Douglas Haig, the educated soldier

This excellent book was first published in 1963 and went a long way to rehabilitate the memory of Field Marshal Douglas Haig.  Famous for being the Commander-in Chief from late 1915 until the end of the Great War, Haig was defamed by many after his death.  There were two main reason for this.  One was time, it takes around 10 years following a war before people are in a place to publish their memoirs of war.  Returning to civvy life, finding work, rebuilding family life, and writing their books all takes some time.  Many writing about their life in the trenches did not mention Haig himself, however, their writings were added to those who opposed him.  It was they who had not been popular with the Field Marshall who were keen to disparage his memory, General Allenby, sacked after failing at Arras for instance, was quick to join ex-Prime Minister Lloyd George is attacking Haig and blaming him for the 750,000 deaths incurred during the conflict.  Lloyd George was you will be surprised to hear being economical with the actuality.  I prefer 'lying' myself.  With generous support from his press baron friends the ex-PMs opinion came to dominate the discussion of the war.  Haig himself made no attempt to fix his opinion in anyone's mind, he just filled out his final report and left it at that.  He then spent the years until his death in 1928 seeking to aid soldiers groups in all British Empire nations.  Lloyd George did nothing.  Haig was awarded £100,000 by parliament in 1918 for services to winning the war, but refused to accept this until Lloyd George had grudgingly instituted a pension for his soldiers.  

This book attempted to give Haig's side of the war, and indeed he does come out of it well.  This is not a book dedicated to offering one side of the story, merely the author attempts to get at the truth.  

Haig's early life is covered briefly before his army career.  Then the war is gone into in detail, Mons, Ypres, Loos, and his taking command of an army now 2.5 million strong.  

Details of battles, conflict with French allies, and worse conflict with a London government convinced the failing French generals were better than their own.  This attitude runs through the book.  

The title does fit the image given of a hard working organised leader who goes through his paperwork carefully, seeks the details of all his armies tactics, and at all times attempted to lessen losses while accepting they were inevitable.  Soldiers do not start wars politicians do, only politicians on both sides, if they wish to, can end wars, soldiers merely fight them.  John Terraine's image of Haig is far more complete than that offered by a self-serving politician.  A famed politician who was soon out the door.  

Though this book is large, I would hate to have to carry the hardback, I raced through it as it was easy to read, words flowed and it is no wonder this became a ground breaking book in 1963.  I recommend it to any who wish to know the real Douglas Haig.

Wiki

 

Wednesday Rumblings

Sometime ago I wanted to visit Egypt.  The history, tourist sites, heat and fancy foods all attracted.  Now, I canny be bothered going anywhere.  That said, Egypt, seen here from space, is an interesting phenomenon in many ways.  The ancient history, fancy writing, and those huge pyramids let alone the architecture built by pharaoh this and pharaoh that.  All worth viewing.  

Egypt today is once again run by a dictatorial regime, but can you run such a country any other way?  The vast majority of the populace are young, jobs few, conditions not good, and opportunities up and down.   What hope for the future outside of history?  That appears to be all Egypt produces.  There is agriculture, though whether any arrives here in the UK since the absurdity of Brexit I doubt.  There is Natural Gas, coal and oil, but the poor do not benefit, as 'trickle down' works in Egypt as well as it works anywhere else.  Some very rich Egyptians as well as very poor ones.

Now Islamic, once a powerhouse of Christianity with only vestiges left, and the Coptic Christians, going back many centuries, suffer needless abuse by Islam.  

Egypt guards the Suez canal, a wealth creator if ever there was one, and surely one of the most important waterways in the world?  We saw recently how one ship blocked the canal for a few days and disrupted China's economy by ding so!  

Egypt is a powerful nation in the region, a very large army which keeps itself above the rest.  Always ready to take over government when called upon, and even when not called!  

Egypt is well worth a guided tour if you can keep the hawkers away.

Tunbridge Wells Train Station. Photographer Neil Nevinson, 1950s.

Why is it that pictures like this, taken in the 1950s can be so simple yet so good?  If I try to take this picture it will be very different.  OK, the camera and lens will make a difference, but even so the fact that it is dated, black & white, and the outfits also of a differing age all present a view that varies from anything we can capture today.  

