I served with the Army Air Corps for 24 years as a Helicopter Pilot/Instructor and Examiner and was first introduced to Military History during this time. I come from a ‘Military Family’ with a Great Grandfather who fought in the Zulu War of 1879, a Grandfather that saw active service with the Fleet Air Arm in WW2 and a Father in the RAF.
I was first introduced to the Battlefield in 1984 on an Operational Tour to the Falkland Islands. Fortunately, there were many veterans of Op Corporate on this tour and much of my spare time was spent with them on the battlefield. It was during this tour that I developed an interest in Military History, but it would take a further 20 years before I started Battlefield Guiding.
Being a Pilot meant that I was fortunate enough to see the Battlefield from an aerial perspective. I have
since conducted tours from the air, ranging from the Somme to Normandy and even Iraq! After reading a book about 9 Parachute Battalion called ‘The Day the Devils Dropped In’, I found my interest being directed towards Normandy and the D Day Landings of WW2. I have led many tours of the Normandy Landing Beaches with a particular interest in 6th Airborne Division and the 1st Battalion The Suffolk Regiment.
I have a developing interest in the SAS/SOE Operations in WW2 and have also led tours of the SAS action in Oman in 1958/9 on Jebel Akhdar. I currently live in the Middle East where I continue to fly Helicopters.