Visit to the 'cuckooland' museum and the Manchester southern cemetery.
10th May
Outline Plan for Saturday 10th May: Morning: Visit the 'Cuckooland' museum from 1100 to 1230 or 1300 hrs. Lunch: Bring your own sandwiches, to be eaten as a group to the military music of the 40-piece fairground organ. A certain level of 'central catering' will also be available - eg hot & cold beverages, plus standby food for those who have not brought enough - and it is hoped that a party atmosphere will emerge! Afternoon (from 1430 hrs): Guided tour of graves of interest in the Manchester Southern Cemetery, including the WW1 Australian military cemetery. Cost: £ 5 per head for entry to the museum + £ 1.50 for the 'central catering' (give or take, depending on what you consume). Note that the museum has a shop in which you can purchase relevant items of interest. Joining Instructions: Meet on Saturday 10 May 2008 at the 'Cuckooland' museum north of Northwich, Cheshire. There is a big free car park where we can foregather from 1045 hrs (we hope with the grand fairground organ playing specially selected military music), to enter the museum as a group at 1100. How to find the Clock Museum: From Manchester or from the M6: find the roundabout at junction 19 of the M6 (just north of the Knutsford services), where the A556 crosses the M6. Follow the A556 southwards in the direction of 'Northwich' for about a mile. Soon after the A5033 from Knutsford has come in from the left, start to look out for the 'Cuckooland' clock museum on the right. Slow down in the middle lane (which can be awkward, with the traffic) and then turn right into the museum car park. From the West or SW: Find the A556 heading north from Northwich towards Manchester. About 5 miles north of central Northwich look out for the 'Cuckooland' clock museum on the left, then turn directly left into the museum car park. How to find the Southern Cemetery: We hope to meet at 1430 at the NORTH car park, which is on Nell Lane just north of the main cemetery - but just south of its (more modern) northern extension! From the Northwich direction find the M56 heading north, as it hurtles past Manchester Ringway Airport. The M56 itself will quite soon veer off to the left towards Didsbury: but DO NOT go there! Keep on steadfastly straight ahead on the dual carriageway, which now becomes the A5103 Princess Parkway. It passes Northenden (note the godawful Britannia Airport Hotel on the right), then it ducks under the M60 ringroad and crosses the River Mersey. About 1 km after all that there is a church tower on the right followed by traffic lights at a major junction with the A5145 Barlow Moor Road. Keep on straight ahead for about another 300 metres (the cemetery will be on your left), then turn left at the next lights into Nell Lane. You will find the (small) car park about 100 metres further on, on the right. The guided tour of the cemetery will leave from there at 1430 (heading roughly SW). Please contact Paddy Griffith if you would like to attend, at 41 Burlington Road, Manchester, M20 4QA. Tel: 0161 4342551. Email: paddygriffith@tiscali.co.uk

