Good Morning,
Welcome to the third Trench Lincs of January and for those of you, like me, doing Dry January, the next gin and tonic is now coming into view as we are past halfway in the month.
I thoroughly enjoyed speaking in Nottingham on the 10th at the East Midlands WFA branch and am pleased to say that as a result of my visit, we now have another new subscriber – welcome to Simon and Simon's first contribution which you will find below.
NEWS & EVENTS
Please find details of the first speaker events for 2025.
Lincoln & North Lincolnshire Branch, Western Front Association.
The Branch will continue to meet during 2025 on Monday evenings at The Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG. However, please note that by popular request we have made a major change to our meeting times. As from January 2025, doors will open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. We hope this will allow more time for those of you who spend the day grafting hard to get home, have a bite to eat, and travel to the venue without rushing. Furthermore, the later time will mean there is less traffic to contend with.
TOMORROW - Monday January 20th – John Chester presents “German Atrocities in 1914”.
During the Great War a great deal was printed in the media of the day and on recruiting posters about the horrendous atrocities committed by the Germans during their advance through Belgium. These so called atrocities were so outrageous that many said it was just propaganda and many refuted most of the events.
After the war, and even up until quite recently, arguments were made that the Germans did NOT commit such acts. The King, in 1915, commissioned an official inquiry into the events of autumn 1914, particularly as many Americans, and others, found the claims hard to believe.
The report denied many claims but confirmed others. Questions though, are still asked, and many still believe it was all a propaganda exercise to encourage recruitment.
This talk is a different look at the German advance through Belgium and what actually did happen. What will you think?
DON’T FORGET THE NEW START TIME OF 7.30pm PROMPT.
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Spalding & South Lincolnshire Branch, Western Front Association.
The Branch will continue to meet during 2025 on Thursday evenings at Spalding Baptist Church, Swan Street, Spalding, PE11 1BT. Meetings are held in an ante-room of this pleasant, and modern venue. It’s warm in winter, cool in summer, and we continue to serve free refreshments at the end of the meeting. However, please note that due to the fact we cannot monitor the entrance doors from the ante-room, you will need to ring the doorbell to gain admission as the doors are kept locked in the evenings for security reasons. But, don’t let that put you off attending this small, but friendly branch. If you live within reasonable travelling distance, drag yourself away from the boring old gogglebox and enjoy the convivial atmosphere of our meetings, make new friends, and learn something new.
Thursday January 23rd – Jonathan D’Hooghe presents “The 6th Lincolns at Gallipoli, and the Post-War Controversy”.
A synopsis of the talk: – “When Great Britain entered the Great War in August 1914, only Lord Kitchener foresaw a long and attritional war. This led to the formation of Kitchener’s New Army of which the 6th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment, was the first New Army battalion formed by the Lincolnshire Regiment. Within twelve months, the 1000 civilians who first enlisted in Lincoln and surrounding villages found themselves opposing the Ottoman Turks on the Gallipoli Peninsular, and fighting in hand to hand combat at Chocolate Hill in August 1915. Such was the prowess of this battalion in its first major action, that it was described as their finest moment in the whole war, which included over two years on the Western Front. Nevertheless, it led to a post war argument and much rancour when the Official History came to be written. This talk will tell their story and try to come to a conclusion over the post war debate.”
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Having personally kicked off the New Year last Friday at Ruddington for the East Midlands (Nottingham) WFA branch, chairman, John Beech, would now be delighted to see any TL readers at St. Peter's church rooms, Church Street, Ruddington, NG11 6HA on a Friday night for a 7.30pm start at their February event.
FRIDAY 14th February – Scott Lindgren “Ocean Greyhounds: The Battle of Dogger Bank 1915.”
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The Leadenham Military History Group has now successfully completed its first year and will meet again in 2025 on a Tuesday night in Leadenham Village Hall at 7.30pm.
Tuesday 28th January – “Introduction to War Gaming in 2025.” – Ed Sisson; followed by;
“The My Lai Massacre in Vietnam.” – Sean McCabe.
