despatchesdespatches winter 2014 in this issue: desert recce a stand alone bradley’s normandy...

DESPATCHESWinter 2014

www.gbg-international.com

IN THIS ISSUE:Desert Recce

A Stand Alone

Bradley’s Normandy Breakout

PLUSCzech Odyssey

ANDFirst World War BC

02 | Despatches

BATTLEFIELDguides: IN ACTION

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ContentsP2/11 BATTLEFIELDguides

IN ACTIONPhotos of Guides in Action

P5-9 RESEARCHING A BATTLETime Spent in Reconnaissance

P10 CZECH ODYSSEYA Fitting Epitaph

P12-13 A STAND ALONELoos 1915, A Point of View

P14-17 NORMANDY RECCEBradley’s First Army and the Breakout

P18-19 GUILDpartnersEquity Travel

P19 EVENTguide 2015

P20-21 FIRST WORLD WAR BCArchaeological Guide

P22 GALLIPOLI SNIPERA Dardanelles Vignette

P23 GUIDEbooks

All in a days work! Our cover image shows Allan Wood delivering a stand at Le Cateau undeterred by the elements, thispicture of Allan was taken on the same day at Elouges/Audregnies. Proof, if ever it was needed, that battlefield touring is anoutdoor sport!

The tunnel, whichgoes down for nearly1km inside themountain, is theoriginal Italian minetunnel (blown in1916) causing theAustrian trenches onthe top of the peakto collapse. TheItalian mine wasfilled with about25,000 kgs ofexplosives. Inside thetunnel many featureshave been recreatedwith originalmaterials, tunnellingequipment, livingquarters and storeareas etc. It takesabout 45 minutes todescend to the standafter a two hourclimb.

Carlo Larosa pictured with a group from the WFA Netherlands, including our own Rob Lemmens inred, just outside the entry of the Lagazuoi Tunnel.

Mother Canada looks out over the battlefields of Vimy (Picture by Guild member, Simon Gregor)

04 | Despatches www.gbg-international.com | 05

OPENINGshot:THE CHAIRMAN’S VIEW

Welcome fellow members, Guild Partners, andSupporters to your winter edition of Despatches, thehouse magazine of the Guild. A year ago when welaunched Despatches, my opening shot column focusedon the rapidly approaching First World War Centenary.In my narrative I speculated as to what it may entail.Well, a year on the centenary is well and trulyunderway. My unscientific metric of gaugingenthusiasm by estimating crowd numbers at the MeninGate has already proved inadequate, it has had beadapted, I am now counting the number of coachesparked up during the Last Post ceremony. The numbersof people and coaches continue to rise. Although theselarge numbers create logistic and practical on-sitedifficulties we as guides must not lose sight of the factthat for decades many of us have bemoaned the apathyof the public with regard to the FWW. Things havechanged, the public is definitely engaged, they are nowon the battlefields in ever increasing numbers – there isno better time to be a Battlefield Guide.

Looking ahead into 2015, it looks like the currentmomentum will continue - I for one am really lookingforward to the new guiding season and all that itpromises. I am certain that the FWW Centenary willcontinue to dominate both our industry and themedia landscape. No doubt Gallipoli will be centrestage, but lets hope that the media and the battlefieldtour operators will take the opportunity to look

beyond that campaign and expose the public to someof the less well-known battles and campaigns of whatwas after all, a dramatic year in the FWW timeline.

One thing that we are assured of next year is thatthere will be something for all of us. The range ofimpending ‘milestone anniversaries’ is exciting. Aswell as the 1915 commemorations we can all lookforward to Agincourt 600, Waterloo 200, Battle ofBritain 75 and the 70th anniversary of the crossing ofthe Rhine in March 1945. We can also be sure thatthe VE and VJ Day anniversaries will generate someattention. The commemoration of these verysignificant battles and campaigns is spread rightthroughout the coming year. I hope that theirdiversity will keep the general public engaged,spurring more people on to visiting their chosenbattlefields with a professional Battlefield Guide.

Your Winter Despatches reflects the varied interestsof Guild Members and I must thank everybody whohas contributed material. I hope that you will enjoyreading it and that it may inspire you all to contributeand share your knowledge with your fellow guides. It’sbeen a busy year for most of us and it isn’t over yet.Wherever you are please look out for fellow members,take the time to say hello and share your knowledgeand experience. Have a great winter and springeverybody, above all, stay safe and enjoy your guiding!

Mike Peters

FIRSTcontact: https://www.facebook.com/battleguide

https://twitter.com/GuildofBG - Twitter

Guild SecretaryTony Smith

The WoodlandsPenrhos, RaglanMonmouthshireNP15 2LFUnited Kingdom

+44 (0) 1600 780273+44 (0)7774 [email protected]

Guild ChairmanMike Peters

Ascot HouseNorwich RoadLittle StonhamIpswichSuffolk IP14 5DLUnited Kingdom

[email protected]

Guild MembershipSecretaryJo Hook

Quince Cottage5 West Church StreetKenninghallNorfolkUnited Kingdom

[email protected]

Material for publication on theMarch edition of Despatchesmust be with the Editor no later than 28 Feb 15.

This is a deadline andsubmissions should be sent asfar in advance as possible.

All material should be sent via Guild Secretary Tony Smith at: [email protected]

Sadly we were subjected to localskirmishes on the day of arrival,with the theft of all our passports,and I spent the next fortnight and aconsiderable amount of moneymaking a tactical withdrawal toDubai, via Qatar, London and theinevitable bureaucracy, beforeregrouping and planning a re-attack

Not to be beaten, this gave metime to carry out further researchbefore returning. Having readseveral personal accounts of theaction that took place, I noted theywere all very similar and in somecases, very detailed. Unfortunatelyfor me, all the battlefield locationshave been typically referred to usingmilitary code words, rather thanlocal names or grids, and it wasproving difficult to pinpoint exactpositions. Indeed, on asking one ofthe SAS veterans where thelocations were, his response that“We climbed up a bloody big hilland turned left’, left me scratchingmy head! After cross-referencing allthe material and studying GoogleEarth, the final piece of the Jigsawcame in the form of a magazine forthe Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forcesproduced by Col (Retd) IanButtenshaw. This magazineincluded many photographs of theaction along with photographs ofthe Objectives. Bingo! Back toGoogle Earth for the coordinatesfor the faithful GPS and on withmore detailed planning!

The Jebel Akhdar (GreenMountain) rises up to 10,000ft inplaces – but the various battles and

skirmishes took place between4000ft and 8000ft. (For a briefhistory of events see Edition 1 ofDespatches).

The story begins with the arrivalof D Sqn, 22 Regt SAS at thecoastal town of Bait al Falaj(Muscat) on 18 November 1958,once ashore they spent a few daysacclimatising from the jungles ofMalaya. It was decided that theSquadron would split into two, with16 & 17 Troop climbing themountain from the North and HQ,18 & 19 Troop moving to the southof the Jebel, to a village calledTanuf. To gain some idea ofnumbers – each troop at this stagenumbered about ten. Under coverof darkness 16 & 17 Troop climbedthe Jebel via a small, unmarkedtrack. They took enough ammoand rations to last four days. Dueto the weight of all the equipment,donkeys were purchased to assistthem. In typical BritishGovernment fashion, instead ofpurchasing the robust, localdonkeys – Somali donkeys werepurchased abroad and shipped over,as they were much cheaper! Sadly,they were smaller, carried less andwere not acclimatised to the altitudeor conditioned to local feed.

