Well this is the last lot until next week .... honest.

For years, while I lived in Essex, I used to go and meet up with friends at The Field of Remembrance.  Mum came with me a couple of times.  The 2 I used to meet were veterans from WWII who were in the same regiment as one of my Grandfather's and we met the first year I was at college.  Between ( Read more... )

The reason I was in London last weekend was to go to The Cenotaph for the Remembrance Service .... here are a few of the photos ....


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I do hope, whichever way, the USA votes that it will end up best for the country ... best for the world.

However today, in England, we celebrate "Bonfire Night."

For those who don't know it is to commemorate Guy Fawkes ... who was one of the conspirators who planned to blow up the King (James I) on the opening of Parliament in 1605As is often ( Read more... )

And so the trip is coming to an end.

On our way to the final stop of the trip we visited Brandhoek New Military Cemetery ... this was the location of the only double VC of WWI ... Noel Chavass who had already received the MC. He is also, it should be noted, a member of the Medical Corps.


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This set of photos are all based around the Belgian town of Poperinge, or as Granddad would have called it .... Pop ( Read more... )

Our middle day of the trip was coming to an end, and on our way back we drove past Henencourt Chateau, where British officers were billeted.  The men were in the village, but from the coach it was impossible to get a photo!

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Our final stop on day 1 was to Vimy Ridge - Canadian Memorial

It is a striking structure, as you can see ... at the site of one of the battlefields, first attempted by Moroccans, and eventually taken by the Canadians.


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Remembering, especially today, my trip to Normandy 5 years ago. Thinking of all those men and women who fought to free Europe.

Especially thinking of my friend Ted, who landed on Sword Beach 80 years ago today. Such a lovely man, like so many, to have suffered so much that I can live in freedom

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One of the towns I went to while in London was Greenwich

I went there on the Saturday, so it was busy, but there again it is good to see families out enjoying the day, and a museum. It was also the 11/11 so I also went to a Remembrance Service on the banks of the Thames.


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Giro was a German shepherd that belonged to the German ambassador to the United Kingdom, Leopold von Hoesch. As, by this time, the German government was under Adolf Hitler, it has been described as Britain's only Nazi memorial. Flowers are put on Giro's tombstone every February

"Giro"
Ein Treuer Begleiter
London Im Februar 1934
Hoesch.EN: "Giro ( Read more... )