Good morning from Glen Feshie, where the 52nd Lowland Division had their mountain training school from 1942 to 1944. True to form it’s pissing it doon.

#MappingHistory Fwiw, part of 2026 involves chipping in with a bit more context on epic maps. Such as a bit of background about the Gallery of Maps, in the Vatican. It’s stunning, and it’s based on work done by Egnatio (Ignazio) Danti: 🧵

It's fine. It's still 10 days until 21st Jan - the anniversary of 4 US nukes going down on Greenland in 1968 and only 3 getting fully recovered - so that's plenty of time for *everyone* at @foxnews-mun-1.bsky.social to get a pep-talk on pronouncing 'Narssarssuk'. AMS: Greenland 1:500,000, 1944.

Mapmakers will change the word ‘Iran’ for free, but should get triple time if updates need doing to ‘Greenland ’ or ‘Venezuela’.

One of the best little parking spots in London, that. £16, for eight hours. @RGS_IBG, 100m away. Always got two coppers on duty, and usually has 412 hard nuts on the balcony too.

Been waiting for this one to pop up. 😊 Greenland. Coloured in, as part of the ‘Technate of America map’. As shown in July 1940 issue of ‘official magazine of Technocracy Inc.’ And here’s the twist: Elon Musk’s maternal grandfather - Joshua Haldeman - was a prominent member of Technocracy Inc.

🫶

The ‘P.A.M’ map gets a lot of air time, but rarely with an explanation. So here goes. “Die Unionisierung Mitteleuropas!” was a 24-page German-language pamphlet, published a year after the Treaty of Versailles was agreed (1920). It included this infamous map. 🧵

🚨It's the #newsofthewar. Might be our best yet: it's 10th April 1943, and it's all happening this week! Check out the headlines behind the frontlines, and controversial hot takes on Slim, Monty, and more. Starting in North Africa... @andyaitch.bsky.social @merrynwalters.uk

A propaganda map showing the US as a colonial outpost of Germany and the Central Powers. The map appeared on the front cover of Life Magazine on February 10, 1916.

I stick to WW2 maps, mostly. This is an exception. Why? First, it has [WW2] written on it. Second, there are plats owned by William Walters. Third, it's just a great plat map. An awesome snapshot of 1880s socio-economics, and a reminder, land was carved into what seem like bizarre regular parcels.

You can see why he's getting uppity. This was made in 1945 by the US Coast and Geodetic Survey, and the USAAF. Mercator, bigging it up for Greenland and aerial routes here, and described as a map 'crucial for military planning and operations. Personally, I prefer details in ...

Bogus and BIGOT. Snappy work from @ww2headquarters.bsky.social youtu.be/FoYnGzKRH_w?...

A signature style in WW2 infographic propaganda mapping: originally an architect, Robert M Chapin Jr. was a pioneer, setting a standard for style that others envied - he led Time magazine’s map dept for 33 years.

Proper-map, this. Smashing bit of WW2 manga. Best aside is in the footnotes: “Japan has decided to resolve the China incident quickly without paying attention to the European war.” 👀

“Something like ‘Chastise’. Husky. Torch. Mincemeat, even. Dynamo. Overlord - ” “ - NOPE. ABSOLUTE RESOLVE.”

“A WW2 map? Of Venezuela? One moment please, caller.” Okay: Harrison’s 1940 ‘oil drop’ projection underpins the Standard Map (that’s Standard Oil, obvs) - a map of oil routes, showing the impact of WW2. See, in 1939, Venezuela was the world's top oil exporter…

An argument exists that an architectural folly cannot exist, as the act of its creation provides a purpose, thus nullifying its definition as a useless building. Forgotten battles. Idem. *peruses map of 12th African Div in Battle of Gondar* *peels seventh mince pie*

Coming this Friday on News Of the War… The annual report from the Scottish Society for Recording Abnormal Happenings 1942. linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar @merrynwalters.uk @andyaitch.bsky.social

APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE OF COVENTRY…. On NOTW this week, with @merrynwalters.uk and I, we read an article about a character that lived in Coventry during the war. we can’t find anything also about him… anyone from the Cov area know anything? It would be great to find out. linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar

Commandos? Boulonge? Slipper wearing jock ex policeman - notorious for putting the cosh on east end criminals? We’ve got you covered on @newsofthewar.bsky.social this week linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar

READ ALL ABOUT IT! It’s News of The War time. Join @andyaitch.bsky.social & @merrynwalters.uk as we discuss the news headlines from the 24th April 1942…. Are the fortunes of war turning? Take a listen and you decide linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar

Heathrow. Calm before the storm. Coffee so strong, I can see WiFi.

October 7th. Which means that, in among the headlines today, it's this monster's 27th birthday. Half as old as I am, and twice the person, already. #kidshuh #proudmum #properjobandcanbuyherowncakenow

From too-many too-good-to miss talks to The Two Rommels, the tanks, the catch-ups with friends old and new … big thanks to the WHWF team this weekend… and to everyone who came along to hear me squeaking on about maps (again!)

Channeling Ole Gunnar Solskjær in the 99’ CL final… Last minute substitute for the indomitable PCA at WHWF5 this weekend, to chat about the Rhine crossing. Honoured to be on stage with Al and John Mc - chat ranged between Quinctilius Varus to post VE Day civil affairs

We’re stumped at NOTW HQ…. @andyaitch.bsky.social and @merrynwalters.uk can’t make out what type of tank this on the transporter, it’s in our new episode, out tomorrow….. Can you help? Taken in August 1941 in the western desert…. Let us know what you think.

WELL SAID. 😊

Getting the blitz maps together for WHWFest. So much myth busting it actually hurts. 😆

Jolly excited about this weeks episode, in a mid season break of 1941 we have our first guest editor for News Of The War! @prof-tregoning.bsky.social joins @andyaitch.bsky.social and @merrynwalters.uk to talk about infections, immunology, horse serum and much more. 🚨 Friday 5th September 🚨

If I had a penny for every time we've pulled back from a WW2 rabbit hole ... but it's what keeps us all fascinated, isn't it? The fact there's so much more to find out?

Please joins us this Friday for the latest episode of @newsofthewar.bsky.social We’re launching our new recurring feature: Monkey Air Raid News @merrynwalters.uk

@merrynwalters.uk and I talked a little bit about the war in Somaliland on the @newsofthewar.bsky.social pod this week. The Illustrated London News ran this amazing sketch a week later: A pony section of the Somali Camel Corps on a rocky lookout post near the HARGEISA BERBERA. ✏️ By “Snaffles”

When do you think the Battle of Britain started? The Sunday Express puts it firmly on the 18th of June? Agree? This Thursday on @newsofthewar.bsky.social @merrynwalters.uk and I make a valiant but ultimately futile effort to explain the Battle of Britain linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar

I'm not saying maps and panoramic, illustrative diagrams are interchangeable, but I might be saying that if I won the lottery *THERE WOULD BE SIGNS*. These beach plans of Iwo Jima are yours for the bargain price of US $14,999.99, apparently. *swoon*

Colossus has spoken….. Coming to his week on @newsofthewar.bsky.social BLITZKRIEG! @merrynwalters.uk

If anyone needs a handy little guide on what ARP wardens do, I’ve got you covered. Surprisingly well trained and well prepared for the Blitz. Who knew? 🤷🏻‍♂️ @merrynwalters.uk @newsofthewar.bsky.social

Be honest, who’s heard of the Altmark Incident? @newsofthewar.bsky.social @merrynwalters.uk

One of the questions we ask in @newsofthewar.bsky.social today is how many lives were saved in the Blitz thanks to the amount of preparedness and training the country had done leading up to September 1940. High casualties when it hits, but could it have been higher? linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar

Published by the U.S. Persian Gulf Command. 1944.

Mapwise, recently, I've been knee deep in repercussions from the Treaty of Versailles. Awful. Funny though, even the enigmatic PAM thought Britain wasn't worth the hassle, after the war was over. Can you imagine the response from the Flagmakers' Union to this scheme, radically restructuring Europe?

This lil' ol' podcast - honestly, it's one of the most fun things I do, making it that is. News of The War: so many stories, so much still to influence how we interpret what happened, when, and often why as well. 😊 linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar

This is going to be so good - QR codes are ideal for extending images and, sadly, I think foldout maps are unlikely to make a comeback 🙂‍↕️

🔥EXTRA! EXTRA! We promised you the headlines for 27th December '39, and boy do we deliver. Bill, George, Al, they're all here - along with some killer monks and subtle smock action (IYKNK, right?! 😉). @andyaitch.bsky.social @merrynwalters.uk

Every so often ~ between chaos, confusion, and concerted efforts to sort out the LifeNormal - I remember Bluesky. Here, have a map. One for @historybowsh.bsky.social 😀

What does Good King Wenceslas, a stowaway wife and missing aircrew have in common? They all feature in newspapers from Wednesday 27th of December 1939. Hear these stories, and others on News of The War with @merrynwalters.uk @andyaitch.bsky.social linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar

🚨Whooop! It's Episode 5 in this season of #NOTW and we've got everything from the Dogs of War to Dictator of the Week (as always). But also, a fascinating insight to the Illustrated London News ~ yes, this is the News of the War on November 18th 1939... (link below 😊)

I'm not just chuffed or delighted, I am **ABSOLUTELY FIZZING** about the 🔥BANGING🔥 lineup at WHWF25 this year. And if **BLITZ MAPS** are your thing, well, I'll be talking about them briefly on Saturday morning. 😊

In the spirit of zeitgeist an' all that, it was the team at Hillenden (Hughenden Manor) who produced target mapping for use in CHASTISE. Why magenta traces? Cockpit lighting. It's a colour that shows up (reasonably) well.

It me. 😊 Can’t wait for WHWFV - it’s just the best weekend, all year long. And I can neither confirm nor deny that 🔥BOOM🔥 yes, some bloomin’ awesome maps will be involved. 📍 A whole festival of free talks - get your tickets here! 😊 wehavewaysfest.co.uk