Battle of Chalgrove walks
11th May 2008
Three walks of varying duration with commentary will take place sequentially, but all will start from :- The John Hampden’s Monument, Warpsgrove Lane, Chalgrove OX44 7RW (SU646972) at different times. Please contact Derek Lester on dereklester@waitrose.com to confirm which walks you wish to take by the end of April 2008. Or write to Derek Lester, 2, Farm Close, Chalgrove, Oxon. OX44 7RL. If possible please e-mail and Derek can provide papers providing background to the battle (see below for hard copies). Walk 1. Length 6 miles - duration 2 hours 30mins - terrain, open fields, footpaths with stiles. Meeting at 8.30am we will set off before 8.45am in the least number of cars and drive to the Lower Icknield Way and park where it crosses the Kingston Blount to Kingston Stert lane. (SP733001) We will then walk in the footsteps of Prince Rupert’s retreat to Chalgrove, stopping at strategic places to point out areas of particular interest. - Where skirmishes took place, that historians to date have confused with the Battle of Chalgrove - Show where the Earl of Essex, in his Letter to Parliament, deliberately confused the second skirmish with the Battle - Show where John Hampden, Sir Samuel Luke and Col Dulbier joined the skirmishers after the second encounter - To see where Parliaments’ 800 troopers out of Thame joined with those who had the Nightwatch that fateful night. Passing thru’ Clare Crossroads we reach Golder Manor. This is the end of Walk 1 and where we meet those beginning Walk 2. Walk 2. Length 1.25 miles – duration 1 hour – terrain, open ploughed fields Meeting at 11.30am we will set off in the least number of cars and drive to Golder Manor, where parking is limited, (SU669976) to meet up with those finishing Walk 1 at 12.00. Splitting into two groups Gill will take the Royalist line of march, while I will take the Parliamentarians’ route. The Royalists will stop in a Chalgrove Cornfield to face the Parliamentarians across the Great Hedge. Here Prince Rupert turned his Horse and headed off towards Chiselhampton. Parliaments’ Troopers, hampered by the Great Hedge, swept round in front of Warpsgrove House to threaten Rupert’s right flank. We will all meet at the real Battlefield in Upper Marsh Lane, including those on Walk 3. Let Battle commence. Walk 3. Length 0.5 miles - duration 30mins - terrain, metalled roads and field. Suitable for wheelchairs. Meeting at 12.35pm we will walk up Warpsgrove Lane to a 5 bar gate 500 yards on the left. This is Upper Marsh Lane and the field to the east is the focus of the Battle. All the action will be explained. Everybody will repair back to the Monument after the Battle. Finale. Length 0.5 miles duration 30mins – terrain, metalled roads. Suitable for wheelchairs. Re-grouping at the Monument we will give a short talk about the Monument. We will also lay to rest the controversy of the exploding pistol shattering John Hampden’s hand, versus the two carbine balls shot into his shoulder. We will then take questions. Retrieving Cars As previously arranged with each groups’ walk nominated drivers will take those whose cars are left at the start of the walks.

Nuclear Bunker Visit
17th May 2008
Saturday 17th May 2008. London & SE Branch visit to Nuclear Bunker, Kelvdon Hatch, Essex. Meet car park 11.30am. (Mike Elliott 01727 766199)

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
5th June 2008
Thursday 5th June 2008. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 7.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

Battle of Naseby Walk
14th June 2008
Saturday 14th June 2008, The Battle of Naseby, 14th June 1645. The Mercia ( formerly Mid Anglia ) Branch are marking the anniversary of Naseby with a walk around the site of the decisive battle of the Civil War. Details from Harvey Watson on 01494 726673

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
3rd July 2008
Thursday 3rd July 2008. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 7.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

Battlefield Walk and Medieval Festival, Tewkesbury
13th July 2008
Sunday 13th July 2008, as part of the Medieval Festival - meeting in the Fair. Organised and led by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Society. A walk around part of the battlefield as part of the Medieval Festival. About 2 hours walking and talking. Donations to the Festival. Starts at 11.00 a.m. at The Fair (probably outside the information tent). ( Steve Goodchild 01684 294939 ).

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
17th July 2008
Thursday 17th July 2008. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 7.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

Battle of Cropredy Bridge Walk
20th July 2008
Sunday 20th July 2008 The Battle of Cropredy Bridge, 1644. Stephen Barker is leading a walk around the battlefield of one of the last great Royalist victories of the Civil War. Meet at the Brasenose Pub in Cropredy Bridge in Oxfordshire at 1pm. (Harvey Watson 01494 726673)

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
7th August 2008
Thursday 7th August 2008. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 7.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

V2 / Peenemunde Tour
17th August 2008
Sunday 17th to Thursday 21st August 2008, V2 / Peenemunde Tour. This five day tour is being organised by the London & S.E. Group and will visit Berlin and the Netherelands. Cost £669 per person sharing. Would those interested, please obtain details from Frank Baldwin on 0781 317 9668.

