Testimonials

  December 3, 2016 We hired Edwin Popken of Battlefield Discovery Tours to act as our guide while visiting the Ardenne region of Belgium in late October of this year. ... read more I was interested in tracing the footsteps of my Uncle who fought in the “northern shoulder” of the Battle of the Ardenne Forest (Battle of the Bulge) in 1944 and 1945 with the 2nd Army Division. From reading about this part of WWII I had only sketchy ideas of the geography and terrain of the area and the names of the towns and battle areas were familiar but in a fragmentary way. Edwin was able to bring all this together by providing us a detailed tour of the areas where the 38th FAB would have been positioned throughout this campaign. The thoroughness of his knowledge about military history and this particular battle area was invaluable in bringing the fragmentary aspects of the battle engagements during that time into a meaningful whole. There is NO possible way (even with extensive reading and studying) that we could have found these locations and understood the movements of this Division, Regiment, and Battalion without Edwin’s expert guidance. Communicating with him before our visit was invaluable and he was responsive and thorough in his answers to my emails. He designed a tour SPECIFICALLY for us and understood the kinds of information that would be not only of great interest but also of great personal meaning to us. We hired Edwin for a one day tour but felt we could easily have extended that to two or three. Edwin picked us up at our hotel in Malmedy and this worked perfectly. We were driven to all the sights in Edwin’s car. The day was full; we saw amazing sights and locations that only an experienced guide could bring us into and the accompanying historical information was thorough and excellent. We cannot say enough about the quality of the experience, the attention to detail of the tour, the personal nature of the tour, the ease and promptness of our communications with Edwin, the overall value of the day we spent, and the amazing experience of the bringing to life of what we had only read about. If you are looking for a guide to military sites during the course of the Second World War, we highly recommend that you will have the good fortune of hiring Edwin. …

  Edwin was an exceptional guide. Engaging, friendly and with a wealth of knowledge, the quality of the lessons he provided were at a superb standard. I was tasked... read more with organising a tour of this area on behalf of my Regiment and Edwin was extremely supportive. He helped with our research, the recce of the trip and was able to answer any question I had. Not only that but as a medical unit we had a special interest in the clinical difficulties faced by the combatants. He was able to find a huge amount of niche and detailed information which was fantastic for our trip. I highly recommend him to any other military unit considering doing a battlefield tour studying the Second World War in Western Europe. He was a pleasure to work with and his enthusiasm ensured all of my soldiers learned a great deal and were filled with praise for his performance and teaching style. …

  "You must see the ground to understand the battle." Military historians have been saying that forever. This tour was the epitome of understanding the Market Garden Operation. The roads, the... read more vast vistas of farmlands where the landings took place, and the "single roadway" in and out of the entire campaign are a "must" to understand the entirety of this battle. Edwin was an outstanding guide who was as thorough and as detailed as I could have ever hoped. I think the most fascinating part of my trip was the Arnhem portion and the many insights Edwin presented on the "lay of the land" and how it affected so much of the battle for that bridge, not to mention the many personal soldiers stories he relayed during that time. Edwin was wonderful and I am thrilled to have gotten the opportunity to have spent my trip with such a wonderfully knowledgeable historian........he's.......NOT, "just a guide"! John Friscia

  Edwin is a great guide, has extensive knowledge about all the Market Garden and has interesting stories to tell. If you are really into militrary history, and you would like... read more to explore battlefields, I can reccomend him. He is also well prepared and ready to clarify many details.

  OUTSTANDING, PERSONALIZED MILITARY TOUR

Having served with the 82nd Airborne Division and having read its history for years concerning battles in which the Division was strategic in the accomplishment... read more of its mission, I wanted to see the battlegrounds and pay respect to my brothers who gave ultimate sacrifice in freeing Europe. No better way could this be achieved than through the incredible knowledge, care, and interest of the historian and tour guide, Edwin Popken with Battlefield Discovery. Edwin’s preparation and careful attention to the desired itinerary made the action come alive with background information, maps, and accounts. Not only was Edwin proficient in the task and presentation, but he also was exceptional in his help with planning, details, and follow through. I would confidently recommend Edwin’s tour as a committed, thorough and reputable source of a sensitive time in military history for which we can all be grateful.