Another Storm.

 

Dear family, friends and followers.

Well another day and another storm making its full-force known. Storm Christoph has been dumping plenty of water on us and therefore we have plenty below us. The water level has not gone up to far yet, but with more rain forecast for today and tomorrow, I suspect we will be sitting higher for a couple of days. If Storm Christoph is battering you, please stay safe. I got up this morning and made our first brew of the day and got a wet foot. We seem to have a leaky mushroom vent in the galley. I thought the other day there maybe a problem, so I put a bucket over the vent, but clearly water has gotten in somewhere. I am sure we will discover the cause and repairs will take place, once we get a dry day. I am a dab hand with sealant and then a paint brush to replace the missing paint. There is nothing I will not have a go at and of course I make sure I am doing it properly first. Thankfully I have a husband who is a Jack of all trades and has taught me well. Anyway wet foot dried off and brew made, I got back to bed and listened to the radio whilst enjoying my tea. I only allow myself three cups of tea a week, because of my Nickel allergy. Oh yes tea contains a lot of Nickel. Having enjoyed our first cuppa of the day, we were getting up, when I could hear a horn beeping three times. That meant only one thing. UPS was trying to deliver a parcel to someone. I have an arrangement with our local UPS driver. She beeps her horn three times and I will go running to the gate to collect it. One slight problem was I was only half dressed. Have you ever tried to put your tights on in a hurry? I can tell you it is almost impossible. I must have looked a right sight, by the time I reached the gate. Hair un-brushed and my cloths in a dishevelled state. If the lady noticed, she did not say a thing. I thank her, took the parcel for a neighbour and legged it back to the boat, so I could detangle myself. I messaged the neighbour, that I had her parcel and by the time she came and collected it, I was looking normal, what ever that is right now. Because it was very soggy out, boat chores were at a minimum. I stoked the fires and emptied the ash pans. Coffee was consumed and lunch was then on my list of things to think about, but not before messaging my daughter about the homeschooling spelling check with our Grandson. We were going to do it today, but because she had him on a roll with his French and Maths we are doing it Thursday instead. Our Grandson is only 8 years old and learning French already. I remember not starting French until I went to secondary school. Getting them learning early is definitely the way to go, he will be teaching me no doubt, when we talk tomorrow. Knowing I was not doing a spelling test today, meant I could work on the family tree some more.

Due to the heavy rain, it completely put me off from going outside for a walk, so instead I decided to go through some of the photographs I took at the cemetery. I am not being morbid, I think you can find out such a lot of history from reading headstones and then researching them, like I did with Joseph William Hilton. Researching him has kind of fueled my enthusiasm for knowing more about the people who lived in and around Warwick, where I actually have had relatives living down through the years and I am yet to go and find their headstones at another local cemetery. I even know their houses are still standing in Warwick and I will go into them more as I learn more. 

In the meantime, this headstone stood out.

As did this one, because they are next to each other. Looking at the headstones, there were similarities which got me wondering why. So yes I had to looking into them further. I turned my attention to the first headstone belonging to Archibald McMeekin Paton aged 26. Being a stand out name, I did not have any problem finding information on Archibald who was the son of John Sydney and Catherine Winifred Paton, of Tallangatta, Victoria, Australia. Service Number: 400734. Archibald was a flying officer with the 151 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force. At the time of his death on March 24th 1943 he was flying a Mosquito DZ257 out of 151 Squadron at RAF Wittering in Northamptonshire when returning to base his plane was possibly hit by flak and so they attempted to land, but crashed on the second time of asking. He was flying with his friend and colleague Ted Hanson who is buried next to him at Warwick. So this was their connection, they flew and died together and it is written that Ted's wife wanted them buried side by side, because they were such good friends. I found online this piece in the local paper.

Also searching the internet, I found a website for Aviation Safety, which cataloged the accident. 

Thomas Edward George Hanson who died alongside Archibald was born in Warwick in 1914 to Thomas and Caroline Hanson. Ted as he was known married Dorothy Muriel Bartlett in Warwick in 1936. They had one son Donald Edward born in 1937. He joined up and was a Flying Officer (Navigator/Wireless Operator), Service Number 128544. Having died in the same accident that Archibald did, Ted is also commemorated in All Saints Church, Emscote, Warwick.

Ted's flying certificate. He flew for the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 151 Squadron. 

Such a tragic loss of life, who were fighting for this country on a night flight. It has been a pleasure to research them both and to in a way know them a little bit better. Like Archibald he was so young at the age of 28 and still had a lot of living to do, like so many other young men who lost their lives in both Wars. 

The war graves in Warwick Cemetery are a stark reminder why wars never solve anything. 

Grandad Joseph and Grandmother Doris.

Research done for the day in the cemetery. I spent some time catching up with e-mails and doing more of my family tree. My Grandad is proving to be my main sticking point. Joseph Harris was born 10 Jan 1910 at 99 Dudley Road, Birmingham (Birmingham Workhouse Infirmary). His parents were William John George Harris and Rose Stanfield or Stamford. I am unsure why Rose had him in the workhouse, but it seems that they had fallen on hard times and that is why they had gone there. At the time of his birth, his father would have been about 48 yrs old and his mother 29, so quite a difference in age. This is where I wish I could see back into the past. I know Joseph married my Grandmother Doris May Owen in 1935 in Birmingham and they separated probably after the war. I can only recall ever meeting him once when I was about 10 years old, which makes me very sad. I believe he died in 1982 in a hospital for ex-service people. I am going to need to spend some money on certificates to find out more I think. I can honestly say I am hooked on doing my family history. 

After lunch, it was time to think about going for my once a day walk, as the rain was not coming down so hard and a drop of rain never hurt anyone. I only walked around the local common, but the fresh air did me good. It would be so easy to stay indoors.

The afternoon has walked slowing into the evening and right now I am watching 'The Bone Collector' before heading off to bed. 

Pop back soon xxx.