Sunday, November 3, 2013

How can I find a military historian?

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toffee_rap


How can I find a military historian? I need to find out which outfits were based at Tilshead Camp, Erlestoke Camp and New Zealand Camp in Wiltshire UK in August - September 1951. I need details of UK, US and other Allied troops.


Answer
The best place to begin looking would be at a Military College (such as West Point, etc ...). At these schools there is a very high focus on military history (in particular) for obvious reasons. And, you could also contact the Military History Division of the British Army (they actually have officers/historians whose sole purpose is to collect information on the British Army). You might also want to check with large universities, such as; Cal Berkeley, Penn State, UC Boulder, etc ... Universities with larger resources have the capability of employing professors with extremely esoteric areas of focus.

Another approach would be to find a book that deals with the time period/region you are interested in learning more about, and cross referencing what sources are listed for the pertinent information, and who wrote them. Then it is simply a matter of contacting the relative sources.

You could also try contacting the base in question and request access to any scanned or photocopied material they would be willing to furnish you for the period directly covering August - September 1951. This route might prove more frustrating and cumbersome than the others however ...

Is New Zealand an expensive place to stay at?




Jen


I watched this show called Global Trekker yesterday, and these guys were traveling around New Zealand. Except for the main city where people fly in and out of, it seems like the rest of the country is really remote and the places to stay seem like they wouldnt be that expensive. Like one of the guys on the show stayed at a place that had breathtaking scenery and it was only 100 a night, cause the owner was just some guy. So would it just be the plane ticket that would empty someone's pocket if they wanted to travel to New Zealand, and the stay wouldnt be that expensive?


Answer
When I lived there I got around by hitch-hiking (it's legal), driving (you can buy really cheap cars--I got a 1986 volvo 360 for $600), and hiking (the absolute best way to see the backcountry).

I spent the nights in: an apartment (cheap rent, about $200 a month on the beach in Sumner), camping (we camped absolutely everywhere; when we were on the road we never paid for hostels, because it adds up--parks, roadside, the woods, rugby fields are all game), department of conservation backcountry huts (the ONLY way to sleep in the backcountry; it's an extensive network of huts littering the country's many mountains, valleys, and forests).

Also consider WWOOFing (working on organic farms in exchange for room and board--a popular option if you're looking to save dough, meet people, and experience the local culture).

Here's a solid travel Guide with information on traveling to New Zealand: http://www.findingdulcinea.com/guides.topic__ss_categories_ss_travel_ss_New-Zealand.html

More on the AMAZING DOC huts: http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-stay/backcountry-huts-by-region/




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