WW2 Saul David
6 Days
From £1,949
In association with TS Tours
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Call now and book 03300 296 812 Quote ref: WW2DAVID
Book now
Call now and book 03300 296 812
Quote ref: WW2DAVID
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From Dunkirk to D-Day, join military historian Saul David on a six-day tour with links to four of his books

Join a fascinating tour which highlights the key moments of the British Army's dramatic evolution in World War II, guided by the stories from three of acclaimed historian Saul David's books - Churchill's Sacrifice of the Highland Division (1940), Military Blunders, Sky Warriors: British Airborne Forces in WW2 and SBS: Silent Warriors.

From defeat in 1940 to victory in 1944, follow the trail of courage, innovation, and hard-won success. This no-fly tour begins in France, where you'll walk the beaches and dunes where the BEF made its defiant last stand.

Visit St Valery-en-Caux, where the Highland Division surrendered in 1940. In nearby Bruneval, explore the bold 1942 parachute raid to seize German radar tech - known as Operation Biting. You'll also learn about Operation Jubilee, the ill-fated Canadian-led raid on Dieppe and the contrasting success of the Commando attack on the Hess Battery.

Further highlights during the your include visits to Pegasus Bridge, Merville Battery, and Ranville Cemetery, as well as an opportunity to learn about the broader Allied effort at Sword, Gold, and Juno beaches, including the role of mini-subs and secret SBS missions.

You'll spend two nights at a hotel in Dieppe, before a further three nights in Caen - where you can look forward to welcome and farewell group dinners and the company of Saul throughout the tour. You'll also be joined by battlefield guide and tour manager, Julian Whippy.

With immersive sites and expert commentary and insights, join fellow history enthusiasts on a captivating tour, discovering how hard-earned lessons turned retreat into triumph.

I'm much looking forward to revisiting some of the iconic battlefields of the British Army's journey in the Second World War, from defeat at Dunkirk, St Valery and Dieppe, to ultimate victory in Normandy. I'll be bringing the locations alive with stories and extracts from four of my books - Churchill's Sacrifice of the Highland Division, Military Blunders, SBS: Silent Warriors and Sky Warriors - and the trip promises to be, in true Tripsmiths style, as convivial as it is informative.
Guests are welcome to bring their copies of Saul's books on the tour, which Saul will be happy to sign
To read more about this trip:
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Download the brochure here

Reasons to book

Expert insights

Saul David will join you throughout the tour, providing expert commentary which will bring the sites you visit to life

Follow Saul’s books

This tour links four of Saul’s books with a narrative that illustrates the learning curve of the British Armed Forces from 1940 to 1945

No-fly tour

You will travel by ferry from Dover to France, and then enjoy private coach travel throughout the trip

D-Day landings

Visit several of the beaches where Allied forces landed during Operation Overlord, including Sword, Gold and Juno beach

Visit cemeteries and memorials

The Memorial to the Missing of Dunkirk, St Valery military cemetery and Ranville ‘airborne’ cemetery are among the sites you'll visit
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Tour brochure
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Your expert guides

Saul David
Historian and Broadcaster

Saul David is a Sunday Times bestselling historian and broadcaster. His many critically-acclaimed history books - including Churchill's Sacrifice of the Highland Division, Military Blunders, The Indian Mutiny, Zulu, SBS: Silent Warriors, Sky Warriors, and, mostly recently, Tunisgrad: Victory in Africa - have been shortlisted for the Westminster Medal for Military Literature and variously named a Waterstones Military History Book of the Year and an Amazon History Book of the Year. He co-hosts Goalhanger's Battleground podcast with Patrick Bishop.

Price includes

  • Two-nights at a hotel in Dieppe, including breakfast
  • Three-nights at a hotel in Caen, including breakfast
  • Welcome and farewell group dinners
  • All entries and visits as described in the itinerary
  • Saul David will accompany you for the duration of the tour
  • Services of a tour manager
  • Return ferry from Dover
  • Coach transfers from Ebbsfleet to Dover
  • Coach travel as described throughout the itinerary

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Choose date

When do you want to go?

From
Sun, Sun, Apr 19, 2026
To
Fri, Fri, Apr 24, 2026
Duration
6 Days
Price per person
£1,949*
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* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement £329. Deposit: 30%. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. In the case of unforeseen circumstances, expert(s) may be substituted, and any expert-led events may be subject to change. Expert(s) will not join you for your full trip duration unless otherwise stated. Travel insurance is not included and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of TS Travel Limited.

Departing From: Ebbsfleet International

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Price (per person) £1949.00 * Single Occupancy Supplement £329.00

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Please contact us on 03300 296 812 if you wish to book for only one person.

