Frank Toogood
The Battlefield Guide
Guiding Member of the
Guild of Battlefield Guides,
Badge Number 39
The Battlefield Guide
Guiding Member of the
Guild of Battlefield Guides,
Badge Number 39
View
Talk
Call Frank for free on your PC
or Mac using Skype
Find out more about the
benefits of Skype »
Alternatively, there's always
the telephone:
+44 (0)1916 45 1812
+44 (0)7948 56 2085
Film
Frank has recently done some 'face to camera' work about Hougoumont for Battlefield History TV's DVD film on Waterloo, which was released in early 2009 for download via the internet.
Talk
Call Frank for free on your PC
or Mac using Skype
Find out more about the
benefits of Skype »
Alternatively, there's always
the telephone:
+44 (0)1916 45 1812
+44 (0)7948 56 2085
Film
Frank has recently done some 'face to camera' work about Hougoumont for Battlefield History TV's DVD film on Waterloo, which was released in early 2009 for download via the internet.
Why not view the trailer above and for more information visit:
Battlefield History TV »
Fact...
...identity discs were first issued to British troops during the Boer War. By the time of the Great War two fibreboard discs, one
round and one octagonal were issued to soldiers, bearing their service number, unit, rank, name and religion and were worn on a string around the neck.
The octagonal disc, sometimes coloured green, was to remain with the body of the soldier to aid in identification should the body need to be
exhumed. The circular disc, sometimes coloured red, was used to identify the belongings of the soldier and be sent home. Folklore has it that the identity disc
colourings were to aid soldiers in remembering which one went where: red meant blood and was to be taken, since the soldier was dead; green meant grass and
was to stay with the body.
Welcome
The Battlefield Guide is Frank Toogood, a qualified guide of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides.
Based in the UK, he specialises in "bespoke" walking tours for small groups following the Waterloo Campaign, the Battle of Waterloo, the Great War and Peenemünde, where the V–2 was developed and tested during WWII.
As these tours are "bespoke", costs are dependent on the number of people in your party, length of tour, time of year, and the type of accommodation you desire. We may not be able to compete against large tour operators on costs, but we'll beat them every time on quality of service.
If that's what matters to you and you want a guide with real passion, then why not let Frank take you on tour and let him bring alive the personalities, their stories and the horrific and vivid events that took place on Europe's hallowed acres.
As Napoléon Bonaparte once said, "Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in." So when you're finished looking through the website, don't wait – book a tour with The Battlefield Guide.
Following in the footsteps...
Some of Frank's clients have asked him to undertake research on a family relative who fought in a foreign field. This research sometimes then goes on to form the basis of a tour, designed so that they can then follow in their relative's footsteps to better understand what they did and went through for us. In some cases, this ends with the opportunity of visiting their relative's grave, or the memorial they are commemorated on, and a moment for personal reflection and remembrance. This can often be a very rewarding and moving experience. For further details, contact Frank.
Testimonials
Wanted to drop you a line to thank you properly for the remarkable trip last weekend – 'Following in the footsteps of Pte AC Wood'.
I didn't think you would be able to surpass the quality of experience you delivered at our Waterloo visit in February. However, if I was forced to make a choice I would have to say that the tour you constructed for us to Ypres and the Somme was even better!
The detailed picture you were able to paint of those terrible events was extraordinary and has provided me with a much more rounded perspective of the key events and the people that lived and died through them.
What really set this tour apart however, was the way in which you brought those momentous events to life by recounting them through the eyes of one man – my Grandad. The facts you were able to tell me about what he had done and where he had been meant a great deal and I know was only made possible by exhaustive research on your part. To have stood on the spot where he and his mates left their trench and went 'over the top' was remarkable enough but to do that whilst getting a small sense of their experience courtesy of the tin hat and Lee Enfield rifle you provided will stay with me for years to come.
We had lots of laughs – but the gravity and respect demanded by the events we followed was never lost as evidenced by the laying of a wreath at the memorial to my Grandfather's battalion – I thought you created that sense of appropriate balance flawlessly.
As I stated in the opening paragraph 'following in the footsteps of Pte AC Wood' was a remarkable event... You did the memory of my Grandfather (and all his mates) proud – from both me and my Dad many many thanks.
Looking forward to Normandy 2010 already!!
John Wood
Black Notely, Braintree
Frank Toogood is a superb battlefield guide. I recently was in Brussels on business and able to devote one day to a quick overview of Waterloo. I met Frank at 9 am and from then on through 5:30 pm he walked me through a clear and compelling description of the strategic, tactical and human highlights of the battle. He was thoroughly prepared and handled all of my questions with insight, humour and perspective. Two or three days certainly would have been better, but no matter how much time you may have available, I can't imagine a more able companion to help you understand what happened at Waterloo.
William Oliver
Senior Vice President
AT&T
New Jersey, USA
Supporting
We actively support the following organisations...
The Battlefield Guide is Frank Toogood, a qualified guide of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides.
