IT was a personal journey for each and every one of them.

Standing in the frontline trenches where so much blood was once shed, this group of Hampshire students paid their respects to the war dead.

They were among hundreds from schools making the journey to France and Belgium for the First World War centenary battlefield tours programme, which offers pupils and teachers a journey of historical discovery through the most war-hit areas of Europe.

Visiting battlefields, graveyards, museums and memorials to the missing, they have one question to answer: “How important is remembrance 100 years on from the First World War?

For the Hampshire pupils, after an emotional series of visits to these historic locations, their answer was: “Enormously”.

Schools taking part in the trip included The Sholing Technology College, Oak Lodge School, Great Oaks School, Redbridge Community School, Applemore College, Testwood Sports College, Lakeside School, Oasis Academy Mayfield, Crestwood College, Thornden School, The Romsey School and The Arnewood School.

The teachers accompanying them had each held a competition giving their students the chance to apply, with many asked to write letters explaining why they wanted to go, or addressed to a missing soldier, before the best two were chosen.

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The tour programme was launched by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who helped secure more than £5m in funding for the five-year initiative.

Now learning organisation Equity and the Institute for Education help to take students on these trips, with hopes to reach out to more than 4,000 schools by 2019.

The trip was led by battlefield tour guide Allan Wood, who himself served as a sergeant major in the Army.

A tour leader from Equity and a serving soldier are also invited to travel with the group, giving children an opportunity to ask them questions about the difference between the Army now and 100 years ago.

It was a journey which encouraged pupils to think deeply about remembrance and as part of the initiative they are asked to take part in Legacy 110, where they talk to at least 110 people about their experience afterwards.