Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 2mOS does have an official birthday. It’s the date on which the Ramsden theodolite was purchased - 21 June 1791 000
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 14mStellar day with the likes of Rob Crane (COPP) and @DDayLogs .. strong finish with a swing past the local landmarks. 000
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 8hGreat day ahead: in Newbury for the Defence Surveyors, Association seminar - and a local (over breakfast, little cafe in the high street) reminder of how much Britain owes to surveyors, sorting out our defences - and everything else. Voila, the old view of Norfolk 👇 140
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 05/10/2026Packed for a week on the road: passing through Alamein again, later today -- Enham Alamein, that is. Astonishing little village. The Egyptian gov gifted it a large amount of money out of gratitude; which was nice, and Montgomery became VP of its rehabilitation charity, the Enham Trust. 060
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 05/10/2026Awesome, isn't it?! So much propaganda mapping gets dismissed now as being illustrative alone; at the time though - education being what it was, then - it had SO much potential to actually land a point, good or bad, with everyone. 010
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 05/10/2026Glad you like it. Plenty more to come, here - and if you're ever interested in sharing that stash, do tap me up! 110
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 05/10/2026So, Monday's off to a spluttering start, then. If you've sorted the flash floods in your inbox, and already feel like setting fire to this week's calendar, you could have a cup of tea - coffee - Un Petit Pause - and read this instead. www.merrynwalters.uk/p/montelimar...merrynwalters.ukMontelimar: The What, The WhereWhat a Sketch Map Can Do, and A Detailed Map Does Not 041
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 05/10/2026And while I think about it, here's Caen: routes and bridges at 1:25,000, Aug 1943. WW2 mapmakers had to contend with their best work being utterly trashed by the RAF/USAAF et al. From a great height. Day and night. One minute it's a great map... the next, it's less use than Edelweiß (IYKNK). 070
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 05/10/2026Something for the start of the week, then. A romp through Portuguese propaganda mapping, which wasn't always made by Portgual. Do, y'know, like and ~ *sigh* ~ have a wee, free subscribe if you enjoy words on WW2 mapping history. 👇 substack.com/home/post/p-...substack.comPORTUGAL. WHOSE MAP WAS IT, ANYWAY?WW2 propaganda maps, mostly of - or by? - Portgual. 351
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 05/10/2026To be fair, the New Zealanders had their eyes on the ball throughout in '44. Someone pencilled in 'Happy New Year Fritz' on this sheet, to show where the artillery left a few timely gifts in the Orsogna Sector. 020
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 05/10/2026One of the mapmakers: a chap named Mayne, I believe ~ no, not that Mayne, another Mayne ~ sorting out the mapping for 2 NZ Division's advance up through Italy in June 1944. 292
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 04/10/2026Last week, the Royal Marines headed to the @faroe_islands. These sheets were compiled by GSGS. The north sheet, in 1944; the sheet showing Suduroy and Sandoy (try that after half a Martini), in 1940, based on a Danish map from 1932. Lovely stuff. 🇫🇴 170
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 04/10/2026These campaign maps are great - they’re such a good overview for understanding where units went. 010
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 04/10/2026There’s some super mapping of the peninsula - it had been surveyed pretty well. 000
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 04/10/2026I've heard tell, it's hard to research the Russkies ~ but good sources exist. This, for example, is a 1939 textbook for the Military Topographic School on aerial phototopography ... rather well written. Focused on ensuring the science of mapmaking is easily digested. 040
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 04/10/2026Do nitpick, do ... we make no apology for being generalists, and often say, correct us if we're wrong! Noted for future reference. 🫡 020
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 04/10/2026I do forget about Bluesky, and I shouldn't. So... who wants to see some WW2 maps, and hear about the mapmakers? This is a favourite of mine. Prome, Sandoway, Thayetmyo - 85: J9 - some of the Survey of India's fine work in Burma, published in (not updated since) 1929. Come on, isn't this awesome?! 86111
Reposted by MerrynNews Of The War Pod @newsofthewar.bsky.social · 04/09/2026🚨 We can avoid it no longer ! In this, the sixth in our Battle series, we're off to Arnhem. Not for a blow by blow account, but for a deep-dive into the newspapers ... to see how Theirs Was The Glory. @andyaitch.bsky.social @merrynwalters.uk 263