On the 26 November, both 16& 17 Troop arrived on ObjectiveCassino without a single shotbeing fired. Observation Posts(OPs) were set up and the mainAdoo cave was located 4kms awayon a feature affectionately knownas ‘Sabrina’ – after a well-known

RESEARCHINGA BATTLEAdam Williams

busty actress of the time. The SASgot to work straight away, 18 &19 Troop mounting aggressivepatrols in the south, with 19 Troophaving their first contact with theAdoo on the 26 November.Unfortunately, the first SAS soldierto be KIA during this campaign,Cpl ‘Duke’ Swindells, was killedduring this contact. During one ofthese patrols, a cave was spottedthat obviously housed severalhostile Adoo. As a result, 19Troop descended off the mountainto plan an assault on the cave.

There are some great first-handaccounts of the assault by 18 & 19Troop, and I thought it would begood to identify and locate thiscave? I threw myself into theresearch once more and becameabsorbed in one of the twophotographs (of the same person) –‘Tanky’ Smith lying down in afiring position observing the caveprior to the assault. I asked ColButtenshaw if he knew the locationof the cave, he responded “No onehas ever found it since the battlebut I think it’s towards the east ofthe area.” He had looked withRoger Woodiwiss, Tony Dean-Drummond and even Sir Peter DeLa Billiere (DLB) – all SAS legends.Despite many hours of trudgingover the Tanuf mountain in searchof it, none could find the cave theyhad assaulted in 1958.

What a challenge!So putting my battlefield

detective head on – I once moreread everything again. All the

I last wrote inDespatches of myplanned Spring 2013visit to the JebelAkdhar in Oman, to explore the small‘Secret’ war of 1958/59.

Same view as above in 2014

View of ‘Tanky Smith’ and the .30 Browning 1958

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personal accounts refer to theTanuf Slab. This is a slab of rock atabout at 40° angle that ascendsright up to about 6000ft. So if theyhave walked all over this mountainin search of the cave and could notfind it, were they looking in theright area? Records suggest that 18& 19 Troop climbed the mountainat night having left Tanuf at 1930on the 30 November. They got intoposition to assault the cave. DLB1

wrote that the sun came up roughlybehind them and that they werefacing approximately north. Backto the photograph, I looked at theangle and direction of ‘Tanky’s’ gunand calculated that the cave shouldbe on the eastern side of the Tanufmountain and that the SAS musthave climbed up an adjacentmountain in order to attack it

I then compared the photograph Ihad of ‘Tanky’ in his firing positionand spent quite a lot of time onGoogle Earth looking for thedistinctive wadi (valley) that is in thepicture. I used all the tools availableon Google Earth – zooming in,setting the angles/rotation etc. Afterseveral hours, I located what Ithought was the approximate areaof the OP. I plotted the coordinatesand duly loaded them into the oldfaithful. With the GPS fully loaded,maps printed, gang briefed andpassports secured we set off for theJebel Akhdar from Dubai. The

journey taking about 6 hours intotal; – the aim was to get to theborder as early as possible.Unfortunately, we had to stay at thesame hotel where our passportswere stolen – due to there only beingone hotel on the Jebel!

As some of the group were notmountain goats, it was decided tohave Day one as a rest day to helpacclimatise at 6000ft. Perfect, theideal opportunity to search forDLB’s cave. We drove off themountain to Tanuf area, parked upand began the long slog up themountain. There are so many falsecrests on the Jebel and it did get alittle soul destroying after a while.The temperatures at the bottomwere a mild 37 degrees and thatwas at 0830. The sun was behindus all the way up and walking onsun-soaked rock slab ensured thatwe weren’t going to get cold. Wetravelled light, only wearingCamel-baks and bumbags. Stayinglight was essential and so the maincontents we carried were fluids,sugary sweets and of course,passports. After two hours wewere just below the crest – thealtitude was 4000ft. On reachingthe top of the ridge, I expected tosee the cave off to my left, acrossthe wadi. I hoped that all mycalculations were correct. Thoselast few strides to the crest weremade so enthusiastically………I

looked to the left, and there it was!A small cave on a near vertical faceon the eastern side of the TanufMountain. It was little wonderthat they could not see the cavefrom the Tanuf Mountain itself.

We were so pleased to find thecave, as the cave had apparentlynot been located since the war. Itmust be remembered that theclimb was then made at night andboth 18 & 19 Troop had towithdraw under fire down the hillto safety after the assault. On the 1December 1958 at 0530, onarrival just below the crest, DLBpositioned 18 Troop forward,lower down on the ridge andcloser to the cave and 19 Troop,along with ‘Tanky’ Smith with his.30 Browning, providing FireSupport from further up the ridge.18 Troop were positioned in a linefacing the cave (see photo above).After the long slog up themountain, the men started toshiver in the cool dawn air havingsweated profusely on the way up.

The battle was described byDLB2 in his book:“The sky paled. Light stole ontothe mountain. Now at last Icould see the black mouth of themain cave, with smaller openingsbeside it. The air was absolutelystill. The cold bit more fiercelythan ever. My watch said 0610…..0615.…0620. At last a white-robed figure appeared in thecave-mouth. The Arab lookedround, yawned and stretched.When he spat, we heard him asclearly as if we had been in thesame room. He moved off to oneside to urinate. Another manappeared, then another.I looked to right and left.Everyone was poised for action.The rocket launcher crew,Troopers Goodman and Bennett,were on their feet behind a rockwith their weapon levelled. Iwaited until four or five Arabswere in view together, and thenat last gave the signal.

Pandemonium erupted. Witha whoosh the first rocket flewstraight into the cave. A flash litup the entrance, and the boomof a heavy explosion came backat us. The rattle of our small

1 Looking for Trouble by General Sir Peter Del La Billiere 2 P.141 Looking for Trouble

View of Adoo cave from 18 Troop’s position

Adoo Cave

Tanuf Mountain

View from Adoo cave on ‘Sabrina’

Middle Wallop

Cassino

arms fire echoed harshly roundthe rock walls. Several Arabsfell, and for a few seconds wehad things to ourselves. Thensuddenly the whole mountaincame to life as shots began to

crack out from above us on bothsides. What we had not realizedwas that other caves high in therock faces were also inhabited.”

It was clearly evident that therehad been a battle on the ridge,with splinters of metal all over theplace. However, it wasn’t enoughfor me to be 100% convinced thatthis was their cave. I needed toidentify the exact spot in the photowhere ‘Tanky Smith’ and the guncrew lay. After pacing up anddown the ridge in blistering hotsunshine with the photo in onehand and Google Earth image inthe other, I eventually found it.

Back in the north of the area on‘Cassino’, 16 & 17 Troop werecarrying out aggressive patrollingtoo. On the same day as the Tanufcave assault, one of their positions,manned by ‘Herbie’ Hawkins andhis 6 man patrol – was attacked byup to 30-40 Adoo. Due to theirvery isolated position, they had towait until the Adoo were about150 yards away before theyengaged them.

