A Fathers Footsteps

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A Fathers Footsteps

An ongoing, online blog about my plans to cycle my late father's escape route from France in 1940 and his liberation route 1944/45 from Normandy to Germany.

Hopefully this will lead to my third cycling book.

01/11/2024

Hello November.

20/10/2024

Raising funds for The Royal British Legion, playing on Princess Parade, Torquay. Many thanks to all who donated.

10/10/2024

Out again. It was very pleasant in the sunshine, but the sharp breeze had chilly weather on it's tail.

04/10/2024

Took Pablo the Cube out for a spin and a dose of fresh air, before his Autumn service. Followed by being wrapped warm and dry until he hits the road next Spring. He's had a busy year. Together we've ridden in England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. I've never logged the distance, but it's well into the thousands of kilometres. The only problem he had was a dry bottom bracket which had to be repaired in Germany. He's travelled all year without one puncture. I wish him a safe winter and a well deserved R&R. Thanks Pablo my old friend.

24/09/2024

Playing for the Royal British Legion at Clifford's Tower, York.

30/08/2024

Trundled into Cambridge just after lunchtime. A bit achey, but feeling more chuffed, following a few enjoyable days of cycling.

29/08/2024

Still trundling towards Cambridge. A few running repairs needed today. But left Lincolnshire and staying at Outwell and giving my wheels a short run in Norfolk.

28/08/2024

Lots of green on the River Wytham, as I slowly trundle my way to Cambridge.

13/08/2024

Hi all. As promised, the paperback edition of my 2nd Father’s Footsteps book is now in publication and can be found across the international Amazon sites. This book, ‘A Father’s Footsteps Book 2….Liberation’, follows on from Book 1, and recounts my cycle travels from the Normandy Beaches to Geel in Belgium. Intended as more of a cycle-travel book, rather than a WW2 history tome, as part of the 15th Scottish Infantry Division, the events covered in the book include passages about the 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusilier’s involvements in the Battle of Normandy and the liberation of North West France and Belgium. Please enjoy. Mike.

27/07/2024

It is with pleasure, combined with an apology to those who deserve superior literacy, that I can announce the publication of the Kindle edition of, 'A father's Footsteps, Book 2 - Liberation, which can be found on the Amazon Kindle store. Also, to announce that a paperback edition is in the final processes of publication and will follow shortly. Please enjoy. Mike.

13/07/2024

Hi all. It's now been a good few weeks since we returned home from Germany on the completion of my last Father's Footsteps journey. Pleasingly, my legs now feel like mine once again and my head now realises we have actually stopped moving. Still, while recovering I have kept my project ticking away. My 2nd project book, 'A Father's Footsteps Book 2...Liberation', is now finished and is being prepared for publication in both Kindle and paperback formats and is expected to be in publication sometime during August. Also, I'm pleased to report that I managed to meet my fund raising target for the Royal British Legion, so once again many many thanks to all who donated. Both bikes I used during my trips have been deep cleaned and serviced and both keep hinting they are road eager once again, and I'm just about with them in that respect and hope to press on the pedals sometime soon. In the meantime Fenella and myself are enjoying a fantastic Tour de France, a superb Giro Italia and looking forward to the Paris Olympics. Anyway, until my next blog, keep your wheels turning, your helmets on and enjoy the journeys. Mike.

04/07/2024

The place to head for when you're desperate ...

01/06/2024

Well it's over. I had my last ride today to the North West of Hamburg. Weather wise, our run into the city on Friday was the most miserable of our trip, for late May it was very cold and it poured down all day long. But we knew once there we could relax for the evening. But, our journey was nothing compared to what the 15 SID had to face. Following the nightmare of Bergen-Belsen, the Division had a five day battle to take the towns of Uelzen and Stadensen. They then were the first Division to cross the River Elbe, the gateway into the Baltic. In April 1945 Hamburg was nothing but a burned-out shell of a city. Yet the Division had to deal with tens of thousands of refugees flooding there from the east, as well as tens of thousands of enemy surrendering to them as the fled from the Russians, who at that time were at the gates of Berlin. My Dad and the RSF became stationed North West of the city in the suburb of Bargteheide, and that is where his war ended, and that was where I cycled to today. The black and white photo below was taken by my Dad, in Bargteheide on the 8th of May 1945, VE day. I finished where the photo was taken. From June 14th 1944, until 8th May 1945, the 15th Scottish Infantry Division suffered twelve thousand, one hundred and eleven casualties. We owe them, and all those who fought for us, everything. Now all we want to do is to go home. Thank you. Mike and Fenella.