Based in the UK, he specialises in "bespoke" walking tours for small groups following the Waterloo Campaign, the Battle of Waterloo, the Great War and Peenemünde, where the V–2 was developed and tested during WWII.
As these tours are "bespoke", costs are dependent on the number of people in your party, length of tour, time of year, and the type of accommodation you desire. We may not be able to compete against large tour operators on costs, but we'll beat them every time on quality of service.
If that's what matters to you and you want a guide with real passion, then why not let Frank take you on tour and let him bring alive the personalities, their stories and the horrific and vivid events that took place on Europe's hallowed acres.
As Napoléon Bonaparte once said, "Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in." So when you're finished looking through the website, don't wait – book a tour with The Battlefield Guide.
Following in the footsteps...
Some of Frank's clients have asked him to undertake research on a family relative who fought in a foreign field. This research sometimes then goes on to form the basis of a tour, designed so that they can then follow in their relative's footsteps to better understand what they did and went through for us. In some cases, this ends with the opportunity of visiting their relative's grave, or the memorial they are commemorated on, and a moment for personal reflection and remembrance. This can often be a very rewarding and moving experience. For further details, contact Frank.
Testimonials
Wanted to drop you a line to thank you properly for the remarkable trip last weekend – 'Following in the footsteps of Pte AC Wood'.
I didn't think you would be able to surpass the quality of experience you delivered at our Waterloo visit in February. However, if I was forced to make a choice I would have to say that the tour you constructed for us to Ypres and the Somme was even better!
The detailed picture you were able to paint of those terrible events was extraordinary and has provided me with a much more rounded perspective of the key events and the people that lived and died through them.
What really set this tour apart however, was the way in which you brought those momentous events to life by recounting them through the eyes of one man – my Grandad. The facts you were able to tell me about what he had done and where he had been meant a great deal and I know was only made possible by exhaustive research on your part. To have stood on the spot where he and his mates left their trench and went 'over the top' was remarkable enough but to do that whilst getting a small sense of their experience courtesy of the tin hat and Lee Enfield rifle you provided will stay with me for years to come.
We had lots of laughs – but the gravity and respect demanded by the events we followed was never lost as evidenced by the laying of a wreath at the memorial to my Grandfather's battalion – I thought you created that sense of appropriate balance flawlessly.
As I stated in the opening paragraph 'following in the footsteps of Pte AC Wood' was a remarkable event... You did the memory of my Grandfather (and all his mates) proud – from both me and my Dad many many thanks.
Looking forward to Normandy 2010 already!!
John Wood
Black Notely, Braintree
Frank Toogood is a superb battlefield guide. I recently was in Brussels on business and able to devote one day to a quick overview of Waterloo. I met Frank at 9 am and from then on through 5:30 pm he walked me through a clear and compelling description of the strategic, tactical and human highlights of the battle. He was thoroughly prepared and handled all of my questions with insight, humour and perspective. Two or three days certainly would have been better, but no matter how much time you may have available, I can't imagine a more able companion to help you understand what happened at Waterloo.
William Oliver
Senior Vice President
AT&T
New Jersey, USA
Supporting
We actively support the following organisations...
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Tours
Bespoke walking tours for small groups interested in:
Waterloo and Campaign
Visit Waterloo, where on the 18th of June 1815, Wellington met Napoléon on the battlefield for the first time and defeated him with the aid of Blücher and the Prussians. More on Waterloo »
Great War
Follow the 32nd (East Ham) Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers on the Somme, where at the Battle of Flers in 1916, they accompanied the first tanks to make an appearance on the battlefield. Alternatively, follow the story of the Essex Yeomanry at Ypres and Monchey le Preux. More on the Great War »
Peenemünde
Visit the island of Usedom, now a nature reserve and Peenemünde, where the V2 under von Braun was developed and was subsequently bombed by the RAF during Operation Hydra in 1943. More on Peenemünde »
Email
Fields marked (*) are required
Alternatively you can
write, sending to:
Frank Toogood
The Battlefield Guide
Cobwebs Barn
Canterbury Grange
Bocking, Braintree
Essex CM7 5NA
United Kingdom
Bespoke walking tours for small groups interested in:
Waterloo and Campaign
Visit Waterloo, where on the 18th of June 1815, Wellington met Napoléon on the battlefield for the first time and defeated him with the aid of Blücher and the Prussians. More on Waterloo »
Great War
Follow the 32nd (East Ham) Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers on the Somme, where at the Battle of Flers in 1916, they accompanied the first tanks to make an appearance on the battlefield. Alternatively, follow the story of the Essex Yeomanry at Ypres and Monchey le Preux. More on the Great War »
Peenemünde
Visit the island of Usedom, now a nature reserve and Peenemünde, where the V2 under von Braun was developed and was subsequently bombed by the RAF during Operation Hydra in 1943. More on Peenemünde »
Fields marked (*) are required
Alternatively you can
write, sending to:
Frank Toogood
The Battlefield Guide
Cobwebs Barn
Canterbury Grange
Bocking, Braintree
Essex CM7 5NA
United Kingdom