Adverts ought to have a special rate of tax added to them.  The more deceitful they are the higher the tax!  Take this one, three flimsy pathetic non foods, add a few pieces of rounded cardboard and wow, something worth looking at!  All lies!  And apart from what is in the meat, what is the cheese made out off?  We will not ask about the bun.

I got an email regarding the Gas today.  Like the recent Electric one it was forcing a new tariff upon me, a more expensive one, to save me when costs rise soon, while celebrating costs coming down now.  I smell a rat.  Indeed I went for the change, is there an alternative?  I checked the increases, all the while noting prices are falling yet my costs rise.  If the Labour Party was a Labour Party it would be bringing this nonsense to an end, but they will not.  It is clear that this Labour Party is for the  business word, thon billionaire who started 'Phones4U' (if that is the correct name) is now donating to Labour because they are for business instead of the workers.  A true conservative party!  

We have been taken over by a right wing coup, big business, often in the USA or Saudi have made use of the mess we are in to force the Farage's upon us, divide the nation, give us Brexit and now Freeports and SEZs.  Prices will rise, wages stagnate, more social problems lie ahead under Labour.  This may not affect Scotland so much but now we know how the SNP has not got independence in sight, in spite of the latest manifesto.  Deviants and weirdo's may be OK under the SNP but independence is far from important.  The middle class Scot shows his comfort lies in Westminster. 

I Say BBC!

We are all well aware re the BBCs political correctness and their 'lefty liberal' approach, though that does not appear on the BBC News where the Conservative Party and far-right headbangers rule, but this one is interesting.  The advert, for a music producer, is aimed at people who are disabled.  There are certain things you must 'identify' as including being 'dead.'  Somehow I am unsure that this is a typing error.  

Another vacancy includes reference to 'Sliced Bread.'  I remain unsure as to whether this is a programme or providing sandwiches for the workers.  

This of course I found on Twitter, where it originates I know not, but it will please the 'Daily mail' and the moron readership awaiting the opportunity to spell their name next to the 'Reform' candidate.

I wonder if this is true?  It certainly appears that way, as all those still with large lands tend to be Lords and Dukes etc.  Whether they have any money is of course another story but they do posses much land.  It is slightly different in Scotland, the richest, largest landowner I think is a rich Dutchman, though that may just be my memory.  However, it may well be those landowners might be the descendants of Willie, you and I may be descendants of them also, hopefully.   

How many do you still have in the cupboard?

Insurance Robbery

A glance at the calendar informs me that Thursday will be the Summer Equinox.  From that date the days get shorter and the nights longer.  I am not sure this will make much difference to us!

I spent a wee while attempting to log in on the Home Insurance site.  This did not work, probably because it has run out and they have not informed me.  Tsk!  So I did a search of the overpriced Home Insurance sites, hoping to get a quick answer.  Eventually I got one, paid, and await the documents arriving soon...  We shall see.  These folks are as crooked as energy companies and estate agents so something will go amiss unless the years finishes first.  Online of course, so no lying at the other end, bar difficult to read print.  It is cheap, as is all things in this house.

It's noticeable how little place is given in the 'Online Mail' to politics these days.  I suppose they are mostly concerned with their own in house politics perhaps?  Little liking for Sunak, much coverage of the lying Farage, but I do not think they like him either, maybe they fear him?  Celebs and royals fill the space, with the same people clicking on each story.  

Scotland, Euro 2024

Tonight the Scotland side begin another adventure.  Usually this ends in failure, often glorious failure, and hopefully we can go one better tonight, qualify for the next round and get some satisfaction for the travelling fans.

Naturally all the leading men are there, as you would expect.  Alex is here with other Alba folk, the FM is round the corner with many of his lot in tow, and a wide variety of true Scots are in Germany for the party.  As expected a party has been in swing since they arrived and most Germans are quite happy to have them bagpipe playing, singing and dancing in the main squares.  Not counting one man who grumbled about being on nightshift!  

All those Scottish shirts filling the town remind me of my reaction when moving to London.  All around me people wore England shirts, now while I expected to see this I was also somewhat taken aback at the time as it seemed to me so unusual.  It took me three or four years to get used to being surrounded by England shirts, flags and all, though this is how it ought to be in London, but it still was a strange sight.  Just as strange was the sight of working men getting excited by a cricket score, this time it was Essex they supported, and this made me giggle.  No working man to my knowledge in Edinburgh mentioned cricket, though some did indeed play it.  

