As usual, I'm at the centre of world events and my thoughts on the referendum in Scotland appeared today in the Westfalenpost. You will note that I express no preference, and restrict myself to speculating on the effect on my region if Scotland becomes independent.
Article in Westfalen post
Thursday 18 September 2014
Sunday 7 September 2014
Celebrating 70 years since St Pol was liberated from the Nazis
Hebweb has an article about Hebden Royd's visit to our twin town, St Pol sur Ternoise, which highlights the role of a soldier from Hebden Bridge had in its liberation seventy years ago and the excellent oil painting that St Pol presented to Hebden Royd on our last visit in May commemorating the moment when British troops entered the town.
Hebweb article
The article was written and posted before we went to St Pol, so I should mention some of the things we did when we were there from 2 - 4 September.
This included a visit to Siracourt, a village near to St Pol, which includes the remnants of a wartime V1 bunker, that I was encouraged to clamber over with former mayors Cllrs Boggis and Dixon. The Allies dropped more bombs on this little village than anywhere else in Europe and, as a result, no V1s (the forerunner of drones) were launched at England from the site before its destruction. Walking over it was a very sombre experience, particularly as the bombing killed many of the Soviet slave labourers who built the facility and one could still see impressions of their boots in the concrete.
After the war, the village was reconstructed in a beautiful contemporary style. Its Catholic church, in particular, is a remarkable and very beautiful space, that demonstrates what can be done with wood and concrete and a good imagination working on a human scale. The wooden roof of the church arches inwards like a boat, towards a multi-coloured stained glass arch behind the alter. On either side, statues from the obliterated medieval church have been fixed to the wall. The curved skeleton of the church is constructed out of concrete and looks - though this may sound paradoxical - very attractive. The mayor's office is behind the local school, which educates 7 and 8 year olds, who then move on to other premises in a nearby village.
At the ceremony in St Pol's Salle de Fete that night, Hebden Royd was presented with a detailed DVD recounting St Pol's war experiences. This included a description of the heavy bombing of St Pol by the RAF in 1943, which resulted in substantial loss of civilian life. It was good and right to be liberated from the Nazis but the cost in terms of innocent people was high. I think I speak on behalf of the whole council in saying that the DVD is a remarkable historical record and the product of very thorough and painstaking local research.
I also had the great honour of being introduced to a member of the French resistance from St Pol. There was a translator handy, so I was able to convey the deep admiration that I have for his bravery.
During the day, I laid three wreaths on behalf of Hebden Royd: one for those who died in the fighting at the beginning and end of the war, one for those in the town who were killed by the allied bombing and finally one commemorating the railway workers who died during the war. Needless to say, I was, and continue to be, very moved by the visit.
Hebweb article
The article was written and posted before we went to St Pol, so I should mention some of the things we did when we were there from 2 - 4 September.
This included a visit to Siracourt, a village near to St Pol, which includes the remnants of a wartime V1 bunker, that I was encouraged to clamber over with former mayors Cllrs Boggis and Dixon. The Allies dropped more bombs on this little village than anywhere else in Europe and, as a result, no V1s (the forerunner of drones) were launched at England from the site before its destruction. Walking over it was a very sombre experience, particularly as the bombing killed many of the Soviet slave labourers who built the facility and one could still see impressions of their boots in the concrete.
After the war, the village was reconstructed in a beautiful contemporary style. Its Catholic church, in particular, is a remarkable and very beautiful space, that demonstrates what can be done with wood and concrete and a good imagination working on a human scale. The wooden roof of the church arches inwards like a boat, towards a multi-coloured stained glass arch behind the alter. On either side, statues from the obliterated medieval church have been fixed to the wall. The curved skeleton of the church is constructed out of concrete and looks - though this may sound paradoxical - very attractive. The mayor's office is behind the local school, which educates 7 and 8 year olds, who then move on to other premises in a nearby village.
At the ceremony in St Pol's Salle de Fete that night, Hebden Royd was presented with a detailed DVD recounting St Pol's war experiences. This included a description of the heavy bombing of St Pol by the RAF in 1943, which resulted in substantial loss of civilian life. It was good and right to be liberated from the Nazis but the cost in terms of innocent people was high. I think I speak on behalf of the whole council in saying that the DVD is a remarkable historical record and the product of very thorough and painstaking local research.
I also had the great honour of being introduced to a member of the French resistance from St Pol. There was a translator handy, so I was able to convey the deep admiration that I have for his bravery.
During the day, I laid three wreaths on behalf of Hebden Royd: one for those who died in the fighting at the beginning and end of the war, one for those in the town who were killed by the allied bombing and finally one commemorating the railway workers who died during the war. Needless to say, I was, and continue to be, very moved by the visit.
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