Early Risers.

[polybear]

8 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

A good and safe crosswind landing is best achieved by approaching with drift on (I.e., pointing sufficiently into wind to fly straight towards the runway) then immediately before touchdown applying rudder to 'kick off' the drift and land on both mainwheels simultaneously.

 

 

I've experienced a landing at London City in just such a manner, and boy, was it a crosswind.  I think the woman sitting next to me must've been sh*tting herself, judging by the smell.  Mind you, London City isn't the most forgiving place to get it wrong....

 

7 hours ago, Andrew P said:

My Wife won't fully celebrate VE Day as her Farther was still FIGHTING the ***** in Burma, and came home a broken man. 

***** = Japanese , but it won't let me put that word in. It was as J a p s.

 

I never realised until recently that the Japanese Army were also conducting medical experiments:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731

Did the U.S. put any of the perpetrators on Trial?  No - they used the data for their own biological weapons programme...

 

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

The only relative to my knowledge that was lost in action was my mums cousin. He was lost over Cardigan Bay when the Halifax he was piloting collided with another aircraft. Details of what he was doing there are a bit sketchy but it was two months before D-day and I gather they were testing a ground based radar that our commandoes had recently relieved the Germans of, all very hush-hush.

 

Possibly Trials based at RAE Aberporth?  It's been a missile/rocket firing range since 1941 - quite possible that a radar system could have been positioned there.  I do know that they conducted firings of V1's after the war, having seen the photos.

 

KZ - I do hope they managed to catch the scrote responsible.  Such lowlife (apart from those suggested punishments previously suggested) should have any right to NHS Treatment (unless it's to cut their b****x off) withdrawn for life.

[Joseph_Pestell]

So bored now that I am livening up my shopping trips by visiting different supermarkets. Morrison's in Leominster today. Very long well-organised queue outside and then no controls inside so a complete fail on social distancing.

Tempted by some strange looking fruit scones. Much more like a rock cake. Very yummy.

[iL Dottore]

Awaiting Mrs iD’s return

A rhubarb crumble cake (slightly darker than usual as this time I use raw cane sugar instead of golden castor sugar). Friends have been known to fight viciously over the last slice...

My father's wartime experience was, I think, pretty unique. The son of an Italian in the diplomatic service, my father was stuck in Germany after the start of the Second World War (I am not sure why the family remained in Germany, presumably something to do with my paternal grandfather‘s role in the consular services and/or no non-essential travel allowed???). As my father went to a local school with German boys of his own age, he was conscripted into the Wehrmacht at the end of the war when any male who could stand upright and point a gun was given a weapon and told to fight the enemy. Fortunately, my father was living in what became West Germany and thus was able to persuade his classmates that the sanest thing to do was to let the British enter the village unopposed. After having been, briefly, a POW in the hands of the British, my father - who was always a very talented linguist - then became a de-facto serving member of the British Army (uniform, paybook, etc.) acting as a translator due to his excellent English and fluent German (and, I would assume, non German National status). Something that my father recollected as allowing his family to survive in the immediate postwar ruins of Germany, thanks to access to British rations due to his position as a translator. And if this wasn’t enough, In 1950 he was called up to do his military service as an Italian citizen.

 

Mother, on the other hand, had a relatively unremarkable war in the East End of London (back when East Ham was still “genteel”) and avoided being evacuated as her Aunt (my Great Aunt) lived in the country (I presume that the authorities assumed that, were it needed, my mother could have stayed with her Aunt). Although where she lived was luckily unscathed by the Blitz, other, nearby, streets weren’t so lucky, streets she passed on the way to school. My maternal grandfather served as a chief petty officer in the Royal Navy for the duration of the war. He always claimed that he had a pretty lucky war, once being posted from a Cruiser to a Corvette shortly before that Cruiser was sunk with all hands. Whilst he would occasionally tell tall tales about how he would “acquire“ (hem-hem) essential supplies (like whisky!) for the crews of the pom-pom battery he commanded, he said almost nothing at all about his time in the SBS — just saying that he got involved in some rather unpleasant hooliganism (and if this little anecdote does seem a little imprecise or inaccurate, bear with me, they are my memories of what I heard when I was about five or six years old. My biggest regret in regards to my grandfather, was that he died relatively young and long before I was old enough and mature enough to be really get to know him as I, now, would have liked to [he died when I was 14]).

