Robin's Red Rambles

31/05/2026

For those guides coming to Normandy next week... a reminder that the Bayeux Memorial is currently undergoing restoration and is, despite the best efforts of the contractors, not likely to be accessible until July.

04/09/2025

Our National Volunteer Program in Canada has been a huge success so far.

We’re now looking for Volunteers in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northern Ontario!

As the month goes on, we’ll be opening up more areas across Ontario — including Toronto — so make sure to keep checking in.

24/08/2025

Today I am putting the final touches to my next few Canadian heritage tours.

27/06/2025

Final day of our Ypres tour today included a personal commemoration for a fallen comrade of my grandfather. My grandfather was wounded in October 1917 at Houthulst Forest whilst serving in the 12th Battalion Gloustershire regiment.

Lest we Forget.

26/06/2025

At Vimy Ridge this morning enjoying the sunshine with a school group.

20/06/2025

13/06/2025

Upcoming Normandy tours...

13/06/2025

I have just completed another heritage tour looking at the involvement of The Royal Winnipeg Rifles in the Battle of Normandy 1944. We also had on tour a couple of tank enthusiasts who wanted to explore the Polish Armoured Division, the Panzer Ace Michael Wittman and of course Villers-Bocage.

19/04/2025

I have just completed a most enjoyable RCAF 126 Wing Normandy tour. It was challenging trying to uncover the stories related to the ground crews involved in the Battle of Normandy as the majority of narratives concentrate on the individual Spitfire pilots. Piecing together the family story from small snippets has led us to believe that the leading aircraftsman may have been one of the Servicing Commandos at Beny-sur-Mer Airfield in June 1944. Servicing Commandos were responsible for refuelling and rearming aircraft, carrying out repairs and defending the airfield from ground and air attack. Their role is often overlooked and seldom commemorated.

B4 Beny-sur-Mer Airfield memorial

25/03/2025

On this day in 1991, the RAF Ensign was lowered for the final time at RAF Bawdsey. Derek Rothery, the last station commander of RAF Bawdsey, remembers the official closing ceremony:

‘The date of Monday 25 March 1991 was selected. A Guard of Honour was formed on Bawdsey Quay, which was part of the RAF station. RAF Bawdsey was part of 11 Group, the old RAF Fighter Command in WW2, and we had Air Commodore Mike Donaldson from 11 Group HQ as our Reviewing Officer. We had one police dog at the time, Air Dog Skip, who was on parade having been promoted that day to Corporal Air Dog Skip and he retired that day after the closure ceremony.

It was a very moving ceremony, with the General Salute, the National Anthem, prayers and an address by the Reviewing Officer which included a brief history about what had happened at Bawdsey. The Ensign was lowered, folded and presented to me, and I led the parade off in a slow march to the strains of Auld Lang Syne.

I’d spent six happy years on a station unlike any other with the role it played in air defence of the UK, I believe it was unique in the Air Force.

I was determined to be the last RAF serviceman to leave Bawdsey and I was. As I walked past the guard-room I turned for a last look at the Manor and gave a final salute to all the personnel who had served at RAF Bawdsey.’

The image below shows Skip with his handler Jason Lehan.