were left behind and taken prisoner. Most of them belonged to the divisions in charge of slowing down Germany’s advance, a crucial element in the operation’s success.

This glorious moment in the Second World War has inspired many filmmakers and writers. As early as 1949, Robert Merle published “Weekend at Zuydcoote” which won the Prix Goncourt. Henri Verneuil took this novel as the inspiration for his 1964 film, “Weekend at Dunkirk”, and there’s a new film by Christopher Nolan, released in 2017, called “Dunkirk”.

More than a century later, you can hunt down the traces of this unique episode in history at a great number of sites and exhibitions.

On the paths of remembrance – Visitor guide

We made this visitor guide for you so could can see eveything related to Operation Dynamo and WWII in Dunkirk. From a famous museum to a simple headstone, from a walk on the beach to discover shipwrecks to a 30 minutes drive to pay your respects to the victims of a nazi crime, we did our best to offer you this guide which will help you build your program in and around Dunkirk.

• Download 4MB

Leon’s Journal– History Notebook

Dunkirk, North Sea 1940 – 1945

Leon’s Journal recounts the story of a young 11-year-old boy, a resident of Dunkirk, at the outbreak of the Second World War. His story is also the story of his family and friends. It describes daily life, school rooms, classwork and comic-book heroes of this era. But it also describes the painful moments experienced by the inhabitants of Dunkirk: the fear of being bombed, the occupation by the German army, hunger and oppression. Our town was almost completely destroyed during the war. In fact, there were only several hundred residents left. At the war’s end, the Glacis district was the site of emergency wooden barracks for the thousands of refugee families returning to Dunkirk.

• Download 6MB
• Online booking

Dunkirk to D-Day battlefield tour - DAY 1

Dunkirk to d-day battlefield tour.

commences at Lille station in France where you will be greeted by one of our guide’s. However, alternative group travel can be made from London, either coach or V Class Mercedes. Later we travel through the channel ports of Dover and Folkstone notably crossing to Calais – France and continuing the Dunkirk to D-Day battlefield tour.

Our first stop will be a visit to the town of Cassel’s, in the Dunkirk region.

Next we make our way to Wornhoudt, where notably on May 28 1940, a fierce battle commenced between the British and German troops. Furthermore, as a result this lead to German Waffen SS troops completely overrunning the allied position. Meanwhile, it is here that you will discover about 80 British troops and 1 French soldier who were executed in the barn. Although this barbaric episode did not come to the fore until much later in the war.

We move on to Bray Dunes

which is synonymous with Dunkirk to D-Day battlefield tour. In fact this beach is the most poignant of the evacuation beaches and the one least changed. Furthermore, many soldiers took shelter in the sand dunes from the German bombardment.

In the town of Dunkirk, synonymous with D Day

is the Dunkirk Memorial. Notably, this memorial commemorates more than 4,500 British and Commonwealth service personnel.

In addition to this, you will discover the Blockhaus at Eperlecques which is the world’s largest bunker. Indeed this is a fascinating memorial to the slave labour that constructed the bunker complex. Furthermore it is here you are able to explore the V1 and V2 rocket factory and launch sites.

Dunkirk to D-Day battlefield tour - DAY 2

is one of the most strategically important locations in all of Europe. Additionally, this tight bottleneck through which ships travel between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, it is not surprising to learn that the Straits of Dover became the scene of one of WWII heaviest artillery bombardments.

Atlantic Wall Museum:

At the open-air museum we explore the well preserved German Atlantic wall, including bunkers, trenchers and armaments.

Our next stop is Dieppe

where the first major allied attack onto mainland Europe took place. Notably, in August 1942 more than 6000 Canadians and British commandos attempted to test the feasibility of an amphibious assault. Specficially, here we will see the area where No. 3 Commando fought around Dieppe, Canadian landing beaches and the German defence bunkers that defeated them. Additionally our tour also includes the visit to the Dieppe War Cemetery.

At Bruneval

we visit the site of Operation Biting that was a daring Combined Operations raid on a German radar station and was the first British airborne raid of WWII and it is here we will have an overnight stay in La Harve.

The assault on the Merville Battery is a story of perseverance, bad luck and extraordinary courage that took place on D Day.

Next on our itinerary is a visit to Ranville Cemetery where we will see the war graves. In addition to this here we will locate the youngest and oldest graves including Den Brotheridge the first allied casualty of Dunkirk and D Day.

We take a drive to Pegasus Bridge

visiting the museum that has a replica horse gilder and the original bridge which is a superb photo opportunity. Furthermore, we then take a short walk to the Orne river and discover the events of the 6th June 1944.

Next we travel to Villers-Bocage

where British tanks attempted to break out of the Normandy beachhead but were destroyed by German panzer tanks under the command of ace Michael Wittman.

Our final stop on your D Day and Dunkirk tour is Tilly-Sur-Seulles

At this scene, the town was conquered and lost 23 times by the British army to the German Panzer where the village was completely destroyed. After this, we will have an overnight stay in Bayeux

on Sword Beach, again, this is a fascinating museum, devoted entirely to the Atlantic Wall.  In addition to this, from here we travel the short distance to Queen, Red, White and Green beaches where the allies assaulted a two mile stretch of Sword Beach.

At Juno Beach we follow the Canadian troop landings, also later we view Sword Beach and the Mulberry Harbour. Additionalluy, our last stop of the day is the German cemetery at La Cambe which is where we will visit the grave of Panzer ace Michael Witteman followed by an overnight stay in Bayeux.

The Dead Man’s Corner museum which is probably the finest museum experience in Normandy.

After this we head to Utah Beach, and visit sites and towns that were engaged during the initial days after Dunkirk and D Day including Sainte-Marie-Du-Mont, Angloville-du-Plain, Brecourt Manor, La Fiere Bridge and the iconic Sainte Mere Eglise. In addition to this our last stop of the day is the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach.

We conclude the Dunkirk and D Day 5 day tour

by returning to Bayeux train station for your train journey back to Paris where you connect to your Eurostar train to London.

As shown above in our tour information, if you would like to find out more information about Dunkirk and D Day read more at WikiPedia.

Terms and Conditions

Private tour bookings:.

