Simon Batten

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

This morning I took part in a school assembly explaining ANZAC Day. Alongside Dr Earl and me, two pupils of New Zealand descent told the stories of three @OldBloxhamist ANZACs who perished in the Great War; they will be remembered in the school chapel on Thursday. @Gallipoli100

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

Above all, we were privileged to be joined by relatives of some of the young men whose stories we told in the book, including @ElaineCottrell. Great to see @1815fletcher, @giwilliams1978, @boiry62128 and @NeilPudney there too. 2/2

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

Last month @footsteps_pod and I launched our new book for @Helionbooks, and we were delighted to be joined for the occasion by friends, colleagues and Great War historians in the chapel of @BloxhamSchool, which was the perfect location as it provided us with the book's title. 1/2

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

Today I talked to the school about Hugh Kayamba, one of two pupils from Zanzibar at @BloxhamSchool in the 1880s. His son Martin Kayamba contributed to the early days of what became the movement led by Julius Nyerere for the Independence of Tanganyika, achieved in 1961.

[Simon Batten @bloxbatts]

Delighted to see the new book out in print - the culmination of a long and involved research project for @footsteps_pod and me. Thanks to @ThirdYpres1917 and the team at @Helionbooks for a great job. The front cover by @BattlefieldGD is just what we wanted.

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

@StroudStory Here's the Great War one opposite, with an additional board listing those added in the last decade. The artist, Leonard Shuffrey was a former President of the Institute of British Decorators who also designed war memorials at Ealing and Witney. His son was killed at Gallipoli.

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

A hard fought 41-15 victory for @Bloxhamsport 1st XV against @DeanCloseSport this afternoon. @NextGenXV

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

Great to see former @Bloxhamsport 1st XV captain Dan Eckersley (middle) make his debut for @WaspsRugby against @FalconsRugby on Saturday. Though now playing hooker, Dan played in the back row for the second half. @NextGenXV

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

Now back in Britain after two hectic days on the Western Front, ending on the Somme with a walk to Mametz Wood, the stunning 38th (Welsh) Division Memorial and Flatiron Copse Cemetery and a visit to the impressive South African Memorial at Delville Wood.

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

This morning @footsteps_pod and I visited the graves on the Somme of @OldBloxhamist quartet Lieutenant Thomas Thomas and Second Lieutenants Oswald Nixon, Laurence Barrow and Kingsley Fradd. Their stories will form part of the forthcoming book we have been working on together.

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

Yesterday afternoon's highlight with @footsteps_pod was our walk taking in the Cinder Track + Rue de Bois near Richebourg, scene of not 1 but 3 battles, Aubers + Festubert (May 1915) + the Boar's Head (June 1916). Once again, revelatory to relate what happened to the terrain.

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

Four different approaches to remembrance on today's tour of 1915 battlefields: Richebourg's Portuguese National Cemetery, the sombre German cemetery at Laventie, the magnificent Indian Memorial at Neuve Chapelle and the Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie.

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

After a foggy start, the sun shone for a brilliant walk this morning on the battlefield of Neuve Chapelle with @footsteps_pod which taught us a lot about the challenges facing the B.E.F. in March 1915, not least the pancake-flat terrain.

[Simon Batten @SimonBatten3]

@footsteps_pod Oswald Nixon was an @OldBloxhamist and an Old Boy of @FelstedSchool. @ArchivesFelsted This is the cup, given in his memory by his sisters, mentioned in Matt's podcast. It is still awarded each year to the winners of Bloxham's House Music competition.