Tuesday 22 November 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Footie & Brewdog!?
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Footie & Brewdog!?: So here's the thing. I'm staying at a very nice hotel in Norfolk I don't usually stay at because it's too dear. £150 B&B...
Footie & Brewdog!?
So here's the thing. I'm staying at a very nice hotel in Norfolk I don't usually stay at because it's too dear. £150 B&B in the season but greatly reduced in November! I've done the usual miles & bloody miles driving and am now knackered & can't be arsed to go into the restaurant so have elected to eat in the bar. It's a golf course and hotel that I'm staying in so of course on the TV in the bar is on sport.
I have the pleasure of watching the Spurs v Monaco Champions League game ( I've just had to google that as I haven't a clue what the game is) and I'd like to tell you that after all these years I've finally seen the light & can see the point of footie................I'd like to tell you that but it would be a lie, and what's more you know it!
Thank Buddha I've brought my laptop along so I can do this blog or go on Face Book etc.
Beer tonight is Wherry, a pint known to me in this part of the world, a Woodfordes Brewery beer, at 3.8% a good Tuesday night beer, my usual preference of a nice citrus tang to it & joy of joys Brewdog has made it to Norfolk!
I was first introduced to the beautiful Brewdog range of craft beers by my good buddy Andrew. The beer comes all the way from Scotland in various forms, the only beer here is Punk IPA, a bit poky at 5.6% but then its a small bottle. Strangely a number of friends who like a beer have tried Brewdog, at my insistence, & not really liked it. I'm amazed! I have eaten tonight as well! A very good steak, mushroom and ale pie with mash and veg........forgot I'd had similar last night but what the hell!
Not a clue what's happening with the footie which is as you'd expect. Another bottle of Brewdog and I'll call it a day I think. Night all!
I have the pleasure of watching the Spurs v Monaco Champions League game ( I've just had to google that as I haven't a clue what the game is) and I'd like to tell you that after all these years I've finally seen the light & can see the point of footie................I'd like to tell you that but it would be a lie, and what's more you know it!
Thank Buddha I've brought my laptop along so I can do this blog or go on Face Book etc.
Beer tonight is Wherry, a pint known to me in this part of the world, a Woodfordes Brewery beer, at 3.8% a good Tuesday night beer, my usual preference of a nice citrus tang to it & joy of joys Brewdog has made it to Norfolk!
I was first introduced to the beautiful Brewdog range of craft beers by my good buddy Andrew. The beer comes all the way from Scotland in various forms, the only beer here is Punk IPA, a bit poky at 5.6% but then its a small bottle. Strangely a number of friends who like a beer have tried Brewdog, at my insistence, & not really liked it. I'm amazed! I have eaten tonight as well! A very good steak, mushroom and ale pie with mash and veg........forgot I'd had similar last night but what the hell!
Not a clue what's happening with the footie which is as you'd expect. Another bottle of Brewdog and I'll call it a day I think. Night all!
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| Pint of Wherry. |
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| Brewdog Punk IPA |
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| Delicious steak, mushroom and ale pie. |
Tuesday 15 November 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Sunday lunch.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Sunday lunch.: Gary & Ellie invited us over for lunch on Sunday which was a delight. We got there about 2pm,Tara driving Gary's car that had been i...
Sunday lunch.
Gary & Ellie invited us over for lunch on Sunday which was a delight. We got there about 2pm,Tara driving Gary's car that had been in for a service in Dunstable. The cooking had just been started by Gary, & Ellie sorted out our drinks. It was a veg curry for Tara & chicken curry for us which was very good indeed, quite hot enough for Ellie & I but probably mild for Gary!
It was a very relaxing afternoon, their house is full of interesting little knick knacks and has a friendly warm feeling to it made by Gary & Ellie. They are obviously very happy and happy where they are as well.
As a Mum & Dad this is heart warming to see, we love them both and always enjoy their company, I don't believe in any sort of god but I do believe in the family and Gary & Ellie are a perfect example of what it means to me. Our turn next!
It was a very relaxing afternoon, their house is full of interesting little knick knacks and has a friendly warm feeling to it made by Gary & Ellie. They are obviously very happy and happy where they are as well.
As a Mum & Dad this is heart warming to see, we love them both and always enjoy their company, I don't believe in any sort of god but I do believe in the family and Gary & Ellie are a perfect example of what it means to me. Our turn next!
