Day 1: Saturday 13th June 2015 – England,
‘Prelude to Invasion‘ – 227.3Km (141.2 Miles)
At 1130hrs we leave Littlecote House Hotel, North Wiltshire to traverse the highways and byways of Salisbury Plain (a WWII training area and still in use by today’s armed forces as a major military training ground). After visiting MOD sites we make our way on a journey towards Portsmouth, where we will board the overnight cross-channel ferry to Caen.
Overnight – Brittany Ferries ‘Portsmouth-Caen’ Route
Day 2: Sunday 14th June 2015
‘Fortress Europe‘ – 111.8Km (69.5 Miles)
Near Caen we visit Pegasus Bridge and it’s museum, followed by a ‘green-lane’ drive to Arromanches and beyond. Situated on the Normandy coast, famous for the D-Day landings, Arromanches is perfectly located to visit battlefield sites around Normandy. A visit to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer will also form part of the day’s route. An early finish; a rare event! A BBQ for the entire rally is normally planned for 1900hrs and is being organised by the campsite on our behalf.
Overnight – Arromanches
Day 3: Monday 15th June 2015
‘Moving Inland‘ – 275.3Km (171.05 Miles)
To St-Marie du Pont, Utah Beach then St. Mere Eglise – the first town liberated by allied forces. Then on to Carentan, the Norman town that was one of the Allies’ earliest objectives. In the afternoon we complete a Normandy loop visiting places of WWII historical significance in the aftermath of D-Day; before returning to the coastal area early evening.
Overnight – Arromanches
Day 4: Tuesday 16th June 2015
‘Remember the Fallen’ 494.8Km (307.45 Miles)
To Ypres in Belgium via The Somme; the Western Front – with its many WW1 cemeteries and memorials. We will attend the Menin Gate in Ypres at 2000hrs for The Last Post ceremony and pay our respect to the fallen of the First World War.
Overnight – Ypres
Day 5: Wednesday 17th June 2015
‘WW1 & onto Hell’s Highway‘ 404.9Km (251.6 Miles)
We start the day touring some of the WW1 sites around Ypres. Then to the Belgian/Dutch border; and the first part of “Hell’s Highway”, the route followed by the British XXX Corps as it attempted to reach its embattled 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem.
Overnight – Arnhem
Day 6: Thursday 18th June 2015
‘Remember September‘ – 223.3Km (138.75 Miles)
We will visit the Airborne Museum and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery at Oosterbeek to pay homage to those who fought in Operation Market Garden, the largest airborne operation of the war. After crossing ‘A Bridge Too Far’, a 4×4 scenario is planned for the afternoon routing back along Hell’s Highway and ‘The Island’.
Overnight – Arnhem
Day 7: Friday 19th June 2015
‘Dambusters & The Bulge‘ – 411.9Km (255.95 Miles)
Onwards towards Belgium, via Germany, then a scenic run through The Ardennes to our destination: Bastogne, the site of an epic eight-day stand against the Germans in December 1944.
Overnight – Bastogne
Day 8: Saturday 20th June 2015
‘The Bois Jacques and Beyond‘ – 175.4Km (109 Miles)
The day involves a circuitous but historic loop around Bastogne and includes a visit to museums dedicated to the Battle of the Bulge. Late in the day you will pass Bois Jacques and Easy Company’s foxholes overlooking the village of Foy.
We conclude our WWII tour of the Bulge.
Overnight – Bastogne
Day 9: Sunday 21st June 2015
‘Maginot & The Last Patrol‘ – 398.55Km (247.65 Miles)
From Bastogne we head south into Alsace, France; an area famed for its wine and Maginot Line fortifications. After that, the journey passes Haguenau, the site of some of Easy Company’s final battles and several daring patrols thence into Germany and the beautiful scenery of the Schwarzwald (the Black Forest).
Overnight – Calw-Altburg in the Black Forest
Day 10: Monday 22nd June 2015
‘A Transit Day‘ – 365.3Km (227 Miles)
This day includes a motoring activity, after which will take us towards Munich.
Overnight – Near Munich
Day 11: Tuesday 23rd June 2015
‘The Atrocity of War‘ – 286.1Km (177.8 Miles)
On April 29, 1945, as they advanced towards the Bavarian Alps, the allies liberated a satellite of the Dachau Concentration Camp at Landsberg. We will visit Dachau, site of some of the most nefarious acts against humankind during the war. Our goal approaches as we travel south-east through Bavaria and Austria; routing along the vistas of the Alpenstrasse and arrive at our destination – Berchtesgaden.
Overnight – Berchtesgaden
Day 12: Wednesday 24th June 2015
‘The Final Objective‘ – 15.6Km (9.7 Miles)
Our final motoring day of the rally ends at Adolf Hitler’s Alpine retreat in Berchtesgaden, where (weather permitting) we will visit the The Eagle’s Nest and the remains of the vast Nazi Party complex liberated by American Forces in May 1945.
Evening: 1800hrs/1830hrs is the Final Meal & Prize Giving.
Overnight – Berchtesgaden
Day 13: Thursday 25th June 2015
‘Decamp and onward travel‘ – (653Km/406 Miles/6hrs 30min)
For those wanting some R&R to break up the return journey, arrangements have been made (outside of rally fees) to camp at the side of the Moselle.
Overnight – Bullay, Moselle
Day 14: Friday 26th June 2015
We plan to arrange a unique convoy lap of the Nürburgring.
Overnight – Bullay, Moselle
Day 15: Saturday 27th June 2015
Decamp and onward travel for the Calais-Dover 1955hrs P&O ferry (445Km/277 Miles/4hrs 45min).
THE AWARDS
Prizes being awarded at the ’2014 Final Meal’ will include….
OVERALL
– 1st Overall
– 2nd Overall
– 3rd Overall
– 4th Overall
– 5th Overall
SERVING MILITARY (All occupants must be include at least 1 currently serving member of the Armed Forces)
– 1st Serving Military Team
– 2nd Serving Military Team
– 3rd Serving Military Team
EX-SERVING MILITARY (Must have at least one member of the team who has served in the Armed Forces)
– 1st Ex-Serving Military Team
– 2nd Ex-Serving Military Team
– 3rd Ex-Serving Military Team
CIVILIAN (All must be non-serving members of the Armed Forces)
– 1st Civilian Team
– 2nd Civilian Team
– 3rd Civilian Team
FAMILIES (Team must have at least 1 member under 15 yrs old)
– 1st Family Team
– 2nd Family Team
– 3rd Family Team
NOVICES (None of the crew have taken part in a previous H4H 4×4 European Rally)
– 1st Novice Team
– 2nd Novice Team
– 3rd Novice Team
POLICE AWARD
– 1st Police Team
– 2nd Police Team
– 3rd Police Team
OTHER AWARDS INCLUDE:
– Team ‘Spirit of the Event’ Award – This award is voted by all the entrants of the rally.
– ‘Best Dressed Team/Vehicle’ (This could be: Best looking 4×4 and/or Best looking team in fancy dress, or anything similar – as long as it’s presentable, PC and legal)
– The ‘Highest Sponsorship Raised’ Award – The figures will be taken from what’s on the Bmycharity pages at noon on the final day of the rally