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Please click on the link below to read the latest The Tiger newsletter
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We start this week with news from my son in Australia. Having enjoyed an extended Christmas sunshine break on the east coast south of Brisbane, he and his family started the five day 2,000-mile drive home to Kununurra where he lives in north eastern West Australia.
Robert shares my passion for history and at each stop over in small outback towns in Queensland and Northern Territories he has kindly gone for a walk with his boys to find the town’s war memorial.
Australian post-war memorialisation and its iconography closely resembles the very classic and Christian form that we see in the UK, and I think this no surprise given how close Australia was to the Mother Country 100 years ago.
One area of memorialisation that Australia doesn’t share with Britain is due to its involvement in the Vietnam war of the 60s and 70s. A war that Britain didn’t enter because of the Wilson led Labour Government of the time.
Robert’s first stop from the coast was in the town of Emerald. Here he found a very traditional stone obelisk erected after the Great War and adorned with carved crossed rifles and with the dead from later conflicts added.
Emerald's war memorial.
A more recent Roll of Honour wall for those who served in the 39-45 war has been constructed adjacent to the memorial along with a bench, and as ever, the ANZAC contribution to Gallipoli and the initial landing on 25th April 1915 are remembered on a plaque and a stunning war mural.
Emerald's WWII Wall of Honour.
My grandsons, Alfie and Wulfie, check out the bench.
Centenary ANZAC plaque.
The next destination was the town of Ilfracombe. Here the residents chose to construct a bandstand with panels of names as their war memorial. In addition, at some point in recent years, a Gallipoli visitor, I assume, has brought back a seed or a seedling of a Gallipoli Pine tree and this has been planted in remembrance of the gallant actions that the Australians fought at Lone Pine in 1915.
Ilfracombe's memorial bandstand.
Names of Ilfracombe's war dead 1914-18.
Plaque to remember the fighting at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, 6th August 1915 which cost the Australians 2273 war dead.
Ilfracombe's Gallipoli Pine tree.
My 2022 photo of the Australian memorial today at Lone Pine, Gallipoli.
The town of Longreach was the next stopping point for Robert and his family. Here the citizens erected a post-war traditional stone obelisk with a panel of names of the town’s war dead, a further memorial in 2014 to mark the centenary of the Great War and a Vietnam war memorial plaque.
Longreach town memorial.
The centenary memorial.
Vietnam memorial plaque.
There was also a plaque explaining how at the end of the second war, it was possible to buy a Stuart tank for £5! Complete with a spare engine and set of tracks – if only that offer was available today.
On display is the body of a Stuart tank complete with a dozer scraper blade attached as per the explanation panel.
Stuart tank converted to a bulldozer!
Thank you Rob and boys for your contribution this week.
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Memorials come in all shapes and sizes and Chas Parker has an unusual series of memorials for us this week. He comments; 'We've just been to a funeral in Scunthorpe and we noted this memorial window in Ashby Wesley Methodist Church. Unfortunately, it was getting a bit dark when I took the pic but it reads '1914/1919 In loving memory of our fallen heroes and of our deep gratitude to God for those spared to us'. All the other windows have individual names. Their website states 'One of the best features of the church is the provision of large windows to let in as much light as possible.
Following the 1914-18 War when so many young lives were lost the church decided to have as a permanent memorial four dedicatory windows and sixteen windows showing the names of 27 men connected with the church who had given their lives. A Victory Bazaar was held and the windows installed in 1919. We believe that this is a unique method of commemoration. In other churches plaques were installed and sometimes a particular family donated a window, but here the whole church contributed and the whole church became the memorial. Sadly the outsides have had to be covered to protect against vandalism, but the church is currently looking to install secondary glazing to improve the appearance.'
You can view all of the individual windows and see who they commemorate by clicking on this link.
Memorial Windows - Ashby Wesley Methodist Church
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Malcolm perks is heading to Normandy later this year and writes in; ‘I’m planning a holiday later in the year fairly close to the D-Day beaches so have been doing a bit of preliminary research as to which CWGC Cemeteries to visit while in the area. I came across an unusual record that you might be interested in. In the French town of Dreux the CWGC lists a cemetery containing a single war grave from the Great War in a Cemetery called “The Royal Chapel”.