Friday 11 November 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Birmingham. Beer,pizza,a play and a museum.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Birmingham. Beer,pizza,a play and a museum.: Had a lovely night away with the Memsahib this week. Birmingham? An odd choice I hear you say, well no, actually a very good choice. It'...
Birmingham. Beer,pizza,a play and a museum.
Had a lovely night away with the Memsahib this week. Birmingham? An odd choice I hear you say, well no, actually a very good choice. It's a city that is very easy to get around (the trams are brilliant!) full of friendly people , the buildings, both old and new are very interesting and speak volumes of how well modern architecture can be used, there's also lots to see & do here.
Bad start though, the journey up to Birmingham was complete arse thanks to both the M1 & M6 having hold ups.
Got to the hotel, The Hampton by Hilton which was very nice, booked through Gary's family rate, freshened up and jumped on a tram (stopped just behind our hotel) into central Birmingham. Had a walk around and went to what must be the Real Ale Mecca of the area The Wellington on Bennetts Hill. Twenty seven regular hand pump beers! On entering we found not only that we were the youngest customers in there but part from a bar maid Tara was the only girl!
Beers I sampled were: Citra from Oakham Brewery,4.2% and to be honest very light in colour but very fresh and citrusy, next was Pig on the wall, a beer from Black Country Ales and 4.3%, a mid coloured beer full of roasted malt tastes and finally Fireside, also a Black Country Ales beer and at 5% the strongest of the selection I tried, this was more an amber colour with a nice bitter finish. Tara drank Bacardi & Coke, not beer. From here we made our way to 'Ask,' the pizza restaurant where we knew that not only did Tara have more choice but a whole menu to chose from! This is something of a rarity.
With a Peroni for me and an 'Italian twinkle' for Tara which is Prosecco with elderflower cordial, vodka and a twist of lemon we tucked into our pizzas which were really good and after off we went toward The Rep theatre to see 'Pride and Prejudice.'
Sadly this was a real let down, the main reason was the appalling sound quality, it's quite a big auditorium & we were about half way back, good view but struggled to hear clearly. It's a very wordy play so you need to hear it all! We elected to bail out of this at the interval and retired to the hotel via a walk around some of the main buildings in Birmingham and the tram. Nightcap at the hotel and bed.
Well fed on a buffet style breakfast next morning we were off to the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter & what a great find it was. Another short tram ride and a walk along a street which boasts a Victorian urinal no less, to find the museum. There's a couple of galleries to view but the main museum is via a guided tour through the old jewellery factory of Smith and Pepper. A factory which just shut its doors in the early 1980's and was touched little since, Birmingham Council renovated the interiors to how they were when the factory closed so you have pretty well a time machine of the whole business which was started in the 1880's. Fascinating! There is a few small quirky museums in Birmingham, there're probably worth a visit as well.
That was about it for our trip. Got back to the car and headed home, a great trip!
Bad start though, the journey up to Birmingham was complete arse thanks to both the M1 & M6 having hold ups.
Got to the hotel, The Hampton by Hilton which was very nice, booked through Gary's family rate, freshened up and jumped on a tram (stopped just behind our hotel) into central Birmingham. Had a walk around and went to what must be the Real Ale Mecca of the area The Wellington on Bennetts Hill. Twenty seven regular hand pump beers! On entering we found not only that we were the youngest customers in there but part from a bar maid Tara was the only girl!
Beers I sampled were: Citra from Oakham Brewery,4.2% and to be honest very light in colour but very fresh and citrusy, next was Pig on the wall, a beer from Black Country Ales and 4.3%, a mid coloured beer full of roasted malt tastes and finally Fireside, also a Black Country Ales beer and at 5% the strongest of the selection I tried, this was more an amber colour with a nice bitter finish. Tara drank Bacardi & Coke, not beer. From here we made our way to 'Ask,' the pizza restaurant where we knew that not only did Tara have more choice but a whole menu to chose from! This is something of a rarity.
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| Italian Twinkle in Ask. |
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| Peroni also in Ask. |
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| Memsahib sending photo via WhatsApp to the boys. |
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| Side of Birmingham Town Hall |
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| Birmingham Town Hall |
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| Birmingham by night! |
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| Victorian urinal, Vyse St, Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. |
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| Jewellery Museum. |
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| Jewellery Museum. |
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| Us in The Wellington. |
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| Us in Ask. |
Sadly this was a real let down, the main reason was the appalling sound quality, it's quite a big auditorium & we were about half way back, good view but struggled to hear clearly. It's a very wordy play so you need to hear it all! We elected to bail out of this at the interval and retired to the hotel via a walk around some of the main buildings in Birmingham and the tram. Nightcap at the hotel and bed.
