Bryn Hammond

@brynleyh

FRHistS. Historian of the First World War, WW1, ‘the Great War’. Principal Curator with principles at l'ancien asile. Maps landed in my lap. Evertonian. Cricket lover. Father…more when I think of it. All views here are mine, but I’m prepared to share them.

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Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· 4d

I thought, rather than pay to see the film, I’d just buy the cheese instead. But now I realise I’ve made a costly error.

The cheese, rather than the film? Odd? I see.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jul 10

Also in #Chartres (I’m keeping the best stuff back). #SWW #WW2

“This pink granite fist clenched onto a broken sword pays homage to Jean Moulin who was Prefect of Eure-et-Loir and first President of the Conseil National de la Résistance. The ashes of the martyrs of concentration camps have been laid to rest under a block of pink granite situated at the foot of the monument.”
Behind the broken sword is a wall monument dedicated to Jean Moulin.

Plaque giving the names of members of the FFI (Forces Françaises de l’Interieur) and FTP (Francs-tireurs et partisans - the Communist resistance forces) who died in the fighting for the liberation of the city of Chartres.

US Seventh Armored Division memorial commemorating the fighting in Chartres in August 1944 with letter from Maj Gen Walton H Walker, commander of the division.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jul 10

Despite certain family members’ prononciation of the place name to suggest an unfortunate accident, #Chartres is a beautiful city and worth a visit.

Chartres cathedral with two spires and circular set of stained glass windows over three more narrow arched windows. The spires are different shapes and sizes.

Huge graffiti of Jean Moulin, former head of the Eure and Loir département and massively influential figure in the French Resistance executed by the Nazis in 1943.

A half timbered building with a lantern above the street

A glimpse of the river Eure as it flows slowly through Chartres.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jul 9

I’ve asked the other members of my family why we came all the way to #France to see thatched cottages when we have them at home. A decent explanation has not been forthcoming. Still, an interesting, if not fact based discussion has taken place as a consequence. As usual ALT text offers more.

Different angle. Same old shtick. Wooden fence. Spikey. Thatch etc

Spikey wooden gate in spikey wooden fence and trees. Oh, and the thatched cottage. As per

Low Box hedge in front of thatched drum where some rich person played being a poor peasant. Or was that one of the other places?
Anyway, door in stone wall leads to who knows what. Perhaps a “time slip” (historical footnote: turn of the 19th/20th century hallucinatory phenomenon that would have been posted with selfies on Instagram if there was access to it back in the day. They wrote a book about their experiences. (Who’d have guessed?). Masculine explanations for this behaviour are amusingly predictable.)

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jul 6

Today I was where Hemingway made camp in Aug 1944 & from where Leclerc set out on his way to Paris. Where Eisenhower & Yeltsin & Callaghan & Giscard d’Estaing & Mandela & Peron & Bush and all spent time. And nothing impressed me more than a cup shaped like a boob & sea shells as interior design.

At la Laiterie de la Reine this cup was inspired by Marie Antoinette

… or rather her boobs. The underside reveals the nipple of the design

At La Chaumière aux Coquillages a decorative feature consists of mother of pearl pieces surrounded by a decorative design made of shells

Incredible design consisting of mussel shells and other sea shells at La Chaumière aux Coquillages

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 15

Five years.

A light purple coloured poppy flower with yellow stamen.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 14

The departure of Léon Gambetta from a besieged Paris in the balloon “Armand-Barbès” on 7 Oct 1870 as depicted in this painting by Jules Didier & Jacques Guiaud, now in the Musée Carnavalet, Paris. The museum displays connected to the #Warof1870 & the #SiegeofParis are well worth seeing. #Guerre1870

The departure of Léon Gambetta from a besieged Paris in the balloon “Armand-Barbès” on 7 Oct 1870.

With crowds on a hill behind and in the immediate vicinity of the balloons, two balloons Prepared to take flight watched by French sailors, soldiers, civilians and dignitaries.

