Topics created by Witt

Major General Charles George  Gordon, or Chinese Gordon as he was known, died in Khartoum today in 1885. He made his reputation 20 years before in the Taiping Rebellion. He was sent to the Sudan to safeguard the country and Egypt from the Mahdi, a Muslim fanatic with an enormous following. The Prime Minister, Gladstone, was in the process of arranging a relief force and Gordon was told he could leave the city. He refused.
What happened next is etched on my memory(and perhaps other schoolboys’ minds) as the garrison fell and Gordon, unarmed, was struck down by countless spears. 
The relief force arrived on the 28th, Gordon’s 52nd birthday.
Gordon was born in London in 1833, the son of a Major General and was commissioned a Lieutenant in 1852. He saw service in the Crimea as well as in China.  He never married and was a Christian Evangelist, who spend much time helping  orphans. He welcomed death.
His effigy can be found in St Paul’s Cathedral, London; his body was never found.

Thanks you two.
I have a good one for today; might have to do late on.
Am watching football at the moment.

@ABWorsham:

Spain was known as Napoleon’s bleeding ulcer.

Ulster was known as England’s bleeding pain.

Sounds good…time to serve it up!

Evening Marc. He sounds like a great medieval character and  I love reading about these extraordinary people and the times in which they lived.

Game 2 is underway

That is very gracious of you. Thank you for your kind words.

Never a hurry my friend.

Thanks for the expert background information on this topic, Herr KaLeun.

I agree about Tom Thumb. What a knob!
The whole Scientology thing sealed it for me. Until I knew about that, could just about abide him.

Yes Tall Paul; I agree. Except when that Yankee Brad Putt blows it up!
I will be sad.

Thank you Wittmann.

Agreed.
A tyrant, no doubt.

Nice. Been a while since I saw it. Definitely a young boys’ film.
Now all I need is an axe….

I have bought Maddy a bow an arrow for her 5th birthday in July. A decent one. She seems interested and they have archery clubs in Hereford, if she wants to progress. Her eyesight is good(like her mother’s). I am blind and have no hand and eye coordination.
Probably best to stand well back while I am swinging an axe, as you said!

@toblerone77:

@Gargantua:

I remember reading about a balloonist in the 80’s who was trying to circumnavigate the world.

He crossed into soviet airspace over Romania accidentally and was shot down.

But that wasn’t the best part lol… the pilots who shot him down recieved medals for “bravery in the face of extreme danger”

L O L !

Another case where a balloon was mistaken as an “UFO”. Lol

Well Garg, those pilots WERE flying Soviet aircraft. Pretty brave if you ask me.

Definitely. You can see how easily it could be romanticised and turned into a film.

is there a side you favor? that’s the side I want. LOL

Could we have a break from it, as it really begins to hurt my eyes after a while? Sorry.
Would like to try and set up a team game for us.

Thank you Knp.
Glad Midnight Express thinks it needs tweaking.
Are definitely too many Allied units(Air and Naval):

My grandfather was an open book about his service. He loved his job, he delivered food to unit. A guy with large quantities of food surrounded by a hungry population, he loved the attention the women gave him.

His job was good until the front lines stabilized. He would then targeted by artillery bringing in supplies to his unit. He got targeted by mortars at Brest. And on the Westwall he was targeted by an 88mm.