Well fed on a buffet style breakfast next morning we were off to the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter & what a great find it was. Another short tram ride and a walk along a street which boasts a Victorian urinal no less, to find the museum. There's a couple of galleries to view but the main museum is via a guided tour through the old jewellery factory of Smith and Pepper. A factory which just shut its doors in the early 1980's and was touched little since, Birmingham Council renovated the interiors to how they were when the factory closed so you have pretty well a time machine of the whole business which was started in the 1880's. Fascinating! There is a few small quirky museums in Birmingham, there're probably worth a visit as well.
That was about it for our trip. Got back to the car and headed home, a great trip!
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Amnesty Day!
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Amnesty Day!: I was in Tesco in Luton Road Dunstable today as the 2 minutes silence approached. At about 10.50am a Tesco idiot announced there would be 2 ...
Amnesty Day!
I was in Tesco in Luton Road Dunstable today as the 2 minutes silence approached. At about 10.50am a Tesco idiot announced there would be 2 minutes silence for Amnesty day!! The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month has and always be Armistice Day.
At 11am a barely audible announcement came over that now was the time. A very half arsed silence then took place. Most Tesco staff stopped and as far as I could see nothing was going through the tills. Some people stopped many didn't and to my surprise alot who didn't stop appeared to be at least a generation nearer to WW2 than I. It was truly one of the worst 2 minutes silence's I have witnessed. Frankly I wish Tesco hadn't bothered, it was an embarrassment.
There's a point to argue about, should everyone observe the 2 minutes silence? Maybe something of what was being fought for ,particularly in WW2, was a right to free speech and thought, not somewhere where you must observe certain things.
Harry Patch the last Tommy from WW1 thought it was all theatre and show on the 11th. His personal Remembrance Day was a day in September when he was wounded and two close friends killed whilst manning their Lewis gun in the trenches.
It will obviously diminish in thought and in society as the years go on and we lose all the veterans from both world wars, though the March Past at the Cenotaph in London is as big as it ever has been with other organisations joining it. I did think with all the WW1 centenary commemoration's it may have meant alittle more today.
At 11am a barely audible announcement came over that now was the time. A very half arsed silence then took place. Most Tesco staff stopped and as far as I could see nothing was going through the tills. Some people stopped many didn't and to my surprise alot who didn't stop appeared to be at least a generation nearer to WW2 than I. It was truly one of the worst 2 minutes silence's I have witnessed. Frankly I wish Tesco hadn't bothered, it was an embarrassment.
There's a point to argue about, should everyone observe the 2 minutes silence? Maybe something of what was being fought for ,particularly in WW2, was a right to free speech and thought, not somewhere where you must observe certain things.
Harry Patch the last Tommy from WW1 thought it was all theatre and show on the 11th. His personal Remembrance Day was a day in September when he was wounded and two close friends killed whilst manning their Lewis gun in the trenches.
It will obviously diminish in thought and in society as the years go on and we lose all the veterans from both world wars, though the March Past at the Cenotaph in London is as big as it ever has been with other organisations joining it. I did think with all the WW1 centenary commemoration's it may have meant alittle more today.
Sunday 6 November 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: The Gig.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: The Gig.: To Shepherds Bush today with Kevin & Paul to see the great 'Saxon' in concert! Sadly Tara didn't come with us as she was unw...
The Gig.
To Shepherds Bush today with Kevin & Paul to see the great 'Saxon' in concert! Sadly Tara didn't come with us as she was unwell. A terrible shame and it wasn't right without her :(
Met Paul at the Defectors Weld pub for eats first. Kevin & I arrived first & got chatting to a nice fella from Massachusetts called Charles. Strangely enough we got talking to him about beer, Kev & I both had a pint of Young's bitter which was good but a bit light, Charles was drinking a darker ale & I asked him which it was, (Battersea Rye 4.5% a good tawny brown colour with a smoky after taste) . Conversation thus struck up we chatted for a while, Paul joined us and we ordered food all of us going for fish & chips, unfortunately there was only one portion left & rather than arm wrestle for it Kev had ribs and I had steak pie with mash and greens. it was very tasty!