The main plan was to launch anattack on the main Adoostronghold. Objective ‘Sabrina’,consisted of two large peaks andcontained many caves, it waslocated approximately 4kms eastof ‘Cassino’. In between ‘Cassino’and ‘Sabrina’ was a large ridge –providing an excellent platform toset up an OP and observe theAdoo activity. This ridge wasgiven the name ‘Middle Wallop’.

On 24th December 1958, 16 &17 Troop, under Captain ‘RedRory’ Walker, moved out of‘Cassino’ to ‘Middle Wallop’.

Christmas Day ‘58, was spent inthe OP on Middle Wallop observingthe Adoo on ‘Sabrina’. Afterseveral days of reconnaissance, theattack was planned for the 27December. The plan was to leave‘Middle Wallop’ at night, descendinto the wadi and lie up 600 yardsfrom ‘Sabrina’ during the day readyfor the attack at 1715hrs.Fortunately, the LUP was in dead

View of Adoo cave on ‘Sabrina’ from 17 Troop’s assault direction


ground. Reconnaissance confirmedthat the main cave was located onthe right-hand peak. 16 Troopwere to lead the assault with 17Troop providing a diversion fromthe northwest. It was pitch blackand a struggle for the Troops tosee. At the designated time, 17Troop provided diversionary firefrom the northwest whilst 16Troop attacked the caves from thesouth. Initially 16 Troop haddifficulty climbing the cliffs toassault the right hand peak, withCaptain Walker reportedly lobbinghand grenades over the top as hewas climbing up the rope!

The right hand peak containsmany caves and Adoo firingpositions, which were quite easy tospot. Our group drove initially tothe village of Ar Ruus, the closestpoint you can drive to, to walk to‘Sabrina’. On our arrival at ArRuus, in typical Omani fashion, avillager appeared in no time; -pleased to have visitors, andinvited us all in for ‘Ghawha’(coffee) and dates. Fortunately,one of our group could speakArabic and told them we wouldlove to accept the invitation onreturn. The walk to ‘Sabrina’ took

16 Troopattack dirLUP

Dukes view

Bullet strike marks on boulders 50 yards from cave

about 3 hours and involvedwalking up and down a few wadis.Even though the altitude is about7000ft, temperatures in the wadiscan be as high as +30 degrees.Again, we travelled relatively lightwith stacks of water and enoughpackets of Jelly Babies to sustainour energy needs!

On approaching ‘Sabrina’, therewere ever increasing signs ofbattle. Rockets, casings, shrapneland belt link clips were dotted allover the place. On arrival at thepeak, it was time to rest the groupand issue another reminder onsafety. I was surprised how manycaves there were and how wellhidden they were. It wasn’t aclean battlefield at all. The youthin me wanted to get inside thecaves and start exploring – but thefirst cave had puma prints in it – atimely reminder and somethingthat I didn’t fully consider! Asmaller cave was spotted facingtowards ‘Middle Wallop’ and‘Cassino’. Looking around it, itwas clearly evident that this hadbeen an area of intense fighting. I had read that 16 Troop hadattacked a cave on their right andwondered if this had been it.

There were bullet strike marks inall the rocks surrounding it andeven rocket strikes. Further downthe hill in the direction of theassault, further damage could beseen in the boulders.

It is worth remembering thatfurther assaults took place on‘Sabrina’. Notably one of the largeassaults, possibly the main assault,took place on 26 January 1959with A Squadron 22 SAS, led byMaj Johnny Cooper. After somefierce fighting, in which MajorGeneral Tony Jeapes won the MC,the objective was secured. Theplan was to persuade the Adoo intothinking that the main assault ontothe Saiq plateau would be from thisdirection. Meanwhile, one Troopwas left to hold ‘Sabrina’ whilst theremaining three Troops would joinD Sqn for the main assault onto theSaiq plateau from the south. Thesmall ‘secret’ war for the SASlasted 6 months. Sheikh Suliemanbin Hamyar, Imam Ghalib bin Aliand his brother Talib had left thegreen mountain and withdrew toSaudi Arabia to a hero’s welcome.The Jebel Akhdar had been clearedof the Adoo but at the cost of threemembers of the SAS KIA.

Their graves are hidden away inMuscat but can be located with alittle research. Troopers Carterand Bembridge are located in aChristian cemetery in the Ruwidistrict of Muscat bizarrelyenough, a stone’s throw away fromwhere they arrived in Bait Al Falajin 1958. Although not a CWGCcemetery, the graves are lookedafter well. Cpl ‘Duke’ Swindells,killed on Tanuf, is buried in a verynice cemetery that can really onlybe approached by boat. It islocated at Eastern Cove behind AlAlams Royal Palace. Very sadly,this small cemetery has beenvandalised and the CWGC(Portland Stone) headstonesdestroyed. To that end, new,sturdy headstones have beenreplaced that will hopefully beresistant to these attacks.

So overall, this was a verysuccessful tour. The phrase ‘Timespent in reconnaissance is seldomwasted’ proved most appropriate.Many hours were spent on GoogleEarth and cross referencing – but itgoes to show, that it is possible topositively identify an exact positionand battlefield from limited sourcessome 56 years afterwards.

Adam WilliamsBadge No 56

Right peakof ‘Sabrina’17 Troop

attack dir


CZECHODYSSEYChris Lock

BATTLEFIELDguides: IN ACTION

An amazing journey of personalcommemoration originally identified andachieved by Milena Kolarikova, Directorand owner of Lest We Forget BattlefieldTours (Flanders), concluded by the CWGC,the Military Institute in Prague CzechRepublic and the family of Pte DominiqueNaplava who fell in action on thePasschendaele Ridge during WW1.

Pte Naplava’s original ‘Honour Stone’ identified forreplacement in Tyne Cot CWGC cemetery has startedits long journey to his homeland. The stone has beengifted by the CWGC on an agreed loan basis and willbe dedicated with military honours at the MilitaryInstitute of Prague for public display.��

According to the CWGC, this is the only CWGCinstalled stone in the world to have been engraved with apersonal epitaph in the Czech language which may alsobe seen on his brand new Italian Boticino materialreplacement stone recently erected in Tyne Cot CWGCcemetery.��The attached images show Christine Connertyof the CWGC Ypres office and staff placing thegravestone, encased in its dedicated protective packing,into the care of receiving Czech military personnel,Colonel Loeffler, Major Plescher, Warrant Officer Krejcaand Milena before its long journey to Prague.��Milenahas been invited to the dedication ceremony to take placeover the Armistice commemorations in Prague and formyself, I am to support her, but most of all I am simplydelighted to know that her long hard work has finallyborne fruit, so to speak.

On behalf of Pte Dominique Naplava, hiscomrades in arms today, his family, the Czech nationand the CWGC, well done Milena! On behalf of allwho assisted Milena or who were involved in anyshape or form, I confirm your efforts were and arevery much appreciated by Milena and she thanks youmost graciously!

Tim Saunders: “Our driver was turning around while Iwas doing a stand on Scimitar Hill and got his rear endstuck as seen in the pictures.

The driver, Turkish minder and the locals wereastounded when instead of ‘bleating like sheep’ asnormal tourists they deal with would have done, thearmy and farmers all got stuck in to dig the thing outwithout tools.