31/05/2024

Only one drab looking photo today. Unfortunately it's of me, damp, dishevelled and done-in. Its taken just inside Hamburg where my cycle route enters the city. And that's about it done and dusted. I'll write a fuller blog tomorrow when hopefully I've made my very final ride of My Father's Footsteps. Until then, many many thanks to you all for your fantastic support. Mike and Fenella.

30/05/2024

A quiet day on the bike today, no thunder storms, no rain at all, could I have cycled out of Europe? Turned due north from Celle and pointed my front wheel at Hamburg, although where the heck its gone is anybodies guess. It doesn't appear to be too far away on our road map, but saying that, neither does the tip of Finland. My route proved to be what the real bicyclists would call 'a bit lumpy', to me it was one hill after another, usually with extra one in-between as well. Managed to get 50 plus kilometres in the bag, so, unless it moves further away again, which I'm sure it is doing, we should be nicely set-up to reach Hamburg sometime tomorrow. Now ready for long hot showers and long cold beers. Keep your glasses topped up. Mike.

29/05/2024

Probably the toughest day today, physically and mentally. Cycled past Celle among brooding forestry tracks under leaden sky's which delivered heavy thundering storms. Feeling absolutely washed-out. It is the sort of area in which many secrets could be hidden. One nearly was. As the British forces swept towards the Elbe, they came face to face with a different horror. 15 SID found what they thought could be some type of 'experimental' hospital, other units were discovering similar 'satellite' places. It was 11th Armoured who arrived first at the gates which gave the full story. The British had discovered Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. Originally a prisoner of war camp, in 1943 it became an 'exchange camp', where Jewish hostages were held with the intention of exchanging them for German prisoners of war. In 1945 it became a 'displaced persons camp'. It was a place of horror. At least 20,000 Soviet prisoners died there along with an estimated 50,000 inmates. When the British arrived they discovered 60,000 starving skeletal prisoners inside and another 13,000 unburied corpses laying abandoned around the camp. At a loss of what to do the British tried to provide all the food they had, but it was so rich numerous prisoners died, the same happened when the troops gave out dried milk supplement. Due to ongoing fighting the British had to leave Hungarian guards to remain as overseers until expert help could be organised. Medical treatment was overseen by Brigadier Glyn Hughes. Eventually specialist teams were dispatched from Britain to deal with the feeding problem. Because of Typhus and Typhoid Fever the camp itself was burned to the ground by Crocodile Flame Throwers. I circled the town of Bergan today. Like my Dad, I never want to return.

28/05/2024

It's been partly a day of lost translation today. When ordering wine for dinner, Fenella asked if one particular wine was 'fruity' based, only to be advised, 'No, not really, it has a hint of wild animal'. We had to try it. I could detect a slight hint of wild boar, and the waiter who looks as if he sent his much smaller brother for the suit fitting, has a slippy hairpiece, so I guess there could be a bit of wild buck in there too. Around the area I cycled today there is some sort of straw figure competition on, some smarty pants seems to have made one depicting me at the end of each day. It was a day of getting the kilometres in. I chose a cycleway that was boringly numb to ride, but got me there quickly, giving us the possibility of a weekend finish in sight. We are in Lower Saxony now, following the footsteps of the 15 SID as they edged towards the River Elbe, which they were destined to cross first, opening the doors to the city of Hamburg. But they still had to pass through Celle and its nightmarish surprise. Bottoms up. Mike.

27/05/2024

It's been the longest day so far today, not so much with cycling, but with driving to the start and then driving to our new base at Essen after I'd finished. I have much to thank my Project Manager, Road Captain, Organiser, and all round Superstar, Fenella for most of what I've achieved so far. All I have to do is pedal a damn bike, or two, that's the easy bit. If it wasn't for my much much much better half I'd still be stuck on Dover Quay, clueless and confused. Made it to Nienburg today, and to be honest, not the nicest spot of our journey, but hey ho, our journey isn't all about picturesque places. Begin to head towards Celle tomorrow, before turning directly northwards. Keep smiling. Mike.

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No blog tonight. Been riding through the fields of French Flanders. Nothing I could say can match what has already been said by more articulate folk than me. Instead, recorded before I left, Fields of Gold, bookended by Bookends. Stay peaceful. Mike.

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