Fall for Haggis

 

Some people, especially in England that colonial empire building nation that lives in a delusion of grandeur, some people do not believe that the Haggis is a wild creature found only in Scotland.  I am pleased to see that some nature lovers have gone out to prove them wrong.  

Haggis cultivation was something the farming side of the family undertook, though as they were mostly border farmers there were few such creatures to be found around Duns.  The shearing for the wool was indeed an art, I believe one of the Fife coal miners used to do this after working a shift down the pit.

It was not done in Edinburgh, the Morningside lassies thought such things beneath them.

What with overdoing things recently and ending up unable to walk, or indeed cross the room without holding on to furniture, my life is really blessed.  It is indeed, especially today when I managed to make it to Sainsburys and back.  I was pleased.  While I had run out of everything I did manage by baking biscuits as there was no bread, and enjoy a variety of Green Tea, as there was no milk.  I was happy and content in spite of it all. 

Today, I thought I must try and make the shop just to ensure I can make it as I must wander the long way round tomorrow and enter my vote against the present MP and hopefully see him fall.  He has lost much support in recent days and has been striving hard to be noticed this week.  At least one man noticed him and gave him a bollocking!  Hopefully the blue tick people will show their contempt by remaining indoors or voting for the Reform man, that will reduce his chances.  

Then I can pop over to visit Tesco to gather the things I avoided getting today as that would have been to much to carry.  

Well, I may not bother with Tesco, as when I retuned happily from Sainsburys I fell flat on my face, damaged an arm, got several bruises and muscle strains that will be working themselves out tomorrow, and maybe the PTSD will have gone by then.  

Isn't life good!

The Difficult Choice

I woke this morning to be greeted on Twitter with many more Tory Party bots, Labour promises, SNP Stonewall love in, and ALBA promising real independence.  It was a bit much for early morning. 

However, 'change' is indeed needed, though I do not see this from Labour.  For 14 years the Conservative Party has deliberately run down social services, the NHS, the probation service, including a failed privatisation, the prison service, no wonder it is overcrowded, sold of the magistrates courts, and refused to increase the lawyers wages at that level, alongside wages everywhere else.  

All the while vast amounts of money has been taken out of the country to Tory donors be they big business or private health care, or in the case of PPE requirements merely friends of a Tory MP.  Corruption on an international scale, and this on top of Brexit, the stupidest thing any nation has ever done.

What chance Labour will change this?  

Clem Attlee, our greatest Prime Minister, would ensure the poor were considered before anything else. Taxing the rich, of which he was one, and doing his best to see housing, medical, and schooling needs were met.  Will this Labour do this?  I doubt it.

Starmer has taken almost £200,000 from private health companies, Wes Streeting much the same, all are paid for by big business and all support the Freeports and SEZs which will dominate the nation for the next ten years.  

Do they care about society?

A shadow chancellor who 'struggles to pay bills' while earning over £100,000 and has a husband on £170,000 struggles?  What chance then has the public.  It is clear there is no desire to amend the Tory attack on the poorest, benefits will be attacked once again, while the new MPs collect their winnings from Israeli lobby groups and private health companies.  The people do not matter.

Then on top of this the entire Labour Party will enforce men dressed as women making use of women's spaces while the entire nation opposes this.  Drag acts before primary schools kids will be encouraged, and any perversion will be regarded as normal under Labour.

Christians and Muslim who oppose, well certainly Christians, they are too scared of Muslims, those who oppose these things will become criminals in this deranged world.  Schoolteachers, ministers, vicars, any who follow truth will be attacked while confusion is allowed free reign.

The future is not bright under Labour, one set of Tories will go and another will take over.  The people will still suffer social deprivation while they fill their pockets.

Nothing Election

I've found the place I want to live, it sums up my life today.

The fact that it is deserted, and even the Google maps wee yellow man will not go there, tells you something.  The Highway passes by, an area is used as a truck stop, a couple of huge Ariel's reach high into the sky, and all around the desert sits burning and awaiting the careless.

My sort of place.

The 'nothing happens' attitude is what fills my days now.  Especially after macho like I scunnered myself this week.  I was hoping to get out and about but that may be the end of next week.  I have a book token that must be used, and the big town is where the bookshops are at.  It has been several years since I was last there.  I wonder if they will remember me?

Until then, nothing happens bar awaiting Thursdays great event, the election!

You will note I say little about this.  No wonder!  What a motley collection we have on offer.  Our man is Home Secretary, hopefully he will lose.  'Reform,' with their one cause 'Stop the boats,' will get support but will only harm the Home Secretary and will not win.  'Labour' might, all he has going for him is he is from a close by area, and represents 'Labour.'  Against him he has 'Labours' disgraceful Trans policies and imitation Tory policies which will not get my vote.  The 'Lib-Dem' is the youngest county councillor and not up to MP standards, the 'Greens' have a good reputation at the local council as they work with several independents though all to often they are mental, and as usual, one independent is standing, but who is he, I know nothing?

So where does the vote go and vote we must?

