Friday 24 January 2014

Guild Update 10th January 2014



New Members

Jo Hook writes:

We welcome the following new members into the Guild:

·         Paul Kersey from Woodbridge Suffolk joins. His interests are WW1 and Normandy and Arnhem
·         Jim White from United States working in Germany joins. His interests are 19/20th Cent history and WW1 and WW2
·         Glenn Hearnden from Cambourne Cambridge   re-joins. His interests are WW1 and WW2

Norwich Event 21st - 23rd March 2014

Jo Hook writes:

At the moment I am receiving emails from members into both my personal account and as Member Secretary.  Can I ask that if members wish to contact me regarding anything Guild or membership related please email me at mbr.sec@gbg-international.com and not my personal email address.

Similarly anyone wishing to attend the Norwich event even if they have already emailed me it would be a great help if they fill in the application form which can be found on the Guild website and either email or send it to me at Quince Cottage, 5 West Church Street, Kenninghall, NR16 2EN.  The application form is there for a reason. Please use it. 

Those attending are as follows:-

Jo Hook
Mike Peters
Hugh Williams
John Cotteril
Christopher Newbould
Terry Webb
Poss - Dickie Knight
Poss - Rob Steward
Vivienne Whelpton (Sunday only)
Allan Wood
Tim & Mary Stoneman
Nick Lipscombe

Award of World War 1 Centenary Medal

Secretary writes:

I am sure members will join to congratulate Major and Mrs Holt on their being awarded the WW1 Centenary Medal from the Conseil General de le Somme. The award, which is for their contribution to 'Remembrance Tourism' and dissemination of knowledge of the First World War, will be one of only six medals to be awarded. They will also be the first and the only Britons to receive it. For more details see the attached Pen & Sword Press Release.

Final Call for Deepcut Event 8th February

Alison Hine writes:

Places at the Deepcut event on the 8th February are now filling up. So far the following members have said that they are coming:

Stuart Baxter
Bob Brunsdon
Steve Chambers
Alain Chissell
Graeme Cooper
Jeff Cormack
Tim Courtenay
John Cotterill
Bob Darby
Nora de Bievre
Laurie Evanson-Goddard
Peter Fensome
John Greenacre
Charmian Griffiths
John Hamill
Joe Hamon
Frank Hooley
Ian Howard
Rob Hudd
Michael Jackson
Andy Johnson
Roger Lye
Terry Marker
Paul Oldfield
Mike Peters
John Richardson
John Ross
Tony Scott
Mike Sheil
Andrew Spooner
Terry Webb
Ray Wilkinson
Adam Williams
Hugh Williams
David Winn
Allan Wood
Simon Gregor

With speakers:

Gary Sheffield
Christopher Newbould
Andy Robertshaw
Peter Hodgkinson
Vern Littley
Tim Stoneman
Chris Finn
Alison Hine

If you would like to attend please let me know at alisonhine@btinternet.com asap

Press Coverage

Secretary writes:

Those of you that read the East Anglian Daily Times will no doubt have seen an article by Mike Peters on Battlefield touring which was recently published  

The Military Diary - Great War Edition

Secretary writes:

I have received the following e-mail from Howman Books which may be of interest to members:

Just a quick email to advise that this year we are pleased to offer Guild Members a Trade discount on promotional copies of 'The Military Diary 2014' (min. quantity 20 Diaries, including a customised bookplate inside the front cover of the diary with Members logos, contact details, annual itineraries etc).  
  
The Great War Edition of the Military Diary (the sixth in the series) features a wide range of articles on the conflict (Leaders, Weapons, Casualties, Medals, Military Law, Quotations., War Poems, The BEF, The Royal Navy, German Military strength etc, plus conventional pocket diary features and world maps in colour).
  
Product details are on our website www.howmanbooks.com or simply Google The Military Diary 2014.  We have some exciting new products out this year and would be pleased to offer Guild Members preferential terms on these too, as we support your ethos and work.

If you are interested please get in touch with Richard Howman at richard@howmanbooks.com

Help Wanted

Secretary writes:

I have received the following from Michael Kelly:

I have been asked if I know of any commemorations that are taking place in Crete in May 2014 in remembrance of the landings of May 20th. I can't see anything on the Guild website, if you can help I would be most grateful.

If anyone knows of anything please could they let Michael know at michael.kelly1915@ntlworld.com

More Help Wanted!

Secretary writes:

I have received the following from a lady called Victoria Goat - can anyone help. If so could you respond to me and I'll pass the information on:

I am hoping you can clear up a confusion for me about trenches around Reims (and /or Verdun?) in WW1.

I am reading a family diary of Americans on a trip around Europe in 1923. They take a day trip from Paris to Reims and describe the following:

'...then drove out to the battlefield. One cannot picture the ruined villages, broken trees and the upturned ground. We went in several trenches, block houses and saw guns and shells, human bones and all kinds of explosives everywhere in and on top of the ground. We are not allowed off the beaten path as it is dangerous.

'Saw the Hill where the French dug a trench 2 and 1/2 miles long under it and blew it up killing 30,000 Germans. They used 30,000 tons of dynamite for one explosion. There were 5 explosions. They found 200 tons recently in a trench unexploded. The horrors of war.'

The underlined part is the mystery. When I have looked it up on line, I get nothing like this. There is a reference to total number of people killed in that area, but not specifically 30,000 Germans in a single go. Also no reference to  a 2 and 1/2mile trench under a hill or 30,000 tons of dynamite.

I can only think that the woman recording this trip got confused given the amount of information they were probably being given at the time (she was in her late 50's and recorded every single day of a 3 month trip around Europe, so I guess she can be forgiven for this one recording error! ).

If you have any particular information which  might clarify this, I would be very grateful. If you do not have this specific information, but know of someone else who might, I would appreciate it if you could send contact details to me.

Operation Anthropoid

Secretary writes:

I have received the following details of a battlefield tour which might be of interest to members:

We are pleased to confirm that the forthcoming "Operation Anthropoid" day tour will take place on Tuesday 18/02/2014 in Prague, Czech Republic. The tour guide will be Milena Kolarikova BA (tourism management)

Milena has received official Czech recognition on behalf of her dedicated Czechoslovak commemoration and remembrance work honouring her countrymen who fought and fell for freedom in two world wars.

Her commemoration work dedicated to her nation's military history was also recognised and in 2011 she was awarded honorary life membership of the Association of Czechoslovak Legionaries Abroad who she represents mostly in Belgium, France and the UK.

The tour will be in English & Czech where required with the tour starting and concluding in Prague city centre.

Please contact Milena at info@lestweforgettours.com for full itinerary details and cost. More info with images concerning this particular tour may be located within the company web site here: www.lestweforgettours.com

Included within tour costs are all metro, tram and bus tickets,
St Cyrils church and crypt/museum entrance fee and lunch being a classic Czech cuisine dish of the WW2 period.

The shut off date for this tour is 11/02/2014.

BBC News

·         Battle of Waterloo site in Belgium to get permanent memorial - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25619341
·         WW1 banner to tour Devon in memory of dead relatives - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-25562846

Best Regards

Tony Smith
Guild Secretary