1978 replies to this topic

[Locheelad]

G'day all

Am seriously thinking of going to The Great War Forum Conference in April if anybody else fancies it.

Birmingham is a long way on your own in the car .... as i know.

The agenda looks pretty good indeed even allowing for Pete Hart pitching up. Hopefully he'll be wearing a suit !!

Bob

[truthergw]

Can I just say that I was delighted to meet all the guys on Saturday before Xmas. I was even happier to meet Gunga Din's present incarnation on the Tuesday following. Last time I sat in one of those back rooms, Eh wis stinkin' o' jait fae Tampson Shipirds. In particular, it was great to chat with a serving soldier. Nae naims, nae raid faces. If all his mates are like him, we will be OK. Scan on its way Bob.

[jlang]

Hi

Just thought you might like to know that The Works are selling paperback copies of W  Philpott's book "Bloody Victory" at  £2.99, reduced from  £10.99.  They are also offering A Konstam's book "There was a soldier - first-hand accounts of the Scottish Soldier from 1707 to the present day" in hardback at £2.99 reduced from £17.99.  For the latter book, there are some spelling errors and mistakes on facts in the sections the author writes to link the accounts.

Jim

[gary thomson]

hi lads, looking for some advice/recommendations here.
myself and my eldest son intend going to ypres in may, can anyone recommend b&b type accomodation in the area.

all the best gaz t.

[LenT]

Gaz,
I have used Chavasse Farm which was excellent. chavasseferme.co.uk
This year I will be staying at Avril's. Auchonvillers.
Have had plenty of snacks there. Looking forward to staying there.
At Ypres it has to be Varlet Farm. Enjoy.

                     Len

[Locheelad]

gary thomson, on 25 January 2011 - 08:27 AM, said:

hi lads, looking for some advice/recommendations here.
myself and my eldest son intend going to ypres in may, can anyone recommend b&b type accomodation in the area.

all the best gaz t.

Howde Gaz,

Maybe of no interest but i'm going out to Ypres with a few pals early June. Booking and paying ahead we got a really good deal, bed and breakfast in the Novotel which is pretty near the centre.

Cant possibly comment on the Somme as Len does but i know a lovely cottage, just finished  .........lovely place except the owner is a nutter ha ha  

Bob

[LenT]

just realised how oddly my posting reads when the question is about accommodation at Ypres. Never post when full of good malt whisky!
Maybe next time will chase up Bob's place on the Somme.

           Len

[Locheelad]

LenT, on 26 January 2011 - 05:35 PM, said:

just realised how oddly my posting reads when the question is about accommodation at Ypres. Never post when full of good malt whisky!
Maybe next time will chase up Bob's place on the Somme.

           Len

Its like Ebay Len. Never go on that after a night out. You wake up in he morning and say - why the **** did i buy that !

Sure you'll get a nice deal whenever on the Somme Len. I'll reduce your Fly Fifer surcharge from £500 to £400 (kidding !!)

Cheers

Bob

[gary thomson]

thanks for the info bob will look at the novotel, have heard that place on the somme is a bit dodgy and the owner has been likened to norman bates

all the best gaz.

[LenT]

Hi Bob,
talking of fly Fifers I must have a word with you about your Uni course next time I am up at Dundee WFA. Thinking about applying myself for 2012 or 2013 when I am hopefully allowed to retire. Keep the brain working.
Sorry to go off thread.

                       Len

[Black Watch]

We have a thread?

[George Armstrong Custer]

It's certainly never been a coherent one.

[dycer]

George,
Has Tayport sorted out its Gates yet?
George

[George Armstrong Custer]

No, they haven't, George. Last time I looked at the Tayport community website before Xmas someone was assuring readers that Fife Council had funds to do this. I'll believe it when I see it.

George

[dycer]

George,
I regularly check the "Tayport Community Web-site" but apart from dog-mess,not a problem when I had,my school holidays in the Town,but then again "the Dog" belonged to my Gran.
I have seen nothing on the Tayport web-site,apart from the introduction of a "Dundee Forum" and someone who,lives in St. Andrews,who wishes to get rid of her books!
I take it,as read, that "Wullies Policeman Pal" is not doing his job properly,again,regarding the Gates.
George

[jlang]

Hi Gary

I've sent an email to your Tiscali account with some ideas for Ypres.

Cheers

Jim

[Black Watch]

I suppose you'll be taking the guest speaker down the Ferry as usual next week Boab to ply him with drinks all night?