There are still many people who do not realise that moving 'down south' is moving to another country, there is NO 'United Kingdom' and there never has been, there is only two nations with one dominating the power over the other.  It is time that was ended and Scotland independent and able to make mistakes by themselves.

Whether this would improve upon Steve Clarks Scotland side is however, a debatable matter.

Disgusted!

Disgusted!

I am disgusted!  I hobbled down to Tesco around 8 am as always this morning, to collect bread and other things, all of which were quite heavy today.  Stumbling back up the road, admiring the flowers on show everywhere, the blue sky, the sun shining, the chirping of the birds which you can hear if you use the back road, I was then disgusted!

As I reached the end of the road a man, about may age, offered to carry my bag for me!

What?

I presented such a picture that he thought he needed to help me!

The knees did ache today, after yesterdays exercise I ought to have remained indoors but required bread, so out I went.  But really!  He thought I was in such a state!  All others just ignore me, so I suspect he is one of the JWs looking for custom!  Pah!

Then I spent an hour having my ears bashed by my sister.  Her husband, now 87, is in hospital having, we think, suffered a mini stroke, with other problems they have now found.  He has shown signs of GaGa in recent months, and spends much time asleep, though since retirement that has always been true, and now we await developments.  A wee bit worrying for the girls, though his granddaughter has no problem with going in an bullying him as always!  The nurses love it!  Who knows what will happen there?

With all this I have not wasted time on the Twitter duels.  I only annoyed one woman this morning, I am so slack today!  I did however, discover Scotland play the opening game in the Euros tomorrow night.  At least that means I can watch this and rejoice at our success.  Maybe...

Bay Evening Jeremy Mann

Victorian Paintings

William Arthur Breakspeare - Blue Eyes

 

It would be easy, when looking at Victorian paintings, to imagine middle class women and artists models doing little but sitting around at odd angles.  The number of women slowly falling of divans, beds and ancient marble impressions of Greece is astounding.  Maybe a lack of exercise was responsible?

William Arthur Breakspeare - The Alluring Student

 

There again, when they are standing it is clear they are up to no good.  Poor Victorian women, how they suffered!  At least this one, unlike so many has not just thrown her dress on and almost missed, like all the rest.  Though I suppose it would be crude to imply many Victorian art works were just porn in oils of course.

Henry Herbert La Thangue - A Sussex Orchard

It is also amazing how many country pictures appear.  So many are like this, colourful, sun shining, horse happy, just two young people working away.  The 12 year old boy, working 18 hours a day like his sister in this painting from the 1890s are headed for 50 or so years of such toil.  The house the family of 10 share is only theirs as long as the farmer keeps them on.  If dad is the farmer then they move to a better place as soon as possible.  The mud floor of the small cottage, with outside toilet and well for water, has only two rooms and space in the attic for the kids.  At this time agriculture had settled down but it had gone through many bad years.  Who knows how they had survived during that period

Hubert von Herkomer - On Strike 1891

Sir Hubert has offered a different, less romantic impression of country life here.  The 'Nicky Tams,' those strings tied around his trousers just under the knee to stop rats running up, indicate an agricultural worker, and not a happy one at that.  Earning possibly 6 shillings a week, with tied cottage, was not much for long hours in the fields.  While country folk know how to eat 'off the land' it is still hard going at times.  Many strikes up to the Great War in 1914 and some by that time were still on 7/6d or up to 15 shillings for ploughmen in some places, but only after much strife.  

John Henry Henshall - Behind the Bar 1882

  

The place to gather to eat, get warm, and meet friends was the public house.  In towns and cities these places were light, gas lit, warm, and far from the rotten homes many lived in.  Food and drink was available and out off the odd song and dance act grew the variety theatres, one of the best places to find entertainment in Victorian days.  'Beer shops' were also allowed to flourish for 40 years or so, but the increase in trouble following the drinking got them closed down, much to the brewers annoyance. Such caring people!