By booking your tour with TET Battlefield Tours (TET) you agree the following:

Tour payment Our full tour price can be paid immediately on booking.  A 20% deposit is payable to confirm and reserve your booking with full tour price paid at least 30 days before the tour date.  Payment either made into our bank account via invoice or via our Paypal link.  Please note, we do not store credit card details nor do we share customer financial details with any 3rd parties.

Refund policy 20% deposit is non-refundable, remaining tour price refundable if cancelled with 30+ days notice.  If you are unable to undertake the tour on the date booked, we will endeavor to rearrange to an alternative date, but if this is not possible your tour fee is non-refundable if less than 30 days notice is provided.

Confirmation process On receipt of deposit TET Battlefield tours. endeavor to confirm its receipt and will then provide an itinerary of the tour booked.

Food Food is not included in the price of your tour.

Attraction fees Entrance fees to the attraction are not included in the cost of the tour and you will need to purchase these on the day. Please note that some attractions require advance booking – eg Stonehenge. Please contact us for your approximate time of arrival at venue to pre-book your time slot. We can book tickets for you if requested and pay upfront.

Pickup/drop off TET Battlefield Tours. will confirm your bespoke pick up time according to your selected tour. Please ensure you are punctual as this can affect your itinerary which may have to be shortened accordingly. Your drop off time will also be advised on your itinerary.

Additional driver time Should you wish to extend your tour into the evening to include dinner out or visit a London West End show, our driver services are available for hire for £50 per hour. Please provide reasonable notice.

Travel England Tours have public liability insurance in the event of any fault claim.  Travel England Tours accept no responsibility for damage or loss to passengers’ goods or self and recommend all passengers have their own travel insurance.  Passengers are expected to have their own personal travel insurance policy if they are unable to travel on the day of the booked tour.

Damage/Liability Every effort is taken to ensure passengers see the booked tour location(s), however there may be situations beyond Travel England Tour’s control, ie unforeseen accidents, emergencies or natural disasters which we will not be held responsible for.

It is a condition of booking that all travellers are covered by comprehensive travel insurance and do not travel against medical advice. Most claims against travel insurance are for cancellation owing to illness etc. Details of the insurance arranged must be provided to TET prior to the journey departure.

Group tour bookings:.

Correct at time of writing, subject to reasonable change and will be dealt with on an individual basis.

Booking dates All prices quoted are valid from 1st January 2020 – 31st December 2020.  Bookings also taken for 2021.

Contact details Bookings: Telephone: 0208 434 3549  email:   admin@ travelenglandtours.com    Website: media.sunrisegrowwebsolution.com

Booking confirmation Your booking is not confirmed until we send you a confirmation of booking.  Full payment is required at time of booking. The tour is not booked until the full tour cost is paid.  Payment to be paid in GBP.

Cancellation conditions When booking via a third party booking platform the third party’s cancellation conditions apply.  Otherwise, if cancelled with 30 days or less notice, payment is non-refundable.  If cancelled with more than 30 days notice, 20% is retained for administration costs.  This does not relate to third party costs (ie accommodation) which will have their own cancellation conditions which passengers must adhere to.

Amendments Administration amendments to bookings will be accommodated free of charge up to 7 days prior to tour.  Amendments after this date will be charged at £5 per amendment.

Inclusions/Excursions Please refer to your individual tour template for specific details of what is included within each tour.

Missed Departure TET cannot be held responsible if you do not have the necessary travel documents, or fail to get to the correct departure point by the correct time.

Refusal to Travel TET reserve the right to refuse to carry any passenger whose conduct or manner is likely to cause offence or upset another passenger.  TET reserve the right to refuse to carry any passenger with medical symptoms that could affect other passengers.  In these cases a full refund will be given to the passenger with no further liability due to them.

Luggage Limited luggage space is available.  Each passenger is restricted to 1 x medium sized suitcase/bag similar to carry on size on an aircraft – approx. size: 55cm x 45cm x 25cm, weight: 14kgs.  Passengers are also permitted to one small lightweight bag to keep with them.  TET reserves the right to not carry excess or overweight luggage.  TET carry luggage free of charge but at the owners risk.  Passengers need to be able to lift their own luggage.

Children Our tours are not suitable for children under 5.  Children aged 5-15 must be accompanied by at least 1 adult.  Depending on demand, some children prices may be available – please ask.

Block Bookings Block booking tour series are available all year.  Please contact to arrange.  No operating Christmas Day.

Departure Point Please see individual tour template for specific details of departure point.

Disability, Medical and Health Problems TET will try to accommodate any disabilities or medical problems.  The passenger is responsible for informing TET at the time of booking.

Accessibility and fitness considerations Please refer to the individual tour template.

Damages and  responsibilities TET accept no responsibility for damage or loss to passengers’ goods or self and recommend all passengers have their own travel insurance.  Every effort is taken to ensure passengers see the booked tour location(s), however there may be situations beyond Travel England Tour’s control, ie unforeseen accidents, emergencies or natural disasters which we will not be held responsible for.

Data Protection We take your privacy seriously and endeavor to process personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws.  We may pass your personal details to third parties (ie accommodation providers relevant to your booking).

Private Tour WW2 Dunkirk (PRIVATE TOUR)

Wwii dunkirk "operation dynamo" and v2 rockets' underground launcher base "la coupole" bastion 32, dunkirk lighthouse and jetty, malo les bains beach, le fort des dunes, "la coupole" v2 rockets launcher site and museum.

Day Trip From Paris to Dunkirk, including hotel pick-up and drop-off (read Tour Description) Travel with your own group tour aboard a Minivan (max 7 participants)

• Information
• Tour Description
• Similar Tours

DETAILS PRICES

• 2 pax = 900 € (450 € per person)
• 3 pax = 1080 € (360 € per person)
• 4 pax = 1260 € (315 € per person)
• 5 pax = 1350 € (270 € per person)
• 6 pax = 1485 € (248 € per person)
• 7 pax = 1575 € (225 € per person)

HIGHTLIGHTS

• Travel aboard a minivan with your own group !
• Browse thousands of war-related artifacts at the Museum “Dunkerque 1940” and relive by yourself the Operation Dynamo in the heart of the fightings
• Come to see the Paddle Steamer Boat « Princess Elizabeth » who has been involved in evacuation of allies troops during Operation Dynamo
• Walk along a beautiful 3 miles long beach in Malo
• Discover the « fort des dunes » built and camouflated among the dunes
• Visit this huge and impressive dome bunker made in concrete and known as ” La Coupole “who now house a museum but was used by the Nazi in WW2 as a v2 rockets launcher site

