Remembering

We went round to the Merchant navy memorial on the Shore to listen for the 11-gun salute and observe the silence (there was no formal event, just a couple of dozen Leithers and visitors standing in a big circle together). I love the little figures - particularly fond of the ship's cook with the wee dog looking hopeful.

I've started reading Anthony Beevor's Stalingrad - I'd been avoiding it on account of its undoubtedly grim content, but realised my mood couldn't get much blacker anyway. It's brilliantly written (but grim, indeed).

I find that I did a more comprehensive remembrance blip on 11-11-11 - since writing it I have discovered more about what Uncle Dick was doing in Basra (by reading Fromkin's "A Peace to end all peace") and that Auntie Edith who died of the 'Spanish' 'flu  was recorded in the 1911 census as a "political organiser".