Samuel Bough - Dysart on the Coast, Sunrise

Tommy's Folly

Tommy Robinson is an individual who plays the English hero.  He claims to stand up for the working class white man who has been dealt badly by all these immigrants swarming into the land.  Of course he is not what he appears.

For a start he is the son of an Irish couple, and they are usually not very English.  His name is actually Yaxley-Lennon, and while pleading bankruptcy and poverty there are those who consider he is raking it in from foreign sources, though I of course cannot prove these allegations.

Having led a demonstration against the Palestinian demos, which included his riotous white working class neds clambering across the Cenotaph itself while he made off in a hurry, he has now made D-Day an opportunity to display his AI skills.

This was posted on Twitter, and has of course done the rounds considerably more than he could have wished, while revealing his lack of AI ability and his inability to understand how to invade a beach.

Most men on D-Day came off the landing craft and headed onto the beach and then attempted to make their way inland.  Tommy's men appear to be heading out into the sea!  Naval types will indicate the ships in the picture do not fit the day either.  All indicative of Tommy and his men's approach to facts I say.  

Note also, these men are US troops, not British!

D-Day 80th Commemoration

Wiki

We need not repeat all the details offered by press and media regarding the D-Day landings commemorated today.  A mass of detail come of it accurate, has been printed: also many individual stories of the few remaining men who served on the beaches, in the air above, or on the sea beside.  

Over 100,000 men sailed over a very bumpy Channel, Royal Navy ships noisily bombarded the German defences, aircraft dropped bombs and harassed the defenders, while men left the landing craft to save the world from another 'Dark Age,'  

And indeed this they did.  

Allowing for 50 years of a 'Cold War' with the Soviet Union the peace they earned has lasted in Europe up until now.  80 after the end of one major war it is to be wondered at that no major war in Europe has once again returned.  Possibly this was because of the 'Third World' hosting the 'Hot War' between the two remaining great powers?  While Europe saw unprecedented wealth the rest suffered 50 or so million dead.  

However, peace there is, in spite of the small wars that have erupted since.  The elderly, sometimes quite fragile ex-servicemen who gathered on the beach today accomplished something extraordinary with their victory.  Only now do these men allow themselves some sort of congratulations.  Most men I knew, and like many others, I grew up amongst them, never saw themselves as the 'Greatest Nation,' it was just a case that they had no choice, "You just had to do it, you just had to get on with it and make the best of it." was the most common type of response.  "Avoid 'death or glory men' keep well away from them, and you may survive," has been said before.  While some understood the reason for war many had no deep comprehension, it was just a job that had to be done.  Of course flying a bomber, sailing in a battleship or driving a tank gave lots of joy to many young men, and the excitement, when you survived, made life back home quite dull.  Some sought medals and glory, not all survived, some just wanted to get home again.  Almost all found a comradeship not known at home.  

'Operation Neptune' got the men ashore, 'Operation Overlord' continued for many weeks at great cost, always pushing back a reluctant to leave and very competent defender.  Many weeks and months of war lay ahead after June 6th, more people died in the period leading up to the German surrender than in previous years, many of course civilians.  

We could take a very long lifetime to read the adventures of all who participated in this operation.  The preparation at a high level, the spying on the ground, the men and women who risked their lives to pass on information, the me who lie there still filling the neatly laid out war cemeteries.  Many stories would make you weep, others would allow you to laugh, and others let you ponder what might have been had this operation fail.

Churchill of course suggested many absurd alternatives to D-Day, this because he feared another Gallipoli and thousands of dead men on the beach.  Norway was one, even Portugal another!  The Chief of the Imperial General Staff understood his fears but somewhat roughly brought them to an end.  Soldiers expect casualties in a way politicians do not.  In the end casualty numbers were considerably less than expected, the beachhead was secured and victory inevitable.

There is a great deal more we could say about these men but regarding them as something above others, especially todays youth, is not one I would go for.  The young men today would react in similar fashion if required, the culture may have changed but the response, as we can see with the way young men defend the Ukraine against Russian attacks, would be the same.  

Let us however, remember those who served as themselves, let us avoid using them as an extension of English Nationalism as some do, let us see them as themselves, for most became dads and grandads and we ignored them most days until the November Armistice Services, let us remember them for themselves.

50th Northumbrian Div

Rambling on...