The Shepherds Bush Empire doors were opened half an hour early tonight possibly because the gig was a sell out, I'd found out Girlschool would hit the stage at 7pm, the venue was only a short walk from the pub so we were there in plenty of time.
It's about 35 years since I've seen 'Girlschool' & I have to say they did not disappoint, they were absolutely brilliant & also had good banter with the crowd. They actually seem like a really nice bunch but were not on half as long as I think they should have been! They played a good mix of old barnstormers like 'Race with the devil' & newer tracks off their latest album like 'Come the Revolution' & 'Take it like a band,' everyone a gem & played with mucho gusto. Great stuff!
Second support was 'Fastway' featuring Fast Eddie Clarke formerly of Motorhead, they were good but some of their tracks were abit pedestrian, abit samey, the rockers they played were good but I can't really understand why they were above 'Girlschool' in the billing.
I should say it was definitely a sold out gig, we'd got unreserved seating in the balcony & whilst we certainly weren't late it was filling up fast.
To the main act then which was 'Saxon' and of course they were great as you'd expect, they played for about two hours so very good value as well. The Empire accommodates 2000 people, small by some standards and all the better for that. Plenty of banter from Biff Byford & of course plenty of singing from us. The title track of their latest album 'Battering Ram' got us underway with the great singalong tracks of 'Strong arm of the law,' Never surrender' & of course 'Wheels of steel' following on They played two encores the first one being rather special as Fast Eddie came back out and together they played 'Ace of Spades' as a tribute to Lemmy who both 'Saxon' & 'Girlschool' should have supported last year before his demise they then played the ever popular 747 (Strangers in the night).
Paul left just as the encore started to make sure he got his train back OK, we knew our trains were OK so stayed to the end, as the final chords of 'Princess of the night' finished and the band bid us farewell, Kev & I joyously picked up our ears and headed home.
Another great gig & I will happily see them again! I took afew photos with varying results, some of the effects of not using a flash were quite good so I offer a selection here, also a set list of what the bands played.
Girlschool. Demolition Boys/ Hit & Run/ Come the Revolution/ Take it like a band/ Future Flash/ Watch your step/ Race with the devil/ Emergency.
Fastway. Misunderstood/ All fired up/ Another Day/ Deliver me/ Telephone/ Heft/ Feel me, touch me / Easy Livin'.
Saxon. Battering Ram/ Let me feel your power/ Sacrifice/ Solid ball of rock/ Never surrender/ Crusader/ Stand up & be counted/ The Devils footprint/ Strong arm of the law/ Killing ground/ The eagle has landed/ Queen of hearts/ And the bands played on/ Dallas 1pm/ Wheels of steel.
First encore. Ace of Spades/ 747(strangers in the night) Second encore. Denim & leather/ Princess of the night.
Met Paul at the Defectors Weld pub for eats first. Kevin & I arrived first & got chatting to a nice fella from Massachusetts called Charles. Strangely enough we got talking to him about beer, Kev & I both had a pint of Young's bitter which was good but a bit light, Charles was drinking a darker ale & I asked him which it was, (Battersea Rye 4.5% a good tawny brown colour with a smoky after taste) . Conversation thus struck up we chatted for a while, Paul joined us and we ordered food all of us going for fish & chips, unfortunately there was only one portion left & rather than arm wrestle for it Kev had ribs and I had steak pie with mash and greens. it was very tasty!
The Shepherds Bush Empire doors were opened half an hour early tonight possibly because the gig was a sell out, I'd found out Girlschool would hit the stage at 7pm, the venue was only a short walk from the pub so we were there in plenty of time.
It's about 35 years since I've seen 'Girlschool' & I have to say they did not disappoint, they were absolutely brilliant & also had good banter with the crowd. They actually seem like a really nice bunch but were not on half as long as I think they should have been! They played a good mix of old barnstormers like 'Race with the devil' & newer tracks off their latest album like 'Come the Revolution' & 'Take it like a band,' everyone a gem & played with mucho gusto. Great stuff!
Second support was 'Fastway' featuring Fast Eddie Clarke formerly of Motorhead, they were good but some of their tracks were abit pedestrian, abit samey, the rockers they played were good but I can't really understand why they were above 'Girlschool' in the billing.
I should say it was definitely a sold out gig, we'd got unreserved seating in the balcony & whilst we certainly weren't late it was filling up fast.