Much of the painting is brown or beige in tone. Even the two balloons seem to capture this dull tone. Only the sky and clothes of the people stand as any contrast and even these cannot be described as brightly coloured.

It’s a sombre painting of what in other circumstances might have been a bright, exciting start of an adventure.

Gambetta successfully made it to Tours from where he continued trying to organise the new Third Republic’s resistance to the invaders.

Départ de Gambetta sur le ballon l’« Armand-Barbès » le 7 octobre 1870.

Jules Didier (1831-1892) and Jacques Guiaud (1811-1876).

Musée Carnavalet.
Accession number : Inv. P. 1225
Bequeathed to the musée Carnavalet by Alfred Binant.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· May 26

Crikey. I was sat in the seat on the left of the photo by the window. Clearly, the Assassination Bureau is still after me.

A rail carriage window shattered after being struck by an object in a tunnel on my way to work. The glass is now frosted with an obvious point of impact.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· May 1

Consider this, a Danish-built vessel constructed in 1914, a reminder of how connected the “modern” First World War was to the technologies of previous centuries. Paddle steamers as minesweepers and sailing ships as merchant vessels. #FWW #WW1

The “William 2” moored at Blyth. A sailing vessel built in 1914.
She has a bluff bow, lovely lines. She's a fine sea-boat: weatherly, stiff and fast … very fast, if she's well handled.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Apr 25

South Shields’ tribute to one of their own - “the bloke with the donk”. Remembered on this day - the 111th anniversary of the landings of British, Australian, New Zealand and French troops on the #Gallipoli peninsula in what was then the Ottoman Empire. #FWWhist #history 🗃 #WW1 #1GM

Statue in South Shields’ main street. It depicts a hero of the First World War Gallipoli campaign John Simpson Fitzpatrick Simpson in uniform with one of the donkeys with which he brought down wounded men from the front line to what subsequently became known as Anzac Cove.
Simpson was killed by a bullet on 19 May 1915. He undoubtedly saved many lives.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Mar 13

My lad’s been doing a 24hr Dartathon 🎯 at Liverpool Uni for Claire House Children’s Hospice with his football team. They’re into the last & hardest bit. If you can spare a couple of quid to support (lots of them are #Evertonians), you could see them over the line. www.justgiving.com/page/anarchy...

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Mar 12

Lots of thoughts about contrasts between past and present times whilst visiting here this morning. Oh, yes, I DO go and visit US #WW1 memorials - unlike some. In memory of a group of men who voluntarily answered the call to protect liberty. #1GM #FWWHist

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Feb 23

Ancelotti tribute pre-match #UTFT #EFC

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jan 24

When your daughter makes you feel old whilst also doing something that makes you happy and strangely proud. Sadly, no button ‘A’ or ‘B’ to push, apparently, but still has a dial. Kids, worth 50 pence to surprise a parent.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jan 10

What?!??!

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Aug 24

Was all a bit surreal in some ways but it’s well designed, will have great acoustics for all fans (yes, away fans benefit too) and there’s no bad view in the place. Plus, it’s great to have the maritime history. connections running through the immediate surroundings. This was fun too!

The Littlewoods Clock that was at Goodison Park. Now in the new stadium at Bramley-Moore dock. A bloke in a yellow polo shirt with moobs standing in front

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jul 18

When you play Vegetable Top Trumps… Every time.

A station sign saying Brockley Wins. The post is an hilarious play on the name.
Now you laugh ..:

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jul 12

Introductory panel for We Will Not Be Left Behind - the new sound installation at IWM Duxford. Curated by Cat Waites, our brilliant #CuratingVisibility Fellow, and a team of co-creators. Adding a dimension to our #SWW storytelling that any one interested in #WW2 history will learn something new from

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 30

It did. That was the same trip as Xon and ill-starred after a very good start it was, as you know. Hoping to do something in September this year. I took this picture at the point when it became obvious the end was near.

One careful owner. I’m going to be the one who’s going to do 174,000 miles with you.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 30

6/ Sadly, the Skoda’s last great triumph - climbing the pothole riven tractor track to the #WW1 cross on the hill at Xon - a climb that left it traumatised & which I now feel precipitated my Blue Beauty’s demise. The Skoda is sulking in the bushes. Let this be a warning: don’t try this yourselves.

