The Vintage Calvados

My host smiled as she handed me the bottle, ‘ Treat it with respect, use it as a medicine, not just for pleasure’, her words spoken in the strong earnest manner of the French farming community of the Calvados region of France. It transpired that this was one of the few remaining bottles, which her […]

The Tree Revisited

The last year or so of my schooldays slipped by so quickly. One or two episodes still remain as sharp as ever in my memory. Summer time lunch breaks, and a mad dash up past the station, into the fields to Carno Brook, a tributary to the River Severn. ‘Last one in is a sissy.’ […]

The Rock

Gibraltar was a completely new posting for a Guards Regiment. Our normal postings were London, Windsor, Aldershot, and the Middle East. Not being a ‘good sailor’ meant that the sea voyage became sheer hell. Seasickness from almost the first day confined me to either the ship’s rail or the heads. In a comparatively short time, […]

The Hidden Boy

School was enjoyed especially football and all sports. The one fly in the ointment was music lessons. Singing caused me more heartache than everything else combined. Totally tone deaf, unable even to harmonise, always the inevitable ‘You lad, you, you,. and you. I can do nothing for you, out into the yard, pick up all […]

The Deep Black Shadow

The doorway filled with a deep black shadow, and the great figure of the huge grey stallion entered the small stable, head held high, nostrils flared, sniffing the air, seeking out whatever had invaded his space. In the hayrack above the manger the small boy drew back in fear as the huge animal ambled up, […]

The Army Knows Best

Whilst stationed in Gibraltar, I decided that marching was not really the way my career in the Army should be directed. I would be much better off in the Motor Transport section – riding was preferable to walking. One day a notice appeared stating that corporals were required for transfer to other duties, any one […]

Snow Angels – Anchor Books, Saga in 50 words

Deep snow,shattered thigh,bleeding, strength ebbing.– ten miles out from safety.”Wait here! pick up on return”. Alone facing death, unconscious—Soft hands lifting. wounds cleaned bandaged,warm fire,hot drinks,sleep. Comrades return. “Who helped you?”- “Snow Angels”. “Delirious ?”. No tracks… Expert bandaging – fire- Ancient ones believed..Perhaps”…

Sandringham Duty

During that beautiful sunny summer in the early days of the War, the Welsh Guards had the pleasant duty of providing the guards for the Royal Family, whilst they enjoyed their summer break at their Sandringham Home, in the county of Norfolk. This provided a pleasant change from the continuous training designed to bring the […]

Reading The River

Lulled to sleep by the pleasant murmur of the river as it prattled and chortled over the shallows, the two boys slept the sleep of the young. Their makeshift camp, just an old scrap of tarpaulin held up by a stick at each corner, enabled them to look out in every direction, for it had […]

Poacher Bill, A Wheel Barrow and a Wedding.

These things seem unconnected yet they sort of happened at about the same time, as always with Bill things sort of happened. Working in my garden one sunny afternoon the old Landrover chugged up, and with what sounded like a big sigh of relief the chugging stopped, and a cheery voice asked ” What you […]

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