Wolfe & Montcalm in Quebec

It is 250 years (almost to the day) since Wolfe led a 5,300 strong force into Quebec City and claimed Canada for the British Crown. The assault had been made via the Abraham Heights after a prolonged artillery barrage from across the St Lawrence river. Montcalm's French army along with a large French Canadian contingent had been routed within 30 minutes after receiving the full force of British volley fire. 250 years later - in 2009 - the planned re-enactment has been cancelled following pressure from local French Canadian activists but nevertheless my brother in law and I had a great day walking the Heights of Abraham battlefield. The battlefield is now a national heritage site containing a number of military artifacts. The pictures above were taken in the citadel (a later construction). The top image shows 'Rachel' an 1870 British cannon pointing over the old city. Several generations ago my father's Great Grandfather served in Quebec (in the 1860s/70s). It may be a coincidence but his daughter was called Rachel too! The other picture shows a WWII veteran posing beside a bren gun carrier in the Quebec Citadel which is now the headquarters of the Canadian 22nd regiment.

The Battle of Lansdown Hill

This battlefield is a little closer to home than others that I've visited recently. On the 5th July 1643 Sir Ralph Hopton's 6,300 strong Royalist Army from the South West of England attempted to seize the city of Bath which was being defended by Waller's parliamentarians (some 4,000 strong). The monument shown in my picture commemorates Sir Bevill Grenville, a Cornish Royalist Commander. It stands on the ridge held by Waller's troops - a position which was taken at great loss of life by the Royalist attackers. The battlefield can be walked in an hour or so. There are markers showing the main defensive positions and helpful explanatory storyboards. Apart from the historic context, this site is a spectacular location affording fantastic views of Bath and beyond.

The Narva Bridgehead [1944]

I have just returned from a few days of field walking on the Estonian: Russian border. The town of Narva is the gateway from Russia into the Baltic States. In the Spring of 1944 Army Group North was forced back from forward positions around Leningrad and, in Estonia, a new defence line was established along the banks of the River Narva. Despite Russian incursions, 18th Army including Steiner's 111 Panzer Corps held the line (including a bridgehead encompassing Invorogod on the East bank) for six months. Following an orderly withdrawal in July, a second defence line called 'Tannenburg' was set up with the Blue Mountains of Eastern Estonia forming the primary strongpoint. Nobody knows more about this battle than an old friend of mine, Paul Errington. Armed with Paul's local contacts and his extensive knowledge of the battle a group of us explored the Narva Defence Line and the killing ground of Sinimaed (Grenadier Hill, Kinderheim and Hill 69.9). The pictures show a T34 at Silvertsi (Top), the German Cemetery at Narva (Middle) and the memorials on Grenadier Hill (Bottom). The battle is primarily remembered for the Dutch, Norwegian, Belgian and Estonian volunteers serving with the Axis forces.

German Occupation of Jersey [1940 to 1945]

Have just returned from a walking holiday in Jersey. Early April is a lovely time of year to visit the island. Few tourists, spring flowers and cheap prices. My wife and I walked most of the cliff tops on the North coast. As usual I had a secret agenda.......Festung Jersey! The Channel Islands were occupied by the Germans through WW2 and Hitler ordered Jersey, Guernsey, Stark and Alderney to be fortified. 20% of Todt's Atlantic Wall budget was originally earmarked for the islands. The evidence is everywhere. The pictures above show: (1) A panel from the Occupation Tapestry at St Helier (2) A range finder at the Lothringen Battery, Noirmont Point and (3) One of the four gun emplacements at the Moltke Battery, Les Landes. [The Moltke gun 1s a 15.5cm French piece. After the war tons of material was thrown off the cliff at Rouge Nez by the Royal Engineers. Recently, a group of local enthusiasts have recovered and restored a number of artifacts].

Gettysburg connection in Clevedon

An interesting reference to the Battle of Gettysburg. This gravestone can be found in the graveyard of St Andrew's church in Clevedon. The church is an idylic location overlooking the Severn estuary. Apparently Frederick Durbin travelled to America in order to participate in the civil war. He felt strongly about the evil of slavery and fought with the Union army. Frederick gave instructions that his passing should be commemorated should anything happen to him.

The Cambs Suffolks at La Boisselle

I've walked many battlefields on several continents but the ground I constantly return to consists of just a few hundred square metres in front of the tiny village of Becourt, near Albert on the Somme. It is here that the New Army Battalion known as the Cambs Suffolks suffered unbearable casualties shortly after 7:30 in the morning on Saturday, July 1st, 1916. This summer I led a small group of pilgrims across this sacred ground - a walk I have done maybe a dozen times. From Becourt CWGC where amongst the Cambs Suffolks graves one can find the resting place of Rob Gilson. Gilson was an officer with the Cambs Suffolks. A sensitive man, his closest friend was the the author JRR Tolkien. And then past the whispering woods, through the grounds of the Chateau and on to the old British Front Line. Pause - and then up towards' Sausage Valley' and Lochnager (last picture), the Glory Hole and on to Gordon Dump (first picture). Finally back via Round Wood and the site of Sausage Redoubt where Captain Brown did more than most on that fateful day 92 years ago. I snapped the second picture from the back of a ferry in Calais Harbour - 'Going Home'.

The Normandy-Niemen Squadron

A day trip to Les Andelys brought an unexpected surprise last week. The town is home to the Normandie-Niemen Squadron Museum. Marcel Leferve, one of the pilots came from the town and when he died a few years ago, the museum was set up to commemorate his memory and that of the other brave Frenchmen who flew with the Russians on the Eastern Front. The squadron flew 5,240 missions and achieved 273 confirmed victories. Of the 96 pilots who fought, 42 never returned and are commemorated on the photo panel below. The Squadron still exists.