Battlefield Guides and Tours
Lessons from the past
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How to conduct a Battlefield study
Military History – Sir Michael Howard
There are three general rules of study that must be in the mind of the officer who wishes to study military history as a guide in his profession. He should study history to avoid its pitfalls.
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Width First, to study in width: To observe how warfare has developed over a long historical period. |
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Depth To study campaigns and explore them thoroughly, consulting original sources and applying various theories and interdisciplinary approaches. This is important, Sir Michael observed, because as the “tidy outline dissolves,” we “catch a glimpse of the confusion and horror of real experience.” |
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Context And, lastly to study in context. Wars and warfare must be understood in context of their social, cultural, economic, human, moral, political, and psychological dimensions because “the roots of victory and defeat often have to be sought far from the battlefield,” |
Read the full article here.
REHS – Battlefield Guides
The course of the world was changed, with far-reaching effects on the future of all peoples, when Hitler’s forces broke through the defence of the West on May 10, 1940. On the same day Mr Churchill, restless and dynamic, became Prime Minister of Great Britain in place of Mr Chamberlain. Far from having the overwhelming superiority with which they were credited, Hitler’s armies were actually inferior in numbers to those opposing them. Although his tank drives proved decisive, he had fewer and less powerful tanks than his opponents possessed. Only in airpower, the most vital factor had he superiority. Over the next few weeks the British and French military suffered a comprehensive defeat, unable to stem the invading German forces suffering a series of tactical defeats. The escape of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in 1940 was largely due to Hitler’s personal intervention. After his tanks had overrun the North of France and cut off the British army from its base, Hitler held them up just as they were about to sweep into Dunkirk – which was the last remaining port of escape left open to the British. At that moment the bulk of the BEF was still many miles from the port, but Hitler kept his tanks halted for three days. His action preserved the British forces when nothing else could have saved them. By making it possible for them to escape he enabled them to rally in England, continue the war and man the coasts to defy the threat of invasion. Thereby he produced his own ultimate downfall, and Germany’s five years later. Acutely aware of the narrowness of the escape, but ignorant of its cause, the British people spoke of the ‘miracle of Dunkirk’.
Read more on the Normandy Sapper series:
Operation Plunder, Operation Veritable and Operation Varsity
The project of clearing the area between the Rivers Maas and Rhine was being considered by 21 Army Group during September 1944. At the conclusion of the battle of Arnhem there were three tasks to be undertaken by 21 army group as a preliminary to crossing the Rhine and striking at the RUHR.
These tasks were:
- the clearance of the Scheldt estuary and the opening of the port of Antwerp.
- the elimination of the enemy West of the Maas particularly in the Venlo area.
- The clearance of the area between the Maas and the Rhine later to be called operation veritable.
The extent of the German recovery was at this time becoming increasingly apparent and the longer the delay the greater the 
magnitude of those tasks would be. Therefore, plans were made for an attack in a south easterly direction from the Nijmegen bridgehead, which it was hoped to launch by 10 October 1944. However, for the first week in October it became clear that this attack would have to be postponed for the following reasons. Firstly, considerable enemy forces were now covering the Scheldt estuary and operations here will likely to take longer and to require more troops than had been anticipated, the opening of the port of Antwerp, as soon as possible being of paramount importance. Secondly the Germans West of the Mars were fighting hard, in country which favoured the defence. One American armoured division, sent to deal with the enemy west of Venlo, soon showed that it was insufficient for this task. Thirdly, it was vital to ensure that the ground gained North of the WAAL at Nijmegen was firmly held. 21 Army group was not able to provide sufficient forces for these commitments and, at the same time, launch a major attack between the Maas and the Rhine with two hostile flanks and the risk of being hemmed in between these obstacles.
When a battlefield is revisited at a later date, in full possession of all the information and with a clear picture of the situation, it is
comparatively easy to say what should have been done. In war the situation is rarely clear, the information is never complete, and the actions must be is considered in the light of the situation as it was known to the commanders at the time.
On 16 December 1944 the Germans under Field Marshall Von Rundstedt launched a large scale offensive in the Ardennes and it was not until about a month later the situation had again been stabilized. The allied armies would then able to continue their fight towards the River Rhine and by the third week in March they had closed to it throughout its links.
On 9 March Field Marshall Mongomery, Commander-in-chief 21 Army Group issued orders for the coming operation.
“My intention was to secure a bridgehead prior to developing operations to isolate the RUHR and to thrust into the northern Plains of Germany. In outline my plan what is to cross the Rhine on a front of two armies between Rheinberg and Rees using Ninth American Army on the right and Second army on the left. The principal initial object was the important communications centre of Wesel. I intended that the bridgehead should extend to the South sufficiently far to cover Wesel from enemy ground action, and to the North coming include the bridge sites at Emmerich: the depth of the bridgehead was to be made sufficient to provide room to form up major forces for the drive to the East and North East. 24 March was given as the target for D-Day.”
Read more on the Operations:
- Operation Plunder.
- Operation Veritable – Op Veritable maps – Op Veritable Diagrams – Op Veritable inserts
- Operation Varsity.
