WWII Historian, Author and former soldier, sharing his deep knowledge on glider operations, the Army Air Corps, and the Mighty Eighth.
Joined August 2026
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One for your diary if you are in the Ridgewell area on 29 October. I will be talking about the ill-fated Schweinfurt raid in the church frequented by many men from the 381st Bomb Group (H). Hopefully see some of you there.
Well, safely back from an epic trip to the Airborne battlefields of NW Europe. The first Drop Zone tour. Over six days we covered Eben Emael, Market Garden and we managed to bounce the Rhine! Thanks to the teams at Battle Honours and Tripsmith for their support - 100% succesful.
Mike Peters retweeted
Visited this year with the great @MikeHistorian on his warfare through the ages fascinating to walk the ground
Yesterday we managed to fit a visit to the Reichswald War Cemetery into our itinerary. Among the massed ranks of RAF Bomber Command headstones we identified the Glider Pilot graves from Op Varsity. It was an opportunity to pay our respects to both GPR and RAF pilots KIA.
The Tripsmiths Drop Zone 1 Tour is now complete and we are returning to Blighty. Yesterday's foray into Germany to tour the Op Varsity battlefield was the perfect conclusion to our six-days of WWII Airborne history. Already looking forward to DZ 2 Tour in Crete.
We had a full afternoon in and around Hamminkeln following 6th (British) Airborne Division through Op Varsity on 24 - 25th MArch 1945. Interesting to contrast the execution of the Rhine crossing Op with Market Garden.
Our final day of Airborne history was taken us over the River Rhine and into Germany. We are exploring the much contested Landing Zones of Operation Varsity. It was a real pleasure to highlight the contribution made to the mission by the US 17th Airborne Division.
Topical...
82 years ago today, Easy Company takes part in Operation Pegasus with their new CO, Lt. Frederick “Moose” Heyliger.🪖
Royal Canadian Engineers & the men of Easy Company successfully evacuate 138 British 1st Airborne troops trapped in German occupied territory who had been in hiding since the Battle of Arnhem. 🪂
Painting by Gil Cohen 🎨
It's been a rewarding day exploring the Oosterbeek perimeter. As ever, so much to see and not enough time!
I took a moment to reflect at the small 19 Flight GPR memorial yesterday. It commemorates the detached Flight of B Squadron Glider Pilots that accompanied their loads to the Arnhem road bridge on 17 September 1944. The GPs fought as part of Frost's 2 PARA Battlegroup.
The end of a full day on the Landing Zones around Arnhem. We had an interesting time directing the 1st (British) Airborne Division plan and the German response to it. A fascinating day culminating with the 2 PARA battle to hold on to the Northern end of the highway bridge.
It was interesting to see the WACO GG4 cockpit laid bare in the National Liberation Museum at Groesbeek today. The swing over control column is so different to a conventional stick. Great exhibitions...
We had a very enjoyable day covering the US Airborne Divisions and their roles in the Market Garden plan today. As ever stacks to talk about as we moved from South to North towards Arnhem. More to come tomorrow on Day 4 of the DZ 1 Tour.
Best way to take a bridge? Both ends at once! We called in at John S. Thompson bridge at Grave to do just that. A remarkable feat of leadership that resulted in the US 82nd AB Division achieving one of its key objectives during Operation Market Garden.
So it begins! We start our study of Operation Market Garden at the Belgian-Dutch border. The daring armoured Coup de Main mounted by Vandeleur's Irish Guards to secure the Neerpelt bridgehead - JOE'S Bridge.
Walking the ground at Eben Emael is time well spent. The strategic importance of the fort is clearly evident on site. The blast damage and wreckage is testimony to the ferocity of the brilliantly executed Granit attack. A spectacular debut for the Assault Glider as a weapon.
We had a great visit to Fort Eben Emael today. It was a comprehensive tour of the fortress both underground and above the surface. We had the opportunity to view the Belgian defences and the Landing Zones used by Kampfgruppe Granit in the early hours of 10 May 1940.
Mike Peters retweeted
We love seeing photos while on tour and the group with @MikeHistorian enjoyed an exclusive tour of Fort Eben Emael today!
Sausage side heading towards Arnhem to begin my Drop Zone 1 tour with @tripsmiths and @bhltours. Looking forward to a full 7 days of Airborne history. We will be visiting Eben Emael, Arnhem and the Varsity Landing Zones. Only one film to watch on our drive up from Calais today.
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From daring operations to lasting contributions on the battlefield, the US Army Airborne helped shape military history and capture the American imagination. Join us in February 2027 for an all-new symposium exploring WWII's airborne units. Learn more here: bit.ly/481ByXj
