What is latest news?
Just about any recent or planned event or activity to do with the battlefields that we write about that is either news to us and/or we believe will be of help to others. The list is edited regularly, however if we do miss removing a site that is no longer relevant please let us know - battlefields@guide-books.co.uk with 'Site Edit' in the subject line. Thankyou.

FIRST THE   HEADINGS ONLY

Then scroll down for the details

• 7. Website lists ALL 1891 soldiers who fell at Arnhem. www.marketgarden.com
• 17. Jeremy Tenniswood announces a web site for militaria collectors.
•  20.WW1 Marker Stones - web site.
• 23. Some excellent web sites
• 25. A film you must see
• 29. NOW PUBLISHED - THE WESTERN FRONT - SOUTH
• 30. DEAD MAN'S CORNER MUSEUM - a museum with a difference in Normandy
• 32. A great museum in Albert on the Somme. Go there.
• 33. If you want an on-the-spot guide to the Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches then look no further - Danielle was born in Normandy and lives there.
• 34. Don't have much time in Ypres or on the Somme? Then these new POCKET GUIDE BOOKS will be for you.
• 35. New memorials and reception centres on the Western Front
• 36. New even larger more illustrated D Day Normandy Guide Book NOW PUBLISHED
• 38. La Somme Remembrance Association announce a new memorial
• 39. Author Paul (Walking the Somme) Reed has a site well worth consulting
• 40. Could this be the best WW1 site on the web? Have a look at Trenches on the Web
• 41. Valor Tours - a formidable range of tours from the longest established US battefield tours company - and from an old friend
• 42 Remembering the Fallen - a website from two young men who made a remarkable pledge to remember
• 43 Joe Bristow gets Old Bill on Antiques Road show - see http://www.olebill.zoomshare.com
• 44. Good News - an expert guide can take you around the Arnhem and Market Garden battlefields. Contact Frans Amerlaan at frans@marketgarden.com
• 45. James Power offers small bespoke tours to the battlefields of the First World War. Click Here
• 46. Well kown militaria dealer David Cohen has a new website. www.dcfa.com
• 47. Steve Douglas's Maple Leaf Legacy Project is a must for all Canadians www.mapleleaflegacy.org
• 48. Alan Jennings has one of the most useful sites on the web if you are interested in the battlefields of the First World War
• 49. The War Research Society inspired by piper Ian Alexander and friends now has a formidable programme of battlefield tours.
• 50. Doughboy statue unveiled.
• 51. The War Graves Photographic Project - get involved - see below
• 52. Resistance in the First World War. Visit Bondue museum near Lille.
• 53. A Combined Operations website - a site showing how the unified forces of the 3 services planned, trained for and executed operations in WW2
• 54. The 6th Airborne Division in Normandy is the name of this site but it is much more than that and was set up 8 years ago by the nephew of an Arnhem veteran.
• 56. If you are going to the Somme have a look at this site www.somme-tourisme.com though sadly it is only in French. There is another option.
• 57. You must go and see War Horse
• 58. Searching for the right museum to help with research can sometimes be a frustrating task. The Army Museums Ogilby Trust lists all Regimental and Corps Museums. www.armymuseums.org.uk
• 59. The extraordinary War and Peace Show will be staged for the 27th time from 22 to 26 July at the Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent. If you missed it this year go next year.www.warandpeaceshow.co.uk
• 60. Veterans can now obtain a grant to cover a visit to an old battlefield.
• 61. Lilian Pfluke founds American War Memorials Overseas to look after American Memorials outside the USA. www.uswarmemorials.org
• 62. John Urquhart's 'Campaign Trails series now has 12 Audio Books.
• 63. Andy Farr's signed books and prints.
• 64. Neil Powell has set up a most imaginative and innovative reference site that offers original research material at astonishingly reasonable prices. Have a look.
• 65. Tonie and Valmai Holt (Us!) are giving a talk on the 'Music and Poetry of the Somme' on 28th August 2010. Details below.

