Wedding Bells

So there has been a lack of updates once again. This time due to the final planning stages of the wedding and lots of distractions.
Now that the honeymoon is over I intend to kickstart the updates and get reading through the backlog of books that has built up.

My lovely wife and I

Normandy Recce

So last weekend saw some friends and myself hop in to my car and 'dash' across the channel for a few days to do a recce of the American D-Day sector.

First thing that became apparent was how many good locations there were with a good amount of space to park vehicles (up to minibus/people carrier size). There were a few locations that were not only unsuitable but also would not add much to a trip as the ground or present features did not really show anything that could not be covered elsewhere.

Walking the ground is also very easy and agin shows some useful features. I wasn't sure how feasible some locations would be to walk between with a group (even though I was using Paul Reed's 'Walking D-Day'). But having walked a number of potential stands feel that it would be worth while, especially the ascent to WN60 which seems to follow the rough route taken by the assaulting troops on D-Day.

WN60 was well worth the trek and thanks must go to the Guild of Battlefield Guides 'Dispatches' magazine and Paul Oldfield's article about going off of the beaten track on 'Omaha' beach.  The various emplacements and the view across 'Omaha' from up at this position were stunning to say the least.

I also made the effort to visit the American and German military cemeteries around the 'Omaha' area. I think this is important as it shows the costs to the participants involved and also shows how each nation approaches its remembrance of its war dead.

Here are a few pictures from the Recce and I hope to be able to put a few more up soon with further details relating to them.

Navy Memorial - Utah Beach

 Richard Winters Memorial

 View from WN60 out across 'Omaha' the view was stunning

Pointe Du Hoc - The scars of bombardment and battle still ever present

I hope to have another blog post with some more pictures later/next week.

Normandy Research

The last few weeks has seen a welcome return of my interest in the Battle for Normandy in 1944. For the planned recce to the area I knew there would be a lot of research needed even with just focusing on the first two -three days and just the American sector. However I have been pleasantly surprised but just how much material I keep finding that I am looking forward to reading through.

I even managed to find three books at a war-games show that were useful (well two of them are not so much linked to the American involvement but are for a future recce).

It helped that they were all on offer as well and I always struggle to pass up history books that are 50% or less than the RRP.

This was a short update on what I am doing at the moment and will post up some of my research soon.

Recce Planning

Over the last week or so I have been moving forward with my plans for a Recce to Normandy. Specifically the US sector.

I have the ferry and hotel booked. The itinerary is just about sorted. Now just need to plan routes.

Research is also moving forward and I would welcome suggestions on some good sources to use.

Happy New Year and a quick look forward to 2015

This is just a quick post to welcome in 2015 and some plans that I have for 2015.

So the first part of 2015 is going to be spent doing some research on the American sector of Normandy followed by a quick and brief recce to Omaha and Utah beaches and some of the airborne sites a little further in.
Hopefully I will be able to get a good idea of appropriate areas for when I take a group of wargaming friends over later in the year.
I am also going to be writing a wargaming supplement with a friend so this research will help greatly and hopefully I can get some good photos for it as well.

Hopefully there will be another update towards the end of next week.

A Fun Night Out

Something a little different for this blog, last night I attended the World Premier for Exodus: Gods and Kings. I won the tickets for this from Cineworld and my thanks go to them as it was a great night. Leicester Square where the premier was held looked great with the Egyptian columns and torches burning on a crisp winters evening.
As for the film itself, I quite liked it but felt it was lacking something. I nor my Fiance can work out what it actually is missing but we both came out of the film saying it looked fantastic, the acting was great and yet something was missing.

My recommendation would be to go see the film as Ridley Scott has done a good job and the plagues are well depicted. Overall I would probably give Exodus: Gods and Kings an 8/10.

Ridley Scott - Photo: Authors Collection

Cast - Photo: Authors Collection

Ridley Scott and Maria Valverde - Phot: Authors Collection

Tower Poppies and the Imperial War Museum Library

The installation 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' at the Tower of London has generated a lot of publicity along with calls for it to be kept. I was lucky to have visited the poppies at the Tower back in September (still very busy but nowhere near the mad rush that was to come). I found the installation very thought provoking and moving. Certainly many of the people around me commented how beautiful it was and yet how tragic as every poppy represented a life lost. 

When I got home that evening I decided to check out if there were still spots left to help plant the remaining poppies. As I had left it fairly late the spots were all filled but the organisers had just opened up spots for removing the installation. So today I will be going along for a three hour shift to help remove the installation.

If anything comes from this years remembrance day and commemorations, then it will at least be healthy debate and a better understanding. The media have loved the Tower Poppies as they can write piece after piece either praising or criticising them. This has got people talking about the role and style of remembrance which is only a good thing.

On a final brief note there is a petition regarding the funding of the Imperial War Museum and planned closure of its Library and study center.
Please take a moment to check out and sign the petition.
Petion is Here