A great time was had by all! One of the exercise aimswas bonding a new HQ staff – mission accomplished!”

John Cotterill working at the MeninGate with cadets from the DerbyshireArmy Cadet Force

Chris Preston leading a private pilgrimage over hisfavourite stomping ground, the fields of Bullecourt.

Problems on tour

Television Guides, some of the BHTV Crew for therecent 1914 series of films pictured at St SymphorienCWGC are Tom Dormer, Tim Saunders, Andrew Duff,Paul Oldfield and Mike Peters.


STAND ALONE - CAN THE BATTLE OF LOOSBE COVERED FROM ONE STAND?Paul Oldfield

Many guides know the Loos battlefield,but how many give a second thought tothe looming spoil heaps that now cover theDouble Crassier? They can be seen fromjust about anywhere on the Loosbattlefield and beyond, Vimy Ridge forexample. I always assumed they werefenced off and ‘out of bounds’, until thissummer when I was taking pictures in thearea and noticed lots of ants runningaround on the top of one of them.Through binoculars, the ants became aparty of children on some form of summerholiday activity. Rather than being offlimits, the spoil heaps are actually in alandscaped post-industrial park.

To reach the park, leave the centre ofLoos on the D165 heading southwest.About 300m before it reaches the N43(the road passing Dud Corner), turn leftonto a minor road. Cross the N43 and goover the A21 towards Lievin. Pass undera green footbridge (remember it). Pass acar park and café on the right andcontinue with a high wall on the left.When the wall ends, turn immediate leftinto ‘Base 11/19’. It doesn’t matter if youmiss this turning as the next left goes tothe same place.

‘Base 11/19’ consists ofpreserved mining buildings (Fosse11). Park and find your way to thegreen footbridge. Cross the bridgetowards the two enormous spoilheaps. Bear left with the track tojoin a metalled roadway. Follow itround to the right between thespoil heaps until you see theremains of the tramway climbingthe heap on the right, i.e.northeast. For the best view,follow the tramway to the top; itis easier walking to the side of the sleepers.

The view from the topencompasses the whole Loosbattlefield. Those who prefer theDress Circle to the Gods shouldcontinue along the metalled roaduntil it emerges onto a plateau.Head for the northern edge, tooverlook the battlefield. The viewis not as spectacular, but worth theeffort. The southwest spoil heaphas an easier climb, but thenortheast heap obscures part ofthe battlefield.

So, the whole of the Loos battlefield can be covered from one stand, but there are afew prerequisites before launching forth:

• Only go on a clear day to avoid being lynched by your group.• You need a fairly good set of lungs and a matching pair of legs.• A bit of determination and a sense of humour help.• Don’t forget the maps, binos and camera.

The prominent spoil heaps at Loos on top of the Double Crassier, resemblinga horizontal Madonna, of ‘Like a Virgin’ fame, in the 1980s. Taken fromnear ‘Lone Tree’. The winding towers at ‘Base 11/19’ are to the left.

From the top of the northeast spoil heap looking down on ‘Base 11/19’.Approach from Loos on the road in the centre left foreground. Havingparked near the old mine buildings, cross the footbridge to reach the trackleading to the start of the old tramway.

Stairway to heaven. The old tramway leading to the top of the northeast spoil heap. Itlooks more daunting than it actually is (honestly). The start is a bit rough due to erosion,but thereafter it’s just a case of one foot in front of the other to the top. It takes 5-10minutes to climb, depending on fitness. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

The panorama from the top of the spoil heap covers the whole battlefield.


This Guild event covered theoperations of the US Army inNormandy in 1944. Several GBGmembers had already met up duringa pleasant crossing on Brittanyferries from Poole to Cherbourg andthe remaining five joined us inNormandy. The trip was planned,organised and led by our very ownGuild Secretary Tony Smith and hissidekick and another keen studentof the US Army – Ian Mitchell. Inthe spirit of Bob Darby type recceshowever everyone had to sing fortheir supper and thus individualswere usually required to lead thegroup to and explain variousstands. In contrast to other recceevents in Normandy this one wassplit into two parts – the initial fourdays from 4th -8th and then forthose who wished a two dayextended event from the 9th -10thOctober 2013.

Ian and Tony’s desiredobjectives for this event were inorder of priority a)To run an enjoyable and

interesting social event thatbrought together members ofthe Guild and helped them shareknowledge and experiences.

b)To enable guides who are notfamiliar with Normandy tonavigate to key stands on andbeyond the beaches in the USsector i.e. the Cotentin peninsula.

c) To improve knowledge andawareness among guildmembers of the scope and scaleof US Army operations on thebeaches, hedgerows andswamps of the Cotentinpeninsula in June - July 1944.

Based on feedback received nowalmost a year later - it seemsapparent that to some degree oranother- these 3 objectives wereachieved - however just like theactual landings and subsequentcampaign not everything went toplan and lessons were learned, butmore about that later.

The group based itself initiallyout of the small but verywelcoming Hotel Vauban inCarentan and then later out of themodern though slightly lesswelcoming Ibis Hotel in St Lo.The recce commenced with a shorttalk and visits (led by HughJenner) to the Crisbecq andAzzeville batteries which formedpart of the much publicised butessentially porous Atlantic wall.Both visits proved interesting butthe consensus was that you, ifpushed for time, would take yourgroup to Azzeville. Another

option available is to take yourgroup to the Maisy battery justwest of Omaha beach but timepressures precluded such an event.

Our next morning was devotedto a tour of key locations coveringthe drop of the 101st AirborneDivision – the ‘Screaming Eagles’under the able tutelage of MikeJarmain. Like the 101st’s actualdrop the stands are dispersed andoften in places that you could onlyaccess with a small group.Although rain later greeted thegroup just after lunch when JohnGreene had delivered his stand atthe Pointe Du Hoc memorial – thesun later shone brightly across thewhole length of Omaha beach.

On Omaha, Derek Youngsurpassed his excellent performanceduring last year’s event with anabsolute tour de force describingvia 6 stands along the beach andnumerous vignettes the events ofthat terrible day. Our onlydisappointment on Omaha wasthat due to the political antics ofthe US Congress we were not ableto visit the St Laurent Cemetery topay our respects as it was closed.Next morning our group split intotwo – one following Tony Smith ashe took them through the 29thInfantry Divisions advance inlandfrom Omaha towards St Lo. The2nd group led by Ian Mitchell

On a lovely sunny autumn last October a group of 13 Guild members and wivesmet at the car park at Crisbecq battery and museum in Normandy to commencea battlefield recce.

visited sites associated with the82nd ‘All American’ AirborneDivision experience on and justafter D day. This included stands atNeuville au Plan, in Saint MereEglise and at Manoir de la Fiere.

The group’s experience duringthe first 3 days of the reccehighlighted a few guidelines andfactors relevant for planningbattlefield tours in the US sector.These were: • Off the beaten track in theCotentin Peninsula, lanes androads are narrow and canpresent safety issues for evensmall groups when they stop.

• As the Americans themselvesfound back in 1944 –navigating along the backcountry roads to differentstands takes a lot more timeand attention than is apparentfrom maps. You need to setaside time for contingencies.

• Many key historical standsassociated with the fighting inthe hedgerows and swampsare sadly not well suited forlarge bus groups. Though itshould be feasible to takeparties of 8-10 in a small bus.

