Memorial to the few.

My youngest son Josh is a cadet in the Air Training Corps (ATC) and his squadron was asked to participate in a memorial parade to remember the Battle of Britain as part of the nationwide commemorations. The parade was held at the RAF shelter in the Commonwealth war graves section of Brookwood Military Cemetery, one of my favourite places as told in a couple of my previous blogs (here and here).

The flags in front of the RAF shelter.

For those who are not familiar with the Battle of Britain, this was the air battle over southern England in the summer of 1940 that helped to deter the threat of a German invasion of Britain following the fall of France and the Dunkirk evacuation earlier that year. Their great deed was summed up admiradly by Sir Winston Churchill in his famous rousing speech when he said that "so much was owed by so many to so few".

The service was attended by veterans of the Aircrew and Royal Air Force associations, ranking RAF officers, members of the Air Training Corps and the Lady Mayor of Woking together with members of the public. The Salvation Army band provided the music for the service, hymns and formal march past.

The top brass prepare for the march past.

The march past by the Air Training Corps.

I was quite moved by the occasion. It was good to see the old veterans proudly bearing their campaign medals mixing with the young ATC cadets. It hopefully means that their sacrifice will not be forgotten and the young appreciate what they did for their country.

As part of the commemoration the cadets had to lay small crosses at the graves of the RAF personnel killed during the second World War. Josh was given the task of laying crosses at the graves of two brothers buried side by side. I think he found the experience quite moving and hopefully was proud to be taking part. I certainly found the whole episode quite poignant.

Laying the crosses at the graves. Note the headstones together denoting the two brothers killed in action.

The brother's headstones with memorial crosses.

The cadets show their respects. Josh is middle front.

Goodbye Kenzo.

It is with regret that I report the death of one of one of our beloved cats. It happened three weeks ago but it's only now that I can share this post. The death of a pet is always difficult to deal with, but in Kenzo's case it felt worse for me as I found his body in the road on my way to work. He had gone out late the previous evening but didn't come to our calls as he usually did. We weren't unduly worried as he occasionally did stay out at night and sometimes jumped in through the bedroom window in the early hours.

Kenzo in relaxed mode.

When he didn't appear the next morning I was uneasy, but thought maybe he had got locked in a neighbour's garage or shed and would turn up eventually as if nothing had happened. I left for work and saw him laying at the side of the road. I was in instant denial, trying to convince myself that it was someone else's cat, but it was him. I lifted him up, gently put him in the car boot and drove home to tell the dreadful news to the family. That evening we put him to rest in our garden close to one of his favourite dozing places.

We miss him terribly. He was only two years old. Such a short life, but he had such an effect on us. He was handsome to the eye and had such an infectious miaow. He just talked and talked to you! It was so disarming. We had him as a kitten at just a few weeks old together with his brother Bailey. They adored each other and played and slept together. Bailey, we can tell misses Kenzo. He went very quiet the day after. He is a bit better now, but not back to his normal self. He must feel very lonely. Why do pets do this to us? It really hurts when something like this happens. We will never forget you Kenzo.

Kenzo sleeping with his brother Bailey.

Tacky or cool?

I love architecture. I love unusual buildings both modern and old. I'm no expert, I just like what I like. I also like diversity. When in Porthcawl I noticed two buildings only a few yards from each other. Both possessed character but in quite different ways.
The first building is a block of apartments called Esplanade House which is right on the promenade by the seafront. It's architects won a major Welsh housing award in 2006. The judges praised it's mix of "humour, charm, intellegence, populism and solid architectural pragmatism". The locals hate it and have dubbed it "the bottle bank!

The "bottle bank" in Porthcawl - tacky or cool?

I personally haven't made up my mind yet. It's prominent port hole openings and bulging facade seem to completely ignore the cream coloured facade of Porthcawl's promenade, but I don't quite hate it. It has something about it. The building is attention grabbing and prominent and has created alot of debate and discussion since it was built. Maybe that is what the architects intended and Porthcawl needed.

