This is the memorial to the two US glider pilots and 31 glider troopers killed on 12 December 1944.

Yesterday, at Greenham Common Control Tower, a remembrance service was held to mark the 81st anniversary of a terrible glider crash on 12 Dec 1944 when a Horsa glider crashed killing all 33 on board. The service, organised by the RBL was well attended with USAF personnel from RAF Welford attending.

I look forward to this talk and others at this amazing conference!

The Great War Group conference is a really enjoyable combination of education and fun. I look forward to catching up with my friends at this meeting next month.

I emailed my MP, asking them to join the debate on 2 Sept and speak out in support of scrapping FPTP for Mayoral elections. Use this tool by @makevotesmatter.bsky.social @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social @compassoffice.bsky.social @openbritain.bsky.social to do the same actionnetwork.org/letters/devo...

Ring of Fire is out now! It’s like the Guns of August for a new generation: the opening weeks of WW1 through the eyes of ordinary men, women and children. And not just in Western Europe, but across the globe. It was bloody, terrifying and neutrality was a sham… geni.us/RingOfFire

I downloaded the audiobook of this last week so I could listen to it whilst travelling to the @thegreatwargroup.bsky.social trip to Nieuwpoort. It’s an excellent account of the opening days of the war across the world & covers the brutality of this combat on soldiers & civilians alike. A must read.

'Europe is not only home to our traditional allies; it is an enviable zone of democracy, wealth and prosperity with which it benefits us to have good relations, and from which we can sometimes learn' Snyder on the new US imperialism open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...

‘The Art of the Deal’ huh. Just give the murderous warmonger whatever he wants. And what was never yours to give. More shame piles onto the unforgivably dismal Trump fans in the Tory party and Reform who think this malevolently stupid man would ever be a safe pair of hands.

We expect that some 50 Auschwitz Survivors will come to the Memorial for the 80th anniversary of the liberation. The eyes and ears of the world should rest upon them. We must safeguard their voices from silence, distortion, or being overshadowed. (Photo: https://buff.ly/4jd1BiU)

Exciting News! The Great War Group will have a brand new website next week! 🥳🎉🍾 The old website will be out of action and removed on Monday and the new one should be up and running at some point on Tuesday - watch this space….

Cold this morning at Greenham Common, but the view from the control tower is amazing!

December, lovely views of Greenham Common from the former Air Traffic Control Tower. It’s now a heritage centre, focused on the airborne drops into Normandy by US forces, the Cold War bombers & Cruise Missiles as well as the protest movement. Do come if around Newbury. greenhamtower.org.uk for hours

And finally, we also run online courses. This January you can kill off the post Xmas blues by throughly nerding out over the Italian front with self, @vandawilcox.bsky.social @kaiserjonny.bsky.social @jimsmithson.bsky.social and @pikegrey1418.bsky.social greatwargroup.com/product/cour...

Previous topics were: The Isonzo, Verdun, Medicine, Generals, the Vosges, August 1914, Submarines, the Gallipoli Landings, Africa, Artillery, Palestine, the Spring Offensives and Remembrance. www.greatwargroup.com

This is what you have to look forward to next year… Which reminds me I’ve been meaning to ask @jamesbarr.bsky.social if he’d like to put something in the last of those! greatwargroup.com/sign-up/

And to fulfil our remit of looking at the WHOLE war, in February we produced the most comprehensive coverage of the Brusilov Offensive in English for decades

And in May we dedicated one to all things Jutland

Members like lovely Russ get four of these a year as a member. The theme always covers about 35-40%, the rest is a mix of subjects. This year they’ve also had a magazine with the broad remit of ‘Belgium’ All of our back issues are available on the website…

It’s always a little later for November because of conference, but we’re proud of this one… @greatwargroup.bsky.social You can find out how to join at www.greatwargroup.com or buy this one from our shop - it includes a version of my George V & the Romanovs piece greatwargroup.com/product-cate... 🧵

The joys of being a guide! Yesterday I led a group of 14 around the former RAF Greenham Common on behalf of Greenham Control Tower. You can see us in front of the old 501 Tactical Missile Wing HQ & on the tiny remaining part of the runway. Wet, cold & windy. I’m the one with the orange rucksack.

I’ve just re-watched this excellent very short (20 mins) film on Lanoe Hawker VC, partly funded by the Great War Aviation Society. Hawker was the 1st British airman to shoot down an enemy aeroplane. More info at www.hawkerfilm.com. Have you seen this @thelegalseagull.bsky.social ?

Last one I’m going to do for now #StarterOack for Great War Group members 💪🏼 go.bsky.app/2my8zsF

Reposting this for thise who missed last night when it went up. Will deal with add request today go.bsky.app/TdNCUVa

I went to my old school’s Remembrance Sunday service this morning. Before the service starts, the full names of the Roll of Honour to the school fallen in the 2 world wars is read out. It takes half an hour and seeing the their names in print is very sobering. #Lestweforget

NEWS! @pikegrey1418.bsky.social and I can finally reveal the cover of the book 🤓 Thank you @headofzeus.bsky.social books! Peeorder via geni.us/RingOfFire US readers stay tuned it will be coming out with Pegasus Books a few weeks later

Happy Christmas to all I know on here! I hope 2024 will be better than this year.

Memorial service at Greenham Common yesterday to commemorate the 31 glider troopers of 19 Glider Infantry Regt & 2 pilots killed in a Horsa crash at Greenham on 12/12/44 & to the crews of two B17s which collided over Greenham on 15/12/44. Weather was awful & felt for the USAF personnel in the rain.

What better way to mark my 1st post here than to say what an incredible conference the Great War Group hosted in Brighton. Great to catch up with friends, can’t wait for the next GWG event!