Whether you’re looking for a professional guide to take you on a battlefield tour, or you’re already a Battlefield Guide, just interested in finding out what battlefield guiding is all about, considering a future in battlefield guiding or improving your battlefield guiding skills, or simply have a general interest in battlefields – the International Guild of Battlefield Guides is for you. Our Honorary Members include Tonie and Valmai Holt – the pioneers of battlefield guiding – and President Professor Gary Sheffield – the acclaimed First World War historian – the Guild is the foremost organisation in the world dedicated to Battlefield Guiding.
Coming Up
Validation Event
Want to progress towards Accredited Membership?
Need to do a face-to-face assignment?
Can't get to a Guild Weekend?
Available on 22 September 2018?
Then here's your opportunity!
Middle Wallop's a few miles from Andover, and a one-day Validation event at the Museum of Army Flying there on 22 September could be the chance for you to get Assignment 1, 5 or 6 under your belt. Six (out of eight) assignments attempted at the last one-day event (Thundersley, in September 2017) resulted in a Pass (and of the other two, one candidate re-attempted the assignment in October and, with the experience of the first try behind him, passed with flying colours). Put the date in your diary now!
Richard Holmes Memorial Lecture 2018
The Battlefields Trust is pleased to announce that the 2018 Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Professor Peter Gaunt, well known specialist in the mid –17th century, and author or editor of 15 books concerned with aspects of the civil war in Wales, England, and Britain as a whole.
The lecture will be hosted by the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London on Saturday 13th October at 2.30pm and will last for one hour with half an hour for questions and discussion.
The Lecture will be on: -
“Regional Capital or Red Herring? Chester’s role in the English Civil War 1642 – 46”
This will focus on the role of Chester during the main Civil War. After an initial period of uncertainty and disengagement, the county town became a major Royalist stronghold and garrison and it remained so, despite repeated parliamentarian attempts and lengthy siege operations to capture the city.
The lecture will explore several key aspects of the war:
1) Early neutralism and its collapse
2) The strength and persistence of royalism
3) The failure of parliamentary assault and siege operations
4) The quality and contribution of local commanders
And, more broadly, the part played by a garrisoned stronghold in a county town and regional capital, seen both within a county which was divided for most of the war and in a city sitting on the border between England and Wales and the different styles of conflict seen in the two countries.
Above all, it looks at the role which Chester might have played, was expected to play and actually played, viewed, from a royalist and a parliamentarian perspective, and it contrasts the (often startlingly different) priorities accorded to Chester by local commanders, by the regional war efforts and by the high commands in London and Oxford.
Tickets for the lecture are free but must be booked through the National Army Museum Website or by telephone in advance. Refreshments are available in the NAM café and the Museum shop will be open on the day’
Please do mark your respect for the outstanding contribution made to military history and battlefield studies by Richard Holmes by attending this thought provoking lecture.
Christmas Lunch
Come and join us at our annual Christmas lunch. Meet old friends and make new ones, exchange
battlefield stories and Guild gossip at this extremely popular social gathering.
More details from Andy Thompson - info@eyewitnesstours.com
Validation Event December 7th 2018
A Validation Event has been organised on December 7th 2018 at the Union Jack Club, Sandell St, Lambeth, London, SE1 8UJ
It will take place between 1000 and 1200; there is a total of six slots available. Requests to attempt Assignments 1, 5 or 6 should be emailed to the Validation Secretary (valsec@gbg-international.com) by 7 November (as usual, "first come, first served").
Guild Annual Weekend and AGM 2019
The Guild Annual Weekend and AGM will take place January 18th - 20th 2019.
The venue will be the Mercure Hotel Granby Street Leicester LE1 6ES
The event will include opportunities for validation, guest speakers, the annual Guild dinner and the ever popular Guild quiz! The AGM will also take place on the afternoon of Saturday 19th.
Full details of the event will be released shortly!