30th Battlefields Tour for BGS
This half term, Bury Grammar School (BGS) marked a remarkable milestone as pupils and staff returned from the School’s 30th Battlefields Tour – a journey that has become one of the longest-running educational trips of its kind in the UK and a cherished part of BGS life for more than three decades.
The first BGS Battlefields Tour took place in October 1994 and was organised by Mr Mark Hone, later Head of History and Politics and Mr David Armsbey, later Deputy Headmaster. The tour ran annually until 2022, interrupted only by the two years lost to the Covid pandemic. Over the years, generations of BGS pupils have travelled to the battlefields of France, Belgium and the Netherlands, stepping beyond the classroom to experience first-hand the landscapes, memorials and stories that shaped the course of the twentieth century.
A distinctive feature of every tour has been its emphasis on visiting sites connected with former pupils of Bury Grammar School or the relatives of those taking part. These visits often provided the most memorable and moving moments of the trip. In several cases, BGS groups were probably the first people to make a specific pilgrimage to a particular grave or memorial where an individual was commemorated, ensuring that stories which might otherwise have been forgotten continued to be remembered by future generations.
The tour has long held a special place within the school community and has strong links with the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), with Bury Grammar School proudly having the largest school CCF in the country. While not formally a CCF activity, BGS cadets have played an important role throughout the tour’s history. On the very first visit to Ypres in 1994, a group of BGS cadets in uniform participated in the world-famous Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, beginning a tradition that would continue for a further fifteen occasions.
Over the years, BGS CCF cadets have led wreath-laying ceremonies at sites including Ranville British War Cemetery in Normandy, Arnhem (Oosterbeek) War Cemetery in the Netherlands and the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing on the Somme. Frequently accompanied by a School bugler – and on several tours even a bagpiper – these moments have become a defining feature of the trip and a powerful expression of remembrance and respect.
The Battlefields Tour has also forged meaningful connections with the School’s own history. Pupils have paid tribute over the years to many of the former BGS pupils who have served and sacrificed during times of conflict, including 1914 and 1915 School Captains Lieutenant John Hartington MC and Lieutenant John Maddox, Sergeant Henry Parkinson of the Glider Pilot Regiment, Royal Marine Commando Billy Atherton and the six pairs of brothers commemorated on the school’s war memorials, amongst them Earl and Gerald Singleton from Holcombe Brook.
The tour has witnessed many memorable moments. In July 2006, BGS cadets participated in the official commemorations marking the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme at Thiepval in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales, now HM King Charles III. Ten years later, footage featuring BGS cadets attending the Somme Centenary Tour was used during the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. On the 2004 Tenth Anniversary Tour, a plaque commemorating the BGS war dead was dedicated in a special service at St. George’s Memorial Church in Ypres.
The final tour before the recent relaunch, in October 2022, also created lasting memories. The School’s first Senior RAF Cadet laid a wreath at Tyne Cot Cemetery at the grave of former BGS pupil, 19-year-old fighter pilot 2nd Lieutenant Jack Binns Royal Flying Corps. During a visit to the grave of Lieutenant John Hartington, the then School Captain placed both the School Captain’s Medallion and Hartington’s Military Cross upon his predecessor’s headstone in a poignant act of remembrance. A BGS cadet bugler played the Last Post at Tyne Cot and at the canal bank north of Ypres, close to the spot where Captain William Appleby – Bury Grammar School’s first Cadet Bugler in 1892 – was blinded by shellfire in 1915. Adding a powerful personal dimension to the tour, William Appleby’s 92-year-old grandson joined the group as a guest, creating a moving connection across four generations.
The 30th Tour
This year’s milestone 30th tour marked the relaunch of the programme in a slightly different format, with the School working through a specialist tour company for the first time. Staff and pupils were expertly guided by Major Brendan Joyce, whose outstanding knowledge, passion and ability to bring events vividly to life ensured that pupils enjoyed an engaging, memorable and educational experience.
The tour saw pupils visit key First World War sites across France and Belgium, covering the important areas of Ypres, Arras and the Somme.
The trip offered pupils the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and explore battlefields, memorials, and cemeteries that shaped the course of the twentieth century. A particularly significant visit was to Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, where pupils learned about the causes of the Great War, the battles of 1914 and the role of troops from across the British Empire, while paying their respects at the grave of former Bury Grammar School Captain John Hartington MC, who died of his wounds in a Casualty Clearing Station based at Lijssenthoek in July 1917.
Throughout the tour, pupils visited significant sites including Vimy Ridge, Carrière Wellington, Sunken Lane, Newfoundland Memorial Park and the Thiepval Memorial, helping them gain a deeper understanding of trench warfare, remembrance, and the human cost of conflict. The itinerary also included a visit to the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917, alongside time to experience the atmosphere of Ypres and its famous chocolate shops.
The tour presented a few unexpected challenges, including a tyre blowout on the motorway which prevented the group from attending the traditional Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate. However, the incident also provided an unexpected lesson in kindness and generosity. As the group waited by the roadside, a French motorist and his daughter stopped to offer assistance, returning shortly afterwards with supplies of cold drinks for the pupils and staff. Their thoughtful gestures were greatly appreciated.
Undeterred by the disruption to their plans, staff and pupils organised their own moving act of remembrance at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where a wreath was laid and the Last Post was sounded. The ceremony proved to be one of the most memorable moments of the tour, demonstrating the respect, resilience, and reflective spirit of the group.
More than simply a history trip, the Battlefields Tour encouraged pupils to reflect on sacrifice, remembrance and the impact of war, creating lasting memories while bringing classroom learning vividly to life.
The continued success and longevity of the Battlefields Tour is a testament to the dedication and commitment of the staff who have organised and led it over the last 30 years. In particular, special recognition should be given to former Head of History Mr Mark Hone, who founded the tour in 1994 and went on to lead 29 of the School’s 30 Battlefields Tours. Through his meticulous research into former BGS pupils who served in the armed forces, his passion for history and remembrance, and his unwavering commitment to providing pupils with meaningful educational experiences, he helped establish a tradition that has educated, inspired and shaped generations of BGS pupils. Alongside the many staff who have supported and contributed to the tours over the years, Mr Hone’s vision and dedication have ensured that the stories of the past continue to resonate with new generations.
Equal praise must also go to the pupils themselves, who once again represented Bury Grammar School with maturity, curiosity and respect throughout the tour. Whether participating in acts of remembrance, engaging thoughtfully with the stories of the past or reflecting on the human cost of war, they continue to uphold the values and traditions of the School.
Mrs Kay, Teacher of History, said:
"The Battlefields Tour gives pupils an opportunity to experience history in a way the classroom cannot fully replicate. Standing in the places where these events unfolded creates a powerful connection to the past and encourages reflection, understanding, and remembrance. Reaching our 30th tour is a tremendous milestone and one we are incredibly proud of."
Mr Hone, former Head of History and leader of 29 tours, said:
“I am delighted that after a short break the Bury Grammar School Battlefields Tour has been revived. I hope that it will now continue for many more years to give an insight into some of the tumultuous events of the 20th Century and the sacrifices made by people who were, in many cases, not much older than the pupils on the tour themselves.”
For three decades, the Battlefields Tour has ensured that history is not simply studied but experienced. By combining outstanding historical learning with a commitment to remembering former pupils and their stories, the tour has preserved the legacy of those connected to Bury Grammar School while helping new generations understand the importance of remembrance.