School changing its name
from that of a VC hero
Frank Baldwin writes:
This is a cause that Guild and BCMH members might rally
around and a cause which does not mention the centenary of WW1.
At a time when the government is spending money to create
memorials to VC winners, it is nonsense for another part of the public world to
be renaming a school to try to forget the name of a local hero. It is
outrageous to suggest that the name of a VC winner should be dropped for as
trivial reason as to rebrand the school.
Membership Fees
Jo Hook writes:
To date 253 members have still to pay their membership fees.
Membership fees were due to be paid by 1 April. I have set a cut-off date of 17
April after which time membership will be cancelled. From 17 April 2014 I
am on tour until 4 May and will therefore not be able to process membership
fees. It is for this reason that the cut-off date has been set at 17
April 2014.
If you wish to pay by BACs you may do so using the Guild
Bank account details available on the current website. IF PAYMENT IS MADE BY
BACs PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR SURNAME AND MEMBERSHIP NUMBER IN ORDER FOR US TO TRACE
YOUR PAYMENT. PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL TO CONFIRM PAYMENT SO THAT I
CAN UPDATE MY DATABASE AND SEND YOU A RECEIPT FOR YOUR RECORDS AND/OR TAX
PURPOSES.
If paying by cheque please make this payable to the Guild of
Battlefield Guides Limited and send this to me at Quince Cottage, 5 West Church
Street, Kenninghall, Norfolk, NR16 2EN.
News from the Netherlands
Chris Scott writes:
Wybo Boersma organised and ran a very enjoyable Guild Day on
Saturday 29 March at the Hartenstein Airborne Museum in Oosterbeck (Arnhem).
Despite several stalwarts being absent on tours and celebrating a notable
birthday, it was well attended by some 25 members and interested parties from
across the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK.
The day was introduced by Wybo followed by a PowerPoint
presentation on the Guild by Chris Scott who outlined what the Guild was, how
it was formed, why it has Validation, its symbols and growing public awareness
as well as the many benefits of membership. Wybo then described the
Validation process itself and carefully explained the validators' briefing for
Assignment One, followed by Joel Stoppels telling the story of the Battle for
Groningen. The audience was duly enthralled and Joel passed, much to his
relief and obvious delight. After tea, coffee and some excellent huge Dutch
biscuits, the group was taken on a walking tour of part of the Oosterbeck
battlefield by local metal detectorist Hans van de Velde who showed everyone
where he had made some significant discoveries which threw greater light on the
understanding of events in September 1944. The day was rounded off by
drinks in the Shoonoord Cafe - the paras' dressing station during the action
which houses its own collection of photographs and memorabilia.
Congratulations to Wybo and Willem Kleijn for making the
event a success and a first class advert for the Guild in the
Netherlands.
and for those of you that speak Dutch.....
Validation Assgnment No 1 door Joël Stoppels,
Battlefield tours Groningen.
Op zaterdagmiddag 29 maart is voor de tweede maal een
bijeenkomst gehouden voor Nederlandse en Belgische leden van de International
Guild of Battlefield Guides. Het Airborne Museum Hartenstein stelde gratis haar
educatiever ruimte ter beschikking en verzorgde ook de koffie en thee. Bij deze
bijeenkomst waren ook belangstellenden welkom.
Het hoofdthema van de middag was de validatie van Assignment
no 1 door Joël Stoppels van Battlefield tours Groningen. Vanuit het bestuur van
de GBG in Engeland was Chris Scott, mede oprichter van de Guild en voormalig
Chief Verifier aanwezig. Hij gaf een inleiding waarbij het doel en de
werkzaamheden van de Guild uiteen gezet werden. Daarna gaf Wybo Boersma een
korte uitleg van de verschillede validaties die gedaan moeten worden om in het
bezit te komen van de Guild badge. Vervolgens deed Joël zijn validatie die
bestond uit een uiteenzetting van de eind gevechten in de stad Groningen in
april 1944. Nadat de examinatoren, Wybo Boersma en Willem Kleijn diverse vragen
gesteld hadden kreeg ook het publiek de gelegenheid om vragen te stellen. De
beantwoording van vragen was deel van de validatie. De uiteindelijke uitslag
was dat Joël Stoppels geslaagd is. Nu nog de andere 8 validaties. Na een korte
thee- en koffiepauze nam Hans van de Velden de deelnemers mee naar het slagveld
ten zuiden van Hartenstein. Hij gaf een korte uitleg over diverse vondsten die
hij in de loop der jaren daar gedaan had. De bijeenkomst werd besloten met een
samenzijn in restaurant Schoonoord op de plaats van de voormalige Main
Dressing Station.
De volgende bijeenkomst van de GBG is tijdens het GBG Arnhem
weekend van ’s avonds 9 tot en met ’s middags 12 oktober 2014. Zo mogelijk is
er dan ook weer een gelegenheid voor mondelinge validatie in het Nederlands.
Guide Wanted
Mike Peters writes:
Normandy Guide required for a US band supporting the
commemorative programme 4-14 June 14. Ideally the guide should have knowledge
of the US Sector and be used to working with American clients. Tour is a 2
coach tour, working in concert with a lead guide. Tour starts in Paris,
transport costs and meals included
Please reply to me if you are interested - chalkypeters@googlemail.com.
John Hughes-Wilson Book
Secretary writes:
Members may like to note that Mike Peters has negotiated a
member discount of John's new book - Guild of Battlefield Guides members will
receive 40% discount off the RRP for the new book, 'A History of the First
World War in 100 Objects' by Colonel John Hughes-Wilson and Nigel Steel
(Cassell, £30.00 –member discounted price £18.00 ). Free UK delivery, however
charges may apply outside of the UK. Please contact Anna Gruber on +44(0)20
7632 5494 or anna.gruber@octopusbooks.co.uk
to place your order.
Field of Battle lands of
Peace
Mike Shiel writes:
We are nearly there………!!!
Thank you one and all for your support and faith.
Help Requested
Secretary writes:
I have received the following - can anyone help?
My name is Kate Veshkina. I'm a producer of a new
documentary film "World War I: Untold Stories", that we make for
Russian National Broadcasting Company NTV.
We decided to work over this theme because that War seems
like a dark side of the Moon for nowadays Russians. So we'd love to show off
some interesting facts and stories about it. We're going to shoot in Germany,
Belgium, Poland, France and England. This four episodes film will be shown on
NTV Channel in the middle of October 2014.
As for the Belgium episode, we're much interested in The
Pool of Peace Crater near Messen. We're looking for a guide who can lead our
crew there.
Also we'd like to tell the story of Leuven and shoot the
university, central library and the streets of the town. We don't need
interviews. It's going to be the scenes with our narrator.
Could you help us in this aspect?
Our shooting crew is working in Belgium from the 19th till
the 25th of May.
If anyone can assist please could they get in touch with
Kate and copy me.
BBC News
·
Bicker World War Two Lancaster crash crewman's
family traced - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-26833896
·
Rare RAF Aldergrove film from World War Two
found in attic - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-26818893
·
Saluting the courage of World War One's VADs - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-26872134
Best Regards
Tony Smith
Guild Secretary
Posts