To the main act then which was 'Saxon' and of course they were great as you'd expect, they played for about two hours so very good value as well. The Empire accommodates 2000 people, small by some standards and all the better for that. Plenty of banter from Biff Byford & of course plenty of singing from us. The title track of their latest album 'Battering Ram' got us underway with the great singalong tracks of 'Strong arm of the law,' Never surrender' & of course 'Wheels of steel' following on They played two encores the first one being rather special as Fast Eddie came back out and together they played 'Ace of Spades' as a tribute to Lemmy who both 'Saxon' & 'Girlschool' should have supported last year before his demise they then played the ever popular 747 (Strangers in the night).
Paul left just as the encore started to make sure he got his train back OK, we knew our trains were OK so stayed to the end, as the final chords of 'Princess of the night' finished and the band bid us farewell, Kev & I joyously picked up our ears and headed home.
Another great gig & I will happily see them again! I took afew photos with varying results, some of the effects of not using a flash were quite good so I offer a selection here, also a set list of what the bands played.
Girlschool. Demolition Boys/ Hit & Run/ Come the Revolution/ Take it like a band/ Future Flash/ Watch your step/ Race with the devil/ Emergency.
Fastway. Misunderstood/ All fired up/ Another Day/ Deliver me/ Telephone/ Heft/ Feel me, touch me / Easy Livin'.
Saxon. Battering Ram/ Let me feel your power/ Sacrifice/ Solid ball of rock/ Never surrender/ Crusader/ Stand up & be counted/ The Devils footprint/ Strong arm of the law/ Killing ground/ The eagle has landed/ Queen of hearts/ And the bands played on/ Dallas 1pm/ Wheels of steel.
First encore. Ace of Spades/ 747(strangers in the night) Second encore. Denim & leather/ Princess of the night.
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| My dinner of steak pie, mash and greens. |
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| Paul and his dinner of fish and chips. |
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| Kevin and his dinner of Spare ribs. |
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| Girlschool take to the stage. |
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| Girlschool Jackie Chambers, Kim McAuliffe, Enid Williams with Denise Dufort at the back on drums. |
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| Kim McAuliffe sings! |
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| Fastway |
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| Fast Eddie Clarke of Fastway |
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| Saxon |
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| Three old headbangers waiting for the next act! |
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| Encore of 'Ace of Spades' with Fast Eddie back out on stage. |
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| Final farewell! |
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| Paul Quinn lead guitar with Saxon. |
Saturday 5 November 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Remembrance.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Remembrance.: Armistice Day, Remembrance Sunday are both rapidly approaching. Strangely more is being made of remembering the world wars now than ever it ...
Remembrance.
Armistice Day, Remembrance Sunday are both rapidly approaching. Strangely more is being made of remembering the world wars now than ever it seems. I know there are all the World War One 100th anniversary commemorations and I suppose the poor sods still getting killed aboard has given it a new focus.
Interesting to see that more civilian organisations take part in the Remembrance Sunday march past at the Cenotaph and rightly so, they too bore the brunt of losing loved ones not to mention homes and livelihoods etc.
A chap I know has a Flickr site called 'The home fallen of the Great War' where he and others (including me) photograph Commonwealth Wargraves where they are situated in UK graveyards and cemeteries and add them to this site, personally I also like to do some research into the person with varying degrees of success, if you want to have a look at it follow this: https://www.flickr.com/groups/homefallen/ it's very interesting, further to this I visited the cemetery in Hatfield Road in St Albans recently, they have about 90 WW1 graves mainly soldiers who died of wounds having been transferred back to Blighty to Napsbury Hospital in St Albans ( a former 'lunatic asylum' cleared to take war wounded) .
The first soldier to be buried here was an Aussie, 4442 Private William Martin Gillin 22nd Bn Australian Imperial Force. He was only 21 years old and from Melbourne ,Australia, he'd been a labourer in civilian life. He enlisted on 2nd February 1916 and arrived in France on 29th March 1916. He was probably wounded and evacuated during the battalions part in the Somme action at Pozieres, a battle that cost them 683 killed and wounded. His fate was to be severely wounded in the upper left thigh causing a hemorrhage, his leg was amputated but he died of shock and hemorrhage. He was buried with full military honours with a Royal Artillery gun carriage from Luton and troops from the Army Veterinary Corps and Royal Flying Corps doing the final honours. He was buried on 22nd August 1916. In 1918 an area called 'Soldiers Corner' was designated in the cemetery and he was exhumed to be reburied in this area, though an error was made on his headstone as it now reads that he died in 1918.