The other building is more traditional. It is The Grand Pavillion. Built in 1932 it dominates the seafront and boasts a classic thirties facade and distinctive octagonal dome. Originally a dance and concert hall in the war years, it is now a theatre and plays an important part in the town's social life. I adore art deco buildings like this, but maybe this too caused dismay to the traditionalists when it was first built.

The imposing facade of The Grand Pavillion.

The octagonal dome and galleon weather vane.

Porthcawl - a Welsh seaside town.

During my recent trip to South Wales we stayed with friends just outside Porthcawl and visited the town several times. Porthcawl developed as a port for coal exports during the 19th century, but it's trade was taken over by the more rapidly developing ports of nearby Barry and Port Talbot. However, despite this decline Porthcawl re-emerged as a very popular sea-side resort particularly favoured by the coal miners and their families from the Welsh coalfields. However, as with many resorts Porthcawl has suffered a decline in its holiday trade over recent years, especially since most of the south Wales Valleys coal pits have now closed. So Porthcawl is having to adapt to survive.

Today the town boasts a lovely promenade with views over the Bristol Channel and several nice beaches one of which we sampled, being encouraged by our friends to do a bit of body boarding in the surf. This was something I had never tried before, but thoroughly enjoyed, even if the sea was a might cold!

I just adore the subtle light in this image of my wife in the surf.

Catching the waves. Three of us in the sea at Porthcawl.

Boats of many colours. The small harbour.

An embarrassing condition!

During our South Wales weekend we visited the lovely seaside village of Mumbles near Swansea. Whilst walking with our friends along the promenade I came upon a small sailing dingy with a very unusual name. I would love to know the story behind the naming of this craft! Something to do with sand, salt or dare I say it, a case of crabs perhaps!

I couldn't resist taking this photo!

A "Lush" of Lifeguards?

We have just been visiting South Wales (more in another blog) seeing old friends and whilst walking along the beach at Langland I took this picture of a group of young lifeguards.

Lifeguards on Langland Bay beach.

Following on from my search for the perfect collective noun for a group of blondes,I wandered what a group of lifeguards would be called. My friend's teenage daughter, finding the group of men very attractive and "hunky" came up with the term "Lush" which in modern young English speak I am reliably informed means good looking and desireable. So a group of young lifeguards is henceforth known as a Lush of Lifeguards! Unless, you blog reader can come up with anything better.

Test cricket at Lords

Queuing to get into the ground. The match was a sell out as always.

As previously mentioned I went on my annual visit to Lords cricket ground to watch the first days play of the Test match between England and Australia. To the uninitiated a Test Match is an international cricket match which lasts five days. The Test series of matches (usually five or sometimes six matches) between England and Australia are collectively known as "The Ashes" and are passionately fought for.

The term "Ashes" was first used after England lost to Australia - for the first time on home soil - at The Oval (another London cricket ground) on 29th August 1882. A day later, the Sporting Times carried a mock obituary to English cricket which concluded that: "The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia".

The concept caught the imagination of the sporting public. A few weeks later, an English team, captained by Ivo Bligh [later Lord Darnley], set off to tour Australia, with Bligh vowing to return with "the ashes"; his Australian counterpart, E. Murdock, similarly vowed to defend them. During that tour a small terrecotta urn was presented to the England captain by a group of Melbourne women. The contents of the urn are reputed to be the ashes of an item of cricket equipment, possibly a bail, ball or stump. Whichever side holds the Ashes, the urn normally remains in the Museum at Lords.

The packed stands eagerly await proceedings.

Lord's in my opinion is a truly magical place and has long been seen as the 'Home of Cricket' and the game's spiritual 'headquarters'. Cricket has been played here since 1814. But its importance is not merely historical. In practice it remains, to this day, perhaps the most important single place in world cricket. Lord's is the setting for some of the best cricket in the world. It hosts npower Test matches and NatWest-sponsored one-day internationals plus most of Middlesex's home games, some historic fixtures (such as Oxford v Cambridge universities) and the village and club finals.

The hallowed earth that is Lords cricket ground.

The slip fielders hoping for a catch.

