Battlefield tours for veterans and their families in Belgium
Battlefield tours for veterans and their families are usually built around something specific: a grave, a name on a memorial, or the ground a relative served on. Because every tour here is private, the day can be planned at the pace that suits the group rather than around a fixed schedule.
Tracing a name before the tour
Send whatever details you have ahead of the visit — a name, a regiment or unit, a service number, a date of death, a photograph or a document.
Commonwealth burials and memorials in Belgium are recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, whose database is free to search and gives the cemetery, plot and row. With those details sent in advance, the route can be planned so that the visit sits where you want it in the day rather than being fitted in around other stops.
Grave and memorial visits
Because the tour is private to your party, the time spent at a grave or a memorial panel is yours to decide. There is no group waiting in the vehicle and no departure time to meet — a direct consequence of running small group battlefield tours only.
If you would like to bring or arrange a wreath or a cross, mention it when booking so it can be organised in advance.
The Last Post at the Menin Gate
The Last Post is sounded at the Menin Gate in Ypres every evening at eight o’clock, and evening visits can be built into a tour. Wreath laying during the ceremony itself is arranged separately and needs to be requested well ahead — the Last Post Association publishes the procedure.
Travelling with a veteran — pace and access
Mention before booking how far the party can comfortably walk, whether a wheelchair or walking aid is coming, and how long a day is realistic. Routes can be planned so the vehicle stops close to each site, which is easier with the eight-seat minibus than with a coach.
Cemeteries in Belgium are generally well maintained and largely level, though paths between rows are grass and can be soft after rain. Shorter days are entirely normal: a half day built around one cemetery and one stretch of ground is often the better choice.
Peter also publishes a separate page on mobility and accessibility — worth reading if anyone in the party has specific requirements.
The guide's background
I served as First Sergeant in the Belgian Army Airborne, 1st Para Battalion, before training as a guide, and I have been guiding these battlefields since 2014. I hold a Battlefield Tour Guide certification for both world wars and am a permitted guide at Bastogne, at the Wellington Museum in Waterloo and in Bruges. The full qualifications are on the page about hiring a private battlefield guide.
Tours are guided in English, Dutch, French and German.
Tours for regimental associations and groups
Regimental associations, remembrance societies and school groups are all catered for. The eight-seat minibus and fifteen-seat midbus are owned outright, and coaches up to fifty seats are arranged with licensed professional drivers.
For anniversaries and commemorations, book well ahead — dates around 11 November and the major anniversaries fill up early.
Arranging a visit
+32 497 645 645 · peter@battlefields1.com
Send the name you are looking for, when you can travel, and anything relevant about pace or mobility. What the day itself costs is set out under battlefield tour prices.
Battlefield tours for veterans and families — common questions
Can a specific grave be located before we arrive?
Yes, if the full name, unit and date of death are sent in advance.
Can we lay a wreath?
A wreath or cross can be arranged for a graveside visit if requested when booking. Laying a wreath during the Last Post ceremony itself must be arranged separately and well in advance through the Last Post Association.
Is a tour possible for a wheelchair user?
Mention the requirements when enquiring and the route will be planned around what the vehicle can reach. There is a separate mobility page with more detail.
Can we book a half day?
Yes. Half days are a normal option and often suit older travellers better.
What if we only have a name?
A name with an approximate date is usually enough to begin a search in the CWGC records.