Mark Holbrook

Ex-paratrooper, military history buff and serial battlefield tourist.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Memorial to the submarine HMS E49 at Baltasound on Unst (Shetland). It was lost with all hands on 12th March 1917 after hitting a German mine.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Visit to Minturno Cemetery @CWGC , well worth a visit if you are touring Cassino.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Trip out to Monte Cassino this week, Day 1

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

War Memorial, Weinheim, Baden-Württemberg

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

2/ Northern section which runs along River Hart valley as far as the embankment of the Basingstoke-London mainline at Winchfield Green, dragon’s teeth are still in place. Inc Type 22, rare Type 27 and Section Post.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Walk along Aldershot West Switch Line, this served as an off shoot of the main GHQ line to protect the western flank of Aldershot garrison. 1/ southern section from strongpoint near Hancocks Farm through Crookham Village to
Pilcot.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

2/ Hungerford, Berkshire; Dunmill Lock. 2 x Type 28A ATk pillboxes between road/railway bridge on one side and Kennet and Avon Canal on the other. Also Type 22 to North covering bridge over River Dun. Impressive defensive position.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Walked two sections of GHQ Line Blue; 1/ Theale, Berkshire (junction of red and blue lines) Garston Lock on the Kennet & Avon Canal, has 2 x Type 28A ATk pillboxes either side of the lock with fields of fire E and W down the canal.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Walk out today exploring GHQ Line ‘A’ in area of Dogmersfield. The defences here used the Basingstoke Canal as the main obstacle. Blacksmiths Bridge still has sockets for Anti-Tank mines and over 62 AT cylinders. Type 24 pillbox built into canal bank.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Visit to Hughenden Manor. Requisitioned by the Air Ministry in 1941 and used by RAF as map-making base codenamed "Hillside," producing hand-drawn target maps for Bomber Command. Small exhibition in its West Wing showcasing original maps and personal stories.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

RAF Museum Hendon, great museum and it’s free!

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Another walk to explore more of the GHQ Line ‘B’ in Surrey. Around Box Hill the River Mole cuts through the North Downs, the valley is known as the ‘Dorking Gap’. This would have been a natural route towards London for German forces had they invaded in 1940.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Fort Eben-Emael, Belgium

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Polish Post Office in Gdansk (Danzig), site of one of the opening actions of WW2 where 56 post office employees held out against German attacks for 15 hours.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Walk along part of GHQ Line ‘B’ in the River Wey valley SE of Farnham. Including Type 28 Anti-Tank pillbox covering the site of an anti-tank ditch and over 25 ‘dragons teeth’ in area of Waverley Abbey.

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Coleshill House, Oxfordshire. GHQ and training base for the WW2 Auxiliary Units. The secretive sabotage organisation set up in 1940 in case of a Nazi invasion. https://t.co/2U30uyfxqN

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Battle of Britain Memorial, Chapel-le-Ferne

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Command bunker and fuel storage tanks at former RAF Reykjavik, built in 1940 and still on the hill overlooking what is now Reykjavik domestic airport.

[16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team @16AirAssltBCT]

When you go home, Tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, We gave our to-day.

#Remembrance #LestWeForget

[Mark Holbrook @parapronto82]

Home Front Museum (Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum) in Oslo. Amazing little museum telling the story of the German occupation and how the Norwegian people resisted and fought back.