On the 75th anniversary of D-Day I wanted to pen a tribute to the 10,000+ Allied casualties who lost their lives during the Normandy invasion, on June 6th 1944. Codename Operation Neptune, a massed incursion aiming at securing an Allied foothold on Western France. This offensive ultimately securing an area which by the end of June had allowed the landing of 875,000 Allied forces, significantly strengthening their WWII position against […]
Yesterday saw the 7th anniversary of ex-Leeds United footballer Gary Speed’s passing. A tragic day when the player, who also served Everton, Newcastle United, Bolton and Sheffield United with distinction, was found hanged to death at his Cheshire home. On Saturday 7th April 1990, during a 2nd Division game against West Yorkshire rivals Bradford City, I was privileged to witness Speed’s first ever goal for Leeds United, at Elland Road. […]
In yesterday’s prose Gerchta I penned my tribute to one half of the band Chas & Dave, who sadly passed over the weekend. An offering where I penned of a fondness for the older tunes, deeply rooted in songs of traditional London pub knees ups, bequeathed by Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock. As with the majority of blogs I’ve written, I re-read/edited the narrative two or three times before I […]
Over the weekend, I was sad to read of the passing of Chas & Dave pianist Chas Hodges. Hodges, one half of the London pair who in the 1980’s taught us when it comes to a vacation, “You can keep the Costa Brava, I tell you mate I’d rava have a day darn Margate wiv all me family.” Not forgetting also educating their discerning listeners that when diminutive Tottenham Hotspurs […]
Saturday 5th May – It would have been my dad’s birthday today – The first since his passing last October. Ordinarily on this day, we’d visit him with perennial presents of a bottle of merlot, along with a CD to embellish his eclectic collection. Despite always receiving this predictable pairing of gifts, we knew we were always on safe ground when it came to the old man’s appreciation. He liked […]
Sunday 29th April – Spent yesterday evening watching a Freddie Mercury tribute act at the local cricket club. The likeness to the late Queen front man was incredible, especially the facial hair, strutting gait and protruding proboscis – And that was just my wife Karen!…… The guy onstage also had a look of Mercury. When I say t’ turn had a look of Mercury I of course refer to the […]
Yesterday’s service, cremation and wake for my father proceeded as successfully as these melancholic occasions can do. Much to the appreciation of his brood, over 100 people congregated in my parent’s village church to celebrate the life of our much loved family head, some making a 200 mile round trip to pay their respects. As the consequence of the magnanimousness of those taking the pews, this morning £551 was donated to Wakefield Hospice from the […]
