WW1 Passchendaele: Stretchers & Bandages

We all know how grim Pashendale was during WW1, mud, total destruction and a cruel life for the soldiers in the trenches. Perish the thought you actually got injured there, because this would be a typical example of the treatment you got! 

Find a small bit of flat terrain to place a solider on. Get various bits of bandages you can find and place on given solider whilst smoking a well earned fag.  Gather a stick and wrap around soldier's broken or damaged leg so it don't move. Dodge incoming fire until you are stretchered off home.

Les Misérables the Movie

Exciting times, a cracking musical gets transformed into a movie with a brilliant cast and with Cameron Mackintosh at the helm this cannot go wrong!

Hugh Jackman is up for a lead actor Oscar nomination for this, it would be great to see him win as his talent and performance deserves it.

It was always going to be difficult making the movie, but it seems to be a hit with both the critics and public. To be honest not much chance of it failing with the A star actors hired for it, Anne Hathaway does particular well especially given the iconic "Dreamed a Dream" song she has sing.

Eddie Redmayne might not be well known across the pond but he is shaping up into a fab actor and not a bad singer. It is worth looking back as some of his previous work, especially the period drama's.

Trench Life WW1

Trench life was not easy for the troops, weather conditions, lack of basic food and water. So catching rats I guess must have been a fun pursuit, did they eat them?

Ring a Ding Dong, scattered across the trenches were posts that alerted the troops of incoming gas attacks, often the sound of the bell would mean getting on the gas masks and digging in.

WW1 Barbed Wire building!

Looking at the photo above from a WW1 battlefield one would assume it would be a little difficult to walk through or even over the Wire! A hardy solider testing out a plank on it to make sure it is not easy to do :)

WW1: Mobile messenger pigeon loft

WW1 Mobile pigeon loft! Must say I have never seen one of these before, but I guess it comes as no surprise they actually existed. Where these taken to the front? and sent with important tactical messages home?

Christmas 1894: Frozen River Thames

It's hard to imagine these days but in our recent history, most of the fast flowing rivers around the UK would completely freeze over in the winter months. Not only did this stop alot of the boats going up and down them it would mean a welcome activity for families and kids to play on the ice. Here was can see the Thames in 1894, exact spot unknown but one can speculate by the amount of people not far from London suburb. Even the dog seems to be having a good time.

Christmas Past: Boris Karloff, Ginger Rogers & a toy

Boris Karloff and Ginger Rogers at a gala Hollywood Christmas party - 1932. How about that for a dress? I wonder what colour is was? my guess is yellow. I do wonder what this photo was staged around. Here Boris take this toy dog. Woof.

Christmas Past! 1930's & 1920s

 Two women and their dogs in a car, taken by Zoltan Glass, c. 1933. I really liked this photo when I found it today. Something really iconic about it. Typical fashion of the day, with the must have dogs :) these days they carry their dogs in bags and carry them around.

 

Carole Lombard. Christmas, 1920s Very vintage photo, look at the style of the lady and the wavy hair, high heels and shorts. Wonder what Santa brought her that year? Shame Carole died so young, a great movie star at the time.

Christmas Soliders & Sparkles

 German soldiers celebrating Christmas in the trenches, 1915.

I am guessing this is from a movie in Wartime, one of this Hollywood spectatulars where the costumes take a life on their own!

Christmas War: Palestine 1941

Christmas in Gaza, Palestine, 1941. V.A.Ds (Voluntary Aid Detachments). Decorations in those days may look a bit different but you get the jist! Saying that the man in the bed behind the nurse seems too busy sleeping to notice :)