Good open conversation ⁦⁦RUSI⁩ about the future of commemoration and great to be involved in broader afternoon discussions ⁦Hist&ArchChester⁩ ⁦University of Chester⁩

3.5 hours after leaving home, it’s almost London Euston but seems this is as far as train is going. Perhaps a modern railway, ie HS2, might help, but then that’s now also cancelled!

📢📽️Glimpses of German History Ep.4: WW1 Prisoner of War Plate In this episode Prof Tim Grady Tim Grady (University of Chester) tells us about a plate made out of a saucepan lid by a German prisoner of war held at the POW camp in Handforth, Cheshire youtu.be/UG_mNdvAnN8 🧵1/

Network on post-conflict exhumations coming together nicely. Our exhumation database is growing; wargraves.chester.ac.uk/graves. And now we’ve had a day of discussions in Kingston, with Layla Renshaw, leading the way… #fillingthevoid

Off to Brussels this evening for some final book research in Frankfurt later in the week. The train does at least give plenty of quiet time for reading through the draft manuscript, at least that’s the plan #buryingtheenemy ⁦Yale University Press London📚⁩ ⁦The Leverhulme Trust⁩

Surprised to see Elsa Brändström still going strong in Frankfurt. One of the favourites for the various groups of former German POWs in the interwar years.

Not overly comforting for the rest of the day though…

Comments from 1928 seem strangely familiar today…

I can assure you there are another 300 pages after this one! First draft of the book submitted after many years of research & much support from friends, colleagues and ⁦University of Chester⁩ ⁦Hist&ArchChester⁩ The Leverhulme Trust⁩ ⁦Institute of Historical Research⁩ ⁦Project House Europe⁩

The sight and smell of sewage flowing into a river. Nothing like the great British bank holiday experience!

Remarkable to think there’s anything left in this country for this government to destroy, but there you go: Rishi Sunak faces cabinet backlash over plans to curb foreign student visas | Immigration and asylum | The Guardian theguardian.com/uk-news/articl…

One of the more interesting walks to think about German-Jewish history. But well worth it for the view and for the amazing ⁦Catalyst SDC⁩ archive.

After years of attacking the arts and humanities, Rishi Sunak seems to be discovering the value of studying history and understanding the past the hard way! #DDay

A really fantastic scheme! It was such a luxury to have a full day in London discussing draft chapters with generous colleagues. Really helped to shape my forthcoming book on the enemy war dead with Yale University Press London📚

One of the joys of this French WWI conference is not only the discussions against the backdrop of Amiens but crucially a very long lunch with wine too. Most relaxed.

Amazing display case in Amiens Hotel de Ville containing gifts exchanged from town twinning events and other moments of international diplomacy. Great to see all this doesn’t just disappear into a cupboard or worse!

On the slow train to ⁦University of Chester⁩ from Amiens, but finally back ⁦after marvellous conference on WWI and political legacies. Thanks to ⁦CR Historial⁩ for such generous hospitality

Impressive first University of Chester Festival of Ideas programme. With perfect timing, Roland Clark and I are discussing interwar fascism this Thursday. Join us in Chester town hall at midday for exhibition and chat: tinyurl.com/p5z9fdzj

Straight off the ferry from Gothenburg and with time to „Kiel“, just managed one final visit for the enemy war dead project.

A mere 6 months/ish until my new book ‘Burying the Enemy’ comes out with @yalebooks: tinyurl.com/2r5xdyjs It’s about death in the world wars, but with a difference. It essentially asks: how do you bury the enemy? I’ll post more nearer the time Hist&ArchChester The Leverhulme Trust