It's been that sort of a day.  I open my wallet and these creatures are found flying all across the room!  I wonder how long he has been in there?  Is it true I wondered looking at him, that a myth is a female moth?  I never know these things. 

Anyway, my baking is coming along nicely, until you have to eat the produce.  

Flat bread, made with brown multiseed flour.  I now have found how filling and unsuitable for public consumption this can be.  More have been made for the morning, unless they have gone mouldy, and later I may try some with common white bread.  All this to save me the walk up the road!  

I notice that recipies do not indicate how long it takes, and what an amount of work is required, to clean up afterwards.  Is there a reason for this?  I'll leave it all till tomorrow...

So the Scottish cricket victory over England was a washout.  Who expects rain in Barbados?  I watched some of the India v Ireland match but soon gave up.  Ireland may be improving but are yet far away from one of the world's top sides.  Note how interested I am getting in this kids game!  

I must get out more.

One reason I switched things off was the electric bill.  Once again they say the deal is running out and I must switch.  I perused the offers, selected the one I thought fit, and discovered the daily charge has risen from 35.93p to 50. something!  This when they say the cost is coming down!  The energy cost has indeed slightly, very slightly reduced, but the daily charge is a disgrace.  I am considering writing to Ofgen or whoever it is and demanding changes.  No point in writing to an uninterested MP as he has gone walkies.  

Chancers one and all.

Twitter is choc full of election tat.  And tat it is as there is little real debate or room for debate.  It is either us or them and all others can scram.  No-one is listening, many are pointing 'over there' and Nigel the chancer is seeking recompence.  

Hardly worth using it today.

Cricket & Nigel

 

Naturally, when Scotland play, let alone when they play England, 'rain stopped play!'  Stopped being the wrong word as it did not start at 3:30 as promised, the start waited for almost an hour before we got going.  Now it has stopped again for rain.  However, once they got going the Scots batsmen got going!  Tearing into the feeble English bowling and reached 60-0 by the time the rain came.  A good start but only a start.  Hopefully much more to come from this.  

One point that must be made is that this international World Cup game is being played in Barbados!

Barbados!  One of the sunniest places in the world and rain stops play!  Now if this happened in Raeburn Place, Edinburgh nobody would notice, indeed it would be expected, but Barbados!  Sun, sea and rained of cricket, it would not make a good tourist poster would it?   

In the meantime what do they do?  They talk about ENGLAND of course.  Run the clips from other natches and return to talking about ENGLAND again.  Are you surprised?  

 

The money making grifter has after all returned.  Having decided not to stand again as an MP, and having made clear he has better things to do that spend Friday nights in Clacton, he had decided to dump the prospective Reform candidate for Clacton and replace him with himself.  How very Nigel!  Having 53% of the Reform Party, it is more a company than a party, Richard Tice has only 33% and has been rudely shoved aside and Nigel has taken over.  Clearly the fear of being in the USA and following Donald into jail has spooked him.  Much better to hide in the House!  What chance has he got?  He has failed to be elected 7 times already, this is his best chance, but will he win?  We all hope he fails.  We shall see.

Weather & Biscuits

Something wrong here.  

This map, showing today's weather, appears to infer that we are covered in cloud down here in England while Scotland is bathed in sunshine.  Surely that canny be right?  It has certainly been a day of lightish cloud today, cloud not wishing to move on, but Scotland without cloud?  That's abnormal!

Across the very north it is cloud covered, as you would expect way up there  further north than Moscow.  Rain, hail, snow and storm you would take for granted, but almost clear everywhere?  This is a sign of global warming if nothing else is!

   

I decided to do the Spring Clean, you remember I began this about five years ago, before Covid!  This means moving things, hoovering, dusting etc, and dumping whatever lies beneath the layers of grime.

This began because of the workman fixing the floorboards that creaked a bit too much for the neighbours.  Moving things meant revealing smut that had grown over time, and once removed, the floorboards fixed, I was left with a desire for more.  

Last week I began with the record cabinet.  

