Ach aye the noo, or something like that!

As my surname indicates, I am actually half Scottish although my time spent up in, er, 'bonny Scotland' has been minimal.  The only exceptions were courtesy of the Ministry of Defence who sent me - and several hundred others - up there to play soldiers.  My abiding memory is that it was exceedingly hilly, cold, wet and windy!  So, just like Yorkshire and the Lake District, really!  Anyway, the Jocks, under the leadership of the mighty midget, Nicola Sturgeon, are poised to depart the so-called 'United Kingdom'.  Why do I feel a tiny bit relieved?

Actually, it is nothing to do with Scotland or the Scots whom I mostly admire but it is all to do with the scoundrels who infest the Scottish National Party, particularly the atrocious, wee Nicola!  She knows full well that any divorce from Britain would inflict enormous hardships and problems on the Scottish people but, of course, she 'disnae give a flying fig' for that because it will give her a platform to strut her stuff, not just in Edinburgh but, more importantly, in Brussels.

For God's sake, 'Jockland', get a grip and kick the silly woman off the stage and stick with the English whose history you share and who admire you immensely.  Do you seriously believe that Brussels is going to treat you better than London?

 

 

Comments

[Pat]

I'm drifting to the conclusion that the SNP have given up on getting the Scots to vote for independence, and are now campaigning to get the English to vote for it.

[Whyaxye]

I'd be sorry to see them go, but fully understand their nationalist sentiment. If a majority wanted to go, it would hopefully send a wake-up call that this old Union is failing badly. Maybe that would be good for everyone concerned.

If there must be a re-run of the 2014 Indyref - which was "once in a generation" - let's spell out what independence would mean. Faslane to relocate south of the border; no use of the pound; no support for an ailing economy; no preferential treatment for transport through England to get to France. They can have the Euro, and trade across the North Sea with all the added costs that would involve. I wonder how many takers there would be.

[James McGibbon]

David, you could be related to my uncle William Alexander Duff born 1896 and a World War 1 veteran with the Army Service Corps. I sent his medals, photo, recruits and prayer book to the new Royal Logistics Corps Museum at Worthydown Winchester.

[David Duff]

Anything is possible, Jimmy, and you did the right thing in sending his records to the museum. I would be proud to be related to such a veteran.

[JK]

Ahoy AussieD!

https://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/2020/09/talking-china-with-brits-and-aussies.html

As I was just about to hit the rack and doing my 'last bit o' the watch' I came across that - ain't listened to it yet but you go ahead (you too David) may, just may give us something to discuss come tomorrow - in my longitude.

But you fellows can take off without me.

I think I can catch up.

[AussieD]

G'day JK

Thanks for the reference. A most interesting discussion between people who obviously know their stuff.

I would almost guarantee that similar discussions are being held within Naval HQ's right around the Pacific Rim and in India.

We here in Oz are far too small in terms of naval strength to take on the Chinese on our own but have sufficient resources to make a significant contribution to a US led coalition. Having said that our pollies need to get off their arses and ensure our naval capacity is stepped up by several orders of magnitude.

Perhaps our pollies have learned a lesson or two as the Federal Government has taken the stance of looking after our own interests and bugger what the Chinese think.

[missred]

I have been asking my proSNP friends that for years. Their reply is spout hate against Westmonster. You cannot reason with people like that. I love them anyway!

[Penseivat]

If the Scots go for the plans of Jimmy Krankie's evil twin, I'll be sorry to see them go (being an honorary Argyll and Sutherland Highlander after a Tiger beer infused ceremony in a Changi bar), even if I have never forgiven them for Kenneth McKellar!

[Loz]

I remember Glams, as I used to call her, the Gaffer's Mum, who was adopted, talking about her two step brothers back on leave during the Great War, and how they looked like scarecrows compared to the stout hearties who left before.

I can only recall her say one of their names, Charles, and that he was in the cavalry.

One day I stood in Edinburgh castle in the chapel where they had the book of remembrance with all the names of the Scots soldiers who gave their lives in WWI. I nearly fell off the plinth when I saw his name; he was the only Charles Duff and in the Scots Greys, so I'm sure it must be him.

Above the fireplace I have Lady Butler's famous painting, and whenever I look at it I think of him. I never met him, but Glams was a good, strong and kind woman, so from the great fondness with which she spoke of him I know he too must have been a fine chap, and I feel the Love.

SoD

[Loz]

Here he is ...

https://www.snwm.org/roll-search/?id=61267&searchid=e1e1d9363208914667acf73b05815ff3&page=1

SoD

[Loz]

That's interesting, here's Charles's brother, Henry Duff, who was in the Black Watch ...

https://www.greatwardundee.com/entry/henry-duff-687/

And that's their combined pension record attached, with an address for their Mum and Dad: Mr and Mrs Alex Duff, Shorehead, Kingskettle, Fife.

So I'm guessing that's where Glams was waiting for her brothers to come home to. They never did, they both died.

Gaffer, does that ring any bells?

SoD

[Loz]

Here's Charles on a genealogy web site ...

http://www.bryan-martin.net/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I14380&tree=gam

By George and all the Saints, there's a news article for him and a picture of him in his uniform ...

http://www.bryan-martin.net/genealogy/showmedia.php?mediaID=727&medialinkID=791

http://www.bryan-martin.net/genealogy/showmedia.php?mediaID=1069&medialinkID=1399&tngpage=3

SoD

[Loz]

In the 1911 census in Scotland there's no Jean Duff (Glams) living in the house with Charles and Henry yet ...

http://www.bryan-martin.net/genealogy/showmedia.php?mediaID=2918&medialinkID=2422

So we need to check the next census in 1921 for the same house to see if the family Duff was still living there. If Jean Duff is on the list then that's it confirmed and I've remembered Glams's words correctly, her step-brothers really were Charles and Henry of the Scots Greys and Black Watch, who fell in Flanders.

Unfortunately the census is closed for 100 years, so we'll have to wait until next year, 2021, to find out! ...

https://www.nls.uk/family-history/census-records#:~:text=Census%20records%20are%20closed%20for,is%20an%20index%20of%20names.

SoD

[David Duff]

Excellent work, SoD, perhaps you could find out who the hell my Dad was!