Friday, 24 October 2014

Guild Update 24th October 2014



New Members

Jo Hook writes:

We are pleased to welcome the following new members into the Guild:

·         Neil Pudney from Leatherhead joins. His interests are WW1 Somme Ypres
·         Paul Stevenson from Tiverton Devon joins. His interests are WW1 Ypres & Somme 63 Naval Division
·         John Marr from Inverness Scotland joins. His interests are WW1 and WW2
·         Giles Guthrie from Faversham Kent joins. His interests are History from Ground up
·         Martin Chandler from Eastbourne E. Sussex joins. His interests are Normandy 1944

Somme Validation Event 30th January 2015

Secretary writes:

It has now been agreed that a Validation event will take place on the Somme on January 30th. The venue wil be confirmed asap. If you would like to undertake an assignment 1, 5 or 6 at this event please contact Alison Hine    

Remote Validation Trial

Mike Peters writes:

The Validation Team is pleased to report a successful trial of remote validation techniques using Skype as a bearer system. The VT have successfully completed validation of an Assignment 1 for Guild Member Todd Fisher in the USA. Not only was the trial a success but Todd also passed his assignment. It is intended to make further use of Skype for international candidates. Members should note that this technique will be employed on an occasional basis and will be the exception rather than the rule. Further information will be promulgated by the Director of Validation at the AGM.

AGM - Presentation by Guild President Prof Gary Sheffield

Mike Peters writes

The programme for the AGM is still being finalised, members may however be interested to know that our President is speaking on matters related to Battlefield Guiding. Gary has agreed to talk about the challenges of fashioning a narrative that blends good old fashioned, engaging story telling with the presentation of solid historical fact. It promises to be an interesting presentation.

Guild AGM

Secretary writes:

To date the following members have indicated that they will be coming to the AGM:

Vivienne Whelpton
Mike Scott
Tony Smith
Mike Peters
Chris Finn
David Harvey
John Greene
Paul Oldfield
Wybo Boersma
Willem Kleijn
Carlo Larosa
Chris Scott
Glen Hearnden
Bob Brunsdon
John Cotterill
Alan Wood
John Pratt
Terry Webb
Andy Johnson
Tim Stoneman
Tony Coutts Britton
Ray Wilkinson
Andy Thompson
James Porter
Alain Chissel
Mike Mizen
Christopher Newbould
Stuart Barltrop
Tim Pritchard Barrett
Alison Pritchard Barrett
Brian Shaw
John Hamill
Major & Mrs Holt
Tom Dormer
Andrew Duff
John Chapman
Simon Bendry
Gordon Hill
Kirk Drew
John Coppen
Anthony Rich

If you would like to attend please get your requirements back to me asap as spaces are filling up fast.

AGM Validations

Alison Hine writes:

The following candidates have asked to be validated at the AGM:

·         Assignment 1: Anthony Rich, Chris Nation
·         Assignment 5: Viv Whelpton, Glen Hearnden, James Porter, Joel Stoppels
·         Assignment 6: Carlo Larosa, Viv Whelpton, James Porter, Joel Stoppels

If anyone has been omitted from this list, please would they let Alison Hine know as soon as possible.  Anyone else wishing to validate in November should contact Alison by 7  November.   New Validation email address: validation@hine49.org.uk

Will Townend Award

Secretary writes:

All members will by now have received details of the Will Townend Award which honours the memory of the late Will Townend, in particular his willingness to share his extensive technical knowledge of Artillery and his wider knowledge of battlefields in general with his fellow Battlefield Guides.
It is also intended that those nominated for the award will be recognised as selfless members of the GBG who freely and unselfishly share their knowledge with their peers.

I have received a few nominations to date. Would all members consider who they would like to nominate for the award and send them to me as soon as possible please?

New CWGC App

Glenn Hearnden writes:

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has today made its brand new CWGC War Graves App freely available for smartphone and tablet users to download from www.cwgc.org/app

With the new App you can find directions to cemeteries or use the ‘near me’ function to see what sites are in your vicinity – never before has it been easier to find these places of remembrance locally and internationally.”
The app, which can be downloaded for free on Windows, Android and Apple  phones and other mobile devices (tablets), allows users to:

·         Discover war graves at former battlefields across the globe
·         Find war graves close to where you live
·         Download and navigate to your chosen war grave site

New Badged Guide

Secretary writes:

As members should be aware I am pleased to announce that we have another new Badged Guide – John Pratt has just successfully completed his final assignment and is awarded Badge number 67.

New Battlefield History TV DVDs

Tim Saunders writes:

A couple of new DVD releases from BHTV; the fourth film in the 1914 series covers the’ Battles of the Marne and the Aisne’, in which members of the Guild follow the change of fortune for the BEF from Retreat to the offensive taking part in Joffre’s advance into the lightly guarded German flank which led to the Battle of the Marne and culminated on the Aisne where the British attacked the dug-in Germans on the Chemin des Dames. Checked by modern quick-firing artillery and machine guns, Field Marshal French ordered the BEF to dig-in; trench warfare had started to set in.

The second release in the Peninsula Collection; ‘The 95th Rifles 1812 to the Pyrenees’. This film covers the aftermath of Battle of Salamanca, namely the liberation of Madrid, another nightmare withdrawal to the Portuguese frontier and winter quarters.  From there we follow the Rifles lightening march across Spain, examining actions against the retreating King Joseph and his French Army, as they headed back towards  northern Spain, fights that led to a climax at the great Battle of Vitoria. Here the Rifles plaid a key part in unhinging the French defensive position and setting up the victory that saw the French heading back to the Pyrenees Mountains, while some lucky Riflemen filled their pockets with loot.
The battles in the mountains and the and the Siege of San Sebastian culminated with the Light Division attacking and breaking through Marshal Ney’s defensive  line high on the Rhune Mountain on the border of France itself.

The Christmas Truce and Sainsbury's

Secretary writes:

Members may be interested to note that the Sainsbury’s Christmas ad will feature the Christmas Truce football match. Comment can be seen here

Badged Guides Directory

Secretary writes:

Could all badged guides please look at the badged guide tour directory at http://www.gbg-international.com/gbg_tour_directory.pdf. You will see that this is well out of date. Please can all badged guides update this and let me have the new details. As the list currently finishes at badge 51 (!) please could all those guides post 51 let me have the details that they would like put up.

WW2 Aircraft

Dennis Weatherall writes:

Members may be interested to read this article about a collection of WW2 aircraft in America - see http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2014/August/Pilot/f_talltale

Independent Article

Secretary writes:

members may be interested to read an article published in the Independent which discusses the First World War Centenary Battlefield Tours Programme see http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/thousands-of-teenagers-to-visit-battlefields-of-the-first-world-war-in-new-government-scheme-9812343.html

BBC News

·         Viewpoint: How WW1 changed aviation forever - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29612707
·         Brighton Pavilion wreath ceremony remembers Indian troops - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-29674319
·         Camelford erects granite poppy to mark World War One - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-29681508
·         Last WW1 Gallipoli ship HMS M33 to open to public - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-29680915
·         Memorial Arboretum Land Girls monument to be unveiled after three-year fundraising campaign - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-29694149
·         Pte William Butterworth: Military reburial for WW1 soldier - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-29696541
·         'Hail of bullets' VC hero Pte Henry May honoured - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-29712163

Best Regards

Tony Smith
Guild Secretary