What a loss that so much untold and unrecorded history and interesting information goes to the graves with people. Thank goodness for those people who have kept, and do keep, diaries. Blogging also has to be a great way for future generations to view the lives of people doing everyday things which may be viewed as humdrum or uninteresting now but, to those who will follow, will be of great interest. Thank goodness for museums and record offices who are guarding our history because without them we would be all be the poorer without the information they hold. Read more…

This is is from my book, Twenty-One.  Tom and Dee Bowles are identical twins who fought with the US 1st Infantry Division thorughout the war – including North Africa, Sicily, D-Day, and the Battle of the Bulge.  When the war came to an end they had reached Czechoslovakia.  You can find out more about Tom and Dee at their family website: www.ddaytwins.org.  Also worth looking at is the US 1st Infantry Division Society website, www.bigredone.org. Read more…

A beautiful bouquet of red and white flowers lies on the steps of the Polish club – it commemorates the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising when men women and children fought the might of the German army whilst Stalin’s troops stood on the banks of the river Vistula unheeding of the cries for help. Some planes manned by Polish and South African pilots made the hazardous trip from Brindisi with help. Little reached the desperate people and many pilots died. As so often, the Poles fought for what they thought would be their freedom – but it was not to be. Their allies, Britain and America, had already signed the Yalta agreement, which gave away so much to Russia. Poland would not be free for 50 years. Read more…