A Modest Christmas gift

Remembrance Day 2013

HEROES

 

Noel Godfrey Chavasse was born in Oxford on 9th November, 1884. Chavasse was educated at Liverpool College and Trinity College, Oxford . After graduating with first class honours in 1907 he studied medicine. In 1908 Chavasse and his twin brother, Christopher, represented Britain in the Olympic Games in the 400 metres.

On the outbreak of the First World War Chavasse offered to serve in France. He was transferred to the Western Front in November 1914 where he was attached to the Liverpool Scottish Regiment. In the first few months he was kept busy dealing with trench foot, a condition caused by standing for long periods in mud and water.

In March 1915 the regiment took part in the offensive at Ypres, where poison gas was used for the first time. By June 1915 only 142 men out of the 829 men who arrived with Chavasse remained on active duty. The rest had been killed or badly wounded. Chavasse was promoted to captain in August 1915 and six months later was awarded the Military Cross for his actions at the Battle of Hooge. In April 1916 he was granted three days leave to receive his award from King George V.

In July 1916 Chavasse's battalion was moved to the Somme battlefield near Mametz. On the 7th August the Liverpool Scottish Regiment were ordered to attack Guillemont. Of the 620 men who took part in the offensive, 106 of the men were killed and 174 were wounded. This included Chavasse who was hit by shell splinters while rescuing men in no-mans-land. For this he was awarded the Victoria Cross. In February 1917 he was granted 14 days leave in England.

He returned to the Liverpool Scottish Regiment and took part in the offensive at Passchendaele. For nearly two days he went out into the battlefield rescuing and treating wounded soldiers. It was during this period Noel performed the deeds that gained him his second Victoria Cross. After being badly wounded he was sent to the Casualty Clearing Station at Brandhoek. Although operated on he died on 4th August 1917. Noel Godfrey Chavasse was Britain's most highly decorated serviceman in the war.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NURSE LADY RED!

Woot!  It's our lovely lady red's FIRST Birthday as an RN.  Happy First Birthday Nurse lady red.

Remember, 7UP is for babies, so be sure you spike yours with something stronger than milk.

  May I suggest:

Of course 7 and 7 needs cake....

And we all got together to record your Birthday song, enjoy!



We couldn't possibly have a Birthday without flowers, so here's a field of tulips for you to tiptoe through...

And last but certainly not least, a sexy man to sing in your ear:



HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE xxx

6 Versions of A Christmas Carol

Every year, my mother would read an old, well-worn copy of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.  While maybe not too many people read it today, a number of film versions of have been made. I thought it would be fun to look at some of them.

Television Worth Watching

Canadian television has some original shows. One of best of those shows is a program called "Canada Sings"

The idea of the show is to have employees from two different employers do a "Glee Club" performance in competition with employees from another employer. Each group is competing for a prize -- but that prize is to be given to a specific charity chosen by the group. Even though the performances are done by amateurs, most of them are very enjoyable and are very well done.

The performers are not working as professional dancers or singers, although some of them may have experience along those lines. Earlier this year, members of the Royal Canadian Air Force competed. Their charity was an organization to take care of veterans wounded, disabled, or otherwise physically effected by their service. Some of these service men and women performing were musicians, but none of them were dancers. I don't think any of them were singers, either. But they were competing for something that was important to them and, as service people do, they did was expected of them.

Have a box of Kleenex handy.

A Memorable Man

I know that this will be a surprise to regular readers of this blog that I love radio, especially its history. There are some old time radio shows that I really enjoy. About ten years ago, one of my favorite radio actors was to be the guest of honor at a dinner of the Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound. Of course I wanted to go, but I wouldn’t know anyone there.

Not wanting to be late, I arrived at the restaurant about forty-five minutes early. I was told that the room was not ready yet but I could wait in the bar. As I entered the bar I saw a man in a suit, an unusual sight in Seattle. What was also unusual about this man was that he stood only four-and-a-half feet tall. I knew I was in the right place.

I must have looked like a fish out of water. This man walked up to me and asked, "Are you here for the REPS dinner?”

After I said that I was, He said, “Well that’s what I am here for, too. Hi, I’m Dick Beals.” I introduced myself and we talked for a few minutes.

I had never heard the name before, but I was to discover that I had heard that voice. Oh, had I heard that voice. Davey from “Davey and Goliath,” Gumby, Speedy Alka Seltzer. If you have ever heard a radio episode of Gunsmoke where there was a young boy, he was the young boy. He played boys in several radio episodes of Dragnet.

It is not his resume that made him memorable to me. What made him memorable was that he was a real, honest, gracious gentleman.  Later in the evening it was still obvious that I really didn’t know anyone in the room. Two hours after our brief conversation in the bar, after he made the keynote speech about the guest of honor, he came over to me and said, “Matt, are you having a good time?” Two hours later,  not only did he come over to see how I was doing, he remembered my name.

In the days following that dinner I found a copy of his autobiography on Amazon.  The book gave insight into what it was like to be a radio actor. The book also told how he managed a Little League team – a team of physically and mentally challenged players – and that team won their league championship. He would not allow anyone to intimidate or demean him. He would treat everyone with respect and expected the same in return. He earned that respect.

Dick Beals was an inspirational man. Even though he stood only four foot six, he stood tall. I only met him that one evening, but it was a memorable meeting for me.

Mr. Beals has passed away at the age of 85. Rest in peace, sir.

Has American Idol Jumped the Shark?

Many people dismiss American Idol and its “manufactured stars,” but I think it is really a great boot camp for future stars. The schedule and the pressure of the show really take a toll on those not ready for a career in show business. It strengthens those who are ready and breaks those who are not.