I have been having a busy old summer taking guests on trip all around London and southern England but ever since February, I had been looking forward to Thursday 24th July in particular because this was the day that I would finally visit Highclere Castle. It was a long day out we I had collected… Continue reading A day out to Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey
Tag: WW1
Lest We Forget: A Concise Companion to the First World War (my new book)
I know what you’re thinking. Stephen can’t be releasing another book. I know, I know. I’m sorry. Long-time readers will know that I spend my summers giving guided tours and during winter I spend most of my time writing and it just so happens that it takes a certain amount of time for books to… Continue reading Lest We Forget: A Concise Companion to the First World War (my new book)
Our village (Leavesden Green) gets a new WW1 memorial
Like many others have done as the 100th anniversary of WW1 or The Great War looms ever closer over for us, our village has been busy working on a new war memorial which is situated at the end of my street. One of the most popular of my blog posts is that of Armistice Day… Continue reading Our village (Leavesden Green) gets a new WW1 memorial
The pitfalls of picking a book cover
It’s the moment that every writer both looks forward to and dreads in equal measure; deciding upon and somehow either creating, commissioning or crossing-your fingers and hoping an inbuilt software template can create a good book cover. Book covers are important because unless you are Stephen King (I’m 50% there as I have the right… Continue reading The pitfalls of picking a book cover
The real-life Band of Brothers: A good news WW1 story!
A strange thing happened this week whilst researching for my upcoming WW1 book, I came across a good news story! In a war that saw much of an entire generation of young men lost forever, the story of the Calpin brothers is even more amazing as not just one or two joined up but 10… Continue reading The real-life Band of Brothers: A good news WW1 story!
My first cover story!
I thought that I might give a little update on my writing as the last few weeks have been very productive ones in terms of writing. I’m about to have an article published by a leading environmental magazine (more details when it is out) on a subject relating to water poverty in Africa. It is… Continue reading My first cover story!
New Year, New Book
I’m not really one for making new year resolutions, fortunately I don’t have anything really to give up and I am more than happy to start my “resolutions” as and when they need to start throughout the year rather in the very dark, cold and generally horrid month of January. However, January does seem a… Continue reading New Year, New Book
Armistice Day – Remembrance Sunday
I am re-posting this article from last year as many of my reader won’t have seen it before and it is still one of the most viewed posts I have written. Sunday sees the third, final and probably by far the most important in the triumvirate of special days in the UK autumn calendar, Armistice… Continue reading Armistice Day – Remembrance Sunday
Poetry from the Trenches
The 11th of November is Armistice Day, the day that originally marked the end of World War 1. These days Remembrance Day or Poppy Day as it is sometimes called also focuses on the many later wars of the 20thC and now 21st Century too. Whilst all these wars have been bad whether fought for… Continue reading Poetry from the Trenches
The Prisoner of War who took ‘keeping a promise’ to the extreme
Earlier this week an amazing tale came to light about a British Army officer who had been captured during World War One and who learnt that his mother was dying and so was granted the freedom to return home on the condition that he returned back to the POW camp. As the 100th anniversary of… Continue reading The Prisoner of War who took ‘keeping a promise’ to the extreme