I downloaded the audiobook of this last week so I could listen to it whilst travelling to the @thegreatwargroup.bsky.social trip to Nieuwpoort. It’s an excellent account of the opening days of the war across the world & covers the brutality of this combat on soldiers & civilians alike. A must read.

Cold this morning at Greenham Common, but the view from the control tower is amazing!

December, lovely views of Greenham Common from the former Air Traffic Control Tower. It’s now a heritage centre, focused on the airborne drops into Normandy by US forces, the Cold War bombers & Cruise Missiles as well as the protest movement. Do come if around Newbury. greenhamtower.org.uk for hours

The joys of being a guide! Yesterday I led a group of 14 around the former RAF Greenham Common on behalf of Greenham Control Tower. You can see us in front of the old 501 Tactical Missile Wing HQ & on the tiny remaining part of the runway. Wet, cold & windy. I’m the one with the orange rucksack.

I’ve just re-watched this excellent very short (20 mins) film on Lanoe Hawker VC, partly funded by the Great War Aviation Society. Hawker was the 1st British airman to shoot down an enemy aeroplane. More info at www.hawkerfilm.com. Have you seen this @thelegalseagull.bsky.social ?

I went to my old school’s Remembrance Sunday service this morning. Before the service starts, the full names of the Roll of Honour to the school fallen in the 2 world wars is read out. It takes half an hour and seeing the their names in print is very sobering. #Lestweforget

Memorial service at Greenham Common yesterday to commemorate the 31 glider troopers of 19 Glider Infantry Regt & 2 pilots killed in a Horsa crash at Greenham on 12/12/44 & to the crews of two B17s which collided over Greenham on 15/12/44. Weather was awful & felt for the USAF personnel in the rain.

What better way to mark my 1st post here than to say what an incredible conference the Great War Group hosted in Brighton. Great to catch up with friends, can’t wait for the next GWG event!