Both of my Grandfathers served in the Second World War. My maternal Grandfather (“Taid” in Welsh) was a sergeant in the RAF See his discharge papers above. He had also managed to live through the carnage of Gallipoli and the Western Front in the First …Read more…
Walter Tull & 11 November 2018
A couple of weeks ago I went to Folkestone (via the high speed rail link in 46 minutes) for a Friday night beer and curry with an old mate. The following morning hangover cure was a brisk walk along the beach and back along the prom.
Near the town War…Read more…
Ride to the Somme, Passchendaele & Arras 2017
The Battle of Passchendaele in the First World War took place from 31 July 1917 to 10 November 1917. There were an estimated 250,000 British causalities, killed or wounded during this battle.
The picture above on the left is of my maternal Grandfathe…Read more…
100th anniversary of my Grandfather arriving at Gallipoli
According to this history of the “Hawke Battalion” Royal Naval Divison (RDN) by Douglas Jerrold, my Grandfather ( Taid in Welsh) Sub-lieutenant, Frederick Matthews, first joined them on active service a 100 years ago yesterday on 18 July 1915.
The Ba…Read more…
Midshipman George L. Drewry VC RNR
Yesterday morning I attended a Commemorative Stone Ceremony at the Cenotaph in Central Park, East Ham, Newham, London.
It was to mark the unveiling of the first of 5 paving stones to be placed at the Cenotaph to remember the heroism of …Read more…
The band played waltzing matilda
Today is the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the First World War Gallipoli campaign. The 8 month conflict was one of the most vicious of that war.
This song was written by Eric Bogle in 1971 and was today described by a good friend of mine…Read more…
A day with G Company 7 Rifles on Salisbury Plain
On Saturday I spent the day with 7 other Newham Councillors as the guests of G Company 7th Rifles Regiment, while they were training on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.
G Company is our local British Army reservist unit in Newham, based at Cedar barracks i…Read more…