Military History Tours Australia The 2011 Royal Australian Air Force in the UK 1939 - 1945 Tour
CLICK HERE for details of the NEXT RAAF in the UK tour.
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Please note: This itinerary has been prepared on a geographical basis to cover areas in the UK where the Australian Squadrons were based and from where they set off on their various missions. There were also many RAAF men and women attached to RAF Squadrons and establishments in various other locations in the UK. It is hoped that by having a programme as broad as appears below, there is the flexibility to visit specific sites that are of special interest to those on tour.
Therefore, following information provided by those on tour, prior to us leaving Australia, the actual sites that are currently listed may be replaced by sites as requested by those on tour or even added to those sites already detailed. Military History Tours
endeavours to comply with all special location requests and from past experience, visits to these sites are of significant interest to all members of our touring parties and tend to bring that personal touch to all on tour.
29 June 2011 - LONDON: Tour guests will be met at Heathrow Airport by our staff and transferred to their hotel in the airport precinct. The remainder of the day and evening is free to relax and meet other guests. Dinner in our hotel. D
30 June 2011 - LONDON: After breakfast in our hotel we will visit St Clement Danes Church, the RAF Church, to view the new Memorial to the Spitfire. We will then move to Hyde Park and conduct a small Memorial Service at the Australian Memorial. B/D
1 July 2011 – LONDON to SALISBURY : After breakfast at the hotel, coaches will depart for Salisbury, the first of our location bases. We will stay two nights here as we cover the general area as there were quite a few airfields in the vicinity. On the way we will visit Southampton, and Biggin Hill. A stop at The Air Force Memorial at Runnymeade will allow us to pay our respects to those who were lost. B/D
2 July 2011 - SALISBURY: Today we stay in the vicinity of Salisbury and we will visit Middle Wallop (456 Sqn), Mere/Zeals and Sutton Veny where there were airfields during the war. The tower and concrete holding area at Mere is still in place. B/D
3 July 2011 – SALISBURY: We will stay in the south west today and visit some of the locations that were most important during those hectic days of the Battle of Britain. The Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton will be visited as there are many very interesting airplanes displayed over quite a big area. Lunch may be taken at the museum or we may find a quiet country pub for a ploughman’s lunch. In the afternoon we will visit RAF Hamworthy from where 461 Squadron flew their Sunderland flying boats. B/D
4 July 2011 – SALISBURY to WOLVERHAMPTON: On the way to Wolverhampton we will have lunch at a hotel in Coventry that was an Officers Mess during the War attended by men from 457 Squadron. We will also visit Leighterton, where our WW1 airman trained and a few remain in the Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery here. The church in the village conducts an ANZAC Day Service each year. Aston Down at Minchinhampton and Baginton (457 Sqn) will be visited as we head north. B/D
5 July 2011 – WOLVERHAMPTON to YORK: Heading towards York we will visit Shifnal and the RAF Cosford Museum before moving on to RAF Breighton (462 Sqn). At Breighton we can only drop into the start of the old airfield as it is now in private hands and they do not take visitors. On arrival in York we have a free afternoon to visit this special town. B/D
6 July 2011 - YORK: Today we visit Elvington where there is a good museum collection on an old WW2 airfield that has been preserved as it was when the war ended. The rest of the day is reserved for special visits should any be needed. B/D
7 July 2011 – YORK to LINCOLN: Turning south towards Lincoln we will pass through Home on Spalding Moor where there is a special memorial to 458 Sqn and we will conduct a small service at the memorial. Also here we have a complete runway with original hangers still in good condition. Following lunch in a small village we will call in to Scampton near Brattleby which was the departure point for the famous Dambusters Raid. B/D
8 July 2011 - LINCOLN: Much to see in this area. Coningsby (home of Battle of Britain Memorial Flight) Swinderby (455 Sqn), Coddington, East Kirkby (Lancaster) and RAF Newark where there is an excellent Aviation Heritage Museum where one can board some of the aircraft. B/D
9 July 2011 – LINCOLN to LETCHWORTH: After breakfast at the hotel, coaches will depart for Letchworth, We will stay three nights here as we cover the general Cambridge area and Duxford. On the way to Letchworth we will view the Shuttleworth Collection at Biggleswade. B/D
10 July 2011 – LETCHWORTH: Today is a very full day for us as we venture down to Duxford for the airshow and visit to that special museum. This is the day where we hope to see many of those old planes flying including the Lancaster Bomber, Spitfires and Hurricanes. Following this excellent day we will return to our hotel for a well deserved drink before dinner in our hotel. B/D
11 July 2011 - LETCHWORTH to LONDON: Following a leisurely breakfast, we head down towards London and call into our last excellent Museum, RAF Hendon. This will be a fitting conclusion to our specialized museum visitation programme and we will sere aircraft from 1900 up to present times. The display of First World War machines is very extensive and has all of those old combat aircraft.
Tonight we stay in London and that will allow an evening to relax, maybe in one of London’s old pubs or even attend one of the shows in the East End for the time is yours to enjoy. This will be our last official activity and the rest of the day is yours to enjoy. B/D
12 July 2011 - LONDON: Today, after breakfast, your tour ends. B
| Please Note: Due to matters outside our control, there may be times when we will change from our proposed itinerary. It is our intention to conduct a briefing each evening to set in place the following day’s visitation programme. |
