Canada’s First & Leading Tour Operator for Canadian Battlefields Since 1986
Trusted as Canada’s longest-running battlefield tour operator, we have proudly escorted Canadian Veterans and their families for over 30 years—honouring their stories, their service, and the generations who follow in their footsteps.
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Ian Cowan CEO & Lead Program Director
Ian Cowan is the CEO and Founder of Connection Custom Travel and The Battlefield Tours, bringing over 35 years of experience in designing and leading immersive travel programs across Europe. Since 1986, he has been escorting Canadian veterans and their families to the battlefields of France and Belgium, pioneering one of Canada’s original and longest-running battlefield tour programs.
Over the years, Ian has expanded these experiences to include tours across the battlefields of Western Europe — including France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, England, and beyond — as well as programs for Canadian families, student groups, performance ensembles, and government associations. Each journey is designed for those who share a desire to better understand history through meaningful, on-site exploration.
Deeply committed to authenticity and historical integrity, Ian remains actively involved in the planning, development, and execution of all tour programming. His hands-on approach ensures each experience reflects the core values of education, remembrance, and connection that define The Battlefield Tours.
Melody Johnson - Creative Director & Tour Manager
Melody Johnson is an honours graduate of the University of Toronto, where she completed a specialist program in World and Fine Art History, and furthered her studies at the Liaison College of Culinary Arts. Her academic background, combined with extensive experience in event planning and program curation, brings a thoughtful and creative perspective to the tours she supports.
Melody regularly accompanies The Battlefield Tours across Western Europe, working closely with the guiding team while enhancing each program with a rich cultural dimension. Through her knowledge of art history, regional traditions, and culinary heritage, she helps provide a well-rounded and immersive travel experience.
Her commitment to meaningful and engaging travel ensures that each journey is not only informative, but also memorable and enriching for all participants.
Jon Haslock Tour Manager & Guide,
France
Jon served in the Territorial Army for five years, developing a strong foundation in military structure, discipline, and history. Inspired by this experience, he chose to pursue his passion academically, studying full-time at the University of Leeds, where he completed his History degree in 2005.
Following his studies, Jon made the decision to relocate with his family to the Somme — a region deeply connected to the events he had studied — in order to turn his passion into a full-time career. He began guiding part-time at Knaresborough Castle in Yorkshire, gaining valuable experience in historical interpretation and public engagement.
In 2006, Jon became a full-time battlefield guide at the renowned Musée Somme 1916 in Albert, where he further developed his expertise in First World War history and guiding. Building on this experience, he went on to establish himself as an independent battlefield guide in 2013, offering in-depth, engaging tours rooted in both academic knowledge and personal passion for the history of the Somme.
Sjoerd Meijer
Tour Guide Holland
Sjoerd holds a degree in History from Leiden University, located just south of Amsterdam, where he developed a strong academic foundation in European and modern history. His passion for the subject was first sparked through early travels across Europe with his father, visiting historically significant sites and gaining a deep, personal appreciation for the past.
As a native of the Netherlands, Sjoerd is especially passionate about sharing his country’s rich cultural heritage, with a particular focus on the lasting impact of the Second World War on Dutch society and collective memory. His knowledge extends beyond key historical events to include the social and cultural context that shaped them, offering travellers a well-rounded and meaningful perspective.
Sjoerd brings an engaging, approachable style to his guiding, encouraging open discussion and interaction throughout his tours. His enthusiasm, combined with his academic background and local insight, ensures each experience is both informative and memorable.
Rose Nguyen Tour Guide, Vietnam
Rose is our local and culinary guide based in Hanoi, bringing a unique combination of academic knowledge, culinary expertise, and experience as a tour manager in Vietnam.
She is a graduate of the University of Languages and International Studies and, shortly after completing her degree, obtained her International Tour Guide License from the Vietnam Administration of Tourism. In her role as a tour manager in Vietnam, she ensures the seamless coordination of programs while providing attentive care to guests throughout their journey. Driven by her passion for Vietnamese cuisine, Rose further pursued professional culinary training and gained experience working as a chef.
Rose’s guiding style reflects both her cultural insight and her love of food, offering guests an authentic and engaging introduction to Hanoi and Vietnamese traditions. Those who travel with her benefit from a deeper understanding and appreciation of the country’s culture, heritage, and values.