The cross of sacrifice that stands in this and many other cemeteries throughout the UK and abroad came about when Edwin Lutyen, Herbert Baker (both architects) and Charles Aitken Director of the Tate Gallery were brought in to design memorials to the 'Glorious Dead' of the Great War. Lutyen wanted a more abstract symbol rather than a cross, the others argued that most of the dead would have been Christian so a cross was appropriate. This was probably true but there would have been an awful lot who weren't Christian, the thousands from the Indian Army for instance and in London The Royal Fusiliers had three battalions made up of Jewish volunteers, it wasn't their symbol their!
All the graves are the same regardless of rank, regiment or creed, next of kin were allowed to have a short inscription added though it seems most do not, its just name, rank, number, regiment, age if known and date of death.
They are melancholy places really and if you start to look closely at the ages you cannot help but feel sad, particularly as our boys are similar in age, but they do hold a morbid fascination for me. I haven't visited any of the really big Commonwealth Wargrave cemeteries in France or Flanders though I'd like to. There's a cemetery near La Boiselle in France near where my Grandads 2/Middlesex went over the top on 1st July 1916, they lost 260 men mostly buried in one cemetery, that's one I'd like to visit as my Grandad must have known some of the soldiers buried there.
Not all the troops died of wounds sustained at the front, there are two burials here of pilots in the Royal Flying Corps who died due to accidents. Lieut ER Mackay DCM was killed in mid air when his aircraft collided with another. An eye witness at the coroners enquiry said he'd seen seven or eight aircraft in the air and two came close together and collided dropping like a stone a verdict of Death by misadventure was returned.
Another, 2nd Lieut James Lionel Andrews was executing a number of stunts in the air and appeared to not be able to pull out of one of them and crashed into the ground. He was 31 years old and left a widow and two children, another death be misadventure verdict returned.
There's a grave I found in another cemetery which flies in the face of the 'Glorious Dead.' he'd only been in the army afew months and was discharged, his records stating that he was 'Congenitally unsuited to being a soldier, he threatened to bayonet a sergeant,' yet when he died a few months later he was afforded a war grave! They'll always be 'anomalies' I suppose.
They are interesting places to wander round and all the more interesting to find out just a little about the individuals but there is and always will be a great sadness to these places.
Interesting to see that more civilian organisations take part in the Remembrance Sunday march past at the Cenotaph and rightly so, they too bore the brunt of losing loved ones not to mention homes and livelihoods etc.
A chap I know has a Flickr site called 'The home fallen of the Great War' where he and others (including me) photograph Commonwealth Wargraves where they are situated in UK graveyards and cemeteries and add them to this site, personally I also like to do some research into the person with varying degrees of success, if you want to have a look at it follow this: https://www.flickr.com/groups/homefallen/ it's very interesting, further to this I visited the cemetery in Hatfield Road in St Albans recently, they have about 90 WW1 graves mainly soldiers who died of wounds having been transferred back to Blighty to Napsbury Hospital in St Albans ( a former 'lunatic asylum' cleared to take war wounded) .
The first soldier to be buried here was an Aussie, 4442 Private William Martin Gillin 22nd Bn Australian Imperial Force. He was only 21 years old and from Melbourne ,Australia, he'd been a labourer in civilian life. He enlisted on 2nd February 1916 and arrived in France on 29th March 1916. He was probably wounded and evacuated during the battalions part in the Somme action at Pozieres, a battle that cost them 683 killed and wounded. His fate was to be severely wounded in the upper left thigh causing a hemorrhage, his leg was amputated but he died of shock and hemorrhage. He was buried with full military honours with a Royal Artillery gun carriage from Luton and troops from the Army Veterinary Corps and Royal Flying Corps doing the final honours. He was buried on 22nd August 1916. In 1918 an area called 'Soldiers Corner' was designated in the cemetery and he was exhumed to be reburied in this area, though an error was made on his headstone as it now reads that he died in 1918.