The view from Xon clearly not showing a blue Skoda.

The Cross at Xon near Pont à Mousson. Better to park and walk up. Or become a car abuser like I did forcing my battered old companion to climb a sequence of massive potholes and mini ravines joined together by a few bits of track.
It wasn’t big, and it wasn’t clever…

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 30

5/ The #FWW « village détruit » of Regnieville. Probably the most evocative of all the photos in this series. Who wouldn’t want to see where Regnieville was but now isn’t in a Skoda on the basis of this corker of a snap?

A blue Skoda bonnet and a French road junction. Wow. Just wow

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 30

4/ Same June day in 2022: The Skoda can barely contain its excitement as we head to Fontenois - scene of 128e Régiment d’infanterie’s débâcle of 31 August 1914. #FWW

A panorama of delights. A road. Green and yellow fields and a blue Skoda keen to get on its way.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 30

3/ June 2022: The Classic: Heading for the Ardennes and we’ve just experienced the heady delights of the shiny bronzed(?) shells linked by chains of the #FWW Monument aux morts of Marvaux-Vieux. Trekking East from the Champagne battlefields, we’re heading for 1870, 1914, 1918 and 1940 all in one go.

Skoda roller coaster at the top of its run. A village with warnings about pedestrian crossings is taking some of the fun away, but the old girl never looked lovelier.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 30

2/ 22 June 2019: Méry-la-Bataille, the Battle of the Matz and Mangin’s counter-attack #FWW

Big sky, big fields, blue Skoda. It screams Battle of the Matz, June 1918. But it’s June 2019.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 30

After almost 280,160 km together, my dear old Skoda and I have had to part company. A car that got to places on the #FWW Western Front that it never wanted to go. Here’s some happy memories of a few of those times together. 1. The #Somme 1918 #Kaisersbattle battlefields, June 2018.

A field, the roof of a blue Skoda and I’m at a loss to know why I took the photo.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 26

Text panels for the “Food, Not Cuts” exhibition at the Food Museum, Stowmarket which had its official #CuratingVisibility opening today. Very topical and informed by co-curation with people with lived experience of the issues tackled.

Text panel for the “Food, Not Cuts” exhibition at the Food Museum which had its official #CuratingVisibility opening today. Very topical and informed by co-curation with people with lived experience of the issues tackled.
This panel lists the co-curators. as it says, “without their voices this exhibition could not happen”.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Jun 21

I can’t do anything for the birds because of the plague of neighbours’ cats (the cruel, indolent b____s)*, so I’ll settle for helping the bees. My titchy garden is mithered out with poppies (all of one colour - not red!) and there are a ton of bees a-buzzing for the pollen. Knock yourselves out!

Loads of poppies of a colour I’ll call mauve and in the background a deep purple clematis that the bees have clearly stimulated.

* On reflection, this is a reference that can be applied to both my neighbours and their cats.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· May 8

Especially for today.

Hello playmates!
IYKYK
A man with round old-fashioned glasses with a surprised open mouth look. He was a big noise in the 1940s.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Apr 18

If you’re in the Newcastle upon Tyne area and able to visit Newcastle Cathedral (St. Nicholas), I hope you will take time to look at a small exhibition there entitled “Home and Howay : Letters and Post in the 18th Century North-East”. This is @absham.bsky.social and she’s the exhibition creator.

A young woman with long dark hair, purple coat, jeans, white trainers and hooped sweater proudly presents an exhibition caption board in front of a stained glass window in what is a cathedral. The exhibition title is “Home and Howay : Letters and Post in the 18th Century North-East”.

Bryn Hammond@brynleyh· Apr 14

Had a chance this evening to tell this lovely guy what an important role he’d played in the lives of a divorced dad and his two daughters. Sadly, one daughter had to leave early so missed the opportunity of meeting him. I hope she’ll forgive us.