Storm Amy has just passed & it's now a lovely breezy day on the Salient. The day started with my usual truth & myth of the Christmas Truce stands & then it was onto Talbot House. This is on a tour arranged by @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social #WW1 #FWW #Ypres #Wipers #history

Special day retracing the FWW footsteps of the grandfather of these Aussie clients, on behalf of @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social. He served with 58th AIF in & around Villers-Bretonneux in 1918 & was promoted as a direct replacement for Cpl Ernest Gladstone, KIA 2/9/1918, aged just 20. #SGWT #FWW #WW1

Guiding a Maori client in the footsteps of his Gt Grandfather, who was wounded on 7/6/17 at Messines. Took him to the NZ memorial there, and - in an otherwise cloudless sky - this fern shaped cloud appeared above where we were. Hairs standing on back of neck moment. #SGWT #NZ #FWW #WW1

First full day in and around #Ypres, guiding two Australians and a New Zealander in the footsteps of their respective ancestors, on behalf of @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social #SGWT #FWW #WW1

1/2: We have two more special tours out today. The first with Nick sees 3 generations of a British family undercover the key sites of #Ypres, before following in the footsteps of their relative on the Somme.

1/4 #OTD in 1914, Britain declares war on Germany. What began as a European crisis quickly became a global catastrophe. Over the next 4 years, more than 16 million people would be killed, including almost 1 million from Britain & her empire.

Grit. Determination. Teamwork. Congratulations ⁦‪@Lionesses‬⁩

1/2: This morning, one group of guests wakes in Ypres, ready to see the ground where the British held firm in 1914, where gas was released in 1915 & where troops relentlessly attacked towards Passchendaele in 1917.

Our second tour is out this week, with Paul starting his journey in #Verdun with four American guests. Today they wind their way through the Meuse-Argonne before settling into the stunning little town of Bouillon in the #Ardennes.

Our next tour departs. Nick leads 4 Americans on a moving journey through Ypres & the Somme. Today they follow the same route the troops took, driving towards their billets & a taste of Belgian hospitality. Stay tuned as we explore the landscapes that shaped history. #1WW

1st July is a day that will always be remembered as Britain's darkest day in military history. Over the top, waves of young men went into battle on the Somme. At the close of eve, 19,242 would lose their lives, a truly staggering number. We must never forget their sacrafice.

1/2: Today Joris leads 2 American guests who are following in footsteps of her father who fought & was wounded in Germany in Feb 1945. They are visiting the area of this action & getting to where he was wounded. Visable still are foxholes & anti-tank defences.

1/2: Welcome to the SGWT Family...Joris Nieuwint! Joris is a Dutch battlefield guide & has been guiding professionally since 2012. Having lived in Arnhem for 20+ years, he is a wealth of knowledge on all matters Operation Market Garden.

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One of our expert guides is taking history into the classroom with a Zoom lecture on the Battle of the Somme. We’re proud to support schools by bringing the stories, sacrifices, & lessons of the #FWW directly to young learners, making the past personal, powerful, & unforgettable.

1/2: Another full and rewarding day for the SGWT team is on the cards, made even better by the glorious sunshine. 🏍️Romain is guiding a group of 10 bikers through key D-Day sites in the British sector, bringing history to life on two wheels.

#OTD in 1775, at Breed’s Hill, colonial militias held firm against waves of British attacks. The British finally took the hill at huge cost: nearly half of their 2,200 troops were killed or wounded. A British win, but an American moral victory.

This morning, our latest tour set off with three generations of one family, united by a shared desire to connect with the history of the First World War. Guided by Paul, who brings the landscape vividly to life, they’re set to experience a truly memorable and meaningful journey.

Our next tour is out today. SGWT expert Romain, is taking a British couple around Normandy for two days, following in the footsteps of our guests father who landed on Gold Beach. #2WW

Final day of my tour for @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social and the focus was on the US 30th Division’s time near Ypres, in 1918. Amongst them, was the grandfather of the female in my group, who was visibly moved by the realisation she was retracing his steps, 107 years later. #FWW #WW1 #SGWT #USA

Travelling day, yesterday, but today I’ve been showing our American clients around the Ypres Salient, and introducing them to the first great conflict of the 20th Century. Tonight they’ll be at the Menin Gate for their first Last Post Ceremony. @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social #FWW #WW1 #SGWT

Final day of my @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social in Normandy, today,which began at the Pointe du Hoc, and finished at Wn60, near Colleville-sur-Mer. Omaha Beach and the US Cemetery featured large in another very full day for our lovely American clients. Next up… Ypres! #SWW #WW2 #SGWT #FWW #WW1

Over to the American sectors, today, focusing on 82nd Airborne, at la Fière and St Mère Eglise, and the US 4th Division at Utah. Throw in a visit to Angoville, La Cambe, and an ice cream stop at Isigny and I’d say we’ve had a full day. @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social #SWW #WW2 #Normandy #USA

First full day of the Normandy tour, guiding for @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social. Today, it was all things British for our American clients. Except when we met these lovely Dutch, US Army re-enactors at Longues-sur-Mer, this afternoon. #FWW #WW1 #SGWT #DDay81

Tour #2 is also rolling out today. We have two British guests heading into the heart of Flanders, with their expert guide Nick. 1st stop Lijssenthoek Cem. This peaceful resting place was once the site of the largest casualty clearing station on the Ypres Salient. #1WW

Tour #1 this week sees 3 generations of an American family, exploring the Normandy landings with their expert guide. They're starting where it all began that momentous day, Pegasus Bridge. It always blows my mind just how close the gliders got to the bridge without being detected, a masterpiece.

