WW1 - a Somme Casualty

Dear Blog,

         Last Thursday was the 98^th anniversary of the death of one of Godiva Harriers in WW1. I thought you might like to read about him.

 A Synopsis from part of ‘The History of Coventry Godiva Harriers and other clubs in the city during the last 140 years’ detailing one of the club members who lost his life in the Great War.

If I should die, think only this of me:

That there’s some corner of a foreign field

That is forever England. There shall be

In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;

A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,

Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,

A body of England’s, breathing English air,

Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,

A pulse in the Eternal mind, no less

Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given,

Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;

And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,

In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

It goes without saying that WW1 impinged on all facets of life in Coventry just as it did in every other part of the United Kingdom. All sections of society were affected during the four years of conflict not least amongst some of the local sports clubs whose members were called to the colours to serve their country and made the ultimate sacrifice. Several Godiva members never returned to the city. It might seem appropriate in this anniversary year of the commencement of hostilities in the Great War that we remember one of the Coventry Godiva Harriers club’s members.

As the war dragged on into its second and third years, conscription was introduced. With insufficient numbers of bachelors, a Military Service Bill was introduced in January 1916 and was passed in March, providing for the conscription of single men aged 18–41; in May conscription was extended to married men. And later that year married man Charley Davenport was conscripted into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

Men who were due to be called up for military service were able to appeal against their conscription; they or their employers could appeal to a local Military Service Tribunal in their town or district, one such existed in Coventry. These appeals could be made on the grounds of work of national importance. We are therefore left with the conundrum of why one particular Godiva Harrier enlisted when he worked as a miner, one of the classification of workers who could successfully appeal to the Military Service Tribunal as mining was one the industries which gave exemption, as the supplying of coal from the mines was considered to be employment which was of national importance ^[1]. On the other hand, if he joined the colours in anticipation of adventure, the question has to be asked as to why he did not enlist in the first flush of national enthusiasm in 1914 instead of waiting two years, by which time the brutal reality of war was apparent for all to see as local casualty lists grew and were well publicised in the Coventry Graphic ^[2] amongst other local news sheets. The suspicion might be that he was conscripted for his mining expertise to help facilitate the building of deep tunnels built under the German lines to enable large scale explosions to take place to break the stalemate which existed on the Western Front. ^[2a] However, a contra argument would discount this speculation as the ‘Warwickshires’ was a regiment not known for being involved in such activities.

Although a local appeals panel existed to consider cases brought by potential conscripts, increasing pressure from the military meant that repeated appearances before a panel seemed to lead to the previous successful exemptions to military service being superseded.  It is ironic that one future local international athlete only took up the sport after he had been put in uniform! He was conscripted following two successful appeals for exemption, his third being declined and he was assigned to the colours as a machine gunner, serving his first posting in India, being de-mobbed in 1919. His appeal was based on the fact that his father was a farmer too infirm to run the farm efficiently, depending on his son for management. The newspaper reports of his final appearance contains no information as to why there was a change of heart, given that the country still was dependent on home food production. The fact that America had entered the war and the success in transatlantic shipping was improved by their involvement. This particular athlete may have survived the carnage, but other runners were not so lucky. As mentioned, one such was Godiva’s Charlie Davenport. He joined the Harriers in 1909 and soon became a successful runner over the country.

Perhaps more unusual from the perspective of athletic history was the fact that he competed in road races in the summer rather than following the usual practice of participating in the plethora of local handicap track races ^[3] at the various, fete, flower, horticultural or agricultural shows around Coventry and the Warwickshire County where rich pickings in prizes could be had by a competent club athlete. Although road racing might be highly popular activity in the modern era, road racing as we now know it, hardly existed in the first decade of the 20^th century. 1903 saw a boom in road races for walking competitors, mostly long distance^[4] