Yea, just drifted back from in from the sport, had a few sherberries. I cant feel reconciled with them, I think they would kill us, bomb us again at a moments convenience. Think it was a mistake under political pressure (the speech).
But yes better that than a continuous terror campaign, if you are pragmatic and prepared to swallow it.
Funny how we can be fed whose an enemy on minute, friend next>? we will building statues to them one day.
The sovereign fund as its now called or something gets I think 10% profit on the money generated by the crown estate I think, so HM Queen and Co get about £37 million PA as pay, in effect.
Hence the massive gathering, nothing less-money and photo opportunity.
The Queens a fantastic person. Seen and heard her close up whilst I was FAA, got her vibe straight away.
A rambling not really even relevant sttory. A mate of mine volunteered whilst the CVS ship was alongside in Hamburg to be a barman at a function-think they went ashore for thjis,it was not a wardroom/hangar pink gin debacle.
So he is behind the bar serving our lads (a mix up of all ranks). He was alongside one of the top German aces of WW2. Only me mate knew who he was, because he knows his stuff.. Everyone else was just pissed, and wouldn't have recognised him. An old man, by now anyway. So what I'm saying is the German ace was serving up, at the bar, for the lads.
My mate clocked him and knew who he was. And asked him about his role, and events he took place in. The shooting downs, the chalk ups (and this man shot down bloody dozens if not hundreds of allied planes, Ive googled him since this). And I can even remember his answer, as told by my friend. He said he was terrified in the air and was never happier than when he had survived a combat and was on his way home alive. Felt no pleasure in the killing, he just wanted to get back alive. The war was over, he had moved on. He liked us.
So perhaps that's reconciliation, in a way. Old generation with our new younger generation had become reconciled. Gradually I like to think we as Britons become reconciled with our former enemies (and we have so many...).
But we are a long, long way away from this at the moment with the IRA and Irish republicans in general..
Last edited by Hangarshuffle; 26th Dec 2014 at 19:33.