I’m guiding a 3-generational family from the USA around the #SWW Normandy D-Day beaches, and, later this week, the #FWW battlefields of Ypres. #SGWT @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social

It’s a big week on the battlefields! We have 3 tours out, 21 guests from 5 countries, heading to #Normandy #Ypres #Somme #MeuseArgonne & more! Follow along for photos, updates, and behind-the-scenes moments as we walk in the footsteps of history.

Another successful tour through Verdun completed with 3 American guests who were quiet at the end. Verdun leaves people that way. The silence there isn’t empty, it forces you to think deeply about everything you thought you knew about the 1WW. It's a heavy place.

1/5: The 28th May is a busy day in military history. Let's take a moment to remember key events & those who paid the ultimate sacrafice for their country & for freedom.

Teamwork 💪

What do you need when you have 2 brilliant Steves on the team..1 more! Steve Roberts is a hugely experienced guide, so I'm delighted that he's agreed to join our close knit team of experts. I first met Steve on the Somme when I was 15, so having him part of the SGWT family feels personal.

Battlefield posts will resume tomorrow, but for now, I will just leave this here...🏆

A big day for our little club. I triumph still, if thou abide with me. #coyp

#OTD in 1386, the Treaty of Windsor between Portugal and England is ratified, cementing ties between the two kingdoms. The treaty guarantees the mutual security of both nations and strengthens commercial ties. It is the oldest diplomatic alliance still in force.

Today I've set the scene for my guest as I've shown him around sites on the Verdun battlefield on a tour arranged by @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social #WW1 #FWW #Verdun #history We've looked at Driant's stand in the Bois des Caures ...

1/3: Today marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. Celebrating VE Day this year and each 8th May gives us chance to acknowledge the immense sacrifices made by millions of soldiers and civilians alike.

I'll be showing my guest a number of sites that make up the Verdun battlefield today to tell him the story of this tumultuous battle on a tour arranged by @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social #WW1 #FWW #Verdun #history

1/3: Our next private tour is out today. We are following the life of one incredible French soldier. He saw much brutal action, finally being shot in the head close to Fort Douaumont, Verdun.

VE Day celebrations across the country have already started, but here's a look ahead of what to expect and where you can join in. Scroll down...

Our next tour is out today. We're honoured to support a journalist on a journey to the battlefields of the Somme & Ypres, seeking not only to walk the ground where history unfolded but to connect with the stories of the countless men who gave their lives there. #wewillrememberthem

Our next tour is out today. We're honoured to support a journalist on a journey to the battlefields of the Somme & Ypres, seeking not only to walk the ground where history unfolded but to connect with the stories of the countless men who gave their lives there. #wewillrememberthem

⚔️ Where Wednesday: Omaha Beach, France. You've read the books, seen the movies... It's not until you walk the ground that you can really see what troops of the 1st and 29th Divisions were up against that historic morning, June 6th 1944.

In this photo, he is standing in what was once Regina Trench. Over his right shoulder is the ground his gf attacked over on 8th Oct. Again, he was wounded, this one ending his fighting war. Privileged to have guided him here on behalf of @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social #SGWT #FWW #WW1 2/2

2nd of my back-to-back Canadian tours & another family pilgrimage. This gentleman’s grandfather fought with the 16th Canadian Scottish, on the Somme, in Sept-Oct 1916. In this photo, he is standing in what was the exact trench that his gf was wounded in, on 7th Sept. #SGWT #FWW #WW1 1/2

Even after 13 years in business, I find it difficult to really explain how amazing my team are. The depths of knowledge, the unsurpassable research skills, but most importantly, the ability to connect with our guests, is second to none. Bravo @stevesmith1944.bsky.social for this feedback.

As one successful tour finishes, another begins. We have 2 Canadian guests following in the footsteps of their relative who was shot in the thigh at Regina Trench on the Somme. He survived the war & made it back to British Columbia. Today his relatives travel to honour his memory.

Privileged to guide these Canadian guests in the footsteps on one of their grandfathers, on behalf of @sophie1wwtours.bsky.social He was seriously wounded, having crossed the Canal du Nord, near Moeuvres, on 27/09/1918, whilst serving with 4th Bn Canadian Machine Gun Corps. #FWW #WW1 #SGWT

Thank you @milhistdiddy.bsky.social I know our guests have really appreciated the research into their relative and the sensitive way in which you have told his story. #WeWillRememberThem