Snapper

There was also a snap of Ed on his bike....I bet he would love to be enrolled into the Order of the Pink cushion after his exploits surveying the route and doing the run itself.

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This batch are from Thorpe Abbotts and there is a pic of Chicago George - who some of you may have chatted with. He is a genUine B17 copilot from, er....Chicago . Not Texas. But he does fly with the Confederate Air Force in a plane called Texas Ranger. Confused? Tune in next time...

This curious place is at Hooge crater. The famous larger crater and chateau has disappeared under a theme park; but there is a house cum hotel with trenches and bunkers in the grounds and the remnants of smaller mines which is how it comes to look like this. We found an old boot sole there which had places for 13 studs - ammunition boots of a sort. As with Sanctuary Wood, attempts to shore up the revettments with galvanised roofing material has helped. Hooge is where the Germans introduced us to gas and liquid fire. The Rifle Brigade suffered this joy. I've just discovered this is where my great uncle Les died in 1915. The museum there is fantastic. The best for miles and the cemetery opposite is beautiful.

The best modern history of a single battalion I have read is McCrae's Battalion about the 16th Royal Scots, the 2nd Edinburgh City Bn, who were part of 34th Div on the first day of the Somme. It is a WW1 Band of Brothers and the sporting aspect of it, many members being from the Hearts football club and it's supporters does not detract - if you have no soccer interest per se - from a fantastic and very sad story. I think it should make a film/tv series - but there are no yanks involved. If anything, the 34th Div; Tyneside Scots and Irish, two Edinburgh bns, Cambridge men (Suffolk Regt) and the Lincolns could almost be a WW1 version of the much hyped and loved 101st AB. But they're only of interest to the WW1 crowd.

Yes, I have. They got people talking. But I prefer non-fiction, myself. Have a look at Blindfold and Alone for a balanced look at how shellshock, cowardice and military law became very awkward bedfellows. No axe to grind, no political point - just facts. Makes a pleasant change.

I'm still here, Jack. I've been defrosting the beer fridge. Please don't leave your Waggon Wheels in it. Oops, sore point. Pass the cushion....

I've got some Slovakian change somewhere at home.......

It was a masterpiece.

These pix come from Sanctuary Wood, Hooge crater, In Flanders Fields museum, Yorkshire Trench, Tyne Cot, Perth China Wall cemetery and the Menin Gate. Hope you liked them. There are hundreds more - but I'm already behind with Bolero pix posting promises....

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some more memories from Flanders

I failed to include this snap of the grave of Valentine Joe Strudwick. A fifteen year old lad. His grave is much visited, as you can see. The earlier pic of the grave of Tom Barratt VC is another much loved spot. Tom was 22 when he won his VC fighting snipers one on one. He must have been a remarkable young man. Another loss to our nation.

I hope that last post made sense. The quotes thing went awry....

[quote name=. Funny thing is Sassoon's poem' date=' I died in hell they called it Passendale'- he never served in the Salient. Very true. But he was very angry about the Menin Gate. His poem On Passing The New Menin Gate includes lines about the Intolerably nameless names and a sepulchre of crime. He visited it en route to a cultural jolly in Austria with one of his boyfriends not long after it opened in 1927. Sassoon loved the soldiers of the war deeply - in an emotional sense - not physical. He was very angry with the people who profited from the war, immensely in some cases, and those who war mongered while staying at home. He was entirely correct. But nothing has changed. (There's a US play from WW2 where a businessman profits from making poor quality engine blocks for planes and is quite happy - until his only son dies flying in a plane he helped build. Can't remember the title). Despite the attitude of Seigfried, I suggest every person reading this should see the Menin Gate before they snuff it. The Last Post will get you every time.

John McCrae wrote In Flanders Fields here at Essex Farm. He died in 1918 and is buried at Wimereux.

some pix

You mustn't ever lose faith Tim, m'lad. You never know when the Almighty will make things happen...

thats it for now