Friday, April 12, 2013

Agincourt and Crecy.







Most of the medieval battles that took place in the Hundred Years war between France and England were fought within a short distance from the English Channel in the area of Normandy.









Two of the greatest were at Agincourt and Crecy.

Mark and I are going to the two battlegrounds to walk the fields of these remarkable victories.

In each case the English forces were vastly outnumbered and in each case a stunning defeat was administered upon the French.

Where lay the secret?

 Someone once said that in battle:

 "God is on the side of the biggest guns" 

 The biggest guns at Agincourt and Crecy were the ranks of English longbows. But let us not forget a pious King. 

Henry 5th, (immortalized by Shakespeare) was not ashamed to kneel on the sodden earth and loudly implore the help of God before the battle.

Inspired by faith and the King's leadership his men helped answer his prayer.


Jubilate.
Ian

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Our trip to Europe.




















Shortly Pauline and I leave for Europe. Before we go I thought you might like a preview of our trip so that you might follow along by virtue of a cyber tour.
Almost a year ago, Mark, my 42 year old son, suggested that he and I tour the battlefields of France and Belgium. That idea got my instant approval. The dates in 2013 also coincided with Pauline's 70th birthday and so a threesome was planned that would include a visit to England, our home and native land.

Our first stop is near Winchester in Hampshire to see my sister, Anne. She lives a short journey from Highclere Castle made famous by the series "Downton Abbey".
We have planned a visit to view this famous home of the Carnarvon family.




The name of Carnarvon was all the rage in the 1920's when the 5th Earl and fellow Egyptologist, Howard Carter, discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen. 
One of the features of Highclere is the huge basement area which houses one of the most fascinating museums of Egyptian artifacts in the whole world.
I suppose that Mark and I will be "down below" while Pauline and sister Anne view the stately upper floors, which form the enchanting setting  of Julian Fellow's  "Downton Abbey".

Jubilate.
Ian

Monday, April 8, 2013

The Iron Lady.





The Iron Lady is no longer with us.

Margaret Thatcher, former leader of Britain's Conservative Party and prime minister from 1970 to 1990, died this morning.

Love her or loath her, Thatcher changed the course of British Politics and, indeed, the destiny of the nation in her eleven years as England's first woman prime minister.

Among the most memorable events of her tenure were victory in the Falkland's war, facing down the IRA hunger strikers, defying the IRA after they bombed the 1984 party conference, breaking the communist led National Union of Mine workers and the privatization of moribund government controlled industry.

Perhaps her greatest attribute was her determination to rule by conviction instead of by political consensus. That determination earned her the title of The Iron Lady.
It was a stance that made her many loyal supporters and numerous implacable enemies,with nobody in between.

In that regard I can wholly identify with her.

Farewell Lady Margaret. On Friday you will be buried in the house of St Paul. I'm sure that he will be happy to receive you.

Jubilate.

Ian