Jonathan Ware
LightNews LightNews
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Jonathan Ware
@reassesshistory.bsky.social
540 followers 2 following 370 posts
Enquiries: DM
Military Historian, 'valuable' according to IWM
Jocks, Dragons & Sospans (2024)
Normandy 1944 specialist
Posts Replies Media Videos
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Parklife
November 9, 2025 at 12:32 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Grandad

Father

Son

Spitfire Trinity
#WW2 #SWW #History
October 29, 2025 at 2:41 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Slave labour underpinned V-2 production, engrained in the Holocaust. To suggest it was POWs overlooks a deliberate Nazi campaign of exploitation, presecution & genocode.

I think this needs to be front & centre.

Thoughts?
#WW2 #SWW #History
October 29, 2025 at 1:27 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Gebuza Nungu was a Zulu member of 15th Glamorganshire (Gower) Home Guard, born in Ulundi in 1870, he came to Britain as a lion tamer with the The Savage South Africa Show in 1898, before moving to South Wales & working in the steel industry.
#WW2 #SWW #History
October 28, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Reposted by Jonathan Ware
jeffcrutherford.bsky.social
Historians of Germany, fascism, & the Second World War: any suggestions for recent book chapters/articles that examine the historiography of Nazi Germany along the lines of those in Kershaw's rather dated The Nazi Dictatorship: Problems & Perspectives of Interpretations? It's for a senior seminar.
October 17, 2025 at 2:15 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
At some point we need a suitable phrase for 21st Army Group's massive July offensive, 15 - 25 July... as these lack a suitable operational name tying them together.

'Titanic'
#WW2 #SWW #History
October 17, 2025 at 1:28 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Very glad, if knackered, to say that Vol 1 of Jocks, Dragons and Sospans, the new history of 53rd Welsh Division has been submitted to the publisher.

Now to finish Vol 2.
#WW2 #SWW #History
October 17, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Jonathan Ware
stevesmith1944.bsky.social
All being well, my next book comes out on 30 Nov 25. It looks at the alleged disappearance of the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment & looks at all the duff history that surrounds the story of their advance on Kuchuk Anafarta Ova on 12 Aug 15 during the Gallipoli Campaign #WW1 #FWW #Norfolk #Gallipoli
October 11, 2025 at 9:41 AM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
A reminder to most militaria dealers that the majority of Sospan Fach were not manufactured or supplied to 4 Welch...

But to the Home Guard.

Possibly a ratio of 10:1.
#WW2 #SWW #History
September 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
So @wartimeni.com thought you may like these higher res images of troops in NI, feel free to use them.
September 24, 2025 at 2:33 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
A Challenger (no not that one) at the surrender of Cuxhaven, 7 May 1945.
#WW2 #SWW #History
September 23, 2025 at 11:06 AM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Simple maths.

Approximately 90% of German divisions on the Eastern Front participated in genocide/atrocities/the Holocaust.

German infantry divisions in Normandy had approximately 30% of their strength drawn from Eastern Front veterans.
#WW2 #SWW #History
September 5, 2025 at 3:00 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Person A: Did the army not put out any guidance on how to wear GS Caps?

Normandy Bean: You mean Cap, Ridiculous?

British soldiers:
#WW2 #SWW #History
August 20, 2025 at 1:18 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
One of the many British soldiers who served in 53rd Welsh Division.
#WW2 #SWW #History
August 20, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Reposted by Jonathan Ware
niels1944.bsky.social
Always nice when people take the time to review your books.
Here's a new one from The Modelling News: www.themodellingnews.com/2025/07/read...
Read n' reviewed: Niels Henkemans’ Defending Normandy Vol.1B by Panzerwrecks Publishing
Scale models, model reviews, tamiya, 1/32, 1/48th , aircraft modelling, model building, tank model, car model, figure model, 1/72nd scale, star wars,
www.themodellingnews.com
August 1, 2025 at 10:42 AM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Heavy plant is boring right?

I mean surely a bulldozer can't be cool, right?

Wrong!

Look at the armoured D-7 Dozer! /1
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 21, 2025 at 3:22 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
In WW2, the age for active overseas service was 19.

This was reduced to 18 1/2 in early 1944 when manpower crisis bit.

You had to be 21 to vote.

I'm not a fan of votes at 16 for several reasons, but we need to understand our own history.

Basics.
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 18, 2025 at 1:18 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Useful Operation Goodwood Answers!

Yes it was #OTD in 1944.
No, Operation Goodwood was NOT a British breakout attempt.
Yes, Goodwood WAS meant to be in parallel with Operation Cobra.
No, Goodwood was not launched to conserve infantry casualties.
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 18, 2025 at 11:29 AM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
British armoured losses during Operation Goodwood

493 tanks were destroyed, damaged or disabled.

156 tanks completely written off: 118 of from 29 Armoured Brigade.

Of the remaining 337, 119 needed extended repair in rear workshops, 218 minor work & return.
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 18, 2025 at 11:17 AM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
So did Lieutenant John Gorman of 2 Armoured Irish Guards *really* destroy a 68.5 ton King Tiger in a bonkers ram with his 33 ton Sherman tank?

What really happened on that fateful summer's day?

Read on. /1
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 18, 2025 at 9:08 AM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
On 18 July 1944, Bomber Command unleashed over a thousand heavy bombers against the German defenders opposing Operation Goodwood: a massive armoured offensive.

But how many bombers were lost, & why is it so hard to agree on such losses? /1
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 18, 2025 at 8:52 AM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
How savage were British officer casualties in Normandy?

Almost every man in this O Group became a casualty in the same action in less than 12 hours.
#OTD in 1944
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 17, 2025 at 7:31 PM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
So 81 years ago, five miles of the British front explodes into action on 16 July 1944.

Troubling reports reach Army Group B's Headquarters that British breakout looms, the front may implode. /1
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 16, 2025 at 11:11 AM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
So in Normandy, the British have Regiments of Sherman, Cromwell, and Churchill tanks.*

And like where does the DINKY LIL' STUART FIT IN????

Well...

It's a doozy. /1

*Well Canadians jus' get Armd Regts of Shermans but that's for another day...
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 16, 2025 at 9:42 AM
reassesshistory.bsky.social
M10 and M10 17 Pounder supporting CHURCHILLS in Normandy

A British perspective anchored around Tank Brigades.

The unsung hero /1
#WW2 #SWW #History
July 15, 2025 at 9:14 AM