Battlefield Blog

Yesterday was an incredible day spent along the banks of the Waal River in Nijmegen, working with Tim Gray and his fantastic documentary crew of the World War II Foundation. It's not every day that I'm asked to participate in a documentary so this was very exciting. We're filming a new documentary, which will be narrated by Paul Giamatti. It is about on one of the most daring actions of World War II: the heroic crossing of the Waal River in canvas boats, in broad daylight under severe German fire by the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division…

The Battle of Arnhem is one of those legendary WWII stories that never gets old—partly because there's always more to discover. Operation Market Garden, launched in September 1944, was an audacious plan aiming to seize vital Rhine bridges with airborne forces deep behind enemy lines. Most people know the outline: brave paratroopers, fierce fighting, and ultimately, heartbreaking defeat. But after countless hours spent guiding visitors through Arnhem, I've uncovered plenty of lesser-known insights that truly deepen our understanding. Here are ten surprising things I've learned that help paint a clearer picture of what really happened at Arnhem: 1. Seven Days…

In 2023, I had the pleasure of guiding acclaimed author Alex Kershaw and his friends on a detailed battlefield tour around Bastogne. We explored key sites and discussed the compelling stories from this significant World War II battle. I was delighted to discover that Alex graciously mentioned our experience together in his latest book, Patton's Prayer. His work beautifully captures the human dimension of history, and it's an honor to be acknowledged in such an important narrative. If you're interested in World War II history, I highly recommend Patton's Prayer. It offers powerful insights and stories about the individuals who…

I'm pleased to share that I've been mentioned in Andy Kutler's new book, The Fight of Their Lives. Andy is known for careful research and engaging storytelling. He joined me for a battlefield tour while researching this World War II narrative. Our time on the battlefields went beyond historical facts. It was about experiencing the terrain, understanding soldiers' perspectives, and capturing the emotion of the battles. Andy skillfully weaves these stories into his narrative, and I'm glad to have contributed. The Fight of Their Lives explores human experiences during wartime, making it great reading for World War II enthusiasts. Seeing…

In 2023 I was featured on the National Geographic series World War II: Secrets from Above! In Episode 4, Season 2 on Operation Market Garden I was one of the talking heads. My area of focus was the Waal Crossing and the battle for Nijmegen so we spend a lot of time on the bridge with a drone and then on the site of the Waal crossing. We filmed on a very cold and windy day with the odd hailstorm and that shows a bit. In the end I'm very impressed with the result and happy that I didn't mess…

It's been on YouTube for more than four years but I'd thought I'd post it here too. For the excellent WW2TV YoutTube channel by Paul Woodadge I hosted a Battlefield Livestream about the Cutting of Hell's Highway at Koevering. With my wife Dorien and good friend Edwin we were able to show live footage from multiple locations and give a comprehensive overview of the battle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDfUusGqW5Q

Yesterday was one of those magical tours. With his son and wife we followed in the footsteps of Flight Engineer Alcock of 196 Sqdn RAF. He flew 4 missions in a Short Stirling to Arnhem, two towing a glider and two resupply mission. They kindly supplied me with a copy of his flight log and that became the start for my research. He flew with Flight Sergeant Sargant, not a very common name so that helps immediately to find more information about flights and crew. On the website of the UK National Archives you can download the Operations Record Book…

This is a non exhaustive and probably incomplete list of upcoming 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden events that are planned in the 101st Airborne Area, between Eindhoven and Veghel: Air Assault demonstration near Veghel: On 17 September near Veghel the 101st Airborne division and the Dutch Air Mobile brigade will perform a massive air assault demo. This is followed by a parachute jump from the Round Canopy Parachute . More info and the link to order your free tickers here (site in Dutch so Google Translate required): https://www.meierijstad.nl/Alle_onderwerpen/Bestuur_en_organisatie/Airborne_Air_Assault Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1139749883898632 There is a lot more info on events around…

This battlefield tour was a nice change of pace after a number of tours with small private groups. With no less than 75 men and women from the Dutch Army Reserves we visited the Hell's Highway area between Son en Breugel and Veghel. The day began in Son near the bridge across the Wilhelmina canal where we began with an introduction about Operation Garden and continued with the attempt to capture the bridge. The nearly successful German counter attack by the 107th Panzer Brigade on the 19th of September was (of course) also discussed. Son Bridge is near We continued…

This year I'm expanding my work area a bit to include the Hurtgenwald and the Battle of the Bulge. After reading and studying for months it's time to leave the safety of the office and go out and see the battlefields in real life. Boots on the ground is always very important to figure out exactly where to park the coach or minivan, how to walk to the monument or battlefield and to get a better idea of the terrain. Armed with a to-do list which should fit in a single day we (me and my son) set out from…