The person Remembered is Captain Prince Antônio Gastão of Orléans-Braganza, MC, aka Antoine Philippe, Prince of Orleans and Braganza. He was fatally injured aged 37 in an aircraft crash in Edmonton, London in late November 1918, apparently while serving as an Attaché to the Ministry of Munitions, though, oddly, without pay and allowances. Previously he had served with the Royal Canadian Dragoons (1st Armoured Regiment) as ADC to Brigadier General Seely, Commander of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade. Before that he was attached to the Royal Flying Corps as an Intelligence Officer, during which time he was awarded the MC. His citation dated August 16th 1917 reads: - "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. As Intelligence Officer, he observed the enemy position at close range. Finally, he got within 400 yards of the enemy in daylight, and though under heavy fire, continued his observations and obtained information which was of the utmost value".
Why, I thought, would this Prince be serving in the British Army and, with a family crypt in France, not with the French Army? The answer turned out to be that his “official prince-ship” (my words) was of Brazil by birth but his family had been exiled from there to Europe, following a military coup. His father, however, was a grandson of the last (deposed) King of France and so, under French law, he was forbidden to serve in the French military. He had attended an Austro-Hungarian Military School and had been a Hussar there so perhaps was eligible to serve in the Kaiser’s Cavalry!
The online links that might explain when, why and where he enlisted and more about his background don’t seem to work, I’m afraid, so I’m just left thinking this gallant Prince could have been the subject of quite an interesting book about the role of displaced aristocracy in the Great War?’
You can read more about this man by clicking the link below.
Prince Antônio Gastão of Orléans-Braganza (1881-1918) - Find a Grave Memorial
Thank you Malcolm, I suspect that this story is new one for us all!
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We have looked recently at various aspects of the original BEF that landed in France in August and September 1914 and I know that Matt Colley has a great interest in the men who were known as Old Contemptibles.
Matt has now kindly pointed us all in the direction of the article below which came from the post-war Official History. Thank you Matt.
'Contemptible was the proud adjective that survivors of the original Expeditionary Force used to describe themselves after the Kaiser had supposedly dismissed them as “General French’s contemptible little army” on 19 August 1914.
It is my Royal and Imperial Command that you concentrate your energies, for the immediate present upon one single purpose, and that is that you address all your skill and all the valour of my soldiers, to exterminate first, the treacherous English and walk over General French’s contemptible little Army.
Kaiser Wilhelm II, Headquarters Aix-la-Chapelle
19 August 1914
Unlikely though it seems that the German army would have been ordered to delay its march southwards in order to destroy the tiny British force that stood in its way, it is true that Germany was particularly outraged by Britain’s declaration of war: perfidious Albion, dishonest, treacherous, self-seeking. “Gott strafe England”, God punish England, declared their propaganda posters, that’s what she deserves. Germany could admire France and Russia, their soldiers were after all fighting to defend their countries. But there was no honour in Britain’s war, she was just out for gain, her army no better than mercenaries who went where they were paid to go.
Despite this bitter antagonism, it is extremely unlikely that any such order was ever issued by the Kaiser and far more likely that it came directly from the headquarters of the British Army. And if it did, it was probably the most inspired piece of propaganda that body ever issued.
There was suspicion about the Kaiser’s order from the very beginning. On Monday 26 October, under the heading, ‘German Wireless News, Berlin Oct. 25’ the following report appeared in The Times:
It has been reported that at Aix-la-Chapelle on August 19, the Kaiser referred in an Army Order to “the contemptible little army of General French.” The Kaiser has not been to Aix-la-Chapelle since the outbreak of war, and he has never issued such an army order.
This was followed by a letter in the Spectator on 31 October from FR Cave of Bath. He emphasised that “no proof what-ever has yet been forthcoming of such an Army Order having been issued.”