Most of those attending this eventwere unfamiliar with the US Armyand appropriate stands. Therefore

they sensibly followed Ian Mitchell’sguidance and turned in the firstinstance to existing guide books e.g.the Battle-Zone Normandy (1) andBattleground Europe series (2) or thenow rather dated Stand where theyFought Guidebook (3). Althoughguide books from both the aboveseries proved valuable, our groupexperience was that not all thestands selected for inclusion in thesebooks were of equal usefulness andmerit as informative stands whenconducting a group tour.

The afternoon session on the2nd was led by Bob Brunsdon andcovered the 2nd Infantry ‘Indianhead’ Division’s two attacks on theeastern flank of German defence ofSt Lo. Bob took the opportunityto not only present at the standsbut also explain his methodologyin preparing for the stand usingsome very professional GoogleEarth based hand-outs to illustratethe process. Although no onewould question the need foractually seeing the ground andrecce- all attending agreed withBob that initial virtual recce usingtools like Google Earth has majorbenefits. The importance ofphysical recce was however in anycase shown during the walk up toand down from Hill 192 – as itrevealed excellent examples ofclassic bocage sunken tracks (seephotograph). Such examples arerapidly disappearing in Normandyand knowing where they are isimportant for guides.

The 4th day of the reccecommenced with a rather rainymorning and began with apresentation by John Greene on theplan for Operation Cobra and thesubsequent bombing by the 8th and9th Air Forces of American troops.This took place during our visit toMarigny German cemetery. By thetime we had completed a visit herethe sun came out and stayed out forthe rest of the day. Robin Burrows -Ellis then took over responsibility forguiding the group through thebreakout by US Armoured Divisions

Derek Young in full flow on top of WN 62 on Omaha Beach

Hugh Jenner (on the right of the group) opening the recce at the Crisbecq Battery

BRADLEY’S FIRST ARMYAND THE BREAKOUT-NORMANDY RECCE2013 Ian Mitchell


after a pleasant picnic lunch in thetown square and a short visit to anew Operation Cobra museum thathas opened in Marigny.

The rest of the recce thatafternoon retraced the rapidadvance of the armoured units andcovered a lot of ground and someexcellent stands and this part ofthe recce finished at PontaubaultBridge, just south of Avranches.Robin demonstrated well that anytour that covers the armouredbreakout on Operation Cobra willrequire most of a day. The firstand last stands are some 45 milesapart, and the routes followedrequire a lot of additional travel onthe back roads. Many keylocations are either quite remote orin busy villages or towns. IanMitchell led the group on the finalday of Phase 1 of the recce andafter a few hiccups (we mentionedthe trip didn’t always go to plan)led the group to four standsassociated with the Battle forMonte Castre, a key part of theGerman Mahlmann line.

The group was then guided byJohn Hamill to sunny Utah beachand John combined a usefulpresentation on what he haslearned as a guide with apresentation on the Utah operation

on the beach. In one of thoseinteresting coincidences the groupthen watched Graham Hollandand Jules Vernon – fellowmembers of the Guild arrive withtheir clients and take up positionson our left and right flanks! AfterJohn’s stand we had a brief chanceto talk to both Graham and Julesbefore two of our party left tocatch the Cherbourg ferry. Therest of the group investigatedadditional 101st Airborne Divisionstands visiting Angouville (wherewe again met Graham Hollandcoming out of the church!) and theBloody Gulch area south ofCarentan among other locations.

The 2nd phase of the eventbegan the following morning andwas designed to be slightly lessfrenetic and offer time to studysome locations in more detail.Tony Smith led the revised group toa series of stands connected withthe 29th ‘Lets Go’ Division attackon to and down the Martinvilleridge and into St Lo. Ourexperience on this rather wetmorning further confirmed thegroup consensus that only some ofthe stands covered in the bookBattle Zone Normandy – St Lowere of real value as battlefieldstands for groups. However ashort walk down to the track fromthe la Heperie stand did reveal anexcellent example of bocagecountry. Tony finished his St Lotour in the centreof the town whichenabled the groupto enjoy somerather nice hotsausage baguettesand Normandylemon tarts. Thegroup had theafternoon off topursue individualinterests, such asseeing theairborne museumat St Mere Eglisewhile Ian Mitchellled others to visit

Classic Bocage Country – sunken Trailleading to Hill 192

sites to the west of the Vire,including three stands associatedwith the counter attack by thePanzer Lehr Division in July 1944.

The 2nd and final day of theevent was devoted to the US VIICorps advance on Cherbourg andthe capture of the city itself. BobBrunsdon led the morning sessionand got the group involved inidentifying and then evaluatingsome potential stands. The lastevent of the recce was led by NigelDunkerley who took us to visitFort Roule and discussed the finalbattle for Cherbourg with the aidof the marvellous panoramic viewyou get at the entrance to FortRoule of the port, fortresses andouter harbour. A limitation here isthat it would probably not befeasible to get a large coach up thehill although a minibus will makeit. The group then had plenty oftime before the ferry left at 18.30 todo some leisurely shopping in thebig mall and hypermarket whichnow inhabits one of the old, largedry docks. Other key lessons learned on theevent were: a)Using two hotels in Carentan

and St Lo enabled the group tosee a wide range and number ofstands in a relatively short timeand works well.

b)Travelling to Normandy on thePoole -Cherbourg route cuts time

on the ferry and gets the groupmore rapidly to the US sectorthan using the Portsmouth –Ouistreham ferry. It has theadded advantage that the groupcan study the Cherbourg battleas the last event before boardingthe ferry early evening.

c) A two-phase event providedpeople with flexibility to studysome sites in more detail but itis certainly true that some ofthose attending the 2nd phasewere beginning to flag a little,thus the rest on the afternoonwas welcome.

d)There is a good case to be made,

that if it is intensive, a recceshould be limited to a maximumof four days.

e) Google Earth is an excellentmeans of conducting 360 degreevirtual recces of locations beforedoing the real thing for thosestands accessible by roads.However nothing can beatactually walking the ground.

f) There is case to be made thatfuture recces should requireeveryone to create a short onepage summary for each standwhich can be made available bothto those who attended and also tothe Guild as a reference source.

Some little vignettes of the trip forthe author include: • The tendency of certain guides(who shall remain anonymous)to turn a battlefield recce intoa patisserie recce.

• Constantly shifting position toavoid sinking into the sand atlow tide on Omaha whileDerek Young expanded withverve on the problems facedby US troops crossing thebeach with 60 pounds of kit.

• Listening to Hugh Jennerhighlight the problems ofrelying on first hand veteranaccounts based on hisexperience at Goose Green.

• Hearing the banter betweenJohn Hamill and Derek Youngin the back of our car was likeseeing a comic act in progress.

• Enjoying the company ofeveryone who attended but itwas especially nice to see bothElke and Fiona gracing us withtheir presence.

• Getting on the wrong auto-route out of St Lo (yes thatwas the reason why Mr Smithand Mr Mitchell were late atMonte Castre!)

No account of the trip would becomplete without offering thanksto John and Derek for running theCommissariat during the first partof the tour and ensuring we hadexcellent picnic lunches and alsoFiona and Adrian for taking onthis task during the final phase.The author would like to thankeveryone who attended andcontributed to the recce for theirinput and support and most of allTony Smith for all his hard work.