Reposted by MerrynNews Of The War Pod @newsofthewar.bsky.social · 24/07/2026🚨 Well, here we go - Who Shares Wins, eh. Our very own rogue zeroes, @andyaitch.bsky.social and @merrynwalters.uk , bring you this special episode on the Special Air Service. What appeared in the newspapers 1939 to 1945. What didn't - and why. You'll only find this in the #NewsoftheWar! 2124
Reposted by MerrynNews Of The War Pod @newsofthewar.bsky.social · 15/07/2026This Friday, the last on our generalissimos series… the big dog himself. Monty had a pretty high opinion of himself, but what did the people reading the papers think? Join @merrynwalters.uk and @andyaitch.bsky.social this Friday, wherever you get your podcasts linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar 011
Reposted by MerrynNews Of The War Pod @newsofthewar.bsky.social · 03/07/2026🚨 It's Patton Day! 🚨 TThis week's Generalissimo needs no introduction — or does he? General George S. Patton, Old Blood and Guts himself. But with ivory-handled pistols and a slap-happy attitud', how did the British papers clock him in 1939-45? @merrynwalters.uk @andyaitch.bsky.social 152
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 29/06/2026I confess, I have a thing for endpaper maps. And as I’m re-reading Alan Moorehead’s White Nile for the umpteenth time - I’m minded, there’s still a book worth writing on John Hannington Speke. 010
Reposted by MerrynAndy @andyaitch.bsky.social · 26/06/2026Happy Jockmogging day to those that celebrate. #operationepsom 1193
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 25/06/2026Waiting for the washing machine. Idling through the back bookcase. Picked out ‘The Blunted Sword’ - David Divine - 1964 - and never made it past the first page. 😞 “It is a tragedy of our time that it appears in the highest degree improbable that it can succeed in its intention” 010
Reposted by MerrynNews Of The War Pod @newsofthewar.bsky.social · 24/06/2026🚨 NEW EPISODE 🚨 Our new episode of the Generalissimos series is out this Friday, and we turn our attentions east… not quite as far east as Tojo, but to Jason Isaacs himself….. ZHUKOV! Tune in this Friday linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar @merrynwalters.uk @andyaitch.bsky.social 154
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 23/06/2026… i didn’t know the velocity; y’learn something new every day. It’s a good beach. 👍 210
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 23/06/2026Sand waves. Beach. Sort of explains why Ralph Bagnold’s thinking on the movement of sand dunes dropped into invasion planning. 120
Reposted by MerrynNews Of The War Pod @newsofthewar.bsky.social · 19/06/2026🔥BRACE YOURSELVES🔥 Bit excited. #NewsoftheWar will be coming to you live at We Have Ways Fest: Sept 11 - 13, as the derring-duo dig into the headlines behind the frontlines. wehavewaysfest.co.uk @merrynwalters.uk @andyaitch.bsky.social 162
Reposted by MerrynNews Of The War Pod @newsofthewar.bsky.social · 17/06/2026For our next instalment of the new Generalissimos season, we turn to the land of the rising sun… He’s, well, let’s just say: a bit of a character 😬 New episode out this Friday, find us wherever you get your podcasts linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar @andyaitch.bsky.social @merrynwalters.uk 064
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 05/06/2026On @newsofthewar.bsky.social, we've revelled in stories that aren't well known, 1939-45. We were keen to do a VC-special. But when @andyaitch.bsky.social realised he'd got unseen film of Ian Liddell VC - that was something else. 153
Reposted by MerrynNews Of The War Pod @newsofthewar.bsky.social · 03/06/2026Part 2 of our VC special is out this Friday….you’ve heard of the Arnhem VCs? Cain, Baskeyfield, Lord, Greyburn and Queripel. Well, in the words of Yoda “there is another” Tune in on Friday to News of the War linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar @andyaitch.bsky.social @merrynwalters.uk 264
Merryn @merrynwalters.uk · 20/05/2026This week, It was the anniversary of T E Lawrence's untimely demise. Left a few desert blooms for him, not so long ago. The marker where he fell nearby was looking rough, but the cemetery is kept tidy. 0131
Reposted by MerrynAmmonyte @ammonyte.com · 19/03/2026pca.st/episode/5a9f... Pulled up short by the story of Padre Perry. My Uncle landed with 6th Airborne and was wounded on d-day. Aid station he was taken to came under attack. Survived, RTU only to die April 10 1945. @merrynwalters.uk @andyaitch.bsky.social @newsofthewar.bsky.socialpca.stNews of the War - 20th June 1944"News of The War" – EPSOM. No getting round it, he's off. She's catching up. And then there's D-Day, and pipers, and sad stories, and mad stories - THE RABBIT CLUB - and news of V1s and V2s ... it's… 163
