Defeat and Division.

Posted on January 12, 2023 • No Comments

‘A clear-eyed, ambitious and myth-busting account that places the Fall of France in 1940 and De Gaulle’s Free French in a wider scenario that sees Vichy France and its colonial empire as a serious military player down to 1942. A tour de force by a historian who is a master[...]

Fort Montluc

Posted on April 10, 2019 • No Comments

Montluc Prison is a former prison located in the 3rd arrondissement of Lyon, France. During the occupation of France, it was known for being an internment, torture and execution site used by the Gestapo. It was initially a military prison, opened in 1921 and used as such by the Vichy[...]

Jean Marie at Fort Montluc

Posted on April 9, 2019 • No Comments

Montluc prison is a former prison located on rue Jeanne Hachette in the 3rd arrondissement of Lyon, France. It was known for being an internment, torture and killing place by the Gestapo during the occupation of France by the Nazis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montluc_prison Sebastien Jean-Marie Sonnery was bought to Gestapo HQ in Lyon on Sunday 19th December 1943. The HQ was located[...]

Final Day – Day 17 – Woodhall Spa to IBCC

Posted on July 27, 2018 • No Comments

To The International Bomber Command Centre After 17 days of riding, today was the final day. It was a comparatively short run from Woodhall Spa along the Sustrans route into Lincoln. I didn’t manage the Steep Hill up to Lincoln, my legs are finally starting to suffer. After a quick[...]

Day 16 – Knipton to Woodhall Spa

Posted on July 25, 2018 • No Comments

...and finally to Woodhall Spa. The site of the old RAF Woodhall Spa, where on 26 July 1944 9 Mosquito Pathfinders took off. Cycling wise - today was an easy run up from Knipton to Woodhall Spa. I had intended to travel via RAF Syerston, which had been the base[...]

Day 15 – Maidwell to Knipton

Posted on July 24, 2018 • No Comments

The final run home The Crew of the Worry Bird I've headed north today closer and closer to Bomber County - Lincolnshire. But first, and really close to my bed for the night in Maidwell is the Carpetbaggers Museum in Harrington. A brisk 3-mile climb on the bike, while my[...]

Day 14 – Ampthill to Maidwell

Posted on July 23, 2018 • No Comments

To Maidwell Northampton The plan today was to leave Ampthill and spend some time at Bletchley Park. During the second world war, Bletchley Park was home to over 150 people, primarily engaged in trying to crack the enigma code. The first operational break into Enigma came around the 23 January[...]

Day 13 – Central London to Ampthill

Posted on July 22, 2018 • No Comments

Via the home of the Mosquito de Havilland Aircraft Museum At Last leaving London on the home stretch to Lincoln. I left Westminster and cycled the short distance to Kings Cross Station to RV with my daughter Katie to continue for the next two days. It's so much easier with[...]

Day 12 – Rochester to Central London

Posted on July 21, 2018 • No Comments

To WESTMINSTER GREEN PARK The weather was back to the sun I had enjoyed (sometimes too much) over the preceeding 10 days. I travelled from Rochester the land of Charles Dickens via the National Cycle Network Routes 1 and 4 right into the city of London. Congratulations to Sustrans for[...]

Day 11 – Folkestone to Rochester

Posted on July 21, 2018 • No Comments

FOLKESTONE TO ROCHESTER Detling Kent I thought today would be an easy ride north. I was wrong. I rode north from Folkestone latching onto the Pilgrims Way. The surface of this route was really hard going and the rain - the first in 54 days I was told - was[...]