The records, some good ones, most ex-library, Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, and various classical types, have not been used for at least a dozen years.  While I have an aged player it canny be connected to anything, not that I wish to play any, I don't want any good ones scratched now.  Things were moved, unused muscles put to use, and much satisfaction gained form the enterprise.  Next up I thought, will be under this desk.  Under there I may find dead cats, ancient coin horde or possibly a tenant or two who had disappeared, you never know.   However, though feeling the effects of actual work, something I have avoided religiously, I observed through my clammy window the front required weeding, and that bush had to be cut down to allow light into the ground floor apartment.  Hmmm, thought I, I'm in the mood, let's do it.  

A couple of hours later, having swung the axe, well those clipper things, vegetation was spread across the front.  I had chopped the bush, picked many weeds, cleared one third of the front and much of the middle when I realised I was dying.  My knees would not take any more, so I dumped one very full bag of greenery where it should not be dumped and retired to make coffee and stuff my face.

Since then I realised my mistake.

One job a week was the aim, not two.  One job and then allow the ageing bones to relax, but not me!  By Saturday I was not useful for anything, though I had to visit Sainsburys early.  Sunday came and I was all for sleeping, however, I was detailed to read 1 Samuel 3:1-10.  The call of Samuel.  So I went.  Sloth like I raced along the road, the sun shone, the weather was pleasant, the joggers and the cars all passed me by.  In church, all the young women asked for me as always.  

Yes they did!  

Tired and not thinking clearly, my mind floating throughout, at the close of the service while leaving I attempted to remove a Bumble Bee that had become trapped in the doorway.  A cloth was used to direct it towards the open door where I tried to shake it off.  The brute would not leave me!  So I stepped outside to place him on the uncut grass with wee flowers suitable for such beasties - and fell flat on my face.  My knees did not like this and as I struggled to rise one of the Nigerian young men lifted me up.  Good job he was there.  Two other men stood and watched, neither able to lift in their own aged poor physical condition, though Ian removed my wallet to 'make my task lighter' he said.  

I may get it back next week.  

How embarrassing!  Good job I got a lift home after that.  

Tee Hee, at least this puts me off cleaning this week, that will wait until next at the earliest.   So it is eat and sleep and watch the cricket I have been led into.  

In spite of it all, once I had eaten and slept that off, I realised there was no bread.  This means either a trip to the shop in the morning or bake biscuits.  I chose the latter.  Here are two, untasted, imitation oat biscuits.  These you will never see in the shops!  To the side are two 'Wartime Shortbread' biscuits, also not available in the shops, now or later.  However, in 45 minutes I have provided something to fill a gap and give me reasons to grumble again.  I ache all over again...back to watch Sri Lanka lose at cricket.

This Cricket Nonsense

Cricket, that strange English phenomena where a gang of men stand around almost motionless in a field while another tosses a ball in the air for yet another to hit with a stick!  What a waste of life!

That said, I have been watching the cricket on tv these nights.  This is not 'proper' cricket, just a kind of kids game cricket, keeping only the best bits and avoiding the long slog in the sunshine.  the bowlers helpfully toss the ball in such a way the batsmen cannot avoid knocking the ball out of the ground.  It appears to be an easy game to play.  And the crowds!  They get so excited don't they?  With the half term holidays it means loads of kids are in the grounds in the evenings and they do enjoy it.  Every '4' or '6' that flies away is greeted by excited cheers and a waving of pre-printed numbers.  On the whole the crowds I have seen in the games are quite well behaved, though kept separate I think.  This encourages women to come with the kids but it also encourages others to drink all night.  These women are easy to spot!   

In the evenings I usually watch football, and in the days without it I realised it was not the football I was watching all to often.  No, it was my mind, tired after a day requiring something easy to watch with little thought , and without football my mind would not unwind, there was nothing to ease it down.  

Now, T20 cricket takes its place, less cerebral but much more sunshine!  

Who got me onto this?  A woman! This of course, is not something I would be watching if I was in Scotland.  They play proper games there.  

I notice it is also available on YouTube.  

  

Friday Faff

Spring has been sprung upon us, although I think this may be summer now, and rain has fallen constantly since yesterday.  As it begins to ease up I notice the other half of the country is in sunshine all the while!  I may consider moving.

The weather men tell us it has been 20% wetter than usual, less sunny but with less frosts.  As if we had not noticed.  On the other hand it has been slightly warmer than usual, but not much good when it is wet also!   Summer may well be warmer, as the seas are much warmer than usual.  Watch out for more disaster headlines in the days and years to come folks.