If 'labour' put up a 'name' they would win easily, and may yet with this unknown fellow.  But I am wondering where to place my X on the day... 

Ache for Gavrilo

So, the other day I got up early as always, went for a haircut, visited Tesco, and wandered home where I stood around making mince, with lots of whatevers thrown in, all well within my capabilities.  However,  I had to be clever with it.  

After lunch that day, instead of taking it easy, I rushed out to finish weeding the front, a job I failed to finish a couple of weeks ago.  As I pulled and packed into the black plastic bag I realised this may be a mistake.  I cut down the other bush, aching somewhat, and pulled what major weeds I could see just to make things appear better than they are.

I ached, and dumped the bag illegally into the black bag wheelie and retired upstairs.

Yesterday, aching and finding it difficult to walk without letting my neighbours know I was aching, I dumped the recycling ready for Friday collection.  Then I found myself thinking I had done a better job than I realised when it became clear that he landlords man had been and weeded all around, including those areas I dared not touch!  If only I had known he was coming!

This annoyed me much more today as when I rose I could not walk at all.  Stiff and aching I forced myself about by clinging on to anything that did not move.  Thus I came to realise I would not make Sunday, where I was down for intercessions, and informed the leader that I would not make it.  

Naturally he, and later the vicar, prayed for healing and so after an hour or so I could feel improvement already, much earlier than expected.  

But I will still avoid the long walk to Kirk on Sunday.

How awful that something that once took an hour, leaving the job done well, leaves me crippled for days.  What happened here?   

On 28th June 1914 Gavrilo Princip shot the Archduke Ferdinand and his loving wife.  A simple act you might think, one many have accomplished in a wide variety of nations, but it is not the act which counts, though it did to the Archduke and his wife, it was the consequences.

Sin has consequences, Princip was set upon by the crowd, jailed and suffered greatly dying in April 1918 in prison from TB.  The proud Austrians, more proud than militarily capable, demanded absurd  reparations from Serbia, though they were not involved but a senior secret police officer was, and so Austria made the mistake of invading Serbia.

The Russians, would not be ready for war until 1917 and the leading men were not as efficient as they ought to be, made clear their support for Slavic Serbia.  But this alarmed the Germans, who's officer corps were more than ready for war, and likewise the French who were also, they thought, ready for war.  

The United Kingdom stood aloof from all this, more worried about rebellion in Ireland than European adventures.

The Russians part mobilised, the Germans took the hint and mobilised and sped towards France via Belgium, The Russians mobilised fully, The Belgians wee army stoutly defended in a David and Goliath struggle, and France began wasting thousands of their men attacking German machine guns.  France lost more men in 1914 then the UK lost in the whole of the second world war!  By August 4th the British Army was sending divisions across the channel to participate in what most political leaders and men in the street thought would be a short war.  'Home by Christmas' was the cry!  

The UK war cabinet was shocked when Lord Kitchener, for it was he in charge of the army, informed them that the war would last at least three years and we need another 100,000 men.

One little shot fired to give Serbia freedom from the Austro-Hungarian domination produced around 10 million dead soldiers, untold misery, a changed world, and leaves an effect upon us to this day.

Think carefully before you fire a gun. 

John Osborn Brown - Belah Viaduct 1859

Two Small Cemeteries.

During the Great War British Empire forces attacked Gaza three times before it was taken.  This cost many lives on both sides as the defence was strong and thorough.  Many 'British' were buried in two graveyards now run by the CWGC.  The work on the ground is covered by 6 trained gardeners, often following on from their forefathers in the work.  As you can see from this picture the grounds are kept to a very high standard and the workmen deserve their wages.

Some comment has arisen however, as the two CWGC cemeteries have not been touched by the Israeli's during the present conflict.  This is unusual as during two previous wars the stones were damaged and gardeners had a dangerous time.  Israel paid compensation at least for the first war as far as I know.

I did have a question regarding the presence of the gardeners at the moment and it appears 5 out of the 6, plus their families, are now in Egypt where once settled they will work on the CWGC cemeteries there.  The fate of the 6th man, Yacoub Ismali aged in his 50s is as yet unknown.

The UK support of Israel has produced some benefits however, the population of Gaza wonder why these cemeteries are worth more than their own which have been uprooted and destroyed by Israel. 

I wish I had an answer for this situation but that has not come.  While the killing has eased no real end is in sight.  Changes in Israel's parliament may occur soon, but there again maybe not.  This is just one small incident in the situation.

Ronald Blythe : Next to Nature

There were two reasons for me to select this book, one was it was FREE on Amazon Kindle or possibly cheap, I forget which, and the gentle persuasion of a lady.   I am not sure which was most urgent.

Ronald Blythe lived not that far from me, as the rich persons car has it, but in the middle of the countryside as opposed the middle of a busy small town.  

Blythe was born in Acton, a small village just north of Sudbury in 1922 to a man bred among the farm workers and farmers in the county.  Like so many others his father saw action at Gallipoli and Palestine during the war.  Blythe was educated in Sudbury leaving school at 14 but his mother, who was a VAD nurse during that conflict, bred in him a delight in literature. 