Lead Tour Guide Glenn Edmonds has been a key member of The Battlefield Tours team for over 15 years, guiding travellers across the battlefields of Western Europe and sharing his deep knowledge of Canada’s military history.
Known for his engaging storytelling and thoughtful interpretation, Glenn brings the battlefields to life by connecting the landscape with the personal stories of those who served. His ability to balance strategic context with human experience allows guests to gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of both World Wars.
Having worked closely with founder and lead historian Ian Cowan for many years, Glenn has helped deliver powerful and memorable battlefield experiences across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. His dedication to education, remembrance, and respectful storytelling makes him a valued guide and a favourite among returning travellers. His passion for preserving and sharing these important histories ensures each tour is both impactful and deeply meaningful.
Joel Stoppels, Tour Manager & Guide, Netherlands
Joël Stoppels is a respected battlefield guide and the founder of Battlefield Tours in the Netherlands. A dedicated historian, he is driven by a clear mission: to preserve and share the memory of the Second World War for future generations.
Joël specialises in leading battlefield programs for both military and civilian groups, with a particular focus on Operation Market Garden and the airborne campaigns in the Netherlands. His tours explore the experiences of the 1st British Airborne Division, the U.S. 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, the French SAS during Operation Amherst in April 1945, as well as Canadian operations across the Netherlands and into Germany in the final months of the war.
A member of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides (Badge No. 70), Joël also serves as coordinator for the international guide network of Liberation Route Europe. His depth of knowledge, combined with his passion for remembrance, ensures each tour is both insightful and meaningful.
Alison Haslock Tour Manager & Guide,
France
WWI Guide: Alison developed a strong interest in history during her academic studies, a passion that has remained with her throughout her professional career in pharmacy. Her connection to the First World War began over 25 years ago during her first visit to the Somme battlefields, accompanying her husband Jon, where she experienced firsthand the profound impact of the landscape and its history.
What began as a personal interest soon evolved into regular visits to the region, deepening her knowledge and appreciation of the Somme and its significance. This growing connection ultimately led to a permanent move in 2005, allowing Alison to fully immerse herself in the history and daily life of the area she now proudly calls home.
Over the years, Alison has developed a strong understanding of the local battlefields, memorials, and stories that define the Somme. Today, she is honoured to share her knowledge and passion with visitors, offering thoughtful and engaging insights that help bring the experiences of the First World War to life in a meaningful and respectful way.
Jo Hook, Guide France
Jo Hook is an accredited battlefield guide and respected military historian with over 20 years of experience leading tours across Europe’s most significant historic sites. A member of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides, she holds a Master’s degree in Military History and brings both academic rigour and practical guiding expertise to her work.
Jo specialises in both the First and Second World Wars, with in-depth knowledge of key theatres including the Western Front, Gallipoli, Normandy, and Arnhem. Her tours are thoughtfully structured to provide both strategic understanding and human context, allowing travellers to fully appreciate the complexity and significance of the events that unfolded at each location.
Renowned for her engaging storytelling and approachable style, Jo has a remarkable ability to bring history to life on the very ground where it happened. Her passion for the subject, combined with her clarity and depth of knowledge, ensures that each tour is not only informative, but also a meaningful and memorable experience.
Martin Heyes Tour Guide, Hong Kong
Martin Heyes was born and raised near Liverpool in north-west England. Following the completion of his secondary education, he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was subsequently commissioned into the British Army, serving in the infantry in both the United Kingdom and Germany.
After leaving the Army, Martin joined the Royal Hong Kong Police, where he continued his service through the transition of Hong Kong’s sovereignty in 1997. Over the course of a distinguished 25-year career, he served in a variety of roles, primarily within the Uniform Branch, gaining extensive operational experience and leadership responsibilities.
Following his retirement from policing, Martin transitioned into the private sector, working in the security industry. He advanced to the role of Project Manager for the local guard force contract at the United States Consulate-General in Hong Kong, where he oversaw operations and security personnel.
Martin’s extensive background in military service, law enforcement, and security management brings a wealth of real-world experience, discipline, and insight to his work.
