Combined Ops Tours

17/09/2024

We are back!!
After two years of not running any tours due to some “operating difficulties”, we have just returned from a brand new trip.

This was a trip booked for a private group and the 10 of us had a great time.

It was an unusual one for us as it did not follow a particular battle or campaign. Instead, we followed the development of the British Airborne and Commando raiding forces.

We visited some excellent sites including Bruneval and St Nazaire and heard some absolutely incredible stories of courage and daring.

Definitely one to go back to on a future tour.

The weather was kind to us and the food up to its usual gastronomic standards. There was also beer!

25/12/2022

Just a quick note to say merry Christmas to all of our followers and particularly to those of you who have been on a tour with us.
Those on our mailing list will get an email in the next few days detailing our planned trips for next year. Those trips will be published on this page a couple of weeks later.
As a tantalizing teaser, our Christmas picture is a hint of a new trip that we have planned and are very excited about.

As you know, we are staunch supporters of His Majesties Armed Forces and those who work in the emergency services. This Christmas Day, we ask you to pause and think of those deployed and working away from their families this Christmas. Perhaps even raise a glass in their honour. We will be.
Have a great Christmas

13/11/2022

This morning, we attended the local service of remembrance at our little church in Wanborough, Surrey.
Wanborough is a small hamlet just outside Guildford and currently has 31 households although it would have been considerably fewer in the first half of the 20th century.
Despite its size, there are 13 names on the war memorial - 11 from the First and 2 from the Second World War. A high rate of loss for such a small community.
However, the commemoration doesn’t end there. At the conclusion of the service, we helped to plant 70 poppy crosses outside. One for each of the 13 service war dead and one for each of the 57 Special Operations Executive agents that died or were killed by the N***s following capture in France. These 57 were all trained initially at Wanborough Manor before being transported to France. Truly brave men and women.
Wanborough has certainly played its part in the cause of freedom.
Lest we forget.

13/11/2022

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,we will remember them.

For those who fought in all wars.

12/11/2022

It is often said that no part of Britain was unaffected by the losses of the First Wirld War. To put that claim into perspective, please have a look at these photographs.

On July 1st 1916,The Grimsby Chums Battalion went over the top as part of the first wave of the Battle of the Somme
These maps show the East Marsh area of the Town of Grimsby where many of the Chums came from.
There’s a poppy on each house that lost a soldier killed in WW1 , some houses have more than one poppy and one street (Castle Street)has 23 Poppies.

Lest we forget.

11/11/2022

10/11/2022

Spurred on by Simon's comments to the scouts last night that on their parade on Sunday they should really read every name on the war memorial I thought it would be a nice idea if we opened up our page for you to post the details/pictures of who you would like to remember tomorrow. I'll start with my (Jane) Great Uncle....

Private Arthur Thomas, Wiltshire Regiment.
Died 1916 on the 7th day of the Battle of the Somme age 21
Body never recovered so recorded on Thiepval Memorial to the missing.
Thank you for your service, we will remember you.

09/11/2022

We were privileged to be asked to give a talk to a scout troup today on the importance of remembrance. We had a lively conversation for about forty minutes where we talked about sacrifice in the First and Second World Wars and then followed this up with a look at some artifacts from both of those wars. It was lovely to see that this generation of kids aged between 9 and 13 had a good understanding and interest in the subject. The future appears to be safe.

05/10/2022

Those of you who were with us on our most recent tour will recall meeting Johan at his cafe - here is the Time Team episode that we mentioned where he helps excavate the Vampire Dugout.

02/10/2022

Last day of our Ypres trip and the rain has caught up with us! We started at Hill 60 and heard about battles that took place to gain control of the hill involving tunnelling and mines. We then moved onto the excellent Hooge Crater Museum which we can thoroughly recommend! Our last visit was to see the grave of Captain Noel Chavasse, a double Victoria Cross recipient, where we heard about his incredible life. All in all a great trip and one we will all remember (well maybe not all of it 😉)

02/10/2022

We started our second day with more glorious sunshine (and a few sore heads!) at the Royal Engineers grave which commemorates 12 soldiers who were lost in mining activities in the immediate area which also happened to be the location that Alfred Fairclough - the Great grandfather of one of our group (Scott) was temporarily buried after he died during the battle of Paschendaele. He was subsequently re-buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery which was our next stop. Our lunch stop was at the Aussie Rest Cafe where we met our old friend Johan whose tireless efforts to commemorate the sacrifice of two Australian brothers is quite breathtaking. Next stop was the German cemetery at Langemark and then onto Sanctuary Wood museum and the excellent preserved trench systems. We finished the day with the very moving Menin Gate ceremony and some fantastic food and beer in a restaurant by the stunning Cloth Hall.