Military History Tours

[Dougie]

G'Day Guys!

I'm a huge Military History enthusiast, have been all my life.
Sadly at this stage there has been very little in the way of Battlefield Tours/Military History Tours.
Back in 2002 I visited Thailand and toured the Death Railway and took in Hellfire Pass, the Bridge over the River Kwae and the Commonwealth War Cemetries (including laying wreaths). It was a very moving experience.
Apart from that just seeing some of the stuff at home like when I was posted to Darwin.
I would dearly love to visit Gallipoli, the Western Front, Kokoda, Long Tan, Rorkes Drift, the Civil War Battlefields and Little Bighorn.
Has anyone here done any tours? What was your experiece like?

[kiwi]

Nope can't say I have been on that type of trip, sounds really interesting.  I generally do local things in my area. Geelong is the hub of the Army. We for great sites like the Queenscliff fort.

[Crusty]

Dougie, I also visted the River Kwai Bridge, about five years ago. I have also visted Arnhem and Oosterbeck, Colditz Castle and had the good fortune to have been stationed in Berlin for three years.

The tour that really struck home was a trip my daughter and I made to the Somme and Ypres, seeing the remains of the trench systems, and the miles upon miles of military cemetries brings home just what a nightmare it was. Hearing the local fire brigade buglers playing the 'Last Post' at the Menin Gate at 6pm, as they have done every evening since the Armistice in 1919, except during WWII, brought a lump to my throat, and vision a little blurred!

I have also visited Waterloo and Minden.

[Dougie]

Dougie, I also visted the River Kwai Bridge, about five years ago. I have also visted Arnhem and Oosterbeck, Colditz Castle and had the good fortune to have been stationed in Berlin for three years.

The tour that really struck home was a trip my daughter and I made to the Somme and Ypres, seeing the remains of the trench systems, and the miles upon miles of military cemetries brings home just what a nightmare it was. Hearing the local fire brigade buglers playing the 'Last Post' at the Menin Gate at 6pm, as they have done every evening since the Armistice in 1919, except during WWII, brought a lump to my throat, and vision a little blurred!

I have also visited Waterloo and Minden.

Great stuff Crusty!
By the sounds of it you were in Thailand roughly the same time as I was. I was there in March/April 2002.
The River Kwae was an eye opener. We spent about three days in Kanchanburi Provence. We even stayed over night on a floating cabin on the River, that was pretty awesome.
Did you go see Hellfire Pass? That place is very moving.

[Crusty]

Never got to Hellfire pass. We were on a day trip from Bangkok, courtesy of Mrs Crusty who graciously gave up a days shopping to come with me. (Also had to fit in a trip to a floating market!!) That was in June 2002.

The stark contrast of the Commonwealth War  Graves Commission Cemetry to the Japanese War Cemetry nearby was quite something.

After my last post, I had a little wry smile to myself. I forgot to mention the battlefields of Goose Green, Mount Tumbledown, Port San Carlos Landings and 'Bomb Alley', but then I wasn't a tourist there!! 

[Dougie]

Ah, the Floating Market in Damnernsaduak. I remember that place well.
I didn't know about a Japanese War Cemetery; but then, I wasn't really in the mood to see one after visiting the Death Railway.
As for your other 'tours', it's probably best to leave them for a while. Save the memories for another time.

[Crusty]

It's OK Dougie.....I defeated the 'Black Dog' quite a while back. I'm almost a normal happy chappie now!!!!  

[sniper]

The black dog nipps us all at sometime mate,  but our resiliance and bounce back capacity  is what makes us what we was.

sniper

[Dougie]

Good to hear mate.