DETAILS

7. Arnhem Roll of Honour

Andries Hoekstra and Frans Ammerlaan announce that after many years of work they have compiled an on-line database of all 1891 soldiers who fell in the battle of Arnhem. It can be accessed via a link on Arnhem Casualties

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17. Jeremy Tenniswood announces a web site for Militaria Collectors

Jeremy Tenniswood has specialised in vintage military firearms, medals, bayonets, uniforms, bayonets and swords for over 30 years. Now Tenniswood are developing a new web site that they believe will be 'one of the largest online catalogues of military collectables in the world'. Tenniswood do not just offer collectables but from a deep background of knowledge can guide and advise the collector. Military Collectables  telephone +44 (0) 1206 368787

Web site  www.militaria.co.uk

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20. WW1 Marker Stones - help to preserve some memorials

Rik Scherpenberg who has been researching and identifying WW1 marker stones for years has a web site WW1 Marker Stones which pictures all those that he and his colleagues have found - 95 of them. He also plans to erect plaques where marker stones have disappeared and is looking for sponsors whose name will appear on the plaque. Anyone interested should contact Rik direct via the site. Rik also has for sale a splendid DVD called the Ribbon of Stone which gives pictures and history of the markers - both Demarcation Stones of WW1 and Liberty Highway Markers of WW2. Funds raised from sales will go towards preserving historic markers and monuments.

UPDATE

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23. Some excellent websites

There are many excellent websites that offer insights and information about the First World War and its battlefields. There are two that we would suggest are a must to visit - they are Tom Morgan's Hellfire Corner at www.fylde.demon.co.uk and Michael Duffy's First World War at www.firstworldwar.com  They are authorative, informative, thoughtful and up to date.

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25. A Long Engagement

Do go and see this film. It is a sentimental story and not all of the contemporary military hardware is strictly accurate but for battlefield scenes of WW1 it cannot be beaten. The absolute degradation experienced by those in the field is there for all to see and to sense. The story is that of a young girl whose fiance is supposed killed (after being court martialled) in No Man's Land and she spends years trying to find out what happened to him. The scenes of action are compelling and the buzz and hiss of bullets almost makes one want to duck. You will talk about this.

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29. WESTERN FRONT - SOUTH

The second volume of the pair of books that cover the length of the Western Front HAS been published and is available from us now via PayPal or direct via phone or e mail. Together with Western Front - North the books form the most complete modern record of the battlefields of the First World War ever published. The book has over 360 pages and almost 400 coloured pictures. You can order in the normal way via this site. The most complete record of the Western Front South.

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30. DEAD MAN'S CORNER MUSEUM - St COME

This is a very unusual museum and well worth a visit. It is based in a house that was used by Major von der Heydte and the German 6th Parachute Regiment during the Normandy fighting. It is superbly presented with excellent dioramas some whose figures have the faces of those who actually fought here. Adjacent to the museum is 'The Paratrooper' an emporium of memorabilia all for sale, ranging from original ration packs to uniforms. The story of the name is told in the museum and supplemented with showcases full of personal items from the period. The venture is Phase 1 of a project by the Carentan Historical Center and the prime movers are curator Frederic Fourquemin, Belgian publisher Michel de Trez and D-Day expert Emmanuel Allain of Caen. Contact Dead Man's Corner Museum    

Website www.paratrooper-museum.org

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32. A GREAT MUSEUM ON THE SOMME - GO THERE

Finding a museum that has real artefacts in this age of electronic wonders is difficult and no matter how much effort is put into recreating trench and other scenes in places far from the battlefields there is always a sense of artificiality. This is where the Somme '14-18' Trench Museum is different. It is found in the tunnels under the Basilique in Albert and has dramatic sound effects, convincing dioramas, displays of genuine artefacts and just that edge of dampness that brings home a whiff of the reality of trench warfare. There are captions in three languages and a book shop. Groups are welcome. Somme Museum Albert.

www.musee-somme-1916.org

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33. AN ON-THE-SPOT GUIDE IN NORMANDY AND NONE BETTER

Many visitors to Normandy travel by themselves and not on conducted tours but trying to visit the landing beaches can be very difficult. Much time can be wasted looking for the memorials and museums never  mind where to eat or to stay. Even finding a good local guide is not easy. However all those problems are now solved. Visit Your Local Normandy Battlefield Guide where Danielle Dusbosq, born and living in Normandy, provides all the answers. Danielle spent some years as a tourist officer in the region and has for many years conducted  both groups and individuals around the landing beaches and other tourist areas of Normandy. She speaks English fluently which can be a great help in particular to those visitors coming from North America. She can chauffeur her own vehicle for those who do not wish to drive themselves.