THE PRICE INCLUDES

• Private tour
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off (read Tour Description)
• WWII day trip from Paris to Dunkirk in Northern France
• Travel aboard an air-conditioning Minivan vehicle (Max 7 participants)
• Driver/guide (english speaking)
• Admission tickets to the Museum of La Coupole in St Omer

THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDES

• Food and drinks, unless specified
• Not guided inside the Museum of La Coupole
• Gratuities (recommended)
• Pickup at your hotel location in Paris
• INTRODUCTION
• STOP 1 - Museum "Dunkerque 1940" and the site of "Bastion 32" (40mn)
• STOP 2 - The Dunkirk Lighthouse and Jetty, Dunkirk (10mn) 
• STOP 3 - Princess Elizabeth Steamer boat, Dunkirk port (15mn)
• STOP 4 - Malo Beach (15mn)
• STOP 5 - Lunch Time in Malo (01hour)
• STOP 6 - Fort des Dunes (40mn) 
• STOP 7 - Zuydcoote Beach (20mn)
• STOP 8 - "La Coupole"  WW2 Bunker Museum (01 hour 10mn)
• Return and drop off at your hotel location in Paris

As you booked a Private tour, the driver guide will pick you up around 06:15 am at your hotel location in Paris.

You will travel aboard a comfortable and air-conditioning minivan (7 passengers max).

Expected time for being pickup at your hotel: From 06 :00 am till 06 :30 am

Due to new traffic rules in Paris which ban on the majority of vehicular traffic crossing the city center in 2022, Hotel Pick-up and Drop-off would be operated only in the following listed Paris districts: 75008, 75007, 75006, 75005, 75016, 75015 and 75014.

LIDO DE PARIS 116 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris

Come with us to explore Dunkirk and the underground site of "La Coupole", huge bunker, built in 1943-1944 as a base to launch the V2 rockets towards London.

This journey of one day in the county of « Pas de Calais » in North of France will embarks you in the footsteps of the brave allies soldiers who were trapped and encircled by the german panzer-divisions in the hell of Dunkirk. After fierce fighting, finally 338,000 british and french troops succeeded to re-embark aboard ships to cross the channel untill England.

Operation Dynamo was the codename of the largest military' seaborne evacuation ever organized. Military operations to evacuate british and french troops began in May 26 and will end in June 4th 1940, constantly under fire of german aircrafts and artillery bombardements.

With your driver-guide you will travel to Dunkerque in an air-conditioned minivan. Once you arrive, you will visit the « Bastion 32 Museum ».

The Bastion 32 was the name given to the buildings that housed the Headquarters of the French and Allied Forces army during the battle of Dunkerque and Operation Dynamo in June 1940.

Installed in the Bastion 32 casemates, which were built in 1874 as part of the strengthening of coastal defense, The 1940 Dunkirk Museum (located in severals casemates of the Bastion 32 » tells the story of this battle and the evacuation of more than 330,000 Allied soldiers from the “Poche de Dunkerque” in 9 days.

Dunkirk lighthouse is an automated first order lighthouse , the highest of this type in France. It’s is built on the ruins of Fort Risban, built by Vauban from 1681 It is sited near Dunkirk . Construction on the lighthouse was completed in 1843.

The lighthouse was severely damaged by the German bombings of 1940 and major repairs will be scheduled as early as 1946

Nearby is the famous Dunkirk harbour jetty which you will see in a distance (Photo stop on the spot)

The Dunkirk harbour jetty is one of the emblematic places of the boarding of May-June 40. The pier, resurrected in the film Dunkerque, in a cold, hyperrealistic abyss, remains the point of crystallization of Operation Dynamo.

The Princess Elizabeth is a paddle-steamer built between 1926-1927. It was named the Princess Elizabeth to celebrate the birth of the present queen.

In May 1940, it played a crucial part in Operation Dynamo. Accompanied by the flotilla of 'Little Ships' which sailed to Dunkirk to rescue the stranded soldiers, it saved 1673 Allied soldiers in 4 crossings.

Today fully restored,  you will observe the majestic Princess Elizabeth at the Estacade quay, near the Pole Marine Shopping Centre in Dunkirk. Keeping history alive, the Princess Elizabeth perpetuates the 'Dunkirk Spirit' created by Churchill in 1940.

Star of the film 'Dunkirk'

In May 2016, Christopher Nolan's team landed in Dunkirk to film his new movie 'Dunkirk'. While thousand of extras took part in the film, a special guest also participated: The Princess Elizabeth. The ship relived Operation Dynamo again and came back to the place of its major accomplishment.

With the guide you will enjoy a walk along the sea wall in the lovely little town of « Malo » which is one of the residential areas (buidings dating from 1900 with an art deco style architecture) of Dunkirk renowned for its famous dike, a place where the natives walk as soon as the sun reaches the tip of their nose.

Also there many scenes of the movie « Dunkirk » by the English film director Christopher Nolan were film in the district’ streets.

This charming litlle town of « Malo Les Bains » is lined with terrace, seafood restaurants and ice cream shops that make everyone happy !

So it’s definitly a nice spot to take a break for lunch in a local restaurant or you will just decides by yourself of your own choices of meals (own expense).

 For you ladies, we will even try to save a bit of time in order to explore the local little shops which border the sea wall.

After you lunch, let’s continue the tour 3 miles away in order to see the « fort des Dunes » a so remarkable example of military installation designed by General Séré de Rivières at the end of the 20th Century. With its buildings buried under the sand and camouflated among the dunes' lanscapes who stretch arround. The fort was built in 1878 to protect Dunkirk and its port from attacks from the east. During the Second World War « the fort des Dunes » was at the heart of Operation Dynamo and badly damaged by germans aircraft bombers. (Photo stop on the spot)

In Zuydecoote the coast stretchs untill belgium.There while walking along the beach you will see at low tide some of the boats wrecks left behind by the british navy after operation Dynamo.

The most impressive wrecks are this vessel « Crested Eagle » and the « Devonia » which lie between Zuydcoote and Bray-Dunes. They can be reached on foot but can only be seen at low tides.