Bob Brunsdon conducting his tutorial on stands for a 47th Infantry Regiment actionnear Cherbourg

Just one part of the panoramic view of Cherbourg from Fort Du Roule

Notes

1. Battle-Zone Normandy series edited bySimon Trew includes among others: P Yates - Battle for St Lo, S Badsey - UtahBeach, C Pugsley - Omaha Beach and R Havers - the Battle for Cherbourg

2. The well-known Battleground Europeseries produced by Pen and Sword.

3. Stand Where They fought - Carlton Joyce.Author House 2006.

Mike Jarmain, John Greene and Hugh Jenner enjoy a picniclunch in Marigny


GUILD PARTNERSEQUITY TRAVEL

GUIDE COLLABORATION IN GOVERNMENT FUNDEDFIRST WORLD WAR TOURSWhen the Institute of Education (IOE) and schooltour operator Equity won the government bid to sendone teacher and two students of every state-fundedsecondary school in England out to the First WorldWar battlefields of Ypres and the Somme as part ofCentenary commemorations, there was no doubt thatthe partnership wanted the Guild of BattlefieldGuides to be involved from the outset.

The tours, which officially began in May this year,and have now seen over 350 schools participate,combine a unique mix of battlefield guiding,educational input from the IOE, first-hand modern

day experiences from a serving soldier from theBritish Army and teacher-led activities.

This alternative approach to battlefield guiding hasrequired detailed briefings and some on-site mentoringwith those guides involved in delivering theProgramme in terms of positioning, audience andcontent. “The ethos of the Programme is based uponenquiry-based learning”, explains Simon Bendry,National Education Co-ordinator for the IOE andGuild member. “We set a key enquiry question eachday for the group to consider, with sub questions ateach site designed to help them investigate that overall

question. The role of the guide therefore, is to set thescene and orientate the group, helping them tounderstand the site and also to think about the enquiryquestion, before allowing the group time to explorethe sites further and draw their own conclusions.”

Two such sites where teachers and students arechallenged to think and discuss between themselvesare at Tyne Cot and Langemark Cemetery. At thestart of the programme tour, each school researches a‘local soldier’ – identifying who they were, wherethey lived; which regiment they fought for; when theydied and who they left behind. These personal storieshelp make the connection with a generation 100years on and really bring home the scale of the loss.Each group then has the opportunity to visit their‘local soldier’ at Tyne Cot either in the cemetery oron the memorial.

This is then contrasted with a visit to the GermanCemetery at Langemark. The key question gets thegroups to focus on ‘How do the German peopleremember their war dead?’ The Guide sets the scene,providing the context for the site before school groupsare given the opportunity to explore a number ofpersonal stories, before coming back together to

compare similarities and differences between the twosites and discussing how the different approachesreflect on remembrance today. This approach allowsthe teachers and students to develop their own ideasand questions before coming back to the guide foradditional support and discussion.

“We have been really impressed with how theGuides have adapted their style to suit the needs ofthe Programme” explains Simon. “Our collective roleis not only to impart knowledge about the sites wevisit, but to empower the teachers to think differentlyabout how they teach the First World War both onthe battlefields and also back in their classrooms. TheGuides play a very important part in facilitating thisthrough clear, thought-provoking explanations thatbrings each location ‘to life’ and then supporting thegroups through their own investigation of theenquiry questions.”

If you are a GBG Badged Guide and interested inbecoming involved in this ground-breakingProgramme, contact Simon Bendry (a speaker at theAGM or [email protected]) or email Gillian Ruff atschool tour operator Equity at [email protected]

Andy Johnson one of the Guild’s Badged Guides involved in the scheme bringing the Somme battlefield to life for a group Britishstudents and teachers.

Eventguide 201530Jan - Somme Validation Day – Validation Team

20-22 Mar - ‘Dyle to the Escault 1940’ - Chris Finn

17-19 Apr - Dublin Weekend – Kathleen Neagle

12-17 Jun - Ardennes Recce – Ian Mitchell

Aug - Badged Guides Dinner – Graeme Cooper

8-11 Oct - Arnhem Weekend – Wybo Boesma

20-22 Nov - Guild AGM - Council

Our own Secretary, Tony Smith is one of the badged guides working on the programme.


TWO MAJOR BATTLES WERE FOUGHT, ONE ON LAND AND ONE AT SEA, THAT SIGNALLED A

SEVERE DECLINE IN ANCIENT CIVILISATION. THESE FIRST CONFLICTS ARE RECORDED BY IMAGES

OF FIGHTING ON WALL RELIEFS IN EGYPTIAN TEMPLES AND IN TEXTS FOUND IN EGYPT, SYRIAAND TURKEY. THIS ARTICLE FOCUSSES ON THE LAND BATTLE, THE NAVAL ENGAGEMENT

APPEARS IN THE NEXT EDITION.

THE FIRSTWORLD WAR?David Harvey

IT SEEMS LIKELY THE FIRSTWORLD WAR WAS NOT FOUGHT

AT THE START OF THE 20THCENTURY BUT AT THE END OF

THE BRONZE AGE, OVER THREE

THOUSAND YEARS AGO.

The protagonists of the land warfare were the twosuper-powers of the Bronze Age, Hatti and Egypt.The majority of the information we have on the warcomes from Egyptian texts and relief drawingstherefore we are forced to interpret allowing for abiased view of events.

The battle of Qadesh, dated to between 1274 and1285 BC, is the earliest battle in recorded history forwhich texts and images exist. It was also probablythe largest chariot battle ever fought, involvingperhaps 5,000–6,000 chariots. It took place outsidethe city on the banks of the River Orontes nearmodern Aleppo in Syria. It is therefore a site beyondthe reach of battlefield guides during the currentSyrian civil war.

Ramesses II’s arrival on the battlefield is precededby the capture and interrogation of two Hittite spies;When they had been brought before Pharaoh, HisMajesty asked, “Who are you?” They replied “Webelong to the king of Hatti. He has sent us to spy onyou.” Then His Majesty said to them, “Where is he,the enemy from Hatti? I had heard that he was in theland of Khaleb, to the north.” They replied to HisMajesty, “Lo, the king of Hatti has already arrived,together with the many countries who are supportinghim... They are armed with their infantry and theirchariots. They have their weapons of war at theready. They are more numerous than the grains ofsand on the beach. Behold, they stand equipped andready for battle behind the old city of Qadesh.”

It has been suggested that, despite this information,Pharaoh made a tactical error, dividing his army inhurrying to capture Qadesh. As his advance guardcrossed the River Orontes they were attacked by theHittites already in full battle array. Complete disasterwas only avoided through speedy support fromdivisions on the other side of the River. In the chaos

some Egyptian forces fled the battlefield with Hittitechariots in pursuit.

In the Egyptian account Ramesses describeshimself as being deserted and surrounded by enemies,but also claims to have pushed the Hittites back fromhis camp and caused some to drown in the river. TheEgyptian counter-attack must have been successful asboth armies stay on the field of battle to re-engagethe next day. Similarly, it seems the second battle wasinconclusive as eventually Pharaoh withdraws,leaving the field and Qadesh in Hittite hands.

