Valour – The Victoria Cross & The Lincolnshire Regiment
I recently had the good fortune to sit down with John Marshall from LincsPod after he contacted me about my new book, Valour – The Victoria Cross & The Lincolnshire…
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We Will Remember – World War Two Veterans
It is a book that has taken me over thirty years to get to print – or to be more exact, the idea for this book started about thirty years…
Bill Wicks – A Long Way to Come to Die
I remember fondly joining Bill Wicks on a tour of The Somme battlefield. Bill had travelled from New Zealand and hoped to better understand what it was that his Grandfather,…
The Amazing Walter Tull
Here in the United Kingdom almost every week we hear stories of racist comments; sadly all too often on the sports field and not always by the spectators, whilst I…
Last Soldier to Die in World War One
Recent research has thrown light on the last soldiers to be killed on 11 November 1918. The research clearly shows that In the closing minutes of World War One, the…
The Deadmans Penny
So often on a battlefield tour, people are fascinated at the World War One Memorial Plaque, often better known as The Dead Man’s Penny or sometimes The Widows Penny, that…
Search to Return a Military Medal
Just occasionally something in life comes along that you really want to get your teeth into and offer to help someone. This happened recently following a telephone call from our…
The Last British King to Lead Troops & Die in Battle
George II was the last British monarch born outside the British Isles of Great Britain; George was born and brought up in what is now known as Northern Germany. He…
Everest 1953 – Who Were the True Heroes?
The names of Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing are world-famous for the first recorded ascent of Everest on 29 May 1953, but can you name anyone else involved in the…
Most Decorated Soldier of World War One
Much has been written about Captain Noel Chavasse being the most decorated officer of the First World War, and many of you will have joined me as we stood by…
In Search of a Victoria Cross
Many of you who have travelled to the battlefield of France and Belgium with me will know that if there is one thing I hope you take away it is…
Vietnam Veteran on The Western Front
Walking battlefields can be very memorable, as can the many people we meet doing so; one such person is Nick Ragland, who we recently took on a battlefield tour of…
The Animal Victoria Cross – The Dickin Medal
Many of you who have joined me on battlefield tours will know about my love of working dogs, the fact I own a number of working English Springer Spaniels and…
Richard Todd Returns to Normandy
I had the great pleasure of taking a battlefield tour to Normandy which was made special by our guest, Mr Richard Todd. Richard Todd, the actor, may be better known…
The Queen’s ‘first’ Victoria Cross
Since 1952, The Queen has conferred many honours and awards; the first investiture of the Queen’s reign took place at Buckingham Palace on 27th February 1952, just three weeks into her…
A Grandfather’s Diary Returns to The Somme
Taking people on battlefield tours is enormously rewarding; to help a modern-day generation ‘contact’ a distant relative who fought in a past conflict, is still the highlight of many a…
The Dambusters – A Great Success?