Since 2008, Jip Meijer, a Netherlands-based military historian, has been guiding and curating specialized battlefield tours across Europe. With nearly two decades of experience, he is known for delivering thoughtfully designed programs that combine strong historical research with engaging on-site storytelling.
His expertise spans the First World War Western Front — including Ypres, Passchendaele, Vimy Ridge, and the Somme — as well as key Second World War sites across the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, including Operation Market Garden and the Liberation of Holland.
Jip is highly skilled at bringing complex military history to life, connecting events to their broader human and historical context. His depth of knowledge, clarity, and passion ensure each tour is both insightful and meaningful. He is particularly adept at tailoring his guiding to suit a wide range of audiences, from academic groups to private travellers. His commitment to historical accuracy and engaging delivery ensures a rewarding and memorable experience for all participants.
Carl Ooghe, Tour Manager & Guide
Belgium & France
Carl has been a qualified tour guide, author, and passionate historian for nearly three decades, specialising in the interpretation of military history across Europe’s most significant battlefield regions. He brings extensive experience in organising immersive tours and delivering expert insight at memorials, monuments, cemeteries, museums, and other sites of historical importance.
Renowned for his engaging storytelling and depth of knowledge, Carl connects the strategic elements of the battles with the human stories behind them, creating experiences that are both informative and deeply meaningful.
His expertise lies in Flanders, Picardy, the Marne, and the Meuse-Argonne, with tours covering the three principal sectors of the former Western Front across Belgium and France. Through his thoughtful approach, Carl ensures each journey is a respectful and memorable exploration of history.
Vic Piuk Tour Guide, France
Vic is an experienced battlefield guide specialising in the full geographic scope of the Western Front, from the Belgian coast to its southern reaches where France meets Switzerland — spanning over 800 kilometres. His tours cover key sectors of the First World War, including Flanders, Artois, the Somme, Aisne, Marne, Champagne, Verdun, and the Vosges.
With a strong understanding of the multinational nature of the conflict, Vic explores the experiences of British and Commonwealth forces alongside American, French, and German perspectives, offering a well-rounded interpretation of the war.
He has a particular passion for leading walking tours, allowing travellers to connect more closely with the landscape, and brings added depth through his knowledge of First World War literature and poetry. Drawing on his Slovenian heritage, Vic also has extensive knowledge of the Isonzo Front and has guided groups in both Slovenia and northern Italy.
Brigitte de Cuyper, Guide France
Brigitte is an experienced battlefield guide with a deep personal connection to the Somme, where she was born and raised. She spent five years working at the Somme 1916 Museum in Albert, developing a strong foundation in First World War history and interpretation.
Having lived in the United Kingdom for 26 years, Brigitte is fully bilingual and an excellent communicator, able to engage effectively with international visitors. Her knowledge, combined with her warm and enthusiastic guiding style, creates tours that are both informative and accessible.
Now based once again in the Somme, Brigitte manages her own guiding business, specialising in the battlefields of Northern France. Her tours offer a meaningful and authentic experience, enriched by both her professional expertise and personal connection to the region.
Jerry Dai Tour Guide, Vietnam
Jerry is an experienced English-speaking tour guide with over 10 years of experience in the tourism industry and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Vietnam Tourism from Hue University. He is a specialist in Vietnam War history and battlefield touring, with a particular focus on Central Vietnam.
Based in the region, Jerry leads tours throughout Hoi An, Hue, Da Nang, and the DMZ, offering in-depth insight into the historical, cultural, and geographical significance of these areas. His extensive knowledge of the Vietnam War, combined with a strong understanding of Vietnamese culture, cuisine, and daily life, allows him to deliver well-rounded and engaging experiences.
Known for his enthusiasm and approachable style, Jerry brings history to life through storytelling that connects past events with the present-day landscape and local communities. Over the years, he has guided numerous groups from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and across Europe, particularly those with a strong interest in Vietnam War history and battlefield exploration.
Jerry’s professionalism, passion, and local expertise ensure that each tour is both informative and memorable, offering guests a meaningful understanding of Vietnam’s history and heritage.
Glenn Edmonds
Battlefields Western Europe
Jip Meijer Guide &Tour Manager Holland