34. POCKET GUIDES TO THE D DAY BEACHES, YPRES AND TO THE SOMME

These 112 pages long pocket sized guide-books are designed for those who wish to make short visits to the battlefields of  D Day Normandy Beaches, Ypres (Passchendaele) and the Somme. Brief historical backgrounds are given together with detailed itineraries for half-day, full day and longer visits. There are full colour in-text maps and some 60 pictures in each as well as concise tourist information on where to stay and where to eat. All books are now available at good book shops. Ask for Holt's Pocket Battlefield Guides.

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35. NEW MEMORIALS AND RECEPTION CENTRESThe reception centre at the German cemetery at Langemarck opened in September and consists of a simple above-ground tunnel in which three video screens tell the story of conditions at the front, some history, the establishment of the graves and commemoration. It is a walk-through preparation for a visit to the cemetery. The reception centre at Tyne Cot is at the top end of the cemetery and offers a view over the battlefield through a large picture window below which are orientation sketches. There is a large car/bus park and visitors shouldl pass via the centre into the cemetery and exit back into the car park, though in difficult weather it is a temptation to short-circuit the system.

On 9 September 2006 a new memorial was unveiled to Dancox VC at Langemarck in the presence of members of his family and on 13 October 2006 a memorial to the 46th North Midlands Territorial Division wasunveiled at the Hohenzollern Redoubt.

36. NEW D DAY NORMANDY LANDING BEACHES GUIDE-BOOK PUBLISHED

Edition 5 of our Normandy guide book IS NOW AVAILABLEr. It has been expanded and updated and there are now over 300 pages and over 200 pictures.

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38.LA SOMME REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION exists to keep alive the memory of those soldiers who fought on the Somme during the First World War. It also organises ceremonies and erects memorials. In March 2007 a memorial to Pte C Cox was unveiled near Achiet le Grand. Details at www.somme-remembrance.com

39. Paul Reed's Site www.battlefields1418.com has been established for 8 years and offers much background on WW1 battles and advice on visiting all parts of the Western Front. Paul is a highly experienced battlefield guide with a degree in history. Have a look at it before you decide how you are going to travel.

40. Mike Hanlon's Trenches on the Web www.worldwar1.com is a superb collection of information, contributed articles and links. Fully searchable, the site provides a tangible connection between British and American enthusiasts and must vie for the title of 'Best WW1 site on the Web'.

41. A British American. 30 Years ago, when we began Major and Mrs Holts Battlefield Tours, we met Bob Reynolds, a WW2 RAF pilot who had settled in America. He had just begun an organisation called 'Valor Tours' with the aim of helping veterans and their families retrace the steps that their loved ones had taken. Valor Tours is still running as strongly as ever under the command of Vicky Middagh, who was with Bob from the early days, and now runs a formidable range of tours from the Pacific to the beaches of Normandy. Though most of the travellers will be American, the Valor Tours programme offers Europeans the opportunity to see things from a Transatlanctic viewpoint, so if you are interested have a look at www.valortours.com You will not be disappointed.

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42. Remembering the Fallen http://ww1cemeteries.com - this is the opening statement by Brent Whittam and Terry Heard who created the site -

'The original idea behind this site was to record our visit to all 940  1914-1918 Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemeteries with 40 plus burials in France and Belgium. In all it has taken us 6 years to complete the task that we set ourselves back in 1998. Our aim at the time was to visit and pay our respects in each of the cemeteries in Sidney Hurst's  book "The Silent Cities", we are proud to be able to say that we have walked around each and every one of those cemeteries ' There is much to see and to learn.