Battle of Edgcote Walk
23rd August 2008
Saturday 23rd August 2008, 5 mile walk on the Battlefields Trail. The Battlefields Trail is a 20 mile long-distance footpath established by the Battlefields Trust to link the Battlefields of Edgehill 1642, Cropredy Bridge 1644, and Edgcote 1469. We will be visiting the Northamptonshire end of the Trail and walking around the Battlefield of Edgcote. Meet outside the church at Chipping Warden for a prompt 10am start. We plan to return to Chipping Warden for a pub lunch. ( Harvey Watson 01494 726673 )

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
4th September 2008
Thursday 4th September 2008. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 7.00pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

Men at Arms: New histories of soldiering in Britain & Ireland, 1750-1850
4th - 5th September 2008
Organised by the University of Northampton with keynote speakers Prof. Ian Beckett and Dr. Philip Shaw. This event is not organised by the Battlefields Trust. Please follow the weblink for further details.
http://www2.northampton.ac.uk/socialsciences/sshome/c-h-e-w

“The Wars of the Roses: Military thought and practice"
27th September 2008
This event is organised by the Richard III Foundation, Inc. and will take place on September 27, 2008 at the Market Bosworth High School and Community College, located at Station Road, Market Bosworth, Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The program will begin with registration at 9:15 am and will conclude by 5 pm. Our speakers and their topics will include: • David Baldwin - Reconstructing a Medieval Battle: Stoke Field 1487. • Glenn Foard - Warfare in a medieval landscape: finding Bosworth battlefield • Prof. Anthony Goodman - Richard 111 as a Military Commander. • Dr. David Grummitt - Military Thought and Chivalric Expectation: Edward IV's French Campaign of 1475. • Dr Paul Stamper of English Heritage - Battlefield conservation, designation and display: aims and approaches from across the world. • Prof. Matthew Strickland - The Price of Defeat: The Treatment of Prisoners in the Wars of the Roses. With Special Guest - Honorary Patron Robert Hardy. For further information or details, please contact the Richard III Foundation, Inc. at 77 Deacons Green, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8BN, or the corporate office at 9067 Vintage Wine Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89148 USA (for a full package) or email to Richard3Foundation@yahoo.com

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
5th October 2008
Sunday 5th October 2008. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 2.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

'Great War Study Day'
1st November 2008
'Great War Study Day' to be held by the Battlefields Trust in collaboration with the Queen's Lancashire Regiment Museum, at the Fulwood Barracks, Preston, on Saturday 1st November 2008. This promises to be a unique and fascinating event for all students of the Western Front, 1914-18. - 9.30 am: Doors open: Registration - 10 am: Dr Stephen Bull on 'Stosstrupptaktik': the evolution of German infantry assault tactics - 11 am: Paddy Griffith gives a short description of the British infantry's use of 'worms' and 'blobs', and then interrogates Stephen Bull (or is interrogated by him) on the difference between British, German (and French?) tactics. Then the discussion will be thrown open to the floor. - 12 am: Andy Robertshaw on 'Great War Archaeology' - 1 pm: Lunch with wine - 2 pm: Simon Jones on ‘Chemical warfare in 1914-18: was it any good?‘ - 3 pm: A fifth lecture, to be announced - 4 pm: Final thoughts and open discussion - 4.30 pm: Farewells To book your place, please send a cheque for £17.50 to Paddy Griffith, made out to 'The Battlefields Trust', at 41 Burlington Road, Manchester M20 4QA. Profits go to the Battlefields Trust plus £2 per head to the Regimental Museum. Please note that free parking is available at the barracks if you inform P.Griffith, or the barracks, of the colour, make and reg.number of your car before the event.

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
2nd Novembeer 2008
Sunday 2nd November 2008. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 2.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
7th December 2008
Sunday 7th December 2008. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 2.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
4th January 2009
Sunday 4th January 2009. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 2.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
1st February 2009
Sunday 1st February 2009. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 2.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
1st March 2009
Sunday 1st March 2009. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 2.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)

Battle of Tewkesbury Walk
5th April 2009
Sunday 5th April 2009. Battle of Tewkesbury 1471. 2 hour guided tour of the battlefield by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Sociey. Meet at 2.30pm at The Crescent, Tewkesbury ( nr Tewkesbury Abbey ). (Steve Goodchild 01684 294939)