Snapper

Greetings - The Barnes clan were at Twickenham for the Help For Heroes international rugby match on Saturday. Fifty-two thousand people turned out for the game, led by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, who, to their credit, managed to take part in a Mexican wave. The match was scrappy and to be honest, I found it difficult to follow; but we were not there for top class sport. The marines who abseiled down from the roof with military flags and the Union Flag were very impressive. I'd seen snaps of an RAF Chinook practicing a landing in the stadium; but presumably they decided against it. Shame. Half time entertainment was provided by Escala, who looked alright on the screen. We came home via a restaurant and made it home in two hours, much better than the three and a bit to get there from Southend. snaps follow.

Great snaps!

La Famille Barnes were at Twickenham on Saturday for the Help For Heroes rugby match. Most amusing day. Sunday was more shifting and dumping stuff pending the loft conversion. Scaffolding goes up Tuesday. New Tv aerial goes up Weds. We might even get Channel 5. Roof comes off Thursday. Mrs B climbing the walls. Got to work at my F-I-L's house on Saturday and then put our stuff in store Sunday...which will hopefully leave me a little time for the MUTT. Then I have to work for Rupert for three weekends. M

Jack gets everywhere....scary bugger. Even as we speak, hardy souls from the National Trust are sorting out his chalk outline. He is a deity. MB

Easy, the new Type 45s are leased.

No complaints from me. I think this is superior stuff. It all adds to the mix. Keep it coming.

I like it already. More please :yay:

Australia! How are the gum trees??? I'll try and keep note of this one for a visit to Cement House. I've driven past it more than once and keep meaning to stop. Grimmer (new to the forum) and I always enjoy a reason to snap a grave. IMS Cement Hse is en route to Langemarck. We'll be in Ypres sometime over the late autumn/xmas period for a bit of exploring. Grimmer is out there in a week doing a big WFA tour with a really superb guide (by all accounts)...lucky bugger. I had to pass. George 1914- 04 October 1917 Middlesex Regiment 3rd/10th Battalion 291317 Corporal. He is buried in Cement House Cemetery and has his name on a plaque in Waterloo Station as prior to the war he was employed there as a clerk.

:box: Have I hurt your feelings, TB? I am confused. I am happy to use an abbreviation WW2 in a forum setting; but being a effing know-all, I try to be consistent in other matters wordish in the reviews and stuff because I'm not much good at anything else - (pens, yes, spanners, no). It inflates my importance and makes up for a lack of planks. Might explain why :-D

Sincere condolences.

I think most sporty (?!) Mondeo - ST24 Zetec whatever owners are wannabe Beemerstards. Where I live in Sarrrfend we have a big issue with BMW and Merc drivers who seem to think the Queen's Highway is solely theirs for the use of. Twonkism personified. MB (Toyota Verso).....my wife has a......BMW Mini :coffee: I had to drive it today. I usually do this with the window down shouting "I am not a hairdresser" at anyone in earshot.

Nice looking lorry. Not far off being a civvy model, I suspect. I really like these RAF vehicles. It would be nice to see more of them in this guise..but I presume the majority of survivors find their way to the classic commercial end of the motor pool to become something more colourful.

Joris, you can re-introduce this annually for as long as you like. Wonderful stuff done with love. Nuff said. MB :-D

Not strictly true. The names for it changed with progressive regimes and regionally. The Great Patriotic War tag is not dissimilar in terms of usage to Wermacht for the German army of WW2, which was always the Heer, and still is. The bigger question, when you've prepared the coffee and biscuits, is whether any of this matters. For written style the forum it does not. In the magazine/review bit at the front it does. One house style is essential. This I was taught at journo school twenty-eight years ago. :-D

I'm assuming this is a correct nomenclature question. World War 2; World War Two and World War II (with Roman numerals) are fine - but please not World War 11, which is a nightmare prospect. Second World War is also fine and is more British. In the UK, the use of World War 2; which is an Americanism, has more or less beaten off Second World War. The First World War; 1st World War; World War 1; World War One - always sounds and looks much better as the Great War. That is what it was to the men who fought it. The sequel is a wholly different matter. MB

It's always interesting how extremist politicians of any rank or hue always want certain aspects of history expunged rather than consigned to education. Bomb doors open.....

This is where RSAF Enfield's famous Pattern Room collection ended up. It's on my list..... MB

Snapper and Grimmer. I won't be passing that on to the Mrs...she thinks we're bloody mad already.:-D Good to have you here, er, Grimmer. I'll have to get used to that one.

All German casualties from WW1 and WW2 were relocated to Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. Channel Islands graves were transfered to the Ossuary at Mont des Huisnes in Normandy (but TB may know of the odd one which was missed). When my niece was married at the church in Great Burstead recently, I hoped to find some reference to the crew of the Zeppelin which was shot down nearby in 1916 and who were buried there - twenty-two men. But no. What a shame. They were the enemy and in that context I have no sympathy for them; but in historic terms they deserve some mention there even though they have moved up country. We pass the farmland where the Zep impacted when we visit my brother-in-law (who may well read this) and I am often tempted to find out if there are any bits still floating about. A large suitcase sized chunk is in the museum of flight in East Fortune...which is a bit of a drive from Billericay. Great Burstead churchyard has a number of graves with CWGC headstones...and if I ever get a chance, I will post them up. MB

I've more pix to post, and I'm getting John to sign up. This needs to be added in context to the stuff you, Joris and others add regularly which has nothing to do with spanners and makes HMVF a great place to be whether one owns a vehicle or not. I've got more of John's pix to post and we have piles of stuff between us from the battlefields, though he has been going for a lot longer than me and has been to places I am really jealous of him for. He has some good stories about Mons, for instance. I'll start nagging him now.... MB

Joris, Thanks for posting this up today. This is really impressive work on your part. MB

Yep - welcome aboard the Friendly Forum. Show off your fleet.

Wonderful. I have got to get there sooner or later....I hope this snap of a well created copy of the road sign (I can hardly call it a milestone!) does not offend. This is Ian from Just Ordinary Men.

Being honest - I know sweet fanny adams about the Vixen and wish to be educated. Discuss. MB (with thanks in advance).

some more....