Visit to RAF Linton

Thursday, 13th July.

The U3A York Military History Group organised a trip to Royal Air Force Linton-on-Ouse base. This is the closest base to our home and very often we see aircraft on the landing flight path.

The base is now used as a flight training school with a squadron of Tucanos.

The old control tower, now replaced.

Tucanos

I did not use my camera very much so the following are images I found through Google.

The base also has a couple of these trainers which look like a flying bubble.

We always know when a Chinook is visiting the base.

The base was built during the mid-Thirties rearmament push. It was used by Bomber Command during WW2, initially with Whitleys then with four engined Halifaxes.

A Whitley being armed

A Halifax bomber

A good day out - its always nice to visit the neighbours.

Spring Trip 2017 - Plancenoit & Waterloo Museum

19th June. Morning only in the vicinity of the battle. First stop, the village of Plancenoit where the Prussians launched a major offensive against the French right wing.

Open, undulating country

The Prussian Memorial in the village of Plancenoit

A quick stop close to La Belle Alliance, looking towards the Lion Mound.

Most of the morning was scheduled for visits to the museums . These are the Lion Mound, the Memorial which is a newly built museum and visitor centre and the Panorama.

The Lion Mound

The Panorama with the visitors' centre on the left

The entrance to the visitors' centre

Wow- a great museum and visitors' centre, recently built and opened. It is underground so it does not interfere with the battlefield - if only the Dutch had the same appreciation before building the Lion Mound.

Inside, my camera skills were not able to capture many images.

A terrific collection of uniforms

Also, there is a very good 4D film about the battle.

The Panorama was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the battle and it shows its age, but it is interesting. It is a large 360degree painting of the battle during the French cavalry attacks.

After this came lunch and then back to Brussels for our last visit. the Evere Cemetery, to see the British Waterloo Campaign Memorial. Unveiled on 26th August 1890, it lists all of the British regiments that fought during the Waterloo campaign. Underneath is a crypt that contains 17 bodies, 16 of them are officers whose bodies were transferred from the battlefield. The 17th was a  NCO, Sergeant Major Edward Cotton, 7th Hussars, who became a tour guide for the tourists visiting the battlefield.

This is a memorial to the Belgian citizens who died fighting for their freedom in 1830.

The coach then took us back to the Eurostar Terminal in Brussels. That was the end of the tour.

A very good tour, put together by The Cultural Experience. A little expensive but very well done, good quality accommodation and meals, two great guides, highly recommended.

Spring Trip 2017 - the Field of Waterloo

or rather Mont St Jean, as Waterloo is a few miles away.

I did not know this but apparently, the British name battles after the location of their commander's HQ, as the Swedes do as well. (This is the only time I will make a Eurovision Song Contest quip....I promise.)

18th June, the anniversary of the battle and the re-enactors are having a fine time in the fields around Hougoumont.

This first set of photos are from the French position near La Belle Alliance (which is now a night club), along the line and then towards the British and their allies, you can see the Lion Mound in the distance.

Then we marched round to Hougoumont - well, we got on the coach  and were driven round.

Large barn

Gardener's cottage with South gate

Guards Memorial Plaque

Inside the chapel

A few years ago, this crucifix inside the chapel was stolen but returned after an Internet plea. Hence the need for an alarm wire.

Towards the North gate.

Gardener's cottage from inside the courtyard.

The large barn now used to show a very good short film.

I omitted to photograph the North gate, so here are some postcards I bought.

The new gate and (much lower) wall.

The end of the barn and the Monument

External of the Gardener's cottage.

Copied from the Hougoumont Guide booklet

Next stop was La Haye Sainte farm

This is still a working farm so no admittance.