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

Battle of Mons and the first VC of the War

 This weekend saw the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Mons. I was fortunate enough during the summer of 2012 to go on an in depth recce of not only Mons but also the route of the subsequent retreat. When people remember the Great War it tends to be 1916 onwards (with perhaps the exception of the battle of Loos). I found the recce to be fascinating as we covered such a large distance and such a varied set of engagements, from infantry battles to cavalry clashes to large engagements such as Le Cateau.

Plaque at Nimy Bridge (Authors Collection)

The plaque above is from the location just under Nimy Bridge where Lieutenant Dease and Private Godley won their Victoria Crosses. While these were the first of the war they would not be the last to be earned on the retreat that began after the Battle of Mons (only one day later Captain Grenfell would earn his during the action at Audregnies and Captain Bradbury would earn his during the engagement at Nery). 

Mons saw the much smaller BEF come into contact with the German 1st Army, that the BEF were able to put up a fight and extricate themselves shows the professionalism of the regulars and reservists. 

The grave of Lieutenant Dease at St Symphorien (Authors Collection)

Lieutenant Dease is buried at St Symphorien which is a remarkable Commonwealth War graves Cemetery. Behind German lines for the vast majority of the war, it is laid out in a very different manor. It also features the first and last BEF and Canadian casualties of the War. 

Private Godley survived the action at Mons, was taken prisoner and survived the war being present with his Victoria Cross by the King in 1919.

The ISIS Problem

Yesterday and today has seen a vast amount of media coverage devoted to the beheading of American Journalist James Foley and the alleged British element of ISIS. While this was indeed shocking is hardly a surprise. After all ISIS or IS has become renowned for their brutal methods and acts.
It is the message regarding nationality which is getting the air time and the talk of extremists returning home to carry out further outrages. While this is a natural concern and one that is very real, it remains to be seen if there will be a new direction from ISIS or if they will inspire more home grown elements. Certainly action by local elements against ISIS forces will keep ISIS focused on the Levant and while this might provide a training ground and actual experience of combat to extremists, it also means that they have to be seen to achieve success if they wish to maintain credibility.

The Royal United Services Institute have published a number of interesting articles related to ISIS and the the issues at hand over the last few days. Here is an article that I was reading earlier very concise and to the point but it is a point well made.

The use of US airpower will increase as a result of this murder and the ante has been upped. It is doubtful if you will see combat troops once again deployed on Iraqi soil but with US airpower bolstering Kurdish forces and hopefully Iraqi military forces ISIS might be pushed back and either destroyed as a credible threat/alternative (which ever way you view it, this would seem unlikely given the nature of the organisation) or diminished to the point where they present a threat but one that is managable by regional elements.