20th Century
The Desert War – October 1942
This month 44% of military cargo and fuel sent to Libya was sunk, this was better than the 33% sunk last month and Churchill later claimed that petrol was especially targeted and 66% of that [more…]
WW II
20th Century
The Desert War – September 1942
A funny old month September 1942 in the desert. A few attempts to break through on the sand but only half hearted. The navy was still in the thick of it and the air war [more…]
20th Century
Naples – Front Line Problem City
In March 1944 my uncle John Alldridge visited Naples a few months after it had been liberated and produced this report for the Manchester Evening News. – Jerry F *** War brought disease and desolation [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – August 1942
August 80 years ago and although the situation in the desert starts off mostly quiet all hell is breaking out at sea. The Axis are desperate to resupply Rommel and the Allies are equally desperate [more…]
History
Jersey – a Postcard
No, it’s not about trains, in fact there are no railways on Jersey, the horror! Being a pureblood, many holiday destinations (USA, Spain, Cruises) are out of the question at the moment. Not that big [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – July 1942
The month of July 80 years ago sees what became known as the 1st Battle of El Alamein, the 2nd would become the more famous one. In the first one the German advance was halted [more…]
20th Century
Stand in the Trench, Achilles*
Most of us, if asked, would be able to name a fair number of WW1 poets and writers without too much hesitation. Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, Edmund Blunden, Robert Graves, Rupert Brooke, Isaac Rosenberg – [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – June 1942
80 years ago in June things started to look bleak in the desert, the Axis was on the advance and we were retreating. At sea the Royal Navy was just as busy and the convoys [more…]
20th Century
Film Review: Bridge Over The River Kwai
David Lean’s The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) is not just a great film, it is a nearly perfect one. Even better, it was recognised as such from the start by virtually everyone. [more…]