Saint Augustine

Robert Burns

Arundel took part in the ‘There but not there’ national commemorative  project by installing 93 silhouettes representing Arundel’s ‘Roll of Honour’.

The project’s aims were simple:

Commemorate those who died in the First World War through installations of silhouettes and Tommies wherever there is a Roll of Honour.

To Educate all generations, particularly today’s younger generation, born nearly 100 years after the outbreak of WW1, to understand what led to the deaths of 888,246 British and Commonwealth service personnel.

Heal today’s veterans who are suffering from the mental and physical wounds of their service by raising substantial funds through sales of our Tommies,

One of the books I am currently reading is ‘The Poppy; A history of conflict, loss, remembrance & redemption’ by Nicholas J. Saunders. The book presents aspects of the beauty, pain, pleasure and tragedy of the poppy throughout history. Nicholas takes us on a journey from Ancient Egypt right through to the current day and the more recent conflict in Afghanistan.

As I was reading the book the following passage stood out and gave me pause for thought:

During the 1960s and 1970s, antelope and water buffalo became opium addicts during the conflicts in Vietnam and Cambodia. In normal times, the animals consume just enough of the opium poppy to numb pain or relieve tiredness, but the intensity of modern warfare, incessant bombing and barrages and machine-gun fire drove them to eat more and more of the world’s most ancient euphoric plant. It had a deadly effect. ‘Water buffalo within earshot of combat zones were… were observed browsing opium poppies, showing signs of addiction and withdrawal’.

I was drawn to read the related end-notes, the source of the information. I found it to be even more curious than the passage that led me there.

Siegal, R.R. 2005: 128. Arguably more inexplicable is a recent case linking animals with opium poppies and crop circles. Tasmania grows the world’s largest crop of legal opiates for the pharmaceutical industry – supplying fifty per sent of the global total for the production of morphine and related opiates. In 2009, Tasmania’s attorney-general Lara Giddings said that, ‘We have a problem with wallabies entering poppy fields, getting as high as a kite and going round in circles… Then they crash. We see crop circles in the poppy industry from wallabies that are high.’ (Associated Press. 2009). Rick Rockliff, the field operations manager for Tasmanian Alkaloids, added that sheep also would graze on poppy stubble and ‘they would follow each other around in large circles’. (Tedmanson 2009). The media fascination with crop circles and opium-snacking wallabies has a personal association also as it was my uncle, David Chorley, who, together with Doug Bower ‘invented’ the crop-circle phenomenon in southern England during the 1970s.

There was a bit of a kerfuffle as we entered the breakfast room. The man in front of us was insisting his room was booked off on the breakfast sheet. When we were seated a man came and sat next to us and when asked his room number he used the same room number as the man who was insisting that he was ticked off on the list as we were entering. I got the impression that the man (who sat next to us) may have been freeloading…  Some of the breakfast items were in short supply, the bread and the mixed berry bowl were almost empty when we arrived and had not been refilled by the time we left. The toast did not arrive again and had to be re-ordered!

After breakfast we headed off to see the poppies in the moat at Tower Bridge. This is an art installation in progress entitled ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’. The first poppy was planted on 4th August and the last poppy will be planted on the 11th November.

marking one hundred years since the first full day of Britain’s involvement in the First World War. Created by ceramic artist Paul Cummins, with setting by stage designer Tom Piper, 888,246 ceramic poppies will progressively fill the Tower’s famous moat over the summer. Each poppy represents a British military fatality during the war.

Although not yet complete the artwork is stunning! I hope to return a few days before the last poppy is planted.

After we had enjoyed the moat we headed off for the Royal Observatory. When we arrived we found it was rather chaotic with no clear ticket booking system.  The confusion was added to by a temporary Steam-punk art exhibition in among some of the more permanent displays. It also took a while for us to figure out that the people queuing in the middle of the courtyard weren’t queuing to get in, they were queuing to be photographed by an artwork on the prime meridian!

The ticket included entry to a temporary exhibition ‘Ships, Clocks & Stars – The Quest for Longitude’. This exhibition was excellent and being familiar with the history of the quest for longitude it was fascinating to see the instruments and replicas that were involved.

After such a hectic day it was good to be able to put my feet up and relax in the hotel before catching a taxi to Kitchen W8 for our evening meal. When we openened the door to our room (at 5.30pm) we were rather surprised to find the curtains closed, the bedside lights on and a single chocolate on each pillow…

On arrival at Kitchen W8 we were offered an aperitif, perhaps we would like champagne? A perfect option to celebrate the birthday of a gentleman reaching a certain age. The food was delicious, the waiter attentive and always asking before pouring more wine. A perfect end to our stay in London.

Sir Thomas Browne (1605 – 1682)

Syria is in turmoil, the starving in the world are doing just that, and yet the peace and harmony in which the spirit of the Olympic Games seems to override those whom the Games are meant for. Above all, PEACE: a breathing space for the world to step back from warfare and destitution, to breathe a deep breath and give space and adjust to the time needed to act and crown in laurel wreaths those who most need it. This is the wisdom of the Games and the only World Record is peace for one such day.

H/T AY

The Flodden memorial stands in memory of the tragic loss of lives during the Battle of Branxton Moor.

More of my posts on this subject, giving further information on the battle which is more commonly known as the Battle of Flodden Field can be found here.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out Whistlestop PhotoHunt.

***Index to my posts on Flodden.***