Yes, it’s just a pity that the plot and the acting did ruin the movie!

Re #14 You make a very good point wings.

When I was a lad, (late sixties and early seventies) we lived in a house down a quiet lane in the Somerset countryside. Quite frequently an old boy used to literally march up and down the lane and sometimes stop and stand to attention, sometimes for minutes, sometimes longer, in all kinds of weather. My brother and I, as young kids would watch him from the house and wondered what he was doing, we were to young to know or understand. Sometimes, if he was walking past the house, rather than marching, mum would invite him in for a cup of tea. He would come in and chat away, about what I can’t remember but he would never sit down, he always stood looking out of the window staring at the fields as he talked.
Dad was a part time game keeper and was always out during the evenings till about 10.00pm. Dad would sometime find this chap hiding in a ditch alongside the fields near the house. He would speak to him and help him to get home.
When I was a little older and saw the chap stood to attention in the road one Sunday morning I asked my dad about him. Dad said “well you see, he was at the Somme” Dad told me that during the times he helped him home, during his more lucid moments the chap told him of his experience.
He was attacking the lines and a shell landed close by, wounding him and knocking him out, for how long he didn’t know. When he came to he didn’t know where he was or what had happened, where his lines or the enemy lines were or who had won or lost. He got up and looked around, all his comrades dead. He began walking and just saw dead everywhere, dead, dead, dead all around. He told dad he walked and stumbled amongst the dead for about SIX hours before he found another living sole. He was helped back to his lines.
It was this experience that did his mind in. For the rest of his life his mind would take him back to the Somme. When he stared at the fields from our window he was watching in case the enemy advanced. When he was in the ditch he was back in the trenches, when he was marching around he was back in the army.
He died sometime around the late seventies, I can’t quite remember and to my shame I don’t recall his name. Dad is 92 now, he may remember, I will try to find out.
I will think of them all today but I will especially think of this chap from my childhood. His Battle Of The Somme went on for over 60 years.

I totally agree with Creaking Doors’ comments in #3. Battle of Britain is a super film even today. BUT why drag the cr@p from the Burma (sorry, Myanmar) Spitfires thread into this? Time to either shake hands or get heads banged together as my mother used to say. For pity’s sake let it go or at least keep it out of new unrelated threads.

Just heard Victoria Wood has passed away after a short battle with cancer. In my opinion a very funny and talented lady. R.I.P.

Hi Chris

My son was able to get an apprenticeship at AgustaWestland in Yeovil (Helicopter manufacturer just in case!!), he started on his 16th birthday last year. There was a lot of competition for the places and various interviews to attend and assessments to pass and of course he needed to get the all important GCSE grades. The first year is full time college and it is tough, there are a lot of exams and assessments to pass. If he passes everything it will be day release at college for the next couple of years with the rest of the week on the shop floor. He is biased more towards practical work and had a choice of trades to choose from – Electrical/Electronic, Mechanical and Composites. After his assessments the company recommended that he follow the Electrical/Electronic path and he agreed. The company are incredibly supportive and once the apprenticeship is completed they have said they will fund any future training, including university if he wants progress on to design etc. We have spoken to other apprentices who have been there a few years and they all have nothing but good things to say. Also we know of others that trained there and now work on maintenance and repairs for other companies and airlines. Basically, once you are qualified it is up to you to choose what you want to do, many doors will open for you. Yeovil may be a bit far for you to locate to (although the lads in my sons group come from far and wide) but I’m sure other aviation company apprenticeships closer to you are similar. As for pay, well it’s on their website so it’s no secret – his first year salary is around 10K, which for a 16 year old is excellent I think. Most importantly though, he loves it!! Good luck wherever you apply.

A much under rated musician and song writer in my opinion. I saw him perform in a small club in Chippenham the early 80’s at the start of his career. He was supporting the Thompson Twins. I was really impressed and sought out some of his early singles in the record shop the next day. I enjoyed his performance as much as the main act but as with many support acts most of the crowd paid no attention. As well as Wonderful Life I also particularly liked another of his songs Everything is coming up roses.

RIP Colin.