From central Westminster, your guide takes you underground into the bunker that was home to the headquarters of the British war department. Then together, we will explore the very site where the Allied war effort was managed from. Many of the rooms have been left unchanged, giving us a real insight into working conditions. Your guide will share stories revealing how privileged many of the people working here felt, proud of the essential contribution they were making to the war effort. Hear about revolutionary advances in cryptography and its effect on the war. For those of you interested in Winston Churchill, part of the war rooms are a museum dedicated to this great man. The exhibits tell the story of the charismatic Winston Churchill, prime minister and wartime leader, but also a beloved family man. Did you know that he was also a writer and artist?  See the wanted note, offering a £25 reward for turning in a young Churchill, following his escape from prison during the Boer War.

Leaving the war rooms, we embark on a journey around Whitehall and Parliament square. This area is packed with various memorials and monuments, some very obvious, others hidden in and around ministerial buildings your guide will help you find.

Every year Whitehall plays host to a grand military parade commemorating both World Wars.  We will see the poppy wreaths and banners laid on the Cenotaph, the empty tomb.

Walking along Embankment we will visit many memorials dedicated to specific military groups that were involved in the conflict. Who were the Chindits?  Learn about this revolutionary group of men who operated deep behind Japanese lines in Burma.  Their commemorative plaque may be small in comparison to some monuments, but your guide will explain the significant impact these men had on the war and also on future styles of military operation.  

Where do you find the Battle of Britain memorial?  Together we can find this beautiful piece, then hear about the pivotal effect the Battle of Britain had on the path of the war. At the end of your tour your guide will be happy to tell you about more museums you can visit in London, or help with suggestions for the rest of your stay.