I may consider stopping Twitter for a while, nothing but lies and counter lies from politicians and their lackeys.  So many fill the screen that there is little room for football or other important happenings.  The only other major story is of course Donald Trump being found guilty, such a surprise, and hopefully being jailed soon.  

On the other hand, the more the electioneering continues the less I like Keir.  Lying about GBEnergy, which was all Scotland's energy anyway, each day he appears more under the control of Big Business.  The cuts will continue, by people taking thousands in backhanders from big business, and the nation as a whole has yet to be informed re Freeports, why?  Goodbye Tory gangsters, hello Labour ones.

BBC

'Mothers Pride' was always one of the notable items in any shop when I grew up.  Though I remember always being sent for a 'sliced loaf' when required.   Sales are falling as there are so many better tasting breads to be found these days.  They may not be any more healthy, and they are certainly more expensive, and these type of loaves have lost their fame.  Possibly because mum was dealing with kids sliced white bread, the cheapest, was sought.  Her potato soup and slices of bread kept us alive as kids, and I have never been able to make soup like hers.  None of the woman have ever succeeded either.  

The problem here is the packaging, they say, not the bread.  The weeks without the loves may mean people forget about it altogether.  Maybe this was the plan?

Police Chiefs...

The news that the Northamptonshire Chief Constable is attending a misconduct hearing is no surprise.  On this occasion he has been found to wear a Falklands Medal which surprised some as he would have been 15 in 1982 during the Falklands War.  There are also questions regarding exaggerating his rank, extending his service and general Royal Naval achievements before joining the police.

Add to this the political opportunism of the Chief Constable in Manchester, who has links to the Conservative Party, regarding the several long weeks it has taken to declare there are no criminal grounds to investigate a Labour Party Deputy Leader regarding a housing question.  Add to this the Englishwoman heading the Scottish Police who has spent a short eternity attacking investigating the one time leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party, and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner in London who apparently cannot see crime in Tory leaders behaviour during Lockdown, and we are left wondering if there are any policemen left at the top level of the police these days?  

The police have never been full of honest and true policemen, they are human after all.  They fill their day meeting the scum of society as well as helping little old ladies across the road, but remain human.  I have in fact a lot of respect and admiration for those who would confront yobs or even men with guns.  You and I would go the other way.  I often consider the two policewomen who attended a call of suspicious behaviour at an empty house.  When they arrived a man threw a hand grenade at them and shot them dead.  Not many of us would take on such a risk day by day and certainly not for the money! 

My dad attempted to join the police when demobbed in 1946.  At that time, with many men leaving the services there were lots of applicants suitable for the job.  My dad would have been perfect at the time, he would have dealt with anti-social behaviour, helped little old ladies across the street and stood in front of armed robbers, all very 'Dixon of Dock Green.'  I am not sure he would be happy with the PC  stuff the PCs have to deal with today.  In the end he was turned down, the demand was such that the police decided all officers must be 6' 2.''  That is Six foot two inches tall to you.  Dad was juts over an inch short, this is a shame as the money was good then.  Corrupt officers always exist, inept and useless officers can be found anywhere, but many still just get on with the job and attend calls efficiently and with wise counsel.  

It is not the officer on the beat, remember them?  It is the men, and it is usually men, higher up.  In all organisations the inept, the pushy, the man on the make, who gets to the top.  The more inept you are the higher you can go in the NHS, Royal Mail, Civil Service and the police.  We have all seen this occur.  Political correctness, following 'Stonewall led 'Diversity,' and box ticking can gain promotion away from the front line for many unsuited to the job.  So often today we see those who once were good officers surrounded by red tape and unwillingness to change the system and that hampers production, if that is the correct phrase.  Having Chief Constables like these cannot be considered a good thing for the man in the street, and in London the woman scared of those who are supposed to protect her.

Constantine, Michael Grant

Constantine I (27 February between c. 272 to 282 AD – died 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337.  What most people remember about him is that he converted to Christianity and to be honest little else.

