On Friday we followed James Cormack of the 5th Cameron Highlanders & the Final Advance 28th September through to 27th October 1918. Starting off at the area of Bellewaerde, Frezenberg Ridges and Potijze, then advancing through areas such as MolenHoek Ridge, the Keiberg Spur & on to Waterdamhoek.

***Take Notice***For anyone out guiding the Ypres Salient this weekend please note there is a burial service on Saturday 4th October at the German Cemetery at Langemarck, from what I understand it is going to be in the afternoon.

Out guiding and met Tonny one of the buglers from the Last Post Association, he very kindly gave a little impromptu talk about his role within the LPA. A nice surprise for my chaps from Leek in Staffordshire.

This is exactly no one should EVER tamper with ordnance from First or Second World War, leave it to the bomb disposal units 👇 focus-wtv.be/nieuws/obus-...

Today, I visited the British war cemetery in Stahnsdorf, where the remains of those who fell in Germany during the First World War are laid to rest. Among them is Thomas Colvill-Jones, an Anglo-Argentine volunteer and young RAF pilot who departed from Buenos Aires in 1917. #LestWeForget

From 27th September to the 30th November a 6.5 metered high figure known as The Hauntings will be placed near the Menin Gate Memorial in Ieper. Facing towards the memorial symbolizing all those that never returned home… 📸 Flanders Fields 14-18

Ahead of my guided tour yesterday for the Royal British Legion Gloucester City at Talbot House I read an article about TOC H where Tubby Clayton had been described as the “priest for the parish of the Ypres Salient” during the First World War.” A fitting and wonderful description I thought.

A boy soldier, enlisting at the age of 14 in 1905 having been born in Peshawar, India. Entered theatre of war 10th November 1914, described as: intelligent, hardworking, smart and trustworthy. Wounded in the areas of Barnsley Road and Post 28, resting in peace in Essex Farm Cemetery.

We first came to the burial ground of the Clan MacCrae around 23 years ago. Today we made a return visit, I’m so pleased we did as I missed so much information from my first visit, especially some that links back to my old Clan MacCrae book of those who died, fought and survived the First World War.

The Kohima Epitaph: ‘When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today’ #VJDAY80 📸 Captain Edwin Alan Robert Syms saluting his fallen comrades at Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma, in 2005.

Tonight we are staying just outside Tain where the hills to the rear of Tain were used by the Gordon Highlanders “U Battalion” (from University) for training a few days prior to the declaration of war by Great Britain to Germany. Little did they realise…

Well, this was a nice surprise to start the day, thank you TripAdvisor - As Jacques and I have always said "we're only as good as our last tour," something we firmly believe in even after all these years. Thank you also to all past & present customers who have placed their faith in us.

Pas-de-Calais: Farmer hits shell, young people exposed to phosphorus gas - #WW1 #FWW www.courrier-picard.fr/id646559/art...

1st Battle of El Alamein Introduction This is a new, small project, in which we are translating the daily reports sent by the HQ of the German-Italian Panzerarmee to Berlin. ULTRA Many, if not all of these reports were read in Bletchley Park, and the content communicated to Cairo to support…

A haunting sight of the skeletal ruins of Zonnebeke Church...1917.

Polderhoek Chateau and its contents went the way of all such things in the German war zone. The trees were whittled bare of branch and leaf, and the fields were no longer good to look upon. In all this region the Germans had made what in the language of the soldier are known as "strong points."

You've had a busy day and social media ain't what it used to be, but perhaps you could turn your thoughts to this chap, 15812 Pte HW Billy Disbrey of 11th 'Cambs' Battalion Suffolks, missing in action on the #Somme 1st July 1916. Missed this day and every day. Bugles still calling from sad shires...

Lochnagar Crater, 1st July 2025. #Somme

A telling collection of aerial images, moon cratered landscape from artillery bombardments during the First World War and zooming in marked areas highlighting concrete dugouts still standing. Unfortunately no mention as to whether it's in Flanders or France. #FWW #History #WW1

“Organised shell holes." Formed by artillery a moon cratered landscape, the choice of word "organised” used could possibly infer that these were deliberately linked to then fortify adapting them into some sort of defensive position.Sadly no mention of which battlefield sector these images apply to.

#TheSundayEpitaph Private S Nugent. Hermanville Cemetery. "Reunited With His Two Brothers. Eric, Lost At Sea 1940. James, Lost At Sea 1941." Eric: Plymouth Naval Memorial James: Portsmouth Naval Memorial

I'm particularly liking the two dogs acting as book ends to the group of airmen in this photo taken during the First World War.

Dranoutre - Wulverghem 1918: It was well known that this road passed under direct ballon observation, and as it was columns were not taken by surprise when high-velocity shells began dropping on their way.

