#OTD 22 August 1485 - 540 years ago, the #BattleofBosworth was fought Why didn’t Northumberland not engage in the battle? Listen to Mark and @battlefieldben.bsky.social thoughts and much much on an impromptu ep release today Available wherever you get your podcasts

👋 A special week - we’ve had The Importance of the Wrist Watch to the #FWW / #WW1 but we’re also going to have a special anniversary episode for one of the most significant dates in British history! An impromptu ep with @battlefieldben.bsky.social discussing The #BattleofBosworth! Out tomorrow!

👋 For your Friday, why not learn about the lessons of #OpCHARNWOOD with @battlefieldben.bsky.social on this week’s ep? 🎙️ The urban has ramifications, but the 🇨🇦 perhaps adopt lessons for Ops in Falais later in #Normandy 🎧 on your platform of choice, review & subscribe 🙏 Have a fab weekend 👋

👋 9 Jul was the 2nd day of #OpCHARNWOOD during #SWW. An urban battle by the 🇨🇦 & 🇬🇧 divisions to liberate #Caen 🇫🇷 ⚔️ 💬 @battlefieldben.bsky.social discusses the lessons learned on this this week’s pod ep 🎙️ #WW2 #Normandy 🔗 to 🎧 on profile page 📸 Eglise St-Pierre de Caen restored post-war

👋 This week: Op CHARNWOOD 1944 during the #WW2 / #SWW ⚔️ The Battle for Caen was pivotal on the Allied Eastern flank to enable break out towards Falais and then Paris 🇫🇷 💬 @battlefieldben.bsky.social discusses the op in detail. Release on Wed 🎙️ 🎧 and subscribe at the 🔗 on the profile page

Great to have Mark onboard the 7 Commando Operations tour. We shared some great discussions throughout the week.

You can't park that there, sir! The submarine Flore at Lorient. The SWW submarine pens have to be seen. @battlefieldben.bsky.social

I was genuinely shocked by the number of people visiting Point du Hoc last week. Most of the casemates and craters are fenced off and apparently a suspended walkway will be built soon. My first visit in 2003 seems like it was in another age @battlefieldben.bsky.social

Its so nice to come back to Ranville to pay respects to Frank Milburn, DCM. I snapped his headstone over 20 years ago and he's been a kind of talisman ever since. His dad was killed at Loos in 1915. At the end of a superb Leger tour led by Ben Mayne.

Visiting Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp memorial site today, which was liberated by British troops in April 1945 and where tens of thousands died during #WW2 - among them Anne Frank and her sister Margot, whose memorial this is.

Visiting some of the last casualties of the British Army in Europe in 1945 at Becklingen War Cemetery including Jake Wardrop whose diaries were saved and published for posterity.

We finished in evening spring light at Sage War Cemetery where British dead from actions as early as September 1939 through to April 1945 are buried.

We’ve moved into Germany now following 21 Army Group. Looking at the Ems Canal battle at Lingen this morning and doing some 1945 Then and Nows in the town. This shows troops from 3rd Division in the town in April 1945.

Ended the day with @battlefieldben.bsky.social & @mrmarkallen.bsky.social at Holten Canadian War Cemetery to remember Canada’s sacrifice in the Netherlands and Germany 1945.

Interesting morning with @battlefieldben.bsky.social & @mrmarkallen.bsky.social exploring the October 1944 battlefield at s’Hertogenbosch. This was in 1944.

Heading into the Netherlands and Germany with @battlefieldben.bsky.social & @mrmarkallen.bsky.social to look at some of the forgotten battles of 1945 on our new Last Days of #WW2 tour with Leger Battlefields.

#Forrard Major Fitzwilliams Hyde was a highly respected officer who had shaped the ERY before he returned to 4/7RDG. He then returned to 1ERY and landed with them on D-Day. He is also remembered on the 4/7RDG memorial at Lepe, Hampshire.

#Normandy Last week, we visited several WW2 underground bunkers/shelters in Le Havre. They were both civilians and military. And it was IMPRESSIVE ! A Thread for WW2 and bunker/underground enthusiasts🧵 ⬇️

Today’s research assisted by Milo….

After a rough Christmas an new year which saw both of us ill, we have managed a 6 day break to Northumberland to see my parents. Some nice beach walks and undecided if these are SWW anti tank obstacles or sea defences! Possibly an old pillbox washed down as well…

🚨NEW EPISODE NOW AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY!! 🚨 We are joined by historian and battlefield tour guide Ben Mayne.... @battlefieldben.bsky.social #hamandjampodcast #britishairborne #breville open.spotify.com/episode/1StD...

The reason why you should not use AI for research, stick to real people! spot the huge error in this.... Allied Ground Offensive (September 5–6, 1944): The initial push began on September 5, 1944, when American forces, supported by Free French units, began advancing toward Le Havre…

Excited to announce LRE UK's partnership with the University of Portsmouth! After years of collaboration, students can now work with our UK branch as part of their studies! 📚 Read more about it! 👇 www.lre-foundation.org?p=3083&previ... @battlefieldben.bsky.social @uophistory.bsky.social

Why do @BBCBreakfast persist with Normandy Memorial features? Why not focus on the @CWGC who have always remembered and commemorated our war dead. Men and women buried or remembered in Normandy at cemetery’s. The Normandy campaign is more than the beaches, we need to encourage people towards inland.