But who was going to let that get in the way of a good story. The British public’s pride was piqued, did the Germans not know that they were in fact fighting “incomparably the best trained, best organized, and best equipped British Army which ever went forth to war”? *, the heirs of Henry V’s “gallant few”. No wonder the bowmen of Agincourt had appeared to protect it at Mons … even if they hadn’t.
This was another fiction, a short story by Arthur Machen published in the London Evening News on 29 September 1914. It told how a group of British soldiers, cut off and outnumbered at Mons, had prayed to St George and immediately the ghosts of the fallen archers from Agincourt had appeared, drawn their longbows and showered the approaching Germans with arrows, killing them without leaving a mark on their bodies. This became one of the most enduring stories of the war and even Arthur Machen couldn’t persuade people that it wasn’t true.
There was however an element of truth in both these fictions. The British army certainly was ‘little’ and it had certainly been outnumbered. The first contingent of the BEF that crossed to France in August 1914 numbered scarcely more than 100,000 men and represented approximately half the immediate combat strength of the British Army. Germany had mobilised an army of 1,850,000 and the French, our allies, one of 1,650,000. When in 1917 a medal, the 1914 Star, was awarded to all those who had served in France and Belgium between 5 August and midnight on the 22 November 1914, the total amounted to 365,622. This included soldiers in both the British and Indian Army, civilian doctors, nursing sisters, other military hospital personnel, members of the Royal Navy, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and the Royal Marines.
In 1925, Major General Sir Frederick Maurice, together with a German general, attempted to get to the bottom of the supposed Aix-la-Chapelle order. They had the archives in Berlin searched, which made it appear even more unlikely that the order could have been issued, least of all on the 19 August because on the 20th the German army had no idea where the British were. A telegram from the Chief of the German General Staff sent to General von Kluck, commanding the German First Army which was on collision course to meet the British at Mons in only three days-time, stated,
“Disembarkation of English at Boulogne must be reckoned with. The opinion here, however, is that large disembarkations have not yet taken place.”
This wasn’t the only problem, it turned out that German military headquarters had never been based at Aix-la-Chapelle, and in any case the Kaiser never issued routine orders they were always issued through the army.
None of this, however, prevented the term ‘old contemptible’ from being adopted with pride by members of the first expeditionary force, and in 1925 an Old Contemptible Association was formed. The last member, Alfred Anderson died in 2005 aged 109.
Perhaps the final word however should go to the Kaiser, by 1925 an exile at Doon in Holland. Asked whether he had ever described the BEF as “General French’s contemptible little army” his negative reply apparently included the words,
On the contrary, I continually emphasized the high value of the British Army, and often, indeed, in peace time gave warning against underestimating it.'
* Military Operation, France and Belgium 1914, History of the Great War JE Edmonds ed. 1922
The 1914 (Mons) Star with Clasp.
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Jonty Wild has kindly pointed out for all of us that Naval and Military Press are holding a substantial sale of their remaining stock of CD’s and DVD’s. These will be of interest to those of you, like me, who are involved in ongoing research projects.
Jonty comments; ‘I suspect the DVD’s/CD’s are being phased out as the information becomes available via (is sold to) Ancestry or FindMyPast. However, you have to pay for that membership and, obviously, when you stop paying, you lose access. Having the DVD/CD has advantages - obviously free access once you own it, and also, personally, I often find searching is easier and access is more convenient via the DVDs.’
Please click on the link below to see the available offers.
CD/DVD ROM - Naval & Military Press
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Whilst on the topic of ongoing research, have you spotted that the 1921 Census is now available on Ancestry, and I suspect other genealogical sites?
This is marvellous news for the Great War researcher as it now gives us an insight into the lives of returning service personnel, as well as sadly showing the extent of war widowhood and those widows who due to financial circumstances had to rush into a new marriage, if they could find a man.
The 1921 England and Wales Census reflects the loss of some seven hundred thousand men, as a result, there were a high number of widowed women in this census - and it showed that overall, there were 1.7 million more women than men living in England and Wales at the time of the census.
This is now the last Census that will be made available until 2051 – I may just make it!! The 1931 Census was lost in the Blitz, the 1941 Census was not carried out due to the war, although there is a 1939 Register of British Citizens available, and the 1951 Census will be made available as noted above, in 2051.
