Harry, who landed at Sword (6th June,1944)
A few years ago I spent a morning with Harry, a retired soldier from Cheshire. (I was going to tape …
Author Archives: Gwyneth Roberts, mightygwyn
“Un bonjour amical du Tréport …” 1917
On 11th March, 1917, D Boutguin (address Hôpital complémentaire 25, Eu – a temporary hospital) wrote a card to a …
A painful pilgrimage
Henriette, Laura, Adèle, Rose, in their black hats and second-best heavy coats and sturdy shoes, pick their way across the …
The lost mill: Castle Mill, Cheshire
My mother has reminisced about spending childhood holidays at her Auntie Amy’s farm close adjacent to the River Bollin at Castle …
“…l’entrée principale de ma chambre à coucher” …À bientôt, Dagez (1915)
The winter which ended 1914 was bitter, foul, thoroughly dispiriting, and it didn’t improve into 1915. The French-American academic Robert Pellissier spent …
A very special memento: recalling Ernst Jünger (2004)
It’s in winter, in a traditional little chalet hotel in the Black Forest. I’ve noticed a collection of photos on the …
Batley British Legion presents (a true tale of thespian derring do)
You can tell he’s going to be a bore; the sludge-shade ‘slacks’ labelled him as Man From Greenwoods, or a cardboard …
Model neighbours
I did. I was the only person who went to help. There was a blood trail going up the stairs …
“Ma chère Gabrielle” – Servance, Vosges, January 1918.
This card was sent from the Vosges on 31st January 1918. Servance is south west of Bussang, west of the …
“A bientôt mon cher petit. Papa.” Vosges, 1914-18
There’s snow, and there’s Snow. This card was sent from the Vosges during World War One. It depicts a pathway …
Shot Silk 