The Crested Eagle caught fire after coming under German aircrafts attack, It’s thought that more than 300 soldiers on board perished in the flames. Today both sets of remains and more than a dozen other small ships are largely used as mussel beds.

Leaving Dunkirk, in the afternoon the driver guide will take you to visit the amazing underground nazi military site of « La Coupole » one of the most impressive vestige of the Second World War in Europe.

This huge bunker, built by the Todt Organisation in 1943-1944 had to be the base for launching the V2 rockets against London.

The most prominent feature of the complex is an immense concrete dome, to which its modern name refers.

 It was built above a network of tunnels housing storage areas, launch facilities and crew quarters.

The facility was designed to store a large stockpile of V-2s, warheads and fuel and was intended to launch V-2s on an industrial scale. Dozens of missiles a day were to be fuelled, prepared and launched in rapid sequence against London and southern England.

During the return drive to Paris you will have time to relax aboard the minivan before to be dropped off at your hotel location in the evening (between 08:00 pm till 09:00 pm).

More about Dunkerque

• Bunker La coupole
• private tour

« ADRIAN ROADS » passionate team company is motivated by the same core values, namely the sharing of remembrance and transmission of history knowledge in both world wars. We do run our tours in small groups only (Max 8 people) aboard a comfortable and Air conditioned minivan.

About us World War 1 Tours World War 2 Tours Private Tour War Museum Contact Terms and Conditions Legal Notice Privacy policy

Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and get exlusive first minute offers straight into your inbox.

Dunkirk – ‘Operation Dynamo’ (four-day tour)

On 25 May , the War Office gave the order to evacuate British Forces from Dunkirk , codename ‘Operation Dynamo’ . In the nine days from 27 May to 4 June , 338,226 British and Allied troops escaped in what became known as ‘The Miracle of Dunkirk’ .

Day One: Depart from your chosen UK collection point and proceed to Dover for our channel crossing. The ferry still takes the X Route as used by many of the evacuation ships. Once we have docked we proceed to Ypres and book into our hotel (centrally located), The rest of the day is at your leisure and you are free to explore Ypres town. Enjoy a meal in one of the large choice of restaurants in the Grote Markt and sample one of the famous Belgium beers before taking in the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, all just a short walk from our hotel.

  Day Two: We go to La Paradis , scene of one of the SS massacre sites. From here we visit Cassel which was gallantly defended by battalions of the Ox & Bucks and Gloucester regiments to stop the advancing Germans. A packed lunch is taken here (included in the price) before we move on to Wormoult and the site where the 100 captured Warwicks were put in a barn and grenades were tossed in with them by the SS.

We then follow the escape corridor back to Bergues and look at the town and the site of the VC action by Captain Andrews of the East Lancs and the stand by a company of the Coldstream Guards commanded by Lt Jimmy Langley which took place on the canal bank leading east from the town. We then make our way back to Ypres via Dixmude where bridges were blown to stop the advancing German army.

Day Three: Today we head for the beaches of Dunkirk following them from La Panne in Belgium down to Bray Dunnes in France . We look at the various events that took place on the beaches and visit the wrecks that still lie on the beaches giving testament to this momentous evacuation . We will then make our way to the Eastern Mole  where the majority of the BEF soldiers were rescued from.

Next a visit to  Bastion 32 which is now the Dunkirk War Museum (included in the price) . It was here that the French commanded the evacuation . Finally, we will visit the Dunkirk Memorial and Dunkirk Cemetery to pay our respects to the fallen. A packed lunch will also be provided during the day (included in the price).

Day Four: Today sees us leave our hotel and journey back to the UK.

Testimonials

“Thanks again for another very special experience. Staying in Ypres for two nights allowed us to attend the Menin Gate ceremony on both Friday and Saturday. Doing Dunkirk on the Sunday and seeing all those beaches, mostly completely deserted, but with the rain beating down and the wind so strong I was thinking of those dark days in May and June 1940. As you said, thank god that the weather was so much better in 1940 than in 2015 and the Channel waters quite calm. Otherwise the evacuation operation would have ended very differently. The sites of the two SS atrocities where they executed surrendered British soldiers also made a big impression on me. I know we all enjoyed the tour and hope we can do another one with you very soon. I appreciate all the personal touches and, indeed, all the hard work you must put in. Sincere thanks.”

“Our second trip with Rifleman Tours and, just like the first this one was of the same high standard. Tony is a perfect host and guide with extensive knowledge and we learnt a great deal. We can thoroughly recommend Rifleman Tours.”

“This was our second tour with Rifleman Tours. We would like to congratulate you, Tony, on yet another informative, relaxed and enjoyable tour.  Your knowledge, and the way you deliver it, together with your research and your attention to detail, are all second to none. The ‘goodie basket’ was also much appreciated again this year! We look forward to planning our third tour with you and will highly recommend you to anyone we know who is looking to take a Battlefield Tour.

For the full testimonials click here

Included In Your Tour

Battlefield visits as described in itinerary

Battlefield Guide and tour manager

Central Accommodation including breakfast

Lunch on tour days where specified

Entrance to museums and places of interests visited where listed in itinerary

Return ferry or Eurotunnel crossing

Information pack

Executive coach or minibus travel including complimentary hot and cold drinks, bottled water and light snacks during the tour

17  – 20 September 2024 

(tour now full), £675 per person* (tour now full).

*Price is based on two people sharing

Total single supplement – £138

Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Toddington Services, M1 Motorway

South Mimms Services, M25

Ashford, Kent

Port of Dover

Hotel Accommodation

You will be staying at the 3 star Novotel Ieper Centrum Flanders Field Hotel, in the centre of Ypres and a short walk from the Menin Gate and Grote Markt.

• Booking Form

Copyright © Rifleman Tours | Website by Mouse Knows

• Museum VR Tour
• Rhode Island HOF
• Privacy Policy
• Events Page
• Flickr Photos
• Tim Gray on TV
• Future Films
• Film Narrators
• Film Reviews
• Endorsements
• Teacher Login
• Timeline of WWII

Google Earth is an excellent tool for visiting some of World War II’s most important locations and getting a sense of what the battlefields look like today. Just click on the above Google Earth icon at the top of this page or Click here.