Have you discovered anything about your family in the 1921 Census? Please let us know.
A 1921 Census return for Frederick and Clara D'Hooghe
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Whilst speaking in Nottingham last Friday evening the 10th, I met Simon Roots who had kindly attended to listen to my talk.
I believe he enjoyed the talk! and came to speak to me at the end about his grandfather who had emigrated to New Zealand before the Great War and served in and survived the war with the NZ army, including both Gallipoli and the Western Front.
Simon, by his own admission, has come to the subject of the Great War only recently and is now hooked on family research. He is currently putting together a biography of his grandfather’s service and I hope to share this with you soon. [Next week – Ed]
However, after receiving just one edition of Trench Lincs, Simon entered into the camaraderie of our readership and sent me the following piece about four members of his family who all tragically perished in 1944.
Simon writes; ‘As part of my ongoing family research, I visited a number of the smaller RAF museums/visitor centres in Lincolnshire last year, including Metheringham. It is a great place to visit, and I aim to visit again this year, as I had three cousins who served with the RAF during WW2, and one with the Royal Corps of Signals and who were all killed in 1944.
Harold Henry Victor Roots (my grandfather's nephew) was killed on D Day. He was a Flying Officer and instructor with 3FTS at RAF Lulsgate Bottom (now Bristol airport.) and training Flight Lieutenant Peter Marshall Cadman, DFC. Peter Cadman had been a very successful Halifax pilot with 77 Squadron at RAF Elvington, and had just come off front line duty. He was training to be an instructor and my cousin Harold, was his tutor.
They were carrying out routine circuits in an Airspeed Oxford, L4616, when a fire started behind the port engine. They tried to get the plane back to the base, but crashed into a field about 2 miles from the base. L4616 burst into flames on impact. Harold is buried at Holy Cross, Bearsted in Kent, Peter is buried in Canterbury Cemetery, Kent.
Harold Roots
Peter Cadman
Sergeant Peter Patrick Funnell (my great grandmother's nephew.) was a wireless operator/air gunner with 179 Squadron, Coastal Command, based at RAF St. Eval, Cornwall. On 31.12.1944, Peter and five of his regular crew, (one of the regular crew was not on the fateful flight.) plus a leading Aircraftsman, were taking part in a test flight on board Vickers Warwick PN750. They had taken off and having flown for a short distance, returned on a reciprocal route. Having passed over RAF St. Eval, PN750 was seen to go into a steep dive near to the village of St. Columb Major, before clipping two haystacks and crashing into a field at Trewolas Farm. As with Harold and Peter, the plane burst into flames on impact, all the crew were killed.
Peter is buried in Storrington, West Sussex. I visited his CWGC grave in November last year to lay a wreath. I was planning on visiting the crash site on the 80th anniversary last year (2024.) A memorial stone has been laid by one of the original witnesses to the crash 80 years ago. Sadly, I was unwell over Christmas and up to New Year, so didn't go. It is on my priority list for the next few weeks if possible.
Peter Funnell
Flight Engineer Sergeant Frederick Thomas Coulter is a cousin from a distant member of the Roots family. Fred was with 97 squadron Pathfinders, based at RAF Bourn, Cambridgeshire. On 22nd March 1944 he was with his crew of 6 in Lancaster JB731 on a mission to Frankfurt. At 20.39 an SOS was received from JB731 at Pulham Radio Station and the words "bailing out" were heard. Nothing further is heard from JB731 again. It is assumed it crashed somewhere in the North Sea. The only crew member found was Bomb Aimer Geoffrey Davies, whose body was washed up on one of the German Frisian Islands. He is buried at Sage War Cemetery, Germany. Fred and his crew are commemorated at Bomber Command Centre Bracebridge Heath, and on the Runnymede Memorial.
Frederick Coulter.
Signalman Lewis Albert Roots (another of my grandfather's nephew's) served with the Royal Corps of signals. He was killed at Monte Cassino on 28.02.1944. Lewis is buried at the CWGC Monte Cassino Cemetery. I don't have much detail about Lewis.