Typhoon Sapper
A History of Airfield Construction
In 1939, having gained consent from the French authorities to establish Flying Training Schools in France, the RAF realised the need to construct aerodromes. The RAF approached the Army and was rebuffed. As a consequence, the No. 1 Air Ministry Works Unit was established with a view to manage airfield construction projects, with French and Belgian civil engineering companies carrying out the construction. The unit was evacuated to the UK following the fall of France in June 1940. The unit was occupied in overseeing runway repairs for the rest of that year, with some assistance in filling craters being provided by the Royal Pioneer Corps. The latter withdrew at the end of 1940, which resulted in the RAF forming Nos. 1 & 2 Works Squadrons. By the end of 1941, the RAF had increased the number of Works Squadrons to six and, in July 1942, they were officially titled the RAF Works Service. The service had grown to 19 squadrons and was re-titled the RAF Airfield Construction Service (ACS) in May 1943. Each Wing consisted of one plant squadron and three construction squadrons and grew to a point where it employed 30,000 people. It became clear that, when a second front opened in Northern Europe, there would be a need for the services of the ACS to deploy overseas. Acknowledging this, the RAF created No. 85 (Base) Group HQ at the end of 1943, and allocated five of the seven Wings to this Group, which deployed to Normandy after D-Day. It was perceived that the Luftwaffe would not be idle following the D-Day landings, and the two remaining wings were to be used repairing damage from Luftwaffe attrition raids. In preparation for the landings in 1943, the RAF Airfield Construction Service built 23 Advanced Landing Grounds in Southern England. Their first overseas deployment was in May 1942 in Iceland. In 1948, the service was renamed the Airfield Construction Branch (ACB). Its Wings were responsible for the construction and maintenance of infrastructure across the RAF estate, until the Wings themselves were disbanded in 1957. The ACB Airfield Construction Depot moved several times before it settled for the last time, with the No. 2 School of Plant Training, at RAF Waterbeach. After 25 years of service, the Airfield Construction Branch disbanded in April 1966, with its function handed over to 39 Engineer Regiment (Airfields). Personnel serving within the ACB at the time was offered the opportunity to enlist directly into the Corps of Royal Engineers.
Read more on the history of Airfield support.
RE – Battlefield Tour, Seine to the Rheine Vol 1 and 2
Read more on the RE Battlefield tours
The Flanders campaign 10 May to 3 June 1940
The building up of the BEF
The move to France of the main body of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) commenced on 10 September 1939. The BEF, which was placed under command of the French, including initially 1 and 2 Corps with 1, 2, 3 and 4 Divisions, and with these formations occupied a sector of the Belgian frontier.
During the latter part of 1939, this force, augmented by a specially constituted group of 12 field companies drawn from territorial army formations at home and companies of the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps, constructed defences along and in rear of the sector MAULDE H9520 LANNOY H8039. A large number of concrete ‘pill boxes’ were constructed, new wire was erected, buildings were re-enforced and many miles of anti-tank ditch were dug to develop the position.
The force continued to grow and by the end of January 1940, 5 Divisions had been formed and 48 Division had arrived from England. In February and March 3 Corp and 42, 44, 50 and 51 Divisions arrived, and the BEF sector was extended north to include BAILLEUL H4749.
Planning for operations
During the winter 1939 to 1940, various plans were made for the part to be played by the BEF in the event of a German attack on Belgium and Holland. The British front was to be occupied initially with 1 Corps on the right on a 2 division front and 2 Corps on the left on a front initially of 1 division.
In the early morning of 10 May 1940, the German armies invaded Holland and Belgium without warning, and orders were issued for the advance of the BEF from their positions on the Franco Belgian Frontier into Belgium in accordance with previously prepared plans. The main body of the BEF advanced to the R DYLE, some 50 miles east of here, where they took up a defensive position.
44 Division, with whom we are concerned, was allotted the task of preparing the line of R ESCAUT for defence, preparing all crossings for demolition and guarding all bridges, in this area and to the South. 42 Division was to prepare the line of the R ESCAUT to the south of 44 Division, and 5 Division was to prepare an intermediate position on the R DENDRE about 20 miles east of here.
Ex Scarab Crusade – Berlin 1945
PowerPoint – Author Donald Bigger
Reports From Overseas
“These reports must not fall into enemy hands”
The notes below were produced in WW2 and issued to formation commanders and commandants to aid in the investigation needed to form their own ideas and plans.
Download and extract the contents for access to a wealth of WW2 guidance documents.
| Overseas Reports No2 – No15 | Overseas Reports No15 – No30 | Overseas Reports No31 – No60 | Overseas Reports No61 – No96 |
Exercise Palm Balkan
The Break-up of Yugoslavia From its creation following WW2, the government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia kept a close watch on nationalist sentiment among the many ethnic and religious groups that composed the country, as it could have led to 
chaos and the break-up of the state. After he death of President-for-life, ex-WW2 communist partisan leader, Josip Tito in 1980 the much weakened Yugoslav state faced increasing internal, economic and political challenges including the rise of nationalism across ethnic and historical lines in the six federated republics which made up Yugoslavia. While the goal of Serbial nationalists was the centralisation of Serb-dominated Yugoslavia, other nationalists in Yugoslavia aspired to federalisation and decentralisation of the state. Particularly affected were Croatia, where historical ethnic tensions between ethnic Croats and Serbs quickly spilled over into violence and Bosnia and Herzogovina which had an ethnic structure of mixed populations of Muslim Bosniaks (44%), Catholic Croats ( 17%) and Orthodox Serbs (32.5%).
Prior to the Romans, Bosnia did not exist as an independent entity and formed part of ‘Illyria’, a much larger entity. This was formed of a series of monarchical city states and covered most if not all of modern day Yugoslavia and Albania. It is the Albanians who in the second half of the 20th and 21st century claimed to be descendant of the ancient Illyrians and whose language is derived from Illyrian.
Read more on exercise Palm Balkan.