Before you get going on your tour, we recommend a few initial stops. , click on the war in europe, the war in the pacific and the holocaust links below prior to starting your virtual journey. they will provide valuable background on  the specific areas we are recommending that you visit below via google earth. get to know the stories from the war years before you enter their names into the google earth search bar and fly into them virtually today:, war in europe link, war in the pacific link, the holocaust* link, visit europe today-enter the below locations in google earth’s search bar:, normandy, france (d-day and battle of normandy):, -omaha beach, -utah beach, -gold beach, -sword beach, -juno beach, -vierville-sur-mer, -normandy american cemetery, bastogne, belgium (battle of the bulge), berlin, germany (beginning and end of nazi germany), sicily (operation husky), rome, italy (battle for italy), casablanca, north africa (operation torch), warsaw, poland (warsaw ghetto), moscow, russia (germany’s invasion of the ussr), auschwitz, poland* (holocaust), london, england (the blitz), dunkirk, france (british and french evacuate from europe), arnhem, holland (operation market-garden), eindhoven, holland (operation market-garden), nijmegen, holland (operation market-garden), dresden, germany (bombed to ashes), dachau, germany* (holocaust), buchenwald, germany* (holocaust), volgograd, russia (battle of stalingrad), monte cassino, italy (death below the mountain and historic abbey), anzio, italy (a savage landing and fight), remagen, germany (a rare bridge across the rhine), crete, greece (german paratroopers land), malta island (the siege of malta) , nuremberg, germany (nuremberg trials), munich, germany (the birthplace of nazism), paris (city of lights and occupation), visit the pacific today-enter in google earth’s search bar:, pearl harbor, hawaii (december 7, 1941), – punchbowl cemetery, -ford island, -wheeler field, -hickam airfield, -kaneohe airfield, -diamond head, -waikiki beach, -battleship row, tarawa island (death at the water’s edge), wake island (the marines hold out), midway island (battle of midway), peleliu island (operation stalemate), iwo jima (black sand, red blood), okinawa (the final campaign), guam, tinian and saipan (cave by cave), tokyo, japan (home of the imperial palace and emperor), guadalcanal, solomon islands (america’s first air/sea/ground offensive), manila, bataan, corregidor & the philippines (retreat and death), hiroshima & nagasaki (the atomic bombs), melbourne, australia (the marines rest after guadalcanal), darwin, australia (the japanese attack), himalaya mountains (flying the hump), bougainville island (hunting admiral yamamoto), banika island (russell island group and the seabees), kwajalein atoll  (the marshall islands campaign), china (the china-burma-india theatre of war), india (the cbi), burma (the cbi), still want more information on a specific battle or its location click on below google image to be taken to a search page..

UK   0345 475 1815   USA (toll free)   877‑209‑5620   International   00 44 345 475 1815 [email protected] Rated 98% on feefo

Sign-in Latest News Subscribe Request Brochure

• Future Planning
• Military History and Battlefield Tours
• Classical History and Archaeological Tours
• Holocaust Tours
• General History Tours
• Experience Tours
• Walking Tours
• Early Periods
• 17th & 18th Century
• Victorian Era
• First World War
• Second World War
• Cross-Periods
• Destinations
• Our Expert Historians
• Historians Q&A
• Historical Tailor Made Tours
• School Tours
• Battlefield Studies
• Testimonials
• What to Expect
• Activity Levels
• Tour Diaries & Images
• Our Library
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Work For TCE
• General Booking Conditions
• Download Booking Form
• Tours by Date
• Tours by Theme
• Tours by Period
• Tours by Destination
• Latest News
• Request Brochure

The Eastern Front

Russia 1941-1943.

Military History and Battlefield Tours

To be confirmed

click here to register your interest

Your Holiday Essentials

Tour introduction.

A great opportunity to explore traditional Russia and sample its history, traditions, architecture and landscapes. Our ten day tour covers the three decisive turning points of the Great Patriotic War (as it’s known in Russia) the battles of Moscow, Stalingrad and Kursk. We begin outside Moscow at Borodino, the site of Napoleon's victory in 1812 and coincidentally the same defence line held in 1941. Preserved trench lines and bunkers are visible here as are ruined buildings at Stalingrad (now Volgograd). At Kursk we peruse fascinating local museums, tank scrapes and restored trench complexes en route. Traditional Russian single storey wooden houses and iconic Orthodox churches form the backdrop to our journey, which involves considerable travel with internal flights to Volgograd and comfortable overnight in two-berth sleeper train to Kursk, other nights are spent in four star hotels or equivalent. We will also witness a magnificent Victory Day parade right outside of our hotel.

The battle for Moscow during the autumn and winter of 1941-2 was the first time a German Army was checked and then repelled during the Second World War. A second German summer offensive in 1942, another seemingly irresistible Blitzkrieg across the southern Soviet Steppe, ran out of momentum when it engaged in a costly battle of attrition at Stalingrad. Yet another Soviet surprise winter counter offensive surrounded and overwhelmed Paulus’s Sixth Army, the strongest Army in the German Wehrmacht, and threatened to cut off an entire army group in the Caucasus. The German summer offensive at Kursk in 1943 was the final gamble, involving 6,000 tanks, 4,000 aircraft and two million men, the highest concentration of men and material achieved up to this point in the history of warfare. It achieved a fleeting tactical success but the strategic initiative was irretrievably lost.

The tour explores how near the Germans got to Moscow in 1941, why Blitzkrieg failed at Stalingrad in 1942 and examines many of the myths surrounding the huge tank battle at Prokohorovka in 1943.

Please note that the order of this itinerary may be altered according to museum opening days as the Victory Day parade always takes place on 9 May, regardless of the day of the week.

• With military history expert Dr Matthias Strohn
• Visit the magnificent tank Museum at Kubinka
• Explore the new complex at Patriot Park
• The battlefield of Borodino
• Mamayev Kurgan heights and memorial complex
• View the impressive victory parade in Volgograd
• Enjoy a boat trip on the Volga
• Visit Lyudnikov's Island
• Visit to the Great Patriotic War Museum
• Teplov Heights monument
• Soviet general Rokossovky's bunker headquarters
• Red Square, St Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin
• Follow the German advance on Moscow through Istra and Chimk

What's Included

• Return flights from London (optional)
• Internal flight(s)
• First class train travel
• 3 & 4 Star Hotels
• Buffet breakfast each morning
• Dinner parties hosted by your expert historian and tour manager
• Two drinks i,e wine or beer at each dinner and a welcome drink on first evening
• Dedicated Tour Manager
• Entrance fees for sites included in itinerary
• Modern, comfortable, air-conditioned coach
• Tour information booklet
• Access to the Cultural Experience app
• Helpful and friendly travel advice
• The company of like-minded travelers

"The duty of the men at Stalingrad is to die."

