Karoshi

That is the most fascinating reading Karoshi, they really did make sure we lost our empire. and so as to ensure we didn't make gains in the Far East, they fought the Pacific war without us !

Now lets not forget that "Special relationship" we have with Uncle Sam: Back in 1940 Churchill had asked America to 'give us the tools and we will finish the job'. Unfortunately, despite Roosevelt's promise to ignore the dollar sign, America had not given anything without requiring payment. Within two years, by 1943, Britain's £1,924 million investments in Canada were sold off to pay for raw materials bought in the US. To make sure that the Americans got their money, Roosevelt dispatched the cruiser Louisville to Simonstown, South Africa to pick up £42 million in gold, Britain's last negotiable asset. America also demanded that Britain transfer all her scientific and technological secrets to the United States, everything from penicillin, to atomic development to the new radar fuses used by the artillery. Leases on the islands of Newfoundland, Trinidad, Jamaica, etc. were demanded in order to set up US bases there. Broke as she was, Britain still hoped that the Americans would bale her out financially in the post-war world. She was wrong. The economist Keynes wrote of the situation that year: 'The Americans were interested in the future, not in the past. Old soldiers [i.e. the British allies] showing their medals were not a persuasive advocate.' In the end the Americans would provide a loan that would help to fund the new socialist 'Welfare State', including the National Health Service, anathema to many Americans. But they did so at twice the interest rate that the British Government had refused to pay the year before. Its good to have friends.

Hello Mark.

You will all be familiar with that famous picture of Saint Pauls Cathedral towering gloriously above the smoke. The German fire bombing of London had begun, it was Sunday, December 29, 1940. Britain was at war.

As you settle down to enjoy the new year celebrations just spare a thought for this day in 1939. Since the declaration of war in September '39 over 746,000 Tons of shipping had been lost to the U-Boat war by this date in Dec 1939. This was the first full day of meat rationing in the UK. Bacon, butter and suger was soon to follow, on 8th January 1940. Britain was at war.

My place for 0730 would be good !

As a detonator? Detonator related yes, but on what device ?

By the way you're not THE Jim Clark are you Yes he is THE Jim Clark, ........but not THAT Jim Clark.

Yes Rick Tankfest 2007 is slated for 23rd & 24th June 2007. See you there.

Errrr no, but its sounds worthy of further experimentation.

UK settles WWII debts to allies . Britain will settle its World War II debts to the US and Canada when it pays two final instalments before the close of 2006, the Treasury has said. The payments of $83.25m (£42.5m) to the US and US$22.7m (£11.6m) to Canada are the last of 50 instalments since 1950. The amount paid back is nearly double that loaned in 1945 and 1946. "This week we finally honour in full our commitments to the US and Canada for the support they gave us 60 years ago," said Treasury Minister Ed Balls. "It was vital support which helped Britain defeat Nazi Germany and secure peace and prosperity in the post-war period. We honour our commitments to them now as they honoured their commitments to us all those years ago," he added. The last payments will be made on Friday, the final working day of the year. Deferred Under the lend-lease programme, which began in March 1941, the then neutral US could provide countries fighting Adolf Hitler with war material. The US joined the war soon after - in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbour - and the programme ended in 1945. Equipment left over in Britain at the end of hostilities and still needed had to be paid for. The US loaned $4.33bn (£2.2bn) to Britain in 1945, while Canada loaned US$1.19 bn (£607m) in 1946, at a rate of 2% annual interest. Upon the final payments, the UK will have paid back a total of $7.5bn (£3.8bn) to the US and US$2 bn (£1bn) to Canada. Despite the favourable rates there were six years in which Britain deferred payment because of economic or political crises. But its NOT all good news: There are still World War I debts owed to and by Britain. Since a moratorium on all debts from that conflict was agreed at the height of the Great Depression, no repayments have been made to or received from other nations since 1934. War is hell.

Indeed, Bedford was a pretty austere place to be in the early days of the war, with no aniseed balls and no condoms. The boffins at M.D.1. scoured the local shops for aniseed balls to use as time delays, and condoms to use as fuse damp protectors whilst their precious limpets were in store. With over a half a million limpets made you can see how the folks of Bedford were deprived, and how the staff at M.D.I earned the undeserved reputation of sexual athletes. So how did the common Alka Seltzer help the war effort ?

As Mark recorded there was indeed initial "trials" with Woolworths washing up bowls, but I had in mind a very different commodity that caused the purchasers some continuing embarrassment, until the "L" delay fuse was perfected !

They took exactly the right length of time to dissolve and they were tested in Bedford swimmimg pool Indeed, but more importantly because of their manufacture method by dipping, they were consistant in their disolving time. What other saught after high street product contributed to the limpet's success ?

Yes, very good. Now for an extra point why Aniseed Balls ? and where was the first Buy-Up ?

Good latteral thinking there Mark, but ..No

The famed Limpet mine owes its success to a common high street product, what is it ?

Tank driving simulator at Bovvy ?

.....and whats that street light thing over his head then?

So the picture is really Up-Chuck then.

..............there was no one else around..........no lights, no nothing! So why did you take the picture then ? You worry me.

Was that taken at the Solstice ? is it some sort of sacrificial ritual ? Is that THE Rich Morris then?

The real question is whats Anne doing out at 0300,...on ANY morning?

1/. Commitment 2/. Commitment, and 3/. Commitment.

In a very real sense what are the good points and the bad of owning at track laying vehicle? I had a brief (very brief) love affair with a Sherm and a Radial once. The good point was the sound of the engine. The bad points were; The costs. ....The costs, and ....................The costs.