Platinum Recollections

I’m like Bertie with a bone – I want to chew over three bits of the Birthday Parade you missed on TV.

Aggiornamento

Aggiornamento is a lovely word; it means bringing up-to-date. So you get an aggiornamento here most days.

The Machine Gun Corps

The Machine Gun Corps was formed in 1915 and disbanded a hundred years ago. Not because a machine gun was like a bow and arrow but because the machine gunners were absorbed into other units.

Published
Categorised as History

April is the Cruelest Month

Thank you to friends wishing me a happy 68th birthday on Sunday: here, by post and email. I had a home-made birthday cake with candles (not 68).

Fifty Ways

Anthony Sampson’s Anatomy of Britain in 1962 was a success with many follow-ups until Who Runs This Place? The Anatomy of Britain in the 21st Century in 2004; last in the series as Samson died that year.

Bringing the Good News

Patrick O’Brian had a wealth of material to draw on for his naval novels but as far as I remember he did not use John Richards Lapenotiere.

Published
Categorised as History