Adolf Hitler: during a lunch conference in January 1943

Day 1 - Arrive

Fly London-Moscow and check in to our hotel for three nights.

Day 2 - Kubinka and Patriot Park

Today is a special one for fans of military hardware. We visit the magnificent tank Museum at Kubinka and the new, huge complex at Patriot Park. Across these two exhibits you will be able see and get up close to almost every tank, armoured vehicle and self-propelled gun imaginable and not just form the Second World War. Examples of what we will see include the massive howitzer that bombarded Sevastopol, the 'Maus' Mark VIII Panzer, the biggest tank produced during the war, Tiger I and II tanks, as well as aircraft, naval ships and even intercontinental missiles!

Day 3 - The Defence of Moscow

We travel out to the battlefield of Borodino to explore and compare the battles of 1812 and 1941. We then follow the German advance on Moscow through Istra and Chimki, its closest point, just short of the Moscow ring road.

Day 4 - Stalingrad the Attack

Fly Moscow-Volgograd, landing at the former Luftwaffe airbase at Gumrak. We begin the tour of the Stalingrad city area from the Mamayev Kurgan heights, with its impressive memorial complex to overview the German assault. We visit the still preserved Grain Elevator, the Volga River crossings and Pavlov's House. Check in to our hotel at Volgograd for three nights.

Day 5 - Stalingrad The Defence

We visit the Panoramic Museum and Grudinin Mill to discuss street fighting and the final encirclement from von Paulus's final HQ at the Univermag department store. We drive to the western outskirts of the city, the edge of the Steppe, to see the Soldier's Field and the German entry points into the city.

Day 6 - Victory in Stalingrad

Today we view the impressive victory parade in Volgograd followed by a boat trip on the Volga to view the defence from the Soviet perspective. We travel to the north of the city to view the factory district, where the last German troops held out, and Lyudnikov's Island.

Day 7 - Moscow

After our return flight to Moscow we visit the Great Patriotic War Museum displaying much of the epic art and equipment of the war and more besides, before catching the train to Kursk and arriving late evening. Check-in to our Kursk hotel for two nights. 

Day 8 - Northern shoulder Kursk Salient

Today we drive north from Kursk to view Model's Ninth Army assault of Ponyri, 'the 'Stalingrad' of Kursk, visiting the railway station, the focus of the fighting, and the superb local museum. Moving to the Teplov Heights monument we view the furthest extent of Model's advance and visit the defending Soviet general Rokossovky's bunker headquarters.

Day 9 - Southern Advance to Prokhorovka

We drive the southern part of the salient following the 'death ride' of the Fourth Panzer Army to Prokhorovka, the site of the largest tank battle of the war. We follow the fortunes of the SS Adolf Hitler Battle Group, visiting preserved trenches and gun emplacements en route. We also visit the memorial bell tower and the impressive museum dedicated to the battle. Catch the overnight train from Kursk back to Moscow.

Day 10 - Moscow

After an early morning return to Moscow and a group breakfast, we head north to Yakhroma, where we hear of the crossing of the Moskva-Volga canal by the Germans in November 1941. This afternoon we enjoyed a guided tour around central Moscow ending in Red Square which is flanked by the GUM store, St Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin. Check-in to our Moscow hotel for our last night.

Day 11 – Departure

A late morning check out in order to catch our afternoon return flight to London.

Recommended Reading List

• Assault on Moscow 1941
• Barbarossa: The Russian German Conflict: The Russian German Conflict, 1941-45 (CASSELL MILITARY PAPERBACKS)
• Kharkov, 1942: The Wehrmacht Strikes Back (Campaign)
• Kursk: The Greatest Battle
• Stopped at Stalingrad: Luftwaffe and Hitler's Defeat in the East, 1942-43
• The Forgotten Soldier: War on the Eastern Front
• War without Garlands: Operation Barbarossa 1941-1942
• When Titans clashed. How the Red Army stopped Hitler

Photo Gallery

• Group at St Basil’s Cathedral
• Col Bob Kershaw in Action
• Rokossovky's bunker
• Barmaley Fountain
• The Motherland Calls
• Victory Day Parade
• The Group At Grudinin's Mill
• Railway Gun At Great Patriotic War Museum
• Memorial at Soldiers Field

Tour Reviews

Read Our most recent tour diary here

View images of our 2018 Eastern Front Tour Here

Take a look at some independent reviews of this tour by previous participants here

direct link

Subscribe to Our E-Newsletter

For up to date news as well as details about all of our tours please subscribe to our fortnightly e-newsletter

Quick Links

Military History and Battlefield Tours Classical History and Archaeological Tours Holocaust Tours General History Tours Experience Tours Walking Tours Future Planning Request Brochure Site Map

The Cultural Experience 11B Mansfield Park Four Marks Alton GU34 5PZ United Kingdom

UK: 0345 475 1815 USA (toll free): 877 209 5620 International: 00 44 345 475 1815

[email protected]

© 2015 - 2024 Midas Tours Ltd - Hosted by SWD  -  Legal Info  -  Terms of Use  -  Privacy Policy / Cookies  -  Sign-in

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts
• Currently reading: UK watchmaker offers a piece of the Dunkirk spirit
• Up for the cup: Jewellers’ rich history of trophy making
• Chaumet’s Charles Leung: ‘We don’t want to be stuck in the 18th century’
• How designers are engaging with the placeholder ring
• My Favourite Pieces: Susan Grant Lewin’s decorations for mind and body
• Lisbon jewellery shows celebrate a precious democracy
• Demand for unique pieces drives jewellery and art worlds together

UK watchmaker offers a piece of the Dunkirk spirit

• UK watchmaker offers a piece of the Dunkirk spirit on x (opens in a new window)
• UK watchmaker offers a piece of the Dunkirk spirit on facebook (opens in a new window)
• UK watchmaker offers a piece of the Dunkirk spirit on linkedin (opens in a new window)
• UK watchmaker offers a piece of the Dunkirk spirit on whatsapp (opens in a new window)

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

When the fireboat Massey Shaw set out on the afternoon of May 30 1940, it was for a different kind of life-saving mission. Rather than its usual job of fighting fires along London’s river Thames, the non-seagoing vessel made a special voyage across the English Channel to Dunkirk.