[jlang]

Hi,

Since we have not got a thread I can't be accused of changing the subject yet again.  I meant to bring the attached cutting to one of the meetings late last year, so I thought it might be of interest.  The author, I guess, is a retired Church of Scotland minister whose last church was in Broughty Ferry.  It appeared in the weekly St Andrews Citizen on 12 November 2010 in the "Focus" column.

Jim

Remembrance

THE War Memorial in front of St Andrews Cathedral was unveiled by Field-Marshall Douglas Haig in September 1922.  After ceasing active service, Haig devoted the rest of his life to the welfare of ex-servicemen.  He had many ties to St Andrews. He became captain of the R & A in 1920 and was elected rector before becoming chancellor of the university.  He was praised by American General Pershing as "the man who won the war" but his reputation was later tarnished by Lloyd George's self-serving "War Diaries" published after Haig's death.  However, military historians are now generally agreed that he pursued the only possible strategy given the situation of the armies when he took over, the gross political interference he suffered, and the mutinous state of the French forces.  Popular opinion often fails to grasp that, under Haig, the British Army was by 1918 the most mechanized force in the world.  Certainly it was a recognizably modern fighting machine and his rolling defence and counter-attack, when the Germans threw their entire forces against him after the collapse of the Eastern Front, is amongst the great feats of British arms. He unveiled a vast number of war memorials throughout the Empire when his favourite hymn, "Abide with me," was usually sung.  Though it was not commonly used infuneral services before this time, it became so associated with grief and mourning that it joined "The Lord's my shepherd" as the standard musicfor this rite of passage.

JOHN CAMERON

------

[George Armstrong Custer]

Hi Jim, an interesting snippet which I didn't see so thanks for posting. I wonder if the John' in the author's name is correct. Professor James Cameron, retired for many years from the School of Divinity at the University of St Andrews still lives in the town. He was a friend of George Duncan, Haig's wartime chaplain, and later Professor of Divinity at St Andrews until his death in 1965. In fact Prof. Cameron and his wife were married by Duncan some 60 years ago. Through his friendship with Duncan Prof Cameron is well aware of Haig's St Andrean connections, and who Haig's posthumous reputation was attacked by. Had it not been for the 'John' in the author's name I'd have thought the piece was by Prof. Cameron.

George

[Black Jock]

gary thomson, on 25 January 2011 - 08:27 AM, said:

hi lads, looking for some advice/recommendations here.
myself and my eldest son intend going to ypres in may, can anyone recommend b&b type accomodation in the area.

all the best gaz t.

Gary,

If you want a B&B in Ieper town, this one is near the Lille Gate. Pubs and Restaurants nearby, you can walk along the walls to the Menin Gate. Most stuff in is in short walking distance.

http://www.guesthouse-ypres.be/

Tom

[jlang]

Hi George,

I think the name is correct.  There have been letters to the paper with the same by-line on the Church of Scotland and how 2.1s are too easy nowadays.  Try Googling  the name with Rev and Dr.  

Cheers

Jim

[Black Watch]

No one going out Saturday night?

[George Armstrong Custer]

Black Watch, on 02 February 2011 - 07:57 PM, said:

No one going out Saturday night?

Are you buying, Neil? I might be tempted....

jlang, on 31 January 2011 - 10:58 AM, said:

Hi George,

I think the name is correct.  There have been letters to the paper with the same by-line on the Church of Scotland and how 2.1s are too easy nowadays.  Try Googling  the name with Rev and Dr.  

Cheers

Jim

Thanks for that, Jim, I see what you mean - Rev Dr John Cameron is a Methodist who doesn't like Gordon Brown - a bit of a curate's egg, then! Not the Church of Scotland Prof Rev Dr James Cameron who knew Haig's chaplain, though.

Best,

George

[jlang]

Hi George,

I think he is C of S.  One of the Googled sites says Methodist but the Times one says C of S.  The abortion one and the Douglas Bader friendly fire one give St Stephens in B Ferry as his church.  Google that church and it is C of S.  Do Methodists have parishes in Scotland? It is the one with the lightning damaged spire.  Maybe some resident of the Ferry could walk past it and check the notice board (primary source?) but the website has links to the C of S website.

Cheers

Jim

[jlang]

Hi Neil

Did you not get a note from Bob to WFA members about the meeting and then going to the Town pub just after the meeting for a meal (5 pm) and some beer?

Cheers

Jim