The cross of sacrifice that stands in this and many other cemeteries throughout the UK and abroad came about when Edwin Lutyen, Herbert Baker (both architects) and Charles Aitken Director of the Tate Gallery were brought in to design memorials to the 'Glorious Dead' of the Great War. Lutyen wanted a more abstract symbol rather than a cross, the others argued that most of the dead would have been Christian so a cross was appropriate. This was probably true but there would have been an awful lot who weren't Christian, the thousands from the Indian Army for instance and in London The Royal Fusiliers had three battalions made up of Jewish volunteers, it wasn't their symbol their!
All the graves are the same regardless of rank, regiment or creed, next of kin were allowed to have a short inscription added though it seems most do not, its just name, rank, number, regiment, age if known and date of death.
They are melancholy places really and if you start to look closely at the ages you cannot help but feel sad, particularly as our boys are similar in age, but they do hold a morbid fascination for me. I haven't visited any of the really big Commonwealth Wargrave cemeteries in France or Flanders though I'd like to. There's a cemetery near La Boiselle in France near where my Grandads 2/Middlesex went over the top on 1st July 1916, they lost 260 men mostly buried in one cemetery, that's one I'd like to visit as my Grandad must have known some of the soldiers buried there.
Not all the troops died of wounds sustained at the front, there are two burials here of pilots in the Royal Flying Corps who died due to accidents. Lieut ER Mackay DCM was killed in mid air when his aircraft collided with another. An eye witness at the coroners enquiry said he'd seen seven or eight aircraft in the air and two came close together and collided dropping like a stone a verdict of Death by misadventure was returned.
Another, 2nd Lieut James Lionel Andrews was executing a number of stunts in the air and appeared to not be able to pull out of one of them and crashed into the ground. He was 31 years old and left a widow and two children, another death be misadventure verdict returned.
There's a grave I found in another cemetery which flies in the face of the 'Glorious Dead.' he'd only been in the army afew months and was discharged, his records stating that he was 'Congenitally unsuited to being a soldier, he threatened to bayonet a sergeant,' yet when he died a few months later he was afforded a war grave! They'll always be 'anomalies' I suppose.
They are interesting places to wander round and all the more interesting to find out just a little about the individuals but there is and always will be a great sadness to these places.
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| Cross of Sacrifice next to Soldiers Corner in Hatfield Road, St Albans. |
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| View of Soldiers Corner. |
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| Information sign installed by the CWGC |
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| Close up of the inscription on the Cross of Sacrifice. |
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| Lieut ER Mackay DCM killed in a mid air accident. |
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| 2nd Lieut LJ Andrews also killed in an aircraft accident. |
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4442 Pte WM Gillin 22/AIF. First war dead to be buried in the cemetery. |
Tuesday 1 November 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: A long drive and a flat tyre.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: A long drive and a flat tyre.: Up in the wilds of North Wales and Shropshire again , first stop was Porthmadog, a scenic if long drive there but that's what I do! Hour...
A long drive and a flat tyre.
Up in the wilds of North Wales and Shropshire again , first stop was Porthmadog, a scenic if long drive there but that's what I do! Hour or so in the account, returned to the car to find the rear offside tyre flatter than a flat thing from Flatown. Bugger!
Luckily it was a nice day & I was parked in an easy place to change the tyre, put me back of course, then alot of road works on the route out & eventually got to my next appointment that was miles away in Ludlow, another very pretty town that I haven't had a chance to look round properly.
However a decent stop over to look forward to at The Lion Hotel in Shrewsbury. A pint of the excellent 'Butty Bach' from the Wye Valley brewery ( 4.5% of amber loveliness) helped to do my emails, couldn't really be bothered to move so stayed in the bar and had dinner there, a nice sirloin steak , cooked rare, with tomato, mushroom,chips and salad. Very nice. Two more 'Butty Bach's' later I retired. Lets do it all again tomorrow! I know because I did!
Luckily it was a nice day & I was parked in an easy place to change the tyre, put me back of course, then alot of road works on the route out & eventually got to my next appointment that was miles away in Ludlow, another very pretty town that I haven't had a chance to look round properly.
However a decent stop over to look forward to at The Lion Hotel in Shrewsbury. A pint of the excellent 'Butty Bach' from the Wye Valley brewery ( 4.5% of amber loveliness) helped to do my emails, couldn't really be bothered to move so stayed in the bar and had dinner there, a nice sirloin steak , cooked rare, with tomato, mushroom,chips and salad. Very nice. Two more 'Butty Bach's' later I retired. Lets do it all again tomorrow! I know because I did!
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| Dinner. |
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