Whilst the text and wall reliefs in Ramesses II’stemples show only a decisive Egyptian win, Hittiterecords tell of their victory and Egyptian retreat. Themost likely outcome is for a stalemate. After further

campaigns the two superpowers agreed a peace treaty in1258. Copies of this first recorded international PeaceTreaty have been found on a Hittite clay table and in anEgyptian Papyrus. A copy of the tablet is on display inthe United Nations, New York.

This battle appears to signal significant changestaking place in military technology and of statesbecoming increasingly dependent on allies andmercenaries. The Egyptians used lighter, faster, two-man chariots, able to out run and manoeuvre three-

man Hittite chariots. Mercenaries are used by botharmies, some of which are equipped with the latestiron long-swords. Some of these new arrivals prove tobe less than loyal in the long-term and would play anincreasingly significant role in Late Bronze Age history. One post-war question remains unanswered, what

catastrophe befell the Hittites that virtually wipedtheir civilisation from history? This puzzlingoutcome is explored in the next edition of despatcheswhich focusses on the first battle of the Nile.

Territory of Egypt (green) & Hittites (red) c.1300 BC

Battle scene onthe walls of the

Ramesseum,Thebes.

On the left theEgyptian chariotsare attacking in

line of battle, eachwith two men,one shooting abow the other

holding a shield. On the right theHittite forces are

in disarray; horsesand men are

falling woundedby arrows.

Relief at Abydos made shortly after the battle. Egyptian foot-soldiers

are facing Hittite chariots. To the right, a Shardana foreign mercenary armed

with round shield and short sword is severing the hand of a Hittite.

A copy of the first recordedinternational Peace Treaty in1258 has been found on aHittite clay table and in anEgyptian Papyrus on displayin the United Nations, New York shown below.

GLIDER PILOTS AT ARNHEMBy Mike Peters & Luuk Buist

Following on from two print runsin hardback, Pen & Sword Ltd hasjust released Glider Pilots atArnhem in digital (Kindle) andpaperback format. As well as

being cheaper than the hardback version, thenew paperback incorporates a number of amendments andupdates to its very detailed appendices. The inclusion ofthis new information enhances what was already acomprehensive stand alone source of information onOperation Market Garden and the role of the GPR in theairborne landings of September 1944. The new size andlighter weight also make it an ideal companion for thoseGuild members who regularly wander the landing zonesaround Nijmegen and Arnhem.

Published by Pen & Sword LtdRRP £16.99paperback, pp214

BELGIUM IN THESECOND WORLDWARBy Jean-Michel Veranneman

This is a long overdue account ofBelgium’s role in World War Two.Long-standing Guild Member Jean-Michel Veranneman has really gonebeyond the usual account of the stormBlitzkrieg ravaging neutral Belgium.

He gives a detailed account of the 18-day resistance offeredby the outnumbered and outgunned Belgian military.Equally interesting are the chapters on the realities of theoccupation, the overseas contingents that fought on aftercapitulation and the Belgians that fought for the Naziregime later in the war. Fascinating stuff, I look forward tothe next volume on Belgium in the First World War.

Published by Pen & Sword Ltd RRP £19.99hardback, pp205


GUIDEbooks:VISITING THE SOMME& YPRES BATTLEFIELDSMADE EASYA Helpful Guide For Groups and IndividualsBy Gareth Hughes

Written by a senior History Teacher with experience ofnumerous battlefield tours on the Western Front, this guideis firmly aimed at the novice group leader or individual. Itdoes what it says on the tin, introducing the reader to thenuances of planning an itinerary for the Somme or theYpres Salient. The chapters include some fairly standardcore itineraries, stand notes, a chronological timeline andbackground on CWGC ethos. There are also some outlineitineraries for Mons, Arras, Loos and Fromelles. It is acomprehensive beginner’s guide but probably of limitedappeal to Guild members.

Published by Pen & Sword Ltd RRP £12.99paperback, pp164

RETREAT OF 1 CORPS 1914By Jerry Murland

This is a new addition to thebattleground series released tocoincide with the FWW Centenaryand the renewed interest in thedynamic campaigns of 1914.Written by a Guild member it is the ideal balance of maps,photographs and first-hand accounts, all linked by aknowledgeable and engaging narrative. It also includes somehelpful data appendices including daily rates of march,orders of battle etc. – for those technical questions fromclients. Some of the latest battlegrounds have verged onbeing full-blown historical accounts that are too lengthy andponderous for use while touring, not so with this conciseand informative guide. This is a well-balanced and usefulguidebook that I will certainly be taking on future tours.

Published by Pen & Sword LtdRRP £12.99paperback, pp139

GALLIPOLISNIPERBy the time he died in 1943, alone andalmost penniless, he had all but beenforgotten. Billy was born in 1886 inClermont, QLD to a Chinese father fromShanghai and an Englishwoman. This sonof a Chinaman rose above the racistattitudes and laws of the time and was alikeable young bloke admired for hissporting prowess, particularly with therifle. While still a boy, the story went, hecould shoot the tail off a piglet at 25 paceswith a .22 rifle.

From the age of 15, Billy worked as astation hand, ringer and horse droverfurther cultivating his childhood bushskills, including hunting. He honed hisshooting skills at the Clermont Rifle Club,and later at the rifle club in Proserpine. Aregular winner of shooting prizes, he wasalso a good cricketer. Sing was in his primewhen he journeyed to Brisbane to join the5th Light Horse (LH) Regiment in 1914.The 5th LH was in Egypt when theANZACs landed at Gallipoli. Leavingtheir horses behind, Billy’s regimentdeployed in May 1915 as Infantry toTurkey’s Gallipoli Peninsula. Trooper 355,Billy Sing became “probably the mostdangerous sniper in any army throughoutthe war”, wrote Ion Idriess. Idriess sailedto war on the same boat as Billy andbecame a popular author after the war. Hewas also an experienced bushman and attimes was Billy’s spotter.

‘Abdul the Terrible’, as the Allies calledhim, was the decorated Turkish sniperbought to Gallipoli to stop Sing! Hemethodically studied the Australian’shandiwork – up to nine kills per day.Having finally located Sing’s speciallyconstructed ‘posse’, Abdul prepared totake down his prey – only to be shotbetween the eyes by Sing. Abdul was oneof Sing’s 201 confirmed Gallipoli kills,though he probably took the lives of manymore Turks – there was not always aspotter to verify kills, and it wassometimes difficult to determine if targetsthat had been hit and fallen into trencheshad actually been killed. Though bringinggrief to Turkey, Sing’s exploits saved Alliedlives and was perfect propaganda – he wasMentioned in Despatches, awarded theDistinguished Conduct Medal and lauded

in newspapers from Sydney to SanFrancisco. But it didn’t go all Sing’s way.He was wounded in August 1915, when aTurkish sniper hit the telescope of hisspotter, who was badly wounded beforethe bullet finally came to rest in Billy’sshoulder. As the weather deteriorated,Billy succumbed to the cold, wet weatherand the appalling conditions in thetrenches and was evacuated to Malta justweeks before the Allies withdrew from theGallipoli peninsula. Bouts of illness keptBilly in England for some time before hewas deployed to the Western Front inJanuary 1917 with the 31st AustralianInfantry Battalion, where soon after hewas wounded and sent back to England torecuperate. He wrote home, “We had anawful time in France this winter; it was thecoldest they’ve had for years. It wouldbreak your heart to see the dead bodieslying around unburied.” Following hisdischarge from hospital he was givenleave. Sing headed to Edinburgh, where hehad a whirlwind romance with a waitressElizabeth Stewart. On 29 June they weremarried. A month later Billy was back inthe trenches! Private Sing was awarded theBelgian Croix de Guerre in early 1918, forhis role in leading a patrol, killing severalGerman snipers at Polygon Wood inSeptember 1917. Over his period ofservice he contracted influenza,rheumatism, mumps, had been gassed,shot on two occasions, sustained shrapnelwounds to both legs and his back,spending quite some time in and out ofhospitals, eventually causing his medicaldischarge. The mustard gas caused lifelonglung disease for Billy and it signalled theend of his military career when in July1918 he was shipped home. Despitehaving been wounded, gassed and illseveral times he was declared fit and ableto work when discharged in Brisbane.

