Battle of the Bulge
1st-4th May

• Accompanied by Peter and TJ Linzy MSL tour guides
• General interest tour
• Ideal for riders with an interest in the Second World War
• No high mileages
• Brilliant hotel locations

The tour kicks off on the Dover Calais ferry, during the three days of this tour we will be travelling through some of most desirable biking roads in Europe. Our route takes us across Northern France and into first the French Ardenne and then the Belgian part of this wonderfully wooded region where the battle was fought.
What the Americans nicknamed ‘The Battle of the Bulge’ turned out to be the bloodiest battle fought by US forces during the Second World War. In nearly six weeks of fighting from December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945 more than 19,000 American service men were killed with nearly 50,000 wounded.
The “bulge” was the salient created by the Germans in the Allied lines, around the Belgian town of Bastogne, just before Christmas 1944. Fierce weather kept the Allies’ most potent weapons (near total air supremacy) at bay. After several days of sweeping all before them, the German Army ground to halt and they still had not taken Bastogne. When the Germans asked for the surrender of Bastogne from the commander of the 101st Airborne who was occupying Bastogne, the answer that came back was the famous “Nuts!”
The Allies were kept hopping by a German strategy of attacking in concentration in several places. However, this action eventually exposed the German limitations. The Germans inflicted a heavy toll, but eventually their lack of replacements and supply doomed the effort. Patton’s Third Army swung north and relieved the surrounded, but unbowed 101st Aiborne at Bastogne.
Join us for a ride that explores the beautiful and historic Ardennes Forest. We’ll visit the key points of Malmedy, St Vith, the Mardasson Memorial and, of course, Bastogne and its historical centre. You won’t regret it!
Of course it would be rude not to mention Telly Savalas.
The basic tour of the area will be conducted by Peter and will involve ‘a self guided go it alone’ program using supplied tourist information. For an additional £50 per person (£75 with pillion) over the weekend TJ Linzy, aka the Battlefield Biker, will lead a more detailed tour to the most critical points of the battle. TJ will give detailed talks about the planning, execution, personalities and special heroics of the day.