Double for sole occupancy

Price (per person) £2278.00

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Double for sole occupancy

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Please contact us on 03300 296 812 if you wish to book for only one person.

Total cost of trip

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Or call to book

03300 296 812

Quote ref: WW2DAVID

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When do you want to go?

Choose room

Select your room type(s)

Total cost of trip

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Deposit (payable today)
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Or call to book

03300 296 812

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Itinerary

  1. Day
    1
    Arrive in Dunkirk
    Dunkirk, France

    Make your way to Ebbsfleet where your coach will pick you up. Transfer to the port in Dover and take the ferry to France. Upon arrival, you will look at the shrinking Dunkirk perimeter and the scene of some defiant last stands by the British in May 1940. Visits will include The Mole, the dunes and the Memorial to the Missing. Reboard the coach and transfer to the hotel in Dieppe for your two-night stay. Enjoy a group welcome dinner this evening.

  2. Day
    2
    St Valery Withdrawal and Bruneval Op Biting
    Dieppe, France

    After breakfast this morning, travel to St Valery-en-Caux where the Highland Division were forced to surrender in actions covered by Saul in his book Churchill's Sacrifice of the Highland Division (1940). On arrival, study the French and British withdrawal to the St Valery pocket, pressured as they were by General Erwin Rommel, and final evacuation. Visit St Valery military cemetery and the quayside where many lucky survivors escaped from. After lunch (not included), look at Operation Biting and the Parachute Regiments' daring 1942 raid on Bruneval radar station. Stands include the drop zones, the radar site and the beach where the Paratroopers withdrew. The men that took part would go on to have an illustrious war and fight in many well-known battles. You will also visit the clifftop Memorial to the 51st Highland Div on Day 2. Return to the hotel for the evening and dinner at your leisure.

  3. Day
    3
    Dieppe and Operation Jubilee
    Dieppe, France

    After breakfast this morning, study Operation Jubilee at Dieppe where in 1942 a largely Canadian Force raid in force was a very costly failure, but with one positive being the Commando flanking raids which we also look at. Saul included a chapter on Dieppe fiasco in his book Military Blunders. Start with a walk along the Dieppe Beach esplanade - the scene of bitter fighting on Red and White beaches - and see the site of so many Canadian losses on the tragic blue beach at Puys. No.4 Commando raid on the Hess Battery at Varangeville tells a very different, success story. Later, travel to Caen and check in to the hotel for your three-night stay. Spend the evening and dinner at your leisure.

  4. Day
    4
    D-Day 6th Airborne and Commando Ops, and Operation Overlord
    Ranville, France

    Sky Warriors is Saul's 2024 book that studies the legendary British paratroopers, the 'Red Devils'. The 6th Airborne Division drop on D-Day was one of their largest and best-known operations. After breakfast this morning, look at their contribution to seizing the vital eastern flank, the fight at Pegasus bridge and capture and destruction of other Nazi held bunkers on the Atlantic Wall. We will also look at the assault by 9 Para on the Merville Coastal Gun Battery. End the day at Ranville 'airborne' cemetery. Return to the hotel for the evening and dinner at your leisure.

  5. Day
    5
    Normandy beaches and commando raids
    Caen, France

    After breakfast this morning, we'll add context to the achievements of the airborne forces by looking at some of the Allied amphibious landings from 6 June 1944, at Sword, Gold and Juno Beach. See where and how small 'X-Craft' submarines helped with crucial navigation for the landing forces.

    Hear about the Commando operations on the Normandy coast by the forerunners of today's SBS which feature in Saul's SBS: Silent Warriors book. These special forces carried out secret nighttime landings in Normandy in the years before D-Day on vital intelligence gathering missions behind enemy lines and often with fatal consequences. This is a unique look at the preparations for D-Day that is often overlooked. Visit the Arromanches Museum and discover its exhibits on the fabulous Mulberry harbour. Later, return to the hotel and enjoy a group farewell dinner this evening.

  6. Day
    6
    Departure day
    Ebbsfleet International , United Kingdom

    After breakfast this morning, check out of the hotel and board the coach to Calais, where you'll catch the ferry back to Dover, before your drop off at Ebbsfleet.

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Availability

From
Sun, Sun, Apr 19, 2026
To
Fri, Fri, Apr 24, 2026
Duration
6 Days
Price per person
£1,949*

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement £329. Deposit: 30%. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. In the case of unforeseen circumstances, expert(s) may be substituted, and any expert-led events may be subject to change. Expert(s) will not join you for your full trip duration unless otherwise stated. Travel insurance is not included and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of TS Travel Limited.

Ebbsfleet International (EBS)
Call now to book 03300 296 812
Quote ref: WW2DAVID
Email us