I am guilty of not updated the blog posts for almost a year. However, this is more a website than a blog, storage.
Recently, I have had to cancel a trip to the Somme and postpone a trip to Gallipoli. No great matter as there are many more important things going on in the world to think about, and they will always be there.
Meanwhile, lockdown rules…
Recently returned from a fantastic trip to Gallipoli. Pictures HERE and a few below. I particularly like ANZAC the dog.
A selfish solo day on my ebike, covering 58 miles on 5 April. This is a stunning area to cycle whether you have an interest in the Somme Battles or not.
The lovely little Pigeon Ravine Cemetery – most easterly Somme Department Cemetery – with Meath Cemetery (Nord) beyond it if you look carefully.
The American Somme Cemetery at Bony, including a nurse. Very quiet on this still and chilly Sunday.
Templeux Le Guerard Cemetery
Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery
And they both seem a long way off.
First, back to Gallipoli at the end of May. Last there in 2015 on the centenary of Malcolm Hancock’s time at Suvla and Hill 60.
And then back to The Somme at the end of August.
The HMS Vanguard 1817 project on Twitter caught my attention because had my maternal grandfather – Eric Walter Hare, who joined the Navy in May 1915 just a few of weeks before his 17th birthday – not been noted as having a severe case of severe case of rheumatic fever in August, then he may well have gone down in 1917. He recovered and was released from the Navy in March 1916 for being physically unfit.
He had an interesting WW2 as well.
He was a lovely man and died in 1970. A thoroughly good person, I remember him well but was too young to ask any questions. Whenever he came to stay he’d clean all the shoes in the house!
The Somme 