Monday 11th It was a great civic reception “Poincare” got yesterday. it was fine weather and aeroplanes overhead dropped messages into the square. To-day just before marching out, we had the news read out to us that hostilities would cease at 11AM to-day. We left at 11AM. and marched 19 kilos to Quievy with full … Continue reading Felix’s War Diary: 11 November 1918
Some excerpts from the War Diaries of my great-grandfather Felix Rooney. This is close to the start of his surviving diary – he did keep a diary of Egypt, Gallipoli and early time in France but it was destroyed in the attack that injured him and sent him to England to recover. The surviving diary … Continue reading ANZAC DAY – Felix’s War Diary
For ANZAC day – here is ANZAC day from 1918, in my great-grandfather Felix Rooney’s war diaries. He was in Somme, in France. Tuesday 23 Got up about 9.A.M. Started bagging rations. Left at 3 P.M. with stores and hot stew for the line. When near Courcelles we ran into some heavy shelling and we … Continue reading From Felix’s War Diaries
(Felix Rooney is my great-grandfather. His diaries begin October 27th 1916. There is a short explanatory note at the front: “My original diary embracing the trip from N. Zealand to Egypt, Gallipoli & France was destroyed with all my effects when the Huns raided us in the mushroom at Armentiere in July 1916.”) Anzac Day … Continue reading From Felix’s War Diaries
Google Streetview has put its cameras down on the ice at the bottom of the world. You can even explore inside Shackleton’s Hut, the base for the 1908 polar expedition. My great grandad Felix, mentioned on this blog many times, helped build that hut. (He was Fireman on the ship that went down, the Nimrod.) … Continue reading Shackleton’s Hut
Antarctic explorer Shackleton had some whisky stored in his hut. It has been recovered, and a blend created to match it. The blend is apparently quite close. Lots of details at the Whisky Exchange blog. My great-grandfather Felix, about whom I’ve blogged before, went down to the ice with Shackleton. He was part of the … Continue reading Want: Shackleton Whisky
And so it is. A week in, and we’re sorted at last – the internets and phone lines were the last things to get connected up. Boxes are now stacked empty in the garage and the rooms themselves are full of stuff. It feels comfortable, already. I think we’ll come to love living here. Here’s … Continue reading Oor Hoose, and ANZAC day.
Felix Rooney, my great-grandfather, served in the first world war. He saw many of the most gruelling battles of that war. ANZAC Day, today, commemorates New Zealand and Australian soldiers, particularly those who served in and never returned from the Great War. Felix kept detailed war diaries, which I have been privileged to read (and … Continue reading ANZAC Day
I played golf this evening. Midsummer madness. I was terrible, which was pleasing, because on all indications prior I was so far beyond terrible the English language runs out of descriptive power. My team came 7th out of 8 teams. I was given a can of Belhaven Best and a bag of Smarties as a … Continue reading Golf, Ghosts, God