The 13-man crew, who had to buy a compass specially for the journey, had expected to be fighting fires in the northern French port. However, this proved impractical amid the chaos of bombing and machine gun fire, so instead they aided the evacuation of allied troops from the beach at Bray-Dunes.

The fireboat rescued 60 men and returned to Ramsgate, on England’s south coast, on June 1 — the first of three life-saving voyages made for the Dunkirk evacuation, codenamed Operation Dynamo, during the second world war. Now, the Massey Shaw Education Trust, which looks after the historic vessel, is collaborating with British watchmaker William Wood Watches on a limited-edition timepiece it hopes will boost awareness ahead of the 85th anniversary of Operation Dynamo next year. The charity is seeking to raise the last £10,000 of the £25,000 it needs to restore one of the boat’s twin diesel engines, to enable it to join a commemorative flotilla of Dunkirk “little ships” that rescued allied troops.

Launched in 1935, the fireboat is named after Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw, the first chief officer of what became the London Fire Brigade.

Originally crewed by eight men, it is equipped with twin pumps that draw water from the river to feed a fixed monitor (water jet) and eight outlets that connect to hoses.

On its second voyage to Dunkirk, Massey Shaw ferried 500 soldiers to larger ships lying offshore and brought another 46 back to the UK. It was unable to evacuate troops on its final trip but, on the return journey, rescued 40 sailors from a French ship that had hit a mine.

Back in London, the boat “saved the day” by helping protect St Paul’s Cathedral from the German air raid of December 29-30 1940, says retired firefighter Bill Hickin, a Massey Shaw Education Trust volunteer. Water mains were damaged by enemy bombing during the Blitz, so the crew, as they did for many other riverside incidents, moored the boat and rowed a hose ashore in a skiff. “The fireboats had to supply water to the land crews who were short of water or short of pressure,” says Hickin.

In 1948, the then health minister Aneurin Bevan and Herbert Morrison, leader of the House of Commons, are believed to have had a “secret meeting” on board the boat ahead of the formation of the NHS that year, according to Hickin.

The fireboat came out of service in 1970, with the organisation now known as the Massey Shaw Education Trust formed in 1982. The volunteer-run charity offers public tours of the vessel, which is moored near Canary Wharf, as well as school visits.

A restoration of the boat was completed in 2013 thanks to Heritage Lottery Fund grants totalling £1.2mn. However, one of the vessel’s engines failed in 2018, so the charity is fundraising to restore this. The boat will require checks to ensure it is seaworthy to travel to Dunkirk and a crew will have to be trained.

William Wood Watches, which has donated £10,000 to the trust and hopes to make further contributions, is producing 600 pieces inspired by the boat that will be available to order from May 26 (the anniversary of the start of Operation Dynamo).

Founder Jonny Garrett says he wanted to play a role in trying to “keep this incredible boat alive”. Anyone who buys the watch will have their name engraved on a plaque in the vessel’s crew room.

The brand, which makes timepieces that incorporate upcycled firefighting equipment, showed a sample piece at Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco last weekend. Delivery of the £3,995 watch is planned to be in time for Remembrance Sunday this year, on November 10.

The design of the dial reflects an engine telegraph in the wheelhouse through which the helmsman communicates with the crew in the engine room. Red-painted stainless steel around the edge is a nod to engine-room pipes.

The back of the aged bronze case depicts a Dunkirk evacuation scene featuring little ships, with the silhouette of Massey Shaw made from melted-down brass coil from the vessel’s engines. “We’re engraving poppies on to the glass so it looks like you’re stood on the sandbanks of Dunkirk looking down into the picture,” says Garrett. The edition number is engraved on the case back and hand-painted on the canvas strap, made from upcycled firefighting kit.

Garrett says the US recently overtook the UK as William Wood’s biggest market, with sales also coming from countries including Canada, Australia and the United Arab Emirates. Retired firefighter David Rogers, chief executive of the Massey Shaw Education Trust, hopes the watch will attract new and global interest in the boat and will set “a new bar” for its future.

He says the vessel is both “part of the fabric” of the Thames and a national event. “Other little ships were involved [at Dunkirk], but this went back to its day job,” he says. “Imagine coming out from one serious event into another with the Blitz. Its whole story was about saving lives.”

Other watches featuring WW2 hardware

The X4009 Collection REC Watches specialises in timepieces featuring materials from historic vehicles, such as motorcycles and aircraft. Now, the Danish brand is taking pre-orders for the second batch of its X4009 collection, a series of three models featuring aluminium from the fuselage of the Spitfire Mk1a X4009 flown by Australian fighter pilot Paterson “Pat” Hughes during the Battle of Britain in 1940.

The brand donates a proportion of each sale to the Australian non-profit organisation Hunter Fighter Collection, which is restoring the aircraft. Metal considered unfit for the ongoing restoration is integrated into the watches’ sub-dial at 6 o’clock. The new pieces are expected to be delivered from October. The first batch of 600 watches, launched last May, sold out.

DB-1 Blackout Lancaster Zero West’s DB-1 Blackout watch recognises Operation Chastise, the Dambusters raid on German dams by RAF bombers in May 1943. The UK brand’s model features a machined disc of metal salvaged from ED825, one of the 19 Lancaster bombers from 617 Squadron that took part in the action.

This aluminium alloy from the aircraft’s body work is set into the case back of the watch, the design for which draws inspiration from the plane’s altimeter. ED825 crashed in France in December 1943 with no survivors. Zero West worked with aviation archaeologists to source the metal for its watches. Launched last year, the model is a limited edition of 100 pieces.

Twilight Tear AVI-8 — whose watches pay homage to military aviation history — has incorporated part of the fuselage from the North American P-51 Mustang 44-63864, nicknamed Twilight Tear, into a case back of a piece it launched in February.

