In article ,
Andrew Chaplin wrote:
ANDREW ROBERT BREEN wrote:

Having heard the descriptions of that war from my father (coast defence
during summer 1940, including Cromwell,

What sort of coast defence organization was your father in, Andy?

(Drifting OT for here, maybe - we may need to go to smn)
Informal might be the word - he was doing the telegrapher's course
at Skegness (AKA HMS ROYAL ARTHUR, AKA the Butlins' camp) but the
course doubled as coast defence up to Ingoldmells point. When he
first got there they had Martini-Henries. By the time Cromwell
was called they had the long Lee-Enfield (but SMLE ammunition)
and a Maxim gun that with care would fire 10 rounds before jamming.
They were led by the senior PO in charge of drill for the course,
who had been at the Dardenelles. They would have fought if the landings
had happened.
A few years ago a friend and I went to Ingoldmells on the anniverary
of Cromwell and drank toasts to those who had been there that day and
survived the war - and poured libations to those who didn't. Time, maybe,
we did it again.


--
Andy Breen ~ Interplanetary Scintillation Research Group
http://users.aber.ac.uk/azb/
"Time has stopped, says the Black Lion clock
and eternity has begun" (Dylan Thomas)