43. Joe Bristow, one time enduro motor cyclist, hurt his knee, and having come across Old Bill while searching the internet, decided that he wanted to collect BB things to fill the gap left by being unable to race. His story is on his website http://www.olebill.zoomshare.com. Recently he was filmed by the Antiques Road Show and so Old Bill's march into the public eye continues. Comines-Warneton in Belgium have now erected signs and information boards for the Bairnsfather Memorial plaque on the cottage at St Yvon.

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44. Frans Ammerlaan is a Dutchman who is steeped in the history of Operation Market Garden and has been involved for many years in making sure that the men who fought to liberate his country are not forgotten. He is one of the founders and organisers of the extraordinary website www.marketgarden.com and has helped us with our own guide book to the battlefield. He is now available as a local guide for those who wish to have an informed tour of the area. Contact him at frans@marketgarden.com

45. Bespoke Battlefield Tours. James Power a former policeman has been visiting the battlefields of the First World War for over 30 years and conducting tours for a dozen years and offers small - half a dozen or less - accompanied tours or planned self conducted visits. Have a look at Click here

46. David Cohen is well known in the militaria dealing and collecting fields. He specialises in Fine Art drawings, paintings and scuptures of the First World War and has done so for over 2 decades. He and his wife Judith have been friends of ours for many years and we can highly recommend their site and their expertise. www.dcfa.com

47. Steve Douglas, a Canadian living in Ypres, is the prime mover behind a project to Remember Canada's War Dead. The Maple Leaf Project is a Registered Charity and supported by volunteers sets out to remember Canadians from all conflicts including Afghanistan. Extremely comprehensive and well presented the site should rank alongside the CWGC site for all Canadians seeking information about their loved ones lost in combat.

www.mapleleaflegacy.ca

48. Alan Jennings was introduced to the Great War through its poetry while at school but it was not until some years later that he was able to visit the battlefields. His site www.ww1battlefields.co.uk chronicles his visits and sets out to help all those who like him feel determined that those who fought and died must be remembered. There are maps and photos, words of advice and direction to a site that can help with research. This is a good one - have a look at it.

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49. We have not, up to now, listed any battlefield tour companies here because the quality of such tours is extremely variable both in historical content and in value for money. Some offer low brochure prices after which the unfortunate traveller finds that just about everything other than a seat on the coach has to be paid for individually while others are comprehensive and well planned. However Ian Alexander has for many years been a solid supporter of remembrance, appearing frequently as a piper at ceremonies eg the 1 July commemoration at Lochnagar, and was the prime mover behind the Piper's memorial at Longueval. Therefore we mention here the War Research Society. The War Research Society was founded in the 1980s by former police officers, ex servicemen and others to develop guided tours to the battlefields of the First and Second World Wars.
Their itineraries have expanded to include South Africa, Russia and Singapore etc and they have helped organisations like the Royal British Legion and the Lancastria Association to organise pilgrimages.
Further details at http://www.battlefieldtours.co.uk

50. A splendid Doughboy Statue was unveiled to the 28th Infantry Regiment of the American Big Red One on 28 May 2008 at Cantigny in the presence of General Craddock Supreme Commander Allied Forces in Europe. The figure was sponsored by the McCormick/1st Division Foundation www.cantigny.org

51. The War Graves Photographic Project is probably the most innovative and exciting development associated with battlefields and remembrance that has ever come our way. The project is co-ordinated by Steve Rogers (steve@twgpp.org). It is a volunteer organisation working in association with the CWGC to photograph every war grave, individual memorial, post-war grave and family memorial of serving military personnel from WW1 to the present day. These names are available within a searchable database which is being added to daily but currently holds around 900,000 names.

The work of the Project and its volunteers in recording for posterity these images echoes the work of the CWGC to 'Remember in Perpetuity'. The archives will be of national importance to researchers but will be of particular relevance to those families who have not had the opportunity to visit the grave of a relation.