The limited edition collection featured 200 watches in each of three colour ways but only the blue version is still available. The aircraft was flown by American fighter pilot Hubert “Bill” Davis from Duxford aerodrome in south-east England during the second world war. It is on display at the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum in Minnesota, which supplied aluminium that it had retained following the aircraft’s restoration. Five per cent of net sales from the collection are going to the museum.

Promoted Content

Explore the series.

Follow the topics in this article

• Watches Add to myFT
• Collecting Add to myFT
• Dunkirk Add to myFT
• Watches & Jewellery Add to myFT
• Kate Youde Add to myFT

International Edition

• Testimonials
• Search Trip
• Trans-Siberian Tours
• Saint Petersburg
• Northern Lights
• Lake Baikal
• Russia For Expats
• Winter Trains
• Arctic & North
• Golden Ring
• Russia Cruises
• Trans-Mongolian

Sightseeing

• Trans Siberian
• Wildlife & Nature
• The Snow Empire
• Under 8 Days
• Kid Friendly
• Small Groups
• Senior Travels
• Expats Travel
• Luxury Trains
• Luxury Travels
• Russian Cruises
• Snowmobile Tours
• Youth Travel
• Why Book with Us
• Sustainable Travel
• At a glance
• Dates & Rates
• Terms & conditions
• Destinations
• Moscow   Stalingrad

Historical WWII Tour: Moscow, Stalingrad & Kursk

Travel across Russia to see the grandest battlfields of WWII. Start in Moscow exploring WWII-related highlights, then fly to Volgograd to visit the most memorable places of the grandest battle in human's history, the Battle of Stalingrad. Learn more about details of the battle which lasted for over 5 months after Stalin issued one his most famous orders, "Not A Step Back". Here the Soviet Army first stopped the German advance into the Soviet Union and then turned of the tide of war in favour of the Allies. Finally, we explore Prokhorovka ( Kursk) where the biggest tank battle in history took place.

Visit Stalingrad on a special day 22nd June, when the WWII started for the USSR

Explore local museum, defensive lines, Teplovskie heights, train station, monument to sappers, memorial to communication specialists, and a memorial to artillery division during the tour to Ponyri Village (Kursk)

Guided tour to the place of the battlefield around Prokhorovka (Kursk)

Visit Stalingrad and battlefields of the world's most famous battle with the local experts

Guided tour to the large military museum in Kubinka, where tanks, armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) and their relevant information are displayed and showcased

Guided tour to the place where general-field marshall Friedrich Paulus surrender

Guided tour to Mamaev Kurgan, the memorial complex

Guided tour to the Monino Military Aircraft Museum

Moscow walking city tour and Moscow metro tour included

There are numerous places of interests in modern Volgograd and Kursk, where the battles took place. Under professional guidance, we will also travel outside of the cities to visit the most remarkable locations. For a serious exploration of the area, we use 4X4 vans for off-road driving.

Day 1, Arrive Moscow

Day 2, Patriot Park

Day 3, Military Museums

Day 4, Visit Kremlin and flight to Volgograd

Day 5, Memorial Day in Stalingrad

Day 6, Kalach-on-Don Tour

Day 7, Roads of Fame

Day 8, Arrive Kursk

Day 9, Poniry Village

Day 10, Prokhorovka Tour

Day 11, Back to XXI

Dates & rates

Accommodation.

• 3-, 4- or 5-star hotel of your choice, hand-picked by our staff for their excellent amenities and central location
• 3 nights Moscow in a hotel of the selected category// 4 nights Volgograd (Park Inn 4* hotel) // 2 night Kursk (Aquamarine hotel & Spa)
• 1 night on board, 1st class train (compartment for 2 people, 1 seat per person. Please inquiry if you want to travel privately in the compartment)
• Note: In Volgograd and Kursk only 4* hotels are available
• Full breakfast daily (Except Day 1 and Day 11)
• Lunch boxes (for 2 days of driving tours Volgograd)
• Group tour: Welcome dinner

Transportation

• Flight Moscow-Volgograd-Moscow (economy fare)
• Train tickets 1st class, Moscow-Kursk and Belgorod-Moscow
• Meet & greet at the airports/train stations
• Private return airport/train station transfers
• Private transportation on tours as per program in a comfortable a/c car/minivan/bus (except on walking tours)
• Moscow full-day (8 hours) guided tour: militrary park Patrioit. Later evening walking city tour
• Moscow full-day (8 hours) guided tour: guided tour to the Monino Air Force museum, guided tour to Poklonnaya Gora including Victory Park
• Volgograd full-day (8 hours) guided tour: the Mamayev Hill memorial complex (the main height #102.0), Motherland calls monument, Square of Fallen Fighters, open air Weapon of Victory exhibition and "The Battle of Stalingrad" museum, the Pavlov's House
• Kalach-on-don full-day (8 hours) guided tour– the city of Military Glory, which is 80 km from Volgograd. The tour includes a visit to the battlefields outside the city and will be completed on the Don Heights near "memorial tank" of Josef Stalin
• Full day (8 hours) guided tour to Kotelnikovo via Tinguta-Abganerovo-Aksai-Verkhnekamsky including visiting local museum in Kotelnikovo to see the panorama of Liberation of Kotelnikovo
• Poniry village full-day guided tour
• Jakovlevo and Prokhorovka half-day guided tour: the guided tour to the museum and monuments at Prokhorovka (including the preserved trenches and gun emplacements)
• The Moscow Kremlin tour // Volga River cruise

Entrance tickets & visas

• Entrance tickets to all included sightseeing attractions (except optional)
• Russian Visa supporting documents, including an official visa invitation letter, and step-by-step guide on how to apply for your visa

We value your comfort

• Dedicated local English-speaking guide in all places as per program
• 24/7 support before and during your trip with us
• Best places to stay, to eat, to go out and have fun - safe and secure with the tour operator that specializes in Russia. Tips already included
• Group tour is fully escorted by Discovery Russia tour director and professional local guide
• Maximum group size 20 people

CHECK OUT WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT TRAVELLING WITH US

Ross Cable, Australia Discovery Russia - a bespoke experience

Jawad, USA: A tour company better than I thought possible

PLEASE ENTER YOUR DETAILS TO GET YOUR BROCHURE

Your travel itinerary has been sent, thank you one of your our travel experts will contact you within 24 hours..

• Sign up for newsletter