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Award-winning teacher offers Battlefield Tours

September 14, 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Marni Walsh

Retired high school history teacher Neil Orford, known for his innovative and award-winning Digital History Project which saw hundreds of Dufferin history students travel to Canadian Battlefields in Europe, will offer a similar European experience to the general population starting next year.

Mr. Orford will hold a CanHist Battlefield Tour information open house next Tuesday, September 19, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Alder Street Recreation Centre in Orangeville. The open house will offer a free overview of the itinerary, costs and schedules. “We have a few spaces left on this July 2018 Tour that I would, ideally, like to fill with Dufferin families or individuals,” says Mr. Orford.

“Canadians with even a passing interest in our history never fail to be moved by seeing Vimy Ridge, Dieppe, Juno Beach or Passchendaele,” he said. Unique to this tour, will be a stop in Dunkirk, the battle story recently retold in this summer’s movie sensation Dunkirk.

“While the Canadians were not present at Dunkirk in significant numbers,” he said, “there are very important stories of Canadian heroism now coming to light thanks to the success of the movie.”

By taking Canadians to Dunkirk, and dozens of other destinations, his CanHist Battlefields Tour will reconnect Canadians with their family history. “We really appeal to Canadians who have a family story of a parent, grandparent, Uncle or Aunt who served in World War One or Two.

“We hope these families would join us on this tour and bring that story with them,” he said. The tour visits many of the Commonwealth War Grave Cemeteries, where thousands of Canadians rest, providing travellers with “an eye-witness to history experience that one never forgets.”

The two-week excursion starts and finishes in Paris, with time to visit and learn the stories of each stop along the way. Canadian Military and Medieval historian, Chris Evans has been hired to help teach the travelers learn as they tour.

The tour has “optional excursions that explore cities, offer shopping or dining experiences and even a visit to a Calvados Distillery for a special afternoon of ‘tasting’ the exquisite Norman Brandy,” for travellers less passionate about history, Mr. Orford says.

“As anyone who is paying attention to the current news knows, understanding our history is the most important subject dictating the world today,” he said. And his battlefield tours have a proven track record – “years of success helping the students of Dufferin to appreciate Canada in a whole new way. Their experiences changed the way they understood Canada and our history.”

If you are interested in hearing more about the uniquely Canadian CanHist Battlefield Tours, led by Neil Orford, reply to RSVP@ettravel.com to attend the free Open House on Tuesday. Or visit www.ettravel.com/ET/2018-canhist/

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