So 1944 was not a good year for the Roots and extended family.’
Thank you very much Simon for sharing these stories with us. It is so important that we keep the flame of remembrance burning brightly, and Trench Lincs will continue to tell and to share as many stories like these each week. It also brings home yet again, just how many brave men were lost in flying accidents.
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I will finish this week with some personal philosophical thoughts, although I won’t get too maudlin, I promise!
As noted last week, I had my youngest granddaughter to look after again on Tuesday. She is now very nearly walking but still very happy in a pushchair and I decided to walk to my old school which I attended in the 1970s.
My purpose for doing this was to walk up Fisher Lane, Bingham, a lane that I walked twice a day for seven years as it connects the school to the town market place where I caught my bus each day.
On Fisher Lane in the 1970s stood a Toc-H building with a hanging sign showing the Toc-H lamp. The guardian of this building was a strange chap called Charlie who we all thought, at the time, was a simpleton. Charlie would stand outside of the building at 4pm as we walked to the bus stop and harangue us and we would respond with a few choice comments of our own. In short, as children, we were pretty obnoxious towards the old chap.
Of course, at that time, I had no idea what Toc-H was or what it stood for. Looking at the lamp symbol, I am sure we thought it was probably something Chinese and possibly quite sinister.
Toc-H lamp.
It is only in the last twenty-five years that I have understood the meaning of the Toc-H movement and its relationship to Talbot House in Poperinghe and the comfort it provided for servicemen in the Great War thanks to the Reverend Tubby Clayton.
You can read more here Our Story | TocH
So now, how I wish I could go back in time and apologise to Charlie for our behaviour. It is clear to me now to understand that he was a mentally disturbed, probably shell shocked veteran of the war who had been found a role as the guardian of the Toc-H meeting room, where no doubt, the town’s WWI veterans met until they had all passed away.
Today the property is a private dwelling and although the sign has gone, the sign’s brackets are still clearly visible. I wonder who else remembers Bingham’s Toc-H meeting room?
The wall bracket shows where the Toc-H sign once hung.
Erin fell asleep in her pushchair and so I next headed to the town cemetery as I was aware that there are a number of CWGC headstones. I have attached two pictures below, one from each world war. However, what shocked me immensely was to pass headstones for lads who I was at school with, one of whom had died as long ago as 2014. I had no idea.
So as we make our way into a New Year, I am reminded yet again, that life is for the living and we must try to make the most of every day. As the saying goes; ‘Live every day as if it was your last, because one day you will be right!’
Thomas Alfred Baggins (Born Buggins) 26th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, arrived in France with his battery of 6" Howitzers in August 1915. He was discharged through sickness in April 1916 and died in April 1917.
Thomas' Medal Index Card.
Gunner Mead served with the 112th Battery, 28 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment and died in January 1940. Mead and Baggins today lie in Bingham town cemetery.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
As promised, I won’t end on a maudlin note, and you will be pleased to know that Erin awoke in good cheer and we went to the café in the market place and had a drink and shared a flapjack. She really is a treasure! and I look forward to my next Tuesday with her.
IN MEMORIAM – The Lincolnshire Regiment 19th January.
1917
26604 Lance Corporal Cecil Ernest Lamb, 2nd Garrison Battalion, aged 25. Buried in Welbourn Churchyard, UK (*)
1918
12764 Sergeant H Smith, 7th Battalion, aged 19. Buried in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
1919
20176 Private William Dillon, Depot, aged 32. Buried in Stoke on Trent (Tunstall) Cemetery, UK.
1920
5561 Private F Wright, 2nd Battalion. Buried in Suez War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.
(*) Cecil Lamb’s story was featured last week in Trench Lincs.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
I look forward to hearing from you if you need any assistance with queries, questions or topics of interest. I also remain available to help you put together an itinerary should you be planning a visit this year to the Western Front. Please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Until next week,
Kind regards
Jonathan
Email me on: trenchlincs@gmail.com
About Jonathan - Home www.jonathandhooghe.co.uk
© Jonathan D’Hooghe.
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