This is the media centre at Lords-known as "the Cherie" a reference to Cherie Blair's unflattering smile! Very unfair.....not!

The imposing pavillion.

Andrew Strauss celebrates his century.

The postscript to this post is that England defeated Australia in this Test to take a 1-0 lead in the Ashes series. It was the first time that England had beaten Australia at Lords since 1934!

Blondes and more blondes.

I just had to share these photos with you. At my recent visit to the first test at Lords we were wandering around during the teatime interval and came across these lovely ladies at the NPower tent. I have never seen so many blondes in the same place at the same time. I have to admit that they did turn my head.

Afterwards we were trying to come up with a suitable collective noun for a group of blondes. The best we could come up with was a 'peroxide of blondes'. Has anyone got a better description?

Value for money?

Yesterday I went to Lords cricket ground in London to watch the Test match between England and Australia (more about that in a later missive). However two instances brought it home to me how much hotels and bars in London take advantage of their customers.

Whilst waiting to meet my fellow cricket pals and catch the train into London I decided to treat myself to breakfast at one of our local cafes. Being brave and putting any health concerns on hold I ordered the full English breakfast. This consisted of two rashers of bacon, two sausages, baked beans, fried egg, fried bread, coffee and toast. Fantastic, and all for less than £5.00. Excellent value for money I thought and very tasty!

My hearty English breakfast

Compare this to my experience at lunchtime in London in a very mediocre bar in a large hotel close to Lords cricket ground. Ordering just an ordinary (and foul tasting) beer together with a gin and tonic, I was astounded to be charged £12.15! I appreciate that London is more expensive than elsewhere but I think that this is an absolute rip off. What do you think?

I nearly fell off my bar stool whenI got this bill for just two drinks.

Walking the Wey.

Newark Lock on the canal.

Carrying on my theme of walking the locality and seeing things that you would not normally see, I went on a walk through the villages of Ripley and Pyrford taking in part of the Wey navigation canal on the way. The navigation has much history being officially opened in 1653. For nearly 200 years the Wey Navigation route linked the area with London, until it was superseded by the railway. The canal by providing almost 20 miles (32 kilometres) of navigable water connecting the county with London, ensured that Surrey became one of the wealthiest and most influential areas in Britain. A legacy of the navigation canal are the towpaths that were built for the horses, carters, and bow-haulers that used to work the river and it was along these that I walked early one morning.
Narrow boats moored along the canal bank.

Even at an early hour there was activity on the waterway. I encounted several joggers, various dog walkers and the odd angler. Along this stretch of the canal many narrowboats are moored and as I walked several passed me going up and down stream. This part of the canal system is owned and maintained by The National Trust and everything is kept in fantastic order for the enjoyment of everyone who cares to walk the towpath.
The 'Anchor' pub at Pyrford lock.

Alongside the Wey Navigation Canal set amongst water meadows are the remains of Newark Priory. The priory was founded in the early 12th century by Augustinian Canons, or ‘Black Canons’ with descriptive reference to the black hooded cloaks and cassocks they wore. The Priory in its heyday was a significant complex of buildings surrounding an important church. The Black Canons went on to found the St Thomas’ and St Bartholomews’ hospitals in London.
The ruins of Newark Priory

The priory, which at its peak was home to a community of 200, fell into ruins after it was sacked on the orders of Henry VIII at the Dissolution, and having been systematically stripped for building materials over the ensuing centuries all that now remains is part of the great church.

Just up a hill from the priory is the delightful 12th century Church of St. Nicholas with its tranquil interior and original red ochre frescoes. Built of ‘puddingstone’ and dressed with ‘clunch’ the church’s wall paintings depict scenes from the flagellation and the Passion c.1200. The Church of St.Nicholas was built around 1140 AD and is a fine example of a complete Norman church. Just out of interest the name Pyrford originates from the ancient Saxon language ‘pyrianforde’ meaning a ford by a pear tree or orchard. On a personal level this is the church where I got married!
The 12th century church of St. Nicholas at Pyrford.

An English scene - cricket on Ripley village green.