h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

On 6th June 1944 millions of Allied troops set sail from Southampton for the Normandy beaches. On Friday 6th June 2014 I made the same journey, sailing from Southampton, but only as far as Cowes (my grandmother is in hospital), but I couldn't help but think about those who made the same journey 70 years earlier.

On Saturday I went to the wedding of my wife's cousin, which was held in Lydiard House near Swindon. I love the fact that in the 1950s Swindon Council thought to themselves, 'what this fine, Georgian Palladian house really needs is a 3-storey tasteless concrete extension'. It seemed to go very well, I've only seen the bride and groom about 6 times in my life (one of which was at my wedding) and after the photographs I don't think I saw them next to each other once, he was with his friends and she was with hers, but they both seemed happy.

I had hoped to convince my wife that we could visit two attractions in the Swindon area, including STEAM – the Great Western Railway museum in Swindon, but for some reason she was in an unhappy mood the morning after the wedding... We did, though, go to the Swindon & Crickdale Railway, a steam railway that doesn't actually go to Swindon or Crickdale. I had a great time.

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The Swindon railway museum is excellent pity you missed the chance.
D Day dose make you think especially if some of the family were at the sharp end ... Running up the sand dodging bullets thinking it would have been better by RAF Dakota air.

I've seen a Dakota flying overhead this weekend - possibly two or the same one twice, I'm not sure. I don't know of any relatives of mine who were at Dunkirk. My Dad's dad was too young and was an ARP in Sandown, my Mum's dad was a Chief Petty Officer on HMS Birmingham. I did have a great-uncle who got blown to pieces in East Cowes in the old shipyard, approximately on the spot where the first house I lived in after getting married was.

But my family didn't fight them on the beaches or fight them on the landing grounds, fight in the fields nor in the streets, nor in the hills etc.

Hopefully if I'm Swindon way again I'll get to visit STEAM.

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Lovat's piper saved a few men that day on sword beach the few seconds pause gained by the spectacle of the madness gave them a foothold behind some destroyd vehicles.