#FWWhist #History #1GM #FWW #Grande-Guerre #WW1

The area between Polygone Wood & the Menin Road the most memorable, for all, for there lay a battered line of trenches held day after day by battalions reduced to the strength of platoons.

In August 1920 the widow of William Francis Carter received notification that her husband was resting in peace in Delsaux Farm Cemetery. His widow was one of the fortunate to learn this two years and 5 months after her husbands death, many others would still be waiting for years to come.

Tucked away on an outside wall of the church in Avesnes-Les-Aubert a small memorial plaque of casualties in the Franco-Prussian War. In 1918 the 57th & 58th Brigade of the 19th Light Division had Brigade headquarters here.

The Army of the Dead Still Marches - November 1935. The Ghosts of the Battlefields.

Have to post this photo taken by Sgt Laing #OTD 17 June 1944. Newly promoted Capt Leslie ‘Bill’ Cotton MM (left) with crew, by their Cromwell VI, following his part in the destruction of enemy tanks at Villers Bocage. 4th County of London Yeomanry #TheSharpshooters #4CLY #22Armd #SWW IWM B 5682

Memorial at the Place du Parc in Mons. Inaugurated 28 May 1922, with a procession of veterans, disabled ex-servicemen, children, civilians and bands. The figure symbolizes victory and glory.

DOVO #Zeebrugge had to come to the scene yesterday for a WWII bomb that was found on the beach of Koksijde. With the help of the local police, the beach was cordoned off and we detonated the bomb in a controlled manner. #WW2 #Ordnance #IronHarvest

DOVO #Zeebrugge had to come to the scene yesterday for a WWII bomb that was found on the beach of Koksijde. With the help of the local police, the beach was cordoned off and we detonated the bomb in a controlled manner. #WW2 #Ordnance #IronHarvest

12 June 1940 51st Highland Division surrender to Rommel’s forces at Saint Valery en Caux.

June 2, 1918 death in Lignières from war wounds of Jean Van Marcke de Lummen, painter of racehorses, member of the Society of Painters and defender of the horse and campaigner against mistreatment inflicted by coachmen and carters, Passy cemetery. #Equine #WW1 📸✒️@stefdesvosges

Red Farm Military Cemetery looking particularly peaceful last as the sun was going down.

Handstands on the parapet, seven-miles-an-hour marching in full battle order, and tarzan like swinging in the high tree around Achnacarry were only a few of the tests in a Commando's survival of the fittest training. Achnacarry Castle - known as a place where men were tested to breaking point.

Following a gentleman's great uncle that had been taken out by a shell with one other soldier. Nice to receive feedback so soon after the bespoke pilgrimage...

Iron harvest across the Western Front First World War talked about but we were surprised at the amount recovered from Cezembre an island no bigger than a length of 750 metres and a maximum width of 250 metres. Gives a small indication of how much was thrown at it during the Second World War.

Jacques enjoying a café noir at St Malo, Brittany. A fascinating place in some ways it reminds me of the grey stone buildings and some of the streets in Edinburgh…

Guiding back at my “home from home,” Talbot House feels very appropriate to be here on VE Day. I often in my talks make references to the connection of First and Second World War veterans. #VEDay80

Concluded research for a bespoke pilgrimage, quite depressing when you look at the British War & Victory Medal Roll page. Heavy losses for the 1st/5th Yorkshire Regiment...

The Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge. Designed by Scott Sutherland a teacher of sculpture at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, the same college of art that my dad went to. Sutherland's design won a competition one of which 25 designs were submitted as contenders for the memorial.

“The field is covered with dead and wounded and no help at hand for them. We have got out under cover of darkness. I have some photos of our cemetery at ‘Plugstreet.’ Light shall shine out of darkness.

Last day of April and I chanced upon some early Poppies on the Ypres Salient…how lovely ☺️

I find the entrance gate at Guards Cemetery Windy Corner Cemetery very much in the style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh…

“The herdman wandering the lonely rills Marks where they lie on the scarred mountain’s flanks, Remembering that wild morning when the hills Shook to the roar of guns and those wild ranks Surged upward from the sea.” Remembering those that fought, died and survived Gallipoli. #ANZAC110 #Gallipoli

This is a brilliant header sheet to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion A.I.F, certainly brought a smile to my face during my research. Nothing for 1917, definitely not a one off, by April 1918 his artistic skills launched and by August 1918 very much flourishing... Australian Imperial Force.

Out of the shaft comes the upper half of a brooding soldier his head bowed in mourning over the thousands whose blood reddened the fields of Flanders in the Spring of 1915.

Sambre Canal 1918: Lock No. 1. In the latest Old Front Line #podcast, we look at this part of the final great battle on the Western Front. oldfrontline.co.uk/2025/04/19/s...

Blue skies and ready to head out onto the battlefields…