It is without a doubt a phrase that is well known; The Dambusters. Be that for one of the best war films ever produced, with my old friend Richard Todd…
The Great War Medals – Pip Squeak & Wilfred
The Great War of 1914-18 was fought on a scale never before witnessed with casualties and damage beyond any war previous to it. In military, social and economic terms it…
Food Rationing in the Wars
We often hear on television that as a country the United Kingdom faces the threat of unhealthy eating and diet and all the associated health risks, indeed one TV presenter…
Matt Limb OBE
Matt Limb, the founder and CEO of Matt Limb Battlefield Tours, was made an OBE in the operational honours list for his support to the Iraq War. Matt, Commanding Officer…
Wonder & Awe at the Normandy Battlefield
The motivation and drive for doing a battlefield tour can be varied and for many reasons, to visit the campaigns and battles of past family members; to pay respect to…
A Moment to Remember & A Question of Remembrance
Over the years some people have questioned remembrance and the wearing of a poppy, saying we are Glorifying War. It is worth remembering that Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, are…
Pigeons – The Secret Messengers
Many of you who have joined me in Normandy exploring the D-Day beaches of World War Two will have heard of Company Sergeant Major Stanley Hollis, who was awarded the…
St George’s Day & War Poet Rupert Brooke
In England, on 23 April, we celebrated St George’s Day, the patron saint of England. George was credited with slaying the dragon and it became a day when a traditional…
The Great War Films & War Horse
The relationship between war and the film industry needs little explanation. The war film has long been a favourite and was often Sunday afternoon entertainment on the telly – even…
Titanic Newsboy and a Military Medal
One of the most memorial pictures to come out of the Titanic Disaster was of a newsboy standing in Trafalgar Square selling the newspapers that told the world of the…
Two Minutes Silence & The Unknown Warrior
November is a Month of Remembrance and like many, I am sure you had your Two Minutes Silence, many do so on the declared Remembrance Sunday in a local church…
In Flanders Fields the most famous war poem
“In Flanders Fields” is one of the most famous poems from World War One and is often credited as the reason why the ‘poppy’ was chosen as the flower of…
Vinter Brothers – The Final Journey
If you have not already looked at the start of this Vinter Brothers story then I strongly urge you to do so. Click Here, to fully understand why Derek needed…
Recent British Military Operations
This is not intended to capture all conflicts and military operations since 1952, nor is it intended to be a history lesson on the conflicts of recent military operations. But…
The Last Know Veteran of World War One Dies
It is with great sadness that recently the last known surviving veteran of World War One, Claude Choules, died at the age of 110. Many of us will identify with Harry…
The Menin Gate
Since the 1920s at exactly 2000 hours, or 8:00 pm, every night the sound of the bugle can be heard in the Belgium town of Ypres. Every night the local…
Come on Granddad time to take you home
With the fast transport system, from England to France and Belgium, it is now so easy to visit the battlefields of The Western Front from World War One. Nevertheless, it…
Finding from Omaha Beach
To visit the place a relative, or loved one, fought and to try to understand what they endured is one of the most popular reasons for a battlefield tour, and…
The Somme an Allied Victory
The events of the early days of The Battle of The Somme are well recorded. In fact to read many articles & reports you would think The Somme was a…
Captain Noel Chavasse VC & Bar MC
Many of you will know about the most highly decorated soldier of World War One, William Harold Coltman VC, DCM & Bar, MM & Bar. In turn, many have joined me…
Olympics and The World Wars
I am not sure if the so-called legacy of the London 2012 Olympics really happened, but it started me thinking about soldiers and the Olympics. Following the 1912 Summer Olympics,…
The Shortest War
So often we associate wars as long-lasting and devastating, World War One over four years and World War Two almost six, but what about a war that lasted just 38…
In Search of the World War One Poets
I had the great pleasure of receiving the following soon after returning to the battlefields of France and Belgium with Mike and Amber Stokes, Mike has visited before but this…
A Grandson Returns to The Western Front
Mike Stokes had previously visited the location in Germany where his grandfather was interned as a Prisoner Of War. But, Mike wanted to visit the area in France where he…
Lance Corporal Jack Nisbet
Lance Corporal John Richard Nisbet (Jack) served with 458 West Riding Field Company, Royal Engineers, 49th West Riding Division. He landed at Le Harve on 21st June 1915 and his…
1914 Christmas Truce & Princess Mary Christmas Box
Much has been written about the Christmas Truce of World War One in 1914, some say it never happened as it was not correctly reported – but let us just…
The Military Medal
The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration for British and former Commonwealth forces awarded for bravery in battle on land with the following requirement – ‘for acts of gallantry…
A Grandson Returns again to The Western Front
You may have seen our news article about Mike Stokes travelling to find the place where his grandfather was taken Prisoner of War in 1918 so moved by his experience he…
Chilwell Shell Factory Disaster
During battlefield tours I have often spoken about the need, for the first time, for a ‘The Home Front’ during World War One, how industry was required to support the…
Footballer Wins a Victoria Cross
The first professional footballer soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross was “Donny” Bell. Donald Simpson Bell was born on 3 December 1890 to Smith and Annie Bell, who resided in…