For the rest of his life, he died in 2023 a few months after his 100th birthday, he spent time working in libraries or mixing with the literary and artistic set in Suffolk.  The artist John Nash became a friend, so much so that when he and his wife Christine died Ronald inherited their 400 year old farmhouse called 'Bottengoms.'  No, I never understood why it was called that either.  The house lay at the bottom of a long tree shrouded lane, difficult to find, and no doubt cut off during heavy snows, though I don't think our man objected to that.  

Luckily for him he was not considered soldier material during his war and enabled to survive peacefully in his county paradise.  He was a Lay Reader in the Church of England, and obviously popular with many.  Clearly of a 'High Church' persuasion as the majority of those attending the three churches he ended up covering were.  I doubt whether his theology would endear him to many Baptists but it is clear he successfully earned his non fees for many years in the area.

I did find his style in this book a bit hard to get used to.  Sentences ran from one subject to another as we are taken through a year at the farm.  Once mastered it became one of the 'light' reading books, short chapters, self contained, each giving an impression of the land as the seasons past.

We see the constant work in the garden, always watched by the white cat but never aided, the time the birds complained late in the year that he was not letting them roost by cutting wood, and the visit by the postman wending his way down the narrow lane to deliver.  Council workers passed by cutting hedges, not always to Ronald's pleasure, and all the year the crops were being planted and slowly growing towards harvest, a harvest that changed greatly over the hundred years of his life.  When he was born there must have been 30 men working a farm, when he died there was a farmer and his man, until the harvester arrived to harvest by computer. 

We see into the three churches and their flocks, the slow loss of numbers, the lack of knowledge as to what each one actually believed, if anything.  The traditional Anglican services (I wonder if all three of his churches still operate?) the occasional mention of the vicar who had oversight of all three and who knows what else, the burial of individual churchgoers, some of whom had been friends for many years, and the individuals who keep such churches open, bell ringing, cleaning, maintaining.

All in I liked the book and have another now lying, somewhere, to follow one day.  A light gentle read with perceptive insights of the land around him, the changes over the years, and nature itself as the wildlife around adapt to change as it has done for hundreds of years.  A wee book which is well worth a read, especially if free.  

Scotland in Germany

Having done it in Munich and Cologne, the Scots are now painting Stuttgart tartan also!

Everywhere they have gone the Scots have made friends.  Drink abounded but no trouble followed, they met German and Swiss opponents and partied together whatever the score.  Fans from other nations joined in, and the local police were so happy to see them everywhere.  So much so that it was said the Stuttgart police were asking for overtime just to mix with the Scots!  

Lets see that happen with England!

The local Mayors are asking for them to stay on, businesses produced Sots flavoured sausages and other foodstuffs, ever a local whisky shop managed a special blend.  Locals felt safe around the Scots,  non women was known to have been hindered, all felt safe.  Following standard practice the 'Tartan Army' gave £5000 to a Cologne organisation so disabled kids could have two days of football on them, and this is not unusual for them.  

Now, awaiting the final game, another last game cup final as it were, the 'Tartan Army' has filled rain soaked Stuttgart and found it just like home!  Again they party, again win or lose they will party, again they will be cheered as the best fans at the tournament.

This of course is a tournament where the Dutch, Danish and Swiss fans have also partied, and they can all party!  I suppose all that is missing here are the Irish!  We will be mixing with Hungarian fans tonight and probably are already.  The party in the rain will continue, the result will not stop that.  However, we must win to continue to remain here in Germany, all Germany wishes us to remain, so I hope we have a German referee...

8 pm our time I will be settled in for the night, awaiting joy or despair as always. At least I will be out of the rain here.

Now is the time for the Scottish Tourist Board to operate in Germany, and vice versa.  Make the most of this contact and encourage more, this will benefit both nations.  

BBC

Travel

I have been in a quandary recently as to whether to go up north or not.  The travel is a problem.  In times past while living amongst the rich in London I would just get to Kings Cross and take a train to Edinburgh.  Get the right one and we are there in 5 hours.  Now such a trip means leaving here and travelling to Liverpool Street, and hours journey if all is well, changing and making my way to Kings Cross, finding my train, not an early one, and arriving in Edinburgh possibly 7 hours later.  Once upon a time I would have enjoyed this, now it all seems just too much trouble.

 

Towpilot

 

Of course I could fly.

This means an early morning bus to Stansted, if the bus still runs, and a plane, either 'Easyjet' or 'Ryanair.'  The hassle of getting on a plane does not entice me there.  For a start |I have to work out the website, then tickets are all on the phone, which confuses me, why no cardboard ones for miserable old gits I ask?  Then there is getting there, queuing with all those heading for Majorca and already drunk, removing things so trousers fall down, shoes disappear, and then rebuilding yourself after being frisked by a happy-chappy with no personality.  Then another queue near the gate, unless it is changed to another.  

Altogether not much fun.    

Or maybe I will just have to buy a car and drive up...?

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