For a time Billy was buoyed by anenthusiastic welcome in both Proserpineand later Clermont but that soon faded.He set out to be a sheep farmer like somany other soldiers on blocks donated toreturned servicemen by the FederalGovernment, but his land was poor likemany of the blocks in this flawed scheme.Almost a third of the soldiers turned

farmers walked off the land – includingBilly Sing. There’s no indication that Billy’swife was ever part of his new life. There iscorrespondence showing that he appliedfor Elizabeth to have free passage fromBritain, it doesn’t seem to have eventuated.

Though hampered by illness and hiswounds, the failed sheep farmer still hadto make a living. He turned to goldprospecting and did well enough to go onweekend sprees with his mining mates. Healso got a reputation for heavy drinkingand a bad attitude. When the gold ran out,Billy turned to labouring in Brisbanewhere he continued to work hard althoughcomplaining of pains in his heart, chestand back. On May 19, 1943, Billy wasfound dead in his boarding housebedroom. Five shillings were also foundbut no sign of his war medals.

As his humble grave marker in theLutwyche War Cemetery weathered away,Billy Sing was all but forgotten. 50 yearsafter his death a newspaper article revivedinterest in ‘this ace Australian sniper’. Aplaque was erected on the site where he diedand in 1995, a statue of Sing was unveiledwith full military honours in his hometownof Clermont. In 2004 Australian Armysnipers named their Baghdad post the ‘BillySing Bar & Grill’. Last year, on the 66thanniversary of his death, wreaths were laidat Sing’s grave during a ceremony attendedby various dignitaries, including the ChineseConsul-General.

Article Printed courtesy R.M.WilliamsOUTBACK magazine -

www.outbackmag.com.au

Billy Sing, nicknamed‘The Murderer’ was aWorld War 1 hero,once known aroundthe world.

In each edition of Despatches, we will be introducing amember of the Guild. In this edition, it is Joël Stoppels.

1. How long have you been interested in battlefields andwhat was it that initially attracted your interest?I loved history as a child, at school; I always got highmarks in history. My grandparents told me a lot aboutWW2 so I became more interested. I started collectingeverything that had to do with WW2. As a result, Istarted reading more about the Second World War.Eventually I started my own company, BattlefieldTours.

2. Have any experiences stood out? Currently I run a lot of Battlefield Tours for students. On my tours I try to pass the history on to younger people. Studentsoften reflect on the things that they hear during thetours and this provokes more questions. I try to makethem appreciate the sacrifice of those that fought toliberate Holland and secured their freedom. I strive tomake the story and the legacy tangible for my groups.

3. What do you enjoy the most about battlefield guiding?Battlefield touring creates links between people. Mostpeople who come along share similar interests. It iscommon for participants after each tour to exchangeaddresses so that they can keep in touch. I think themost memorable moments are when I take veterans ontour with me. To hear them talking about theirexperiences is priceless. Allied to this is the opportunityI have to assist clients to visit cemeteries and memorialsto find their relatives resting place.

4. What is your favourite stand, location or battlefield andwhy? My favourite place is Delfzijl, a large port with apromenade dominated by huge bunkers. From thebeachfront there is a wonderful view of Germany andyou normally see several sailing ships. The port has atremendous history, during WW2 there was heavyfighting in Delfzijl and its surroundings. It was the lastplace in the Netherlands that was liberated on May 2,1945. In fact, the last bombs on Dutch territory fell there.

5. Which battlefield would you like to visit in the future?I’d like to go to Stalingrad. There is so much history atStalingrad, as a WW2 Battlefield Guide I think that Imust see Stalingrad (Wolvagrad) for myself. I personallythink that you need a few days to explore the area witha group. Walking the ground in where the combat tookplace adds a new dimension to battlefield visits andenables you to see locations well off the beaten track.

6. What have you enjoyed the most about being a memberof the Guild? The validation program of the Guildallows you to develop as a guide. I am glad that I amparticipating in the validation program. I have learnedto reflect on my guiding skills and my level ofknowledge. Since joining the Guild I have made manynew friends with people who share similar interests andto whom you can turn for advice and help with projectsor ventures.

7. If there was a fire and you could only save onebattlefield-related book or prop, what would you saveand why? I would prefer to save my entire collectionbut I think this is certainly not possible. In mycollection I have two Canadian uniforms from WW2,including the uniform of a Canadian soldier fought toliberate my hometown. The veteran himself gave it tome, because he felt that it had to end up in good hands.I also possess a secret radio that is used by theresistance in Groningen. This radio is made in a bookso the Germans could not discover it.

8. What type of group do you think is the mostchallenging to lead on a tour? During tours, you havevarious experts along. Some are well read and knowwhat they are talking about. For me the hardest thingis being younger than my clients, I am often challengedby the occasional older ‘Know all’.

9. What’s the best tip, story or nugget of information youhave been given by a fellow battlefield guide?It is nerve-wracking and scary to stand up in front oflarge groups of people and speak. It does get easierthough and eventually you learn to improvise and addin a few of your own stories and extra bits ofinformation. You are just talking and if you think aboutthe commentary as though you are just speaking to agroup of your friends, it makes you relax and you gainconfidence.

10. What is the funniest or most dramatic thing you haveseen on tour? A while ago a bachelor party booked atour with me. During the tour they drank constantly untilthe entire group was very drunk. Eventually, after tryingto shorten the tour, I ended up with the whole group in apub in the centre of Groningen. It was therefore, the endpoint of the tour – I left the group to their drinking.

NEWmembers: New members who have been welcomed to the Guildbetween August 2014 and the date of publication.

Agamba ArambamNigel AtterMartin ChandlerRay ChesworthRichard Clay

Bryn DolanOliver GreenGiles GuthrieDan HillRoss Knox-Holmes

Paul JohnsonJohn MarrAndrew MorganJim MaynardNeil Pudney

Anthony RichNick RobsonPaul StevensonRichard SullivanPeter SweeneyPeter White

Name: Joël StoppelsAge: 29Nationality: DutchHome Location: Groningen,

NetherlandsTour Company: Sole TraderValidating: Yes

10 Questions:

despatchesdespatches winter 2014 in this issue: desert recce a stand alone bradley’s normandy...

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