In their footsteps

In his father's borrowed Cameron kilt, Piper Bill Millin accompanied No. 6 Commando, 1st Special Service Brigade onto Queen Beach Red on the morning of 6 June 1944. Their task: To neutralise the German defences around the casino and a coastal battery in Ouistreham, before going on Pegasus Bridge. 'My job as a Piper, I was personal Piper to Lord Lovat. My job was to play the bagpipes for the invasion...to play the pipers going ashore.' He was aged just 21 at the time, and led

What the components of a ‘good’ day out on the battlefields? For me it’s simple, good company and ending the day having learned something new. Today tick’s those boxes and more. A gentle cycle out of Ypres onto the N8 where we head towards Sanctury Wood museum and the other memorials in the area. It’s a long cycle off the N8 onto Canada Lane, but it’s a quiet road with very little traffic. After the war, a soldier returned to what was left of his land in and around Sanctury W

It’s a cold, dark and miserable day and the skies are heavy with rain. It’s the first day that has suggested Autumn, so I’m glad we’re in the car. The shortest distance between Albert and Ypres is just 137km but taking that route means you miss out on some of the finest of WW1memorials, and our circuitous route will take to Vimy Ridge, the Notre Dame de Lorette Necropolis, Neuve Chapelle, the Portuguese Military Cemetery, Ploegsteet and Messines Ridge before arriving in Ypres