In the suburbs of the city at Pastorpl. 1, 52070 Aachen, during 1933-34, Anne Frank stayed here in a family home. The Stolperstein (Stumbling Stones) now commemorate her and family members, victims of the Holocaust.

Aachen train station. From here between March 1942 to September 1944, deportations would leave here to head to concentration camps. Upwards of 3,000 people. Most of the deportations went to Terezin (Theresienstadt) Ghetto.

A group walking tour of the city centre looking at the liberation, allied bombings, Holocaust and the Aachen Scandal. After the work, a few guests wanted to remain out so we spent another hour visiting several sites. The first was this building that linked in to the Nazi Aktion T4 program.

The benefits of staying in Aachen is that you have a huge amount of history to explore in the centre and on the edge. The cathedral and city hall were damaged from allied bombing raids and ground fighting in Sept-Oct 1944 but restored and are a must visit.

Henri Chapelle American Cemetery. Visits were made to seven men and a chance to talk about their stories. Tester brothers, Castle, Wereth 11, Malmedy massacre victims, Masters of the Air and Band of Brothers.

Thursday morning was a chance to look at a small segment of the Seigfried Line. It’s always interesting to discuss the effectiveness of static defensive lines in the SWW, from the Maginot, Atlantic, Seigfried Line etc. The shaft in my opinion is drainage from the main road about 100yrds away.

On Wednesday, I visited the dutch town of Valkenberg for the first time. Whilst the guests explored the Christmas markets in the caves, I went in search of historical related graffiti. I didn’t really find much.

Wednesdays afternoon’s visit to the Netherlands American Cemetery.

A visit Wednesday to the southern bank of the Maas and the LVT, Buffalo. A chance to take about the 33rd Armoured Brigade, 144RTR and 1ERY. Training for Operations Plunder was conducted here alongside infantry.

A great morning on Wednesday looking at 1940 and 1945. After speaking the previous day about the German invasion in May 1940, I spoke on the Mechelen incident of 10 January 1940 before that. We visited the crash site of where the German officer was detained with plans for Fall Gelb, Case Yellow.

I Finished off Tuesday night with an hours solo walking tour of Aachen…

Tuesday was a good day out in the Ardennes discussing 1940 and 1944-45 with the Battle of the Bulge….

A busy week in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Yes, history was actually involved and I will post some highlights of the week shortly!

On our run into Hasselt, Belgium and discussing the raid conducted by No.101 Squadron. Rusty piloting a Lancaster bomber approached the town at 12,000ft. They collided with another Lancaster which went down, Rusty’s stayed! To hear more on this- ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collecti…

Looking forward to recording another episode of the Ham and Jam podcast this evening. Our guest is Historian, Battlefield Guide and Ambassador/Advisor for the Taxi Charity, Mr Ben Mayne... @battlefieldben.bsky.social #WW2 #ww2history #hamandjampodcast

I’ve had another good morning at MCL! Some good networking and conversations. Always good to get in the show early and spin by the @DucatiUK stand with nobody around. Loving the new Multistrada!

I am missing being around Caen and going for my walks. This IWM film reel shows just how much damage was caused from 6 June to 8 July. A very different city to one you can walk around today. I love walking and trying to match these locations!

Back at MCL show with @visitwallonie

WAGONS ROLL Trooper Alan King of the East Riding Yeomanry mounts his Sherman tank, the beginning of another day somewhere in Normandy. This illustration is on the cover of Alan’s memoirs, edited by @battlefieldben.bsky.social, and is available as a print here: timgodden.co.uk/shop/p/wagon... #ww2

Early start reading and researching on Saint-Lo. Looking to find a nice 10km walking route from the bocage to the town.

Great first day at Motorcycle Live, and an exciting announcement to come next week!

If you are on the Surrey-Hampshire border and want an evening of history check the link. I will be talking at Fernhurst Hub next Thursday evening (21 Nov @ 19:30) on the @lre_foundation and the build up to D-Day. www.tickettailor.com/events/fernh...

A poignant service of remembrance in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral this evening, 84 years on since the Luftwaffe ‘Moonlight Sonata’ raid.

84 years ago at this time, this was taking place in the city of Coventry, the account captures the beginning…

Operation Moonlight Sonata was undertaken to hit the British wartime manufacturing. This map shows why Coventry was targeted on 14 November 1940 Factories for Humber, Triumph, Daimler, Morris, Armstrong Siddeley, Courtlands, Sterling Metals The majority of these are all within residential areas

Today marks the 84th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz on 14 November 1940. The scars and memories of that night still strongly remain within the city. This afternoon I will be attending a service of remembrance. I will have the chance to do a few short videos around city and post. Q’s welcomed…