 

Regarding the Big H’s suggestion of the gibbet for the scrote that assaulted KZ’s SiL, I would suggest that putting the scrote into the stocks and letting the community (at a safe social distance) decide how unpleasant the stay in the stocks would be is an appropriate “community sentence” (and very democratic: one man, one rock).

 

Cheers

 

iD

Edited May 8, 2020 by iL Dottore

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I must ask MiL how aware she would have been about the war in Europe as a teenager in what was still India then. 

I'm sure her perspective would be interesting. They were turbulent years in India, but I suspect day-to-day life for Indians probably wasn't radically different. Partition was, I suspect, much more traumatic for Indians - it was for people I know.

 

Gandhi was imprisoned from 1942 to 1944, in part for telling people not to support the Empire's war effort as part of the "Quit India" movement. (He was not an Axis sympathizer but other people in the independence movement were.) By 1944 Jinnah's partition campaign was a big talking point. The independence movement would move quickly between the end of WW2 and partition in 1947.

 

2.5 Million Indians volunteered to join the British Army. They served in Africa, the Middle East and of course Burma. Like they did in the Great War, the British Indian Army landed at Basra during the invasion of Iraq in 1941. They also served in the joint Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran in 1941. Iran is rarely mentioned in accounts of the second world war, other than as a footnote to the 1943 Tehran conference - the first time Churchill and FDR would meet Stalin.

 

POWs captured by the Empire of Japan were 'encouraged' to join the Indian National Army. The INA was led by more radical revolutionary members of the independence movement. They were not well armed but had a destabilizing effect.

 

VE day is very significant to France where as Jamie noted it is Liberation Day. The course of events that took place between May and August are quite amazing. FDR had died on April 12. Okinawa would fall (but fighting continued) on June 21. Flight Operations for the 509th Composite Bomb group began at Tinian on June 30. The Potsdam conference would begin on July 17 and Churchill would lose the election and be replaced by Attlee on July 28. The Trinity test at Alamogordo happened on July 16. (Truman was briefed on Project Manhattan for the first time on April 24.)

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[BSW01]

I've also been to 'The Blue Anchor' in Helston and sampled their Spingo Special. We'd been told about this pub by some locals we got chatting one time. So the next night a few of set off to find it and we weren't disappointed. It soon became one of our (group of friends) favourite pubs when on holiday in Cornwall. We'd always try and visit it at least once, (but more often than not it was twice) whilst we were down there. 

[southern42]

' afternoon/evening all from red dragon land.

 

Just come in from my bike ride on the spot wearing my grease top (GWR letters), bib n braces, and boots in memory of the girls on the railways.  Boy, was it hot in that lot!  Worked the bike a bit harder, too.    Beforehand, I also fitted in a couple of tunes on the fife from the Radio 4 UK Theme - Men of Harlech and Rule Britannia.  A guy opposite our daughter's got out his guitar, some backing music, speakers, and sang some wartime songs - video received via WhatsApp.  He was good!  The area is somewhat more built up than ours so guaranteed a wide audience!  I did notice a trail of kids passing by up their street while he played.  They were suitably spaced out, mind!

 

Slow progress on the fife box, an insert at a time and wait overnight to dry.  It seems to be working.  A couple of more days should do it.

 

Time for a cuppa, check the chicken in the oven, then get the rest of dinner done.  Hopefully I will have some time to catch up later.

 

Fitt   and   Elfie chuffing along.

