As November 11th approaches, the visibility of the Great War here at home always increases. In this, the centenary year of the Armistice, many villages up and down the country are doing their bit to pay tribute and commemorate the occasion. One my local villages, Hawkhurst in Kent, has always been particularly active in its … Continue reading Talking about my generation
In September I took a friend over to Flanders on a day trip and we stopped at the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing. The village of Ploegsteert (Plugstreet as it was known to the troops during the war) lies to the south of the town of Ypres, close to the French border. For the majority … Continue reading ‘If I fall I shall have done something with my life worth doing’
I’ve been lucky enough to have been raised in an equine loving family. I learnt to ride when I was just a toddler and spent much of my childhood caring for horses. For nearly 15 years I had my own - an Appaloosa cross called Gizmo. Appaloosa’s were bred by the Nez Perce people of … Continue reading ‘Help the horses – they help the men’
Ok so a Frederick Nietzsche quote as the title is a bold move... but bear with me... As we all know, life is rarely black and white. Some people have a faith in religion so strong that they are unflinching in their resolve and have no questions. For others, each day is a struggle to … Continue reading ‘There are no facts, only interpretations’
I went to see Peter Jackson's new film 'They Shall Not Grow Old' last night. It was absolutely incredible. The footage and sound were phenomenal and it was so powerful to see the men brought back to life. It was powerful because it injected life into the old footage that we often see and with … Continue reading ‘Why are you here with all your watches ended?’
I'm lucky enough to live in the middle of the Sussex High Weald next to the historic village of Burwash. The village is probably most famous for being home to Rudyard Kipling for much of his life. His glorious house, Batemans, is somewhere I go often. It's a beautiful place with stunning gardens and acres … Continue reading ‘I watch a man go out of his mind, And he is My Mother’s Son’
The cemeteries on the Western Front may to some people be nothing more than quiet rows of graves. The uniformity of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Portland stone headstones ensures that anyone passing knows that these are not civilian plots. To me however, these are more than just quiet cemeteries. There is much to hear, if … Continue reading The power of words
Lucy Betteridge-Dyson 