MONDAY, August 4, 2014 marks the centenary of the outbreak of the the First World War. On August 4 until Saturday, August 9, I will lead a coach party from the north of England to the First World War battlefields in Belgium and France.

En route, we will visit the Shuttleworth collection of aircraft. In London, we will have dinner in the Lloyd George room in Whitehall and hear the chimes of Big Ben at 11pm marking the centenary. We will also visit the Imperial War Museum.

In Belgium, we will visit Mons, where the British army fired the first and the last shots of the war. We will follow the retreat of the ‘Old Contemptibles’ from Mons through Le Cateau, Landrecies, St Quentin to the Marne. We will see the Armistice Carriage at Compiegne, visit the grave of Wilfred Owen, see the trench lines of the Somme and Flanders, and attend the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate.

We will visit sites associated with the northern regiments. It will be possible to pay personal respects by visiting a family grave or memorial.

We have a few places left and I will be happy to supply full details to anyone who contacts me as below.

David Raw, 2, Eden Gate, Warcop, Appleby in Westmorland, CA16 6PL Phone: 017683 41060 or mobile 07710 270640.