 

Be good.  Play safe.

_________

Best wishes

Polly

 

[AndyID]

54 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

 

Regarding the Big H’s suggestion of the gibbet for the scrote that assaulted KZ’s SiL, I would suggest that putting the scrote into the stocks and letting the community (at a safe social distance) decide how unpleasant the stay in the stocks would be is an appropriate 

 

I agree that things in the UK have probably gone too far in an attempt to protect the rights of individuals but I don't think anyone would want to see anything like this sort of thing.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/prosecutor-concluded-two-white-men-220346934.html

[TheQ]

One grandfather left the RAF in 1936 already married . Having been a miner beforehand, he became a lengthman,  a reserved occupation on the railways and to old to be called up.  The area they lived in was on the edge of military bases on Salisbury plain,  so it was a target but fairly ineffectually..  His brothers remained miners

 

The other grandfather joined up in 1919, when his apprenticeship in a Glasgow shipyard finished just in time for many yards to close as the ships weren't being sunk anymore. His brothers were merchant navy or in the shipyards. 

He joined the Royal Tank Corps , served in the UK,  Middle East and British India , in 1939 he was given " exceptional leave to remain" in the army as Company Sergeant Major,  4th RTR.  Serving in the BEF his regiment just missed getting Romel much to their regret later. Evacuated from Dunkirk on 27th May 1940 on the ship Mona's Isle. ( a fraggle rock ferry) 

Then posted to Africa they fought in Ethiopia / Eritrea, evicting the Italians.

Before heading for the western desert gallop.. 

Wounded at some point. 

Serving at Tobruk during the siege,  

Promoted to RSM of 7th RTR,  continuing fighting,  eventually captured at the second siege of Tobruk when Churchill ordered the surrender of 33,000 of our men. 

A P.O.W. in Italy shipped in cattle trucks to a German pow camp, he was one of those involved in the long march. 

Post war he was again "given exceptional leave to remain" and served till 1954. 

 

Of his 5 sons one was RAF  air traffic control,  one REME,  one was initially manager of the battalion theatre Aldershot,  till he was called up and sent to Burma. The two youngest were born too late, Dad not getting called up till 1954 , the other uncle a post war baby,   missed national service. 

That grandfather's wife was in charge of the Accommodation for the ENSA personel at Aldershot. 

 

All members of my family survived both wars.. 

 

Remember, all those, who weren't so lucky. 

 

 

[grandadbob]

2 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Good afternoon.  I can also say that I don't know of any relatives killed in WW2. One uncle, a surgeon, stayed behind at Dunkirk to care for his patients then spent the rest of the war as a POW which apparently was no picnic. My father was a teacher in West Africa and was classed as a reserved occupation, however he did make several voyages back and forth in convoys and said he always felt safe when he saw a Sunderland. My mother was also a teacher and started at a school in Dagenham the  day the kids were evacuated and spent the next 4 days leading a croccidile of kids round East Suffolk till they eventually  found accommodation. She went out to Southern Africa in 1942 and also experienced  convoys. Not spectacular in either case. Another Uncle was an RAF Dr in India.  The biggest thing he had to treat was a mass of burned backsides when someone sent a Fray Bentos tin full of paraffin and a lighted rag, down the stream under the latrines.

 

KZ, words fail me about the scrote who had a go at your sister, I yope she is OK.

 

Jamie

 

Jamie, my Uncle Fred (Dad's younger brother) was a Sunderland pilot based in West Africa.  Your post spurred me to look online again and I've actually just found a photo of him and his crew.  (Sitting 2nd from right)  They were in 95 squadron based in The Gambia. Looks like he was the co-pilot.  Been searching for years!

 

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by grandadbob

[AndyID]

My mum had a brother in the RAF but I don't think he saw any action. He died when a training flight crashed. My brother finally got the RAF to provide the report. It seems the pilot decided to perform a low-level stunt that went badly wrong.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

So bored now that I am livening up my shopping trips by visiting different supermarkets.