Further details and information about becoming a volunteer can be found on the website www.twgpp.org

52. Bondue Museum near Lille is mounting a temporary exhibition about Resistance during the First World War describing the Underground Press,  Intelligence Networks and links with the British Secret Services. Opening times are complex - contact hpriego@mairie-bondues.fr

53. Details and contacts related to Special Forces can be found at combinedops.com

The site includes a Roll of Honour, the opportunity to donate to a memorial at the National Arboretum, a Notice Board for veterans, relatives and others and useful links.

54. Mark Hickman's uncle, a para with the 1st Airborne at Arnhem, was taken prisoner there and it was not until the 50th Anniversary that he spoke about it. This prompted Mark to find out more and so he set up his site. At first it was just about Arnhem but now it encompasses an extraordinary range of diaries, reports, histories, photos ... well you will just have to look at it and it no longer is just concerned with the airborne.

56. The Somme Tourist Authority (Comite du Tourisme de la Somme) has a most informative web-site at www.somme-tourisme.com. If you are going to the Somme for whatever reason it is a good idea to pay this site a visit. However if your French only stretches to beer and chips try www.somme-battlefields.com

57. 'War Horse' is the stage version of Michael Morpurgo's book and anyone with a heart must go and see it. The story is fairly predictable but the stage sets are astonishing and the 'horses' are quite beyond belief. It is the story of one man and one horse in the First World War and onto the stage thunders a tank and a gun pulled by four horses with Germans and Brits and a young French girl and .............. Well go and see it and if you don't cry at the end you should do. The kids will be enthralled. The run at the National has finished but it will be on somewhere!

58. The Ogilby Trust was founded in 1954 by the late Colonel Robert Ogilby DSO, DL and has played and continues to play a significant role in the development of some 136 UK Regimental and Corps Museums. The Trust offers advice on Army ancestor research and a Newsletter is available.

59. The War and Peace Show is organised by Rex Cadman and his team. Rex will go anywhere at any time to recover a military vehicle - whatever its condition and wherever it is and that enthusiasm shines through this extraordinary event. There are soft skinned vehicles, tanks and even a submarine but that only scratches the surface of this remarkable extravaganza - living history, re-enactors, stalls, a raffle for a jeep, off road driving, motor bikes - well the only way to see just how much there is, is for families and enthusiasts alike to visit the website  www.warandpeaceshow.co.uk and then go to the event If you missed it this year - go next year..

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60. We understand that veterans who wish to visit the battlefield where they fought can apply for a grant to help with their travel expenses. An application form can be downloaded from www.biglotteryfund.org.uk , phone help is at 0845 410 2030.

61. West Point graduate and ex US Army Major Lillian Pfluke worked for 10 years with the US Battle Monuments Commission in Paris with responsibility for US Private Memorials in Europe. She became aware of the need for action to be taken to save many of the sadly deteriorating memorials and on leaving the army last year set up the non-profit organisation American War Memorials Overseas. She plans to 'document, promote and preserve all war memorials honoring Americans located outside the United States.' The site is very much in preparation but by visiting it and signing up to a Newsletter visitors can be kept up to date. www.uswarmemorials.org

62. The Campaign Trails series of Audio Books now features Anzio, Arnhem, Hastings, Agincourt, Route Napoleon, Waterloo, Ypres, the Somme, Mons and le Cateau, the Falklands, Cassino and D-Day. Each CD is a spoken account of the campaign covered which can be used on the ground or while travelling.

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63. Andy Farr and Les Tanner specialise in signed books and limited edition prints and contribute a small amount from each sale to military charities.

64. Neil Powell, a qualified historian and ex army officer has established a unique site that provides access to archival material from wars as diverse as the American Civil War and the First and Second World Wars. BattlefieldHistorian.com offers original photos, documents and maps as well as audio accounts.

65. 'The Music and Poetry of the Somme' is the title of the talk being given by Tonie and Valmai Holt at Avril Williams' establishment at Auchonvillers on 28 September 2010. It will be followed by a short illustrative battlefield tour. Click Avril for details.

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