Doug581 (doug581 at Bluesky)

@likesmokenoakum thank you for taking a great picture mate, cheers. 👍

@SeaSpitfires @IstoriaTravel And we are off...

And so it begins. This weekend it’s an @IstoriaTravel tour dedicated exclusively to Gold Beach, exploring in detail the landing of 50 Infantry Division and 8 Armoured Brigade on 6 June.

@njg330 @SeaSpitfires @IstoriaTravel Sorry Nick, I'm on Gold, have a great time on Sword.

@SeaSpitfires @IstoriaTravel Looking forward to Sword Beach next week.

@Orbness @PaulHic80466580 Great work 👌

I painted this dude - Ben Hook! He’s 54mm, and he’s a character from a forthcoming 1 on 1 duelling game called John Blanche’s En Garde - yes, that John Blanche. It’s coming to Kickstarter. He’s sculpted by the brilliant @PaulHic80466580

I've never found an account or report suggesting the presence of an AT gun when the Dorsets attacked this hill, something I am going to discuss next weekend on the Gold Beach tour with @IstoriaTravel. So having the report as a comparison to the programme is a nice addition!

The report is a little less excitable on this point, noting that "The accounts of the capture of Point 54 do not mention a gun emplacement" and that "there is no evidence to suggest that this position was manned with such a gun on D-Day itself". wessexarchaeologylibrary.org/library/reposi…

Naturally I'm a fan of the episode, but it's interesting to compare it with the report. In the programme (from 20:40 if anyone's interested) whilst excavating a gun pit Tony enthuses that we now know an AT gun had been sited at Point 54, something no-one had ever known before!

Wessex Archaeology have just released dozens of reports behind episodes of Time Team from decades ago. Amongst them is the report behind the D-Day 60th Anniversary episode, covering excavations at Point 54 in the village of Buhot, just behind Gold Beach. vimeo.com/283069238

@James1940 @ww2headquarters @WeHaveWaysPod Likewise, and yes definitely a t-shirt 👌

Just purchased. Surely this has to be made into a t-shirt? @ww2headquarters @WeHaveWaysPod

@Windyweaver Want one!!!

Same here!!

@WHW_HighlandIC Sent you a DM ,👍

@Doug_581 That’s amazing Doug! Thanks so much. I wished I could have found the book he told me about that his dad was supposed to be in - he couldn’t remember the title. If he ever remembers I might try and track it down for a book on escapers I fancy doing.

Yes, I know it’s a school night but it’s not every day you publish your book. barnthornpublishing.co.uk/product-page/t…

@WHW_HighlandIC Paul is on it mate, wait out.

This is one of the reasons I wrote The Undefeated. I’ve cone across so many people who had POW relatives who wanted to know more or wanted to share what they were like when they came home. Paul was one of the first people I reached out to thanks to Doug.

@WHW_HighlandIC I gave Paul a copy of your book mate, he was over the moon with the introduction. Thank you so much Bill.

@WHW_HighlandIC Cheers Bill, I'll let him know 👍

@SeaSpitfires She has not merely lost the plot, but a whole panel of rivets

Iran’s horizontal escalation just doubled its reach, another surprise for US intel. Iran’s clear message: any state providing military support will be hit. The missile radius extends to Rome. The Escalation Trap deepens

@Currentreport1 Sensible chap. France will deploy what it needs, when it needs, in its own way, as should other nations called upon

President Donald Trump is escalating the Iran war in the belief that greater force will produce victory History suggests the opposite When the stronger state that started a war keeps climbing the escalation ladder, it often falls into what I call the Escalation Trap That is the path this war may now be taking