Walking with the Jocks
October 11 - October 14
£795.00
Tour Dates: 10 – 14 October 2024
Price Per Person: £795:00
£100 Deposit secures your space
Pick Ups – (i) Ebbsfleet International (ii) Dover Eastern Docks
WALKING WITH THE JOCKS
The Jocks – the men of the 52nd (Lowland) Division – had a reputation for being ‘hellish good’ during the Second World War. They trained well in the mountains of Scotland, and fought hard in the low countries of North West Germany.
In association with authors Andy Aitchenson and Merryn Walters, we have drawn on many years’ research and walking the ground to create two unique battlefield tours, the first of these, WWTJ SOUTH is set below with a further tour, WWTJ NORTH planned for April 2025.
In particular, we follow the route taken by the 4th Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers from October ’44 to May ’45. From the diary pages of ‘With the Jocks’, written by Captain Peter White, our itinerary takes us from the Roer Triangle to the Rhineland.
Find out more here – www.walkingwiththejocks.co.uk – then book through our usual forms below
Itinerary
This 4-day battlefield tour begins in Sittard, with a hard-earned victory and important VC.
We visit Waldfeucht, Tripsrath, Afferden and beyond, tracing the Jocks’ journey, looking at the KOSB’s role during key battles across the Roer Triangle, from Operation BLACKCOCK to Operation VERITABLE, and in the clearing of the Rhineland.
We travel to the low countries in comfort by coach, reaching the Roer Triangle in the late afternoon.
En route, you’ll find out more about the 4th Battalion of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. You’ll also get a real sense of the terrain on the Dutch-German border as we reach Sittard for the first night at our hotel.
After a meal, you’ll have the option to hear the story of Captain Peter White’s earlier military service, and to find out more about the specialised training that made the 52nd (Lowland) Division such a formidable force.
A jam-packed day: it begins with a victory and a VC as we track the Royal Scots Fusiliers’ progress through the villages of Lind and Stein.
From here, we’ll move on through Koningsbosch to Waldfeucht, to a key location for the 13/18 Hussars, and 4th and 5th Battalions of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
We’ll walk the ground together, finding the precise spot to stand with a PIAT if your aim is to knock out a Tiger tank.
From Waldfeucht, it’s on to Klosterhof Farm – as depicted in With the Jocks. Then we move down to Tripsrath, where we’ll walk through the woods to explore the 4th Battalion’s foxholes. This is also the scene of the infamous mine-disaster, and we’ll pause at Brunssum CWGC, before heading back to Sittard.
This morning we move north, starting the day at Afferden. When Captain Peter White described the 4th Battalion’s attack through the Broderbosch, he left us a trail of clues to find his platoon’s positions.
We’ll also walk the ground to the south, to compare German foxholes and self-propelled gun positions too.
It’s a very short distance to Kasteel Bleijenbeek, to witness the approach taken by RAF Typhoons in February 1945. Then it’s on to Haus Loo for a superb view across the battlefield before walking the ground together.
Our final stop is Marienbaum, where (if you’re brave) we’ll quite literally dip our feet in the Rhine.
We’ll leave our hotel in the morning, making our way home via the CWGC cemeteries at Reichswald and Mook.
This is the time to pay our respects to so many of the men we’ve met over the last few days. The tour concludes with a look back on Peter’s journey with his Jocks so far ~ and what lies ahead for the 52nd (Lowland) Division.
A further tour is planned for April 2025 to compliment this itinerary by following in the footsteps of the 52nd (Lowland) Division north of the Rhine.
Booking
Deposits can be paid via BACS transfer (IBAN if overseas) both account details are on the bottom of the booking form.
If you wish to pay by credit card, drop us an email and we will send you the relevant link.
Cheques can be made payable to “Battle Honours Ltd”