With its graceful curves, elliptical wings and distinctive engine sound, the Spitfireis a British icon. A status solidified since its heroic efforts in the Battle of Britain in 1940. The Spitfire is the most famous fighter aircraft in British aviation history and has a fighting chance at perhaps being the most famous plane in history. More than any… Continue reading How a dyslexic schoolgirl helped design the Spitfire!
Category: WW2
Posts predominantly WW2 related.
My first Remembrance Service at Bushey Memorial
Due to Covid, Sunday was the first opportunity I have have had to attend the local Remembrance Sunday ceremony at 11am as it didn’t run last year so despite having moved almost 2 years ago, this was the first time I got to witness it in person. I’d been to the memorial last summer and… Continue reading My first Remembrance Service at Bushey Memorial
150 years of disasters at Liverpool Street Station
It is nearly 150 years old and the third busiest railway station in the U.K. and only behind London Waterloo and London Victoria Station with around 64 million passengers every year acting as a London gateway and exit to travellers from Cambridgeshire, Essex, Greater London, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. But over the last century it’s… Continue reading 150 years of disasters at Liverpool Street Station
Visiting the statue of Noor Inayat Khan in Bloomsbury, London
When I was in London a few weeks ago, I realised I had 20 minutes or so to spend before my engagement so decided to pop along to Gordon Square Gardens, a place a I know very well, to visit a relatively new statue in London to Noor Inayat Khan whom I wrote about in… Continue reading Visiting the statue of Noor Inayat Khan in Bloomsbury, London
Noor Inayat Khan – Born an Indian Princess, Lived a French writer, Died a British Spy
Every now and then I like to post on great but often overlooked female figures in history. Over the 9 years I have been blogging just some of the notable women I have written about include Khutulun – The Mongolian Wrestling Princess Empress Matilda Edith Cavell – Patriotism Is Not Enough Mary Seacole – The Greatest Black Briton… Continue reading Noor Inayat Khan – Born an Indian Princess, Lived a French writer, Died a British Spy
Micky Davies – the little man with the heart of a giant
Michael (Mickey) Victor Davies (sometimes mentioned as Davis) was born in Stepney in East London on the 22nd April, 1910. Sadly as a result of some sort of spinal defect, he only grew to the height of 4 feet 6 inches tall and became affectionately known as “Mickey the Midget”. Despite his small statue Mickey became an… Continue reading Micky Davies – the little man with the heart of a giant
An account of when my house was almost hit by a Nazi rocket in WW2
Over the last week or two I have been reading old magazines of histories and memories of my village, rather similar to some of the ones I write myself. A lady by the name of Mollie Thomas strikes particularly close to home as though in her 80’s, writes about her time growing up here in… Continue reading An account of when my house was almost hit by a Nazi rocket in WW2
All About the SBS: The Special Boat Service
People all around the world have heard of the elite SAS and countless bad people are no longer around because of them. The SAS though are the special forces for the Army; less well known is the SBS which are the special forces for the Royal Navy and the men are drawn from the Royal… Continue reading All About the SBS: The Special Boat Service
Coronavirus Diary 34 -Social Distancing in a WW2 Pillbox
I was going to post this in a week or two but with it being VE weekend I thought I’d bring it forward a little. I took these photos on one of my once in a blue moon walks, I think around the 15th of April and hopefully will allow for a few posts on… Continue reading Coronavirus Diary 34 -Social Distancing in a WW2 Pillbox
VE Day Remembered in Photos – This Is Your Victory!
The 8th May 1945 was V.E. Day or Victory in Europe Day over the Axis Powers of Germany and Italy and for much of the world, an end to WW2. Many Western European nations have an annual WW2 national holiday based on Victory or Liberation Day. The U.K. never has as ironically Churchill did not… Continue reading VE Day Remembered in Photos – This Is Your Victory!
Stephen Liddell 