In his day the Roman Empire was divided into two 'Augustus,' one ruling in the east, Diocletian, and one in the west, Maximian.  Beneath them were two lesser rulers called 'Caesar.' Constantius I Chlorus the father of Constantine in the west, and Galerius in the east.  During 305 AD Diocletian and Maximian retired!  Unusual even then, and the Caesars became Augustus.  This sounds fine in theory but human nature never changes.   Constantius I Chlorus was a sick man, deservedly so as he had been attacking those living north of Hadrian's Wall.  He died soon after taking office and as is the way the Roman troops, few of whom were actually Roman by this time, called for Constantine to become Augustus.  This happened at York, then called Eboracum, and there followed a period of civil war before Constantine became sole ruler of the Empire in 324 AD, and his opponents went the way of all would-be emperors.  

A list of Emperors covering some 300 years I saw some years ago revealed that around 10 died in their beds, the rest died in unfortunate circumstances.

The new Emperor had to reform the army, soon to be almost under total Germanic control, into a defence and border control authority.  he amended the currency and separated the military and civil authorities, normal government you might say, though always according to his wishes. 

In October 312 Constantine defeated the 'would-be' Emperor Maxentius at the 'Battle of the Milivian Bridge.'  The stories re Constantine and this battle are covered by the 'fog of war' and propaganda.  Long before Constantine like other Emperors had encouraged toleration of religion, including Christians.  Here however, we find the soldiers shields had the sign ☧ engraved upon them, and Constantine claimed, according to some, that he had a dream of the cross with the words 'In this sign you shall conquer,' which led him to believe Jesus was with him.

The truth is so well hidden by the ages it is hard to know what really occurred here.  

However, Constantine himself believed that Christianity was the way forward, though with a mass of pagan believers in his Empire he was not going to favour one before the rest, though he made it clear what he thought.

Was this Christianity as we know it?  His theology was poor and somewhat embarrassing for the Bishops who now surrounded him.  It is likely he would fail to become a Baptists preacher in this day and age.  However, while he urged 'unity' amongst all, and saw 'unity' in the churches, once in power the lack of unity caused by theological arguments (whish were beyond him) disheartened him greatly.

Major points such as 'Arianism,' dominated the church, and in some places still does, and the Latins and Greeks varying forms would drive him mad today.

However, the quality of the church was lessened by ecclesiastical hierarchy, the introduction of pomp copied from Byzantium, candles and robes abounding all of which has an effect on the churches today.

Constantine took over Byzantium and created a city in his own image.  

A great deal of building was required, people were forced into the city, mostly pagan of course, and this was to be the great centre of the new powerhouse for over a thousand years.   

The Emperor was brutal at times, his son Crispus, and Fausta were both eliminated for dubious reasons, though inheritance possibly was involved.  This also indicated what would happen to any son who thought he could remove the ruler!

Wars to the north and with Persia in the east were dealt with in varying fashion.  People are always on the move.  Migration has always been part of life, we forget this.  Wars, disaster, greed are all to be found as a cause of migration.  It was no different for Constantine and his problem with the various Goths to the north, tribes in north Africa, and the Armenians and Persian to the east.

During 337 the Emperor realised his illness was a fatal one and requested Baptism.  Partly he had avoided this so as to avoid upsetting important pagans, also at the time it was thought that sin after baptism was unforgiven, and so he wished to be baptised close to his death.  The Bishop who baptised his was Arian, revealing his theological understanding.  

A full life and a powerful one, but not as Christian as some would like.

Michael Grants book hopes to help us understand all about this man.  This is made difficult by the lack of trustworthy records.  Most available either laud Constantine for his Christian works, or denounce him for upsetting pagans.  Neither appear balanced.  Coins indicate many of his events, the shields of his army also, archaeology tries to help but many of the buildings he erected have been destroyed or rebuilt.  Even those at the Holy Sepulchre and in Nazareth built by his mother Helena, have been amended over the years.  Few remain.  No matter how great a man you are soon afterwards you are forgotten.

Michael Grants book I found a wee bit harder than expected because he tries to offer all the arguments, all the possible dates, and all evidence and speculation on offer.  While this is good it also gets a wee bit confusing, especially where names are concerned.  This however, may be by advancing senility rather the the authors fault.

I read the book quite quickly in spite of these things and would recommend this to others.  I must say however, that I would like another book on this man to see a different opinion.  

But maybe that is just me.