I have always loved illustrated books, so couldn’t let National Illustration Day go unnoticed. Obviously, as children, we start off looking at picture books but my love of illustrated books has continued, although I do read the words too – honest!
Continue reading “Happy National Illustration Day!”Tag: French Army
The French Army during the Salonika campaign, 1915-1918.
Take Your Partners …
With BBC Radio Three celebrating a ‘Day of Dance’, I thought I would see if I could find a suitable photo in the IWM’s online collection. As I suspected, there are a number showing Serbian troops and British medical staff dancing a kolo – a Serbian circle dance – but, as I have used some of those before, I was keen to find something different. Well, I think this is certainly different …
Continue reading “Take Your Partners …”The Italians are here!
On Friday 11th August 1916, Italian troops landed in Salonika to bolster the allied effort. Fortunately for us, the event was captured on film. Not only do we see troops of the Italian 35th Division, but there are also other allied personnel and – best of all – we get to see central Salonika in its heyday, before the catastrophic fire that destroyed so much of the city just a year later. And there is much more besides. So, sit back and enjoy 36 minutes of fascinating vintage film footage.
If you want to know more about the Italian role in the campaign, be sure to attend the Society’s annual meeting on 1st October 2022, where Jake Gasson will be presenting a talk on the Italian experience of the Macedonian Front.
Continue reading “The Italians are here!”Dr Anthony Clayton, 1928-2021
The Society was sorry to learn of the death of Dr Anthony Clayton in August in his ninety-third year.
Continue reading “Dr Anthony Clayton, 1928-2021”Expert talk on the Battle of Verdun by Tim Cockitt on Friday 8th October at 6.00pm via Zoom
This was the longest battle of WW1, from February 1916 through to December 1916. The British were not directly involved, and the battle is not so well understood in UK, compared to the Somme.
Continue reading “Expert talk on the Battle of Verdun by Tim Cockitt on Friday 8th October at 6.00pm via Zoom”A contribution to Black History Month
With November fast approaching, I realise I’d better move fast if I want to mark Black History Month – although I would, of course, add something of interest at any time of the year!
Happy Lunar New Year!
I wish you all the very best for the Year of the Rat. You can find out more about the Rat and the Lunar New Year in Vietnam here. If, like me, you were born in a ‘Rat Year’ you are likely to be approachable and optimistic, at ease and not argumentative. You want to be liked and are happy to be helped by others. Apparently we ‘Rats’ have the power of prediction, observation, and acute vision. I’m very short-sighted so clearly something wrong!
Faces of Salonika : John Staple and friends
My thanks go to Simon and Christine Briggs for sharing a fascinating set of photos belonging to Christine’s grandfather, John Staple. John served with the Army Service Corps Remount Service in Salonika for two-and-a-half years.
Continue reading “Faces of Salonika : John Staple and friends”
Happy Lunar New Year!
This is a little late, but I wish you all the very best for the Year of the Pig. This year it’s an Earth Pig in the Vietnamese zodiac, so special for you if you were born in 1959. Are you ‘communicative, popular among their friends, with a strong sense of timekeeping’? Here are some appropriate photos from the IWM’s excellent online collection…
French film about the Salonika Campaign
I hope you have already taken a look at the film about the campaign, commissioned by Away from the Western Front, to add to that here is a French film – by France 24 English – that I have come across on YouTube which gives an outline of the campaign, with much interesting footage, from the French and Serbian perspective (so don’t expect much on the BSF). It’s a pity British broadcasters couldn’t come up with something similar for the centenary!
Salonika Campaign Society, 1915-1918 