Mortier de 370mm Filloux

I found over this postcard on WorldWarOne Facebook page. It is a postcard that is also published in "Les Canons de la Victoire 1914-1918 , Tome 2 L'Artillerie Lourde a Grande Puissance" by General Guy Francois.

The General details the loading system for the mortar. A truck on rails facilitates the loading of a shell, using the crane. Each shell weighs 520kgs. The photo also shows that almost every man has a different combination of uniform, horizon bleu, dark blue and fatigues, kepis, berets, helmets, bonnets de police and one man in a flat cap.

The postcard was posted at Foucaucourt on 8th September 1916.

Side Effects, Sightseers, SLP and remembering Elmore Leonard

As there is a gap between the fourth and fifth Ashes matches, I have watched a few films. I would like to recommend the following.

Beautifully done, Jude Law was excellent

Very dark, very funny, I'll never see trams the same way again

Fantastic performances

I enjoyed all three of these. Is "Side Effects" the last film of Stephen Soderbergh? I hope not.

One film I cannot recommend is "Alex Cross" - just no - don't.


Whilst looking for the above posters, I saw on BBC news that Elmore Leonard has died from a stroke. This is very sad news. A great loss to all film fans. Only last week I watched again another Soderbergh film, on a story by Leonard, "Out of Sight".

Compagnie Franche de la Marine

Opened Facebook and found this photo of a parade of re-enactors of Compagnie Franche de la Marine in Quebec, Canada. Following them is a group of what looks like Coureurs de Bois.

I think these are magnificent, well done.

The photo is from a Facebook page "Souvenirs d'Amérique francaise".

The Ashes 2014, Game 4, Chester-le-Street

Stuart Broad took eleven wickets, photo from Daily Telegraph

After four days of play, in the evening gloom, England win  Game 4 and so have won the 2013 Ashes series with one game to play.

ENGLAND  3   AUSTRALIA 0

England have retained the Ashes for the third time in a row. Well done boys.

The Ashes Urn

Ashes 2013, 4th Test, Chester-le-Street

A very good day yesterday at the match

Jimmy Anderson, strolling back from practice

Cricket royalty

Start of play

KP in cow corner

Refreshments

The Ashes 2013, Game 3, Old Trafford, Manchester

This match has been declared a draw. Just after lunch on day 5, it started to rain and it has not stopped. No further play was possible. So the score is still:

ENGLAND 2    AUSTRALIA 0

This does mean that England have retained the Ashes.

BBC4 "Churchill's First World War"

Taking it easy over breakfast this Sunday morning, I watched a very interesting history programme, a BBC4 programme, "Churchill's First World War".

I was in two minds as to whether to watch this documentary. Too many programmes about Churchill start by putting him on a pedestal and repeat the mantra "Churchill saved Britain in 1940 - he was a great man - bow down and worship him". This programme starts from the premise that he had his faults, one of these being his self-belief and ambition that was seen by some as ego-mania. Churchill really thought he could do no wrong. He pushed the strategy of forcing Turkey out of the war by defeating their army and navy in Gallipoli. He got this wrong, he was the one pushed, out of the Cabinet. ( A great over-simplification by me)

Churchill went away and rebuilt his career and reputation by volunteering for service on the Western Front and biding his time, very much encouraged by his wife Clementine.

So, in summation, I recommend this programme, I learnt something.