began reenacting World War Two (1939-45) at 15 years of age. I joined the only British living history group in Texas at that time - 1st KOSB - although I had no clue what a KOSB was or did. British military history (let alone British surplus) was non-existant in Texas, although, interestingly, my home-town boasts St. Thomas Episcopal Pipe Band, four-time world pipe band champions. In 1985, I enlisted into the U.S. Army and in early 1986 was posted to A CO 63 SIG BN, 3 SIG BDE stationed at Maasweiler, (then West) Germany in the Rhinelandpfalz. I had by then, researched the British Army in Northwest Europe (Monty's autobiography and an excellent work retracing the Field Marshall's HQ, by his son are excellent starting points) but took Lion Rampant by Robert Woollcombe (an account of 6th KOSB's experience in Northwest Europe) and several books detailing the fighting in Holland and Germany, speci- fically the Reichswald (Peter Elstob's, The Battle for the Reichswald, Ballentyne Publishing, London, 1979 was very helpful) as a roadmap for studying the lay out of the battlefields, start lines, departure points, objectives and enemy dispositions.
a two-month long, rear-area NATO exercise. During that TDY, I took a side trip and visited many of the 3rd, 15th, 51st and 52nd Division battlefields around Kleve, Goch, Uedem, Rees, the Reichswald, Xanten and several cities along the Albert Canal. Except for modern built-up areas and the usual spaghetti-cluster of new highways, it's fairly easy to discern form- ing up points, start lines and walk the now-silent battlefields and stand in awe of the men who fought (on both sides) during the cold, bleak winter of 1944-45. Add to that 21st Army Group's lack of reinforcements, flooded terrain and experienced opponents and one is even more in awe of the steadfast but long-suffering British and Canadian infantryman. Later that year, our Battalion March Team participated in the Vierdaagse (4 Day) Nijmegan March. During a break in that event, a group of us took a short drive up to Arnhem and visited the landing zones (LZ) of 7 KOSB - Wolfheze, the Oosterbeek perimeter, Arnhem cemeteries, and especially John Frost Bridge. We met a Parachute Regiment Major (and Falklands War veteran) who gave us a running commentary on 7 KOSB's positions (and that of the Air Landing Brigade) during the battle for the LZs, the retreat into the pocket, the fighting and eventual exfil across the Rhine. |
| A battlefield tourist. Wesel (West) Germany, 1987. PHOTO COURTESY SECOND WORLD WAR ( 1939-1945 ) MEMORIAL PIPE BAND |
| © Copyright. 2007. Second World War ( 1939-1945 ) Memorial Pipe Band. |
| The Second World War ( 1939-1945 ) Memorial Pipe Band HONORING THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF OUR WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS * LEST WE FORGET * |
| VISITING 15 SCOTTISH DIV BATTLEFIELDS |