Snapper

It's been touch and go with me these past few days - but I think I've got the green light today. Still got a job and domestic stuff sorted for the time being.... It's been a blimmin' nightmare of a day/week/month. I am really looking forward to meeting up with everybody. Sorry, but I don't have a HMVF polo shirt yet...will a Duxford MV wing one do (haven't renewed since 2005). MB

I'm happy with the kids and also have two cats who eat for England. One of them likes to bring live mice into my bedroom and put them in my trainers. The other one sleeps and moults and can't fit through the catflap. The kids aren't much different.

Will do. I will start producing regular photo montages from my travels. My dream is to put it all together in a book at some point. Not a new idea - but it's a dream.....

And finally a view of the Menin Gate - a bit arty perhaps, but I've filmed it so many times. The grave of Joseph Byers at Loker is significant. He was "shot at dawn" and his case changed army law. He did not deny desertion and was given no defence counsel. So they just shot him. After this terrible case the army had to change the way they handled such cases. But the executions went on. I offer no view on this...it was another age. If you'd like to see more battlefield snaps from my travels, let me know Mark

Here is a view of the British dugouts and Lettenberg which were excavated in 2004. They are stunning. One of the dugouts is a bat sanctuary. There were none in situ when we visited. The two pix from Lijssenthoek cemetery show the scale of the place. It has over 10,000 graves and is the second biggest British type in Belgium. There are British Empire, Chinese, Germans, French and even a few Americans there (which is unusual, the yanks are usually buried in exclusively US locations. The memorial on the grave of Albert Bogg is one of the finest I've seen. A loving testament from the granddaughter he never saw.

Kemmel or Kemmelberg or Montkemmel was the scene of bitter fighting. Thousands died trying to secure one of the best bits of genuine high ground in Flanders. The following snaps show the beautiful art deco style French monument and a distant British cemetery, which I think is Locre No10.

Here is a scene from the famous Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate. There were two contingents of serving soldiers at the event and plenty of vets and school kids. There was also a piper, who refused to play Amazing Grace when asked. Interesting stuff. I've seen five ceremonies now and they have all been different in terms of numbers and atmosphere. The best was last year when we had an Orange Order band from Scotland. They could play - all the favourites...and some of them were blotto - it never stopped them playing.

This is one of the famous Demarcation Stones intended to be placed over France and Belgium after the Great War to show the limit of the German advance. Down the years many have been lost to road widening scheme, Nazi vandalism and other shenanigans. This one is in the middle of "nowhere" between Loker and Kemmel. These monuments were originally intended to have helmets to represent Britain, Belgium and France. But they all ended up with the classic Adrian helmet of France. No complaints here.

Here is a view of my great uncle Leslie Barnes' grave at Divisional Cemetery. My friends prepared the wreath as a surprise. I have some great friends...

This is a view of Cloonaert Chapel cemetery

These are some recovered reels of barbed wire

I managed to escape current horrors in my world and headed to Flanders on Saturday. My team managed to miss the rotten weather and we had a good day visiting a few locations we have bypassed on previous visits. The thing with both Flanders and the Somme is that no matter how many times you visit, there is always so much more to do. My big regret is I never saw these places years ago. This Saturday we vied with coachloads of OAPs at one place. But this is what history is about today: tourism. I don't blame the locals at all. Having said this, there are a lot of places the casual tourists never visit and my team are progressively learning where they are. I'm attaching a few images from the day to share. If you need any further info, please ask away.... This a view of the restored German trenches at Bayernwald.

No problem Lee. I'll look for my form and print it off. Got it somewhere. Life is chaotic at the moment. See you Saturday.

Your Dad is a very wise man.

I am no expert, but book editing is a whole different kettle of fish to mags and stuff. You need a degree in quantum physics and have a fondness for old typesetting measurments like emms. The money's ok but the Garibaldi biscuits get a bit much after a while.

Lots of HMVF associated stuff this month. Spot them all and win an extra night with the famous HMVF Dancing Girls, who will soon be back from their Netherlands Tour.

Essex police are as much use as a chocolate fireguard. When someone undid the wheel studs on my Iltis I never bothered reporting it. They'd probably raid my house looking for weapons. They'd be disappointed. Killing the little gits who broke into your Landy and burying their bodies is acceptable to me - but DON'T take my example because I would be guilty of incitement and we would all be done for conspiracy of some sort. I'm a great believer in the idea that it is time to take our country back - and I DON'T mean in a racial sense at all. Good people come in all shapes and colours. I shot a burglar up the derrier with an air rifle in 1980. He never came back. I loved that gun.

I've been so wrapped up with family stuff I haven't sorted out anything for Satyrday. I'm definitely coming - booked in for Saturday. Don't remember if I need to print off the form and bring it along. Presumably I pay admission for me and the three passengers. BTW a work colleague says Saturday will be a lovely day. Her sister in law is flying in from Cape Town and always brings beautiful weather. Not exactly scientific, but more reliable than Michael Fish. It has to be better than last year......he prayed. Karl - don't forget the bergen.

brilliant.

Saw it reviewed in CMV. Looks great. If you've got a copy, any chance you could put together a review (doesn't have to be war and peace) for the front end?? All contributions gratefully received. If not, no bother.

Yes, this is La Cambe. Wittmann's body was found by roadbuilders in 1983. He is buried with his crew, but the nature of the grave allows for his stone to be snapped solo. I've visited twice - and have never seen anything left on site. This makes for an interesting snap - but the creme egg is a bit of an oddity!

I would seriously consider publishing it yourself if you can afford it and know how many you want to print. Without being rude, you may well know people who know people who could set and print it for you. Finding a publisher who won't sting you for all the profit and interfere with your vision will be difficult but not impossible - but I am jealous of losing my ideas or having them watered down. You will need the services of a decent editor - ie NOT me, but hey - it's all down to belief and having valued people to offer opinions and advice. The big cost is typesetting and printing. You can then do mail order, you know all about that already. Always be reserved about the numbers you expect to sell. I would imagine you are doing this for the sake of the subject and the achievement more than being a Dan Brown. Though, it can happen of course (Tom Hanks looks a bit like you - but can he do the accent?). Our friends have offered good advice. Use it and absorb all the info they recommend. But don't lose sight of your original concept and see it through. I'll give you a fair review on HMVF....for a fee.

I'd take kids every time. Dogs make me sneeze. Kids make me laugh/cry/VERY angry/old/proud/knackered/skint/glad to be alive/did I say skint?

sluggish ? - try my Iltis.

Berni must be a librarian at heart. You don't need a female to run a filing system. You sometimes need one to make a dogs breakfast of the one you have organised. My female hates guns, so this whole issue is totally academic.