 

Jeez, you really ARE bored......

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Regarding the Big H’s suggestion of the gibbet for the scrote that assaulted KZ’s SiL, I would suggest that putting the scrote into the stocks and letting the community (at a safe social distance) decide how unpleasant the stay in the stocks would be is an appropriate “community sentence” (and very democratic: one man, one rock).

 

 

Can Bears (and Hippo's) have a rock too please?  Or even better, several rocks....

[Joseph_Pestell]

Strange to think that my Dad might have met Jamie's Dad. He did quite a few convoys to/from West Africa. He loved it, especially Dakar, and would have liked to visit there again but never did. 

[leopardml2341]

2 hours ago, grandadbob said:

 

OK I won't, they were horrible, said he, lying through his teeth! 

Jam or Cream first........

 

Having lit the blue touchpaper, I'm outta here

 

Beer o'clock.

[TheQ]

The neighbours bored he's mowing the grass again.. 

[Happy Hippo]

Well we are now gearing up for the ditch party.  

 

It would have been a muddy hollow party, but there is no mud, just dust.

 

Bunting has been deployed along with a Union flag.

 

Red, White and Blue is the theme:  I shall wear a Red (Welsh ) rugby shirt as part of the ensemble.

 

To add a bit of excitement to the proceedings, I have fenced off a part of the muddy hollow with rope and signs which Proclaim 'Danger UXB Keep Out'

 

The UXB is there, partially buried, and the enclosure forms a natural social distancing barrier.

 

Time to make the Pimms (It's bring your own booze and snacks.

 

Too much effort for what will last about 10-15 minutes?

 

Probably but it's going to be a bit of fun!

[Chris116]

2 hours ago, grandadbob said:

 

OK I won't, they were horrible, said he, lying through his teeth! 

Glad to hear you enjoyed them. My local shop didn't have any scones today but I got a Malt Loaf instead, half of which went down very nicely earlier.

[Shedman5]

Evening, my dad would never talk in any detail about the war, after he passed away we found a diary he had kept during the hostilities which was informative however it ended abruptly in early 1945. According to my mum he had been involved in the liberation of Belsen and he told my mum it would haunt him forever and he never wished to discuss it again.

My uncle was rescued at Dunkirk and he suffered mental issues for a long time apparently.

Just now, TheQ said:

The neighbours bored he's mowing the grass again.. 

 

Ive just had the sprinkler on my front one which has the sun blasting it for most of the day!

 

Enjoy what's left of the day

[Chris116]

20 minutes ago, leopardml2341 said:

Jam or Cream first........

 

Having lit the blue touchpaper, I'm outta here

 

Beer o'clock.

Simple way to enrage all parties is to cut scone in half and put jam first on one half and cream first on the other. Amazing how quickly you can get a massive argument going even on a railtour!

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

I hear what you say Rick, and agree with the sentiment.  I do note however the Beeb use the term 'celebrate' in the news I have just watched.

 

OUr day started with a ride out, firstly through the 'curraghs' which is a boggy area to the west of us, much is a nature reserve, not managed, just unspoiled.  There is a number of wild wallabies that live there, I probably have mentioned them before, they escaped from the wildlife centre many years ago and thrive in the  area - hard to spot, sorry the photo is grim, phone camera.

 

 

When we got in we then joined in with next door at 3pm (3m apart...) and dressed up a bit and had a beer.  NHN (new slimline version, note!) used his Guard uniform from Groudle, Mrs NHN is as a Land Girl.

 

 

Next door too....

 

 

The other side of war - this 'was' my paternal grandparents house - that's grandad with the long coat and trilby.....nothing to celebrate there.

 

 

 

 

[roundhouse]

Dad was too young to serve in WWII but oldest uncle was a Mosquito pilot shot down and POW but survived to the end of the war. He worked in air traffic control in the North West, i believe at Manchester airport. He was a fantastic character and would have a new car almost every years which meant that he had to downgrade to cheaper models each time and I do remember that they would be filthy as he would fill the seats with bags of manure or hay for our cousins horses. Unfortunately he had a stroke that blinded him and put him in a wheelchair many years ago and must be nearly 20 years ago that he passed away. Dad was the youngest and last to go of the 8 brothers and sisters and that was 6 years ago.

 

Loads of flags in our road but all very quiet.

 

Currently playing wartime music through Alexa in the shed. Now do i interrupt my other half watching TV by putting this on all devices throughout the house

 

UPDATE

 

oops, shes on the phone to her mum and just come onto the patio to get away from the music!

Edited May 8, 2020 by roundhouse

[Erichill16]

9 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

 

And probably the most choleric inducing aspect of this terrible state of affairs, is that the bien-pensants that have created this whole mess are, by dint of wealth, position in society and location in the land, isolated and protected from the consequences of their decisions and actions...

 

Oh f*** I’d now better go get a “chill pill”

 

Cheers

iD

Sorry are we talking about America’s politics again?

[Gwiwer]

Evening all. And as the light and warmth recede we return inside after having spent most of the day outside. 
 

The first outdoor dinner of the year was a simple linguini bolognese but we grew most of the salad. 
 

Dinner was also paused as Neighbour (Top Flat) reappeared after a very long absence and - at a modest distance - we caught up on things. 
 

We were also invited to participate in a VE Day party which not only commemorated events but also celebrated our two most senior residents (93 and 101 respectively) who both lived here through WW2.  SWMBO had said earlier she wasn’t going and didn’t want me to either. Her anxiety eased just enough that we both took part though she clearly felt uncomfortable around others even at quite a distance. That’s her beside me as I pan right. 
 

 

A bottle of Spingo was indeed enjoyed over dinner.  A rare treat outside Helston at any time and doubly so this year. 
 

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

Not much in the way of celebrations here today. It's the second anniversary of us losing our dog Sam and despite trying not to let it affect me I've been feeling low all day.

 

Have a quiet and peaceful night everyone.

 

Dave

[New Haven Neil]

The story to go with the photo of the house above...from the borough website.

 

Shortly after the air raid warning was sounded, flares were dropped and at 21.25 3 HE bombs fell, one 250kg. on a house at the corner of King George Road and Page Avenue, a 1,000kg. on houses at the junction of Cauldwell Villas and Stanton Avenue, one 250kg. bomb on an allotment near Cauldwell House. The crater in Cauldwell Villas was one of the largest ever made in the Borough; shelters were found on the lip, completely covered with lumps of clay, but the occupants were all rescued alive. One house was obliterated and several more shattered. At the corner of Page Avenue two houses were totally wrecked and others damaged.

 

And there is life and death, so nearly the latter.  The houses were half a mile from the shipyards on the Tyne, where Grandad worked.

[Erichill16]

Occasionally I find myself at the local A andE department of my local hospital and I feel uneasy when I look at some of the other people waiting for treatment. You hear them going off on one complaining about having to wait. I feel intimidated and I’m not even working there. It seems a hostile environment that no one should be exposed to. No matter how badly someone behaves they know they will be treated in a professional manner. Things have to change but obviously you can’t deny them treatment. More security and heavy fines, we can dream about it.

On a similar note, a neighbour of mother in law, who obviously has a drink issue seems to end up having an  ambulance at his door every week. I bet most of the time it’s not needed but I suppose they can’t just not turn up. I hope he realises that ambulances are precious resources and some people may actually need them for a life or death issue, but I bet he doesn’t even think about it that way or cares anyway.
Kingsance, despicable behaviour against someone doing their best in trying circumstances. I hope they get their comeuppance and put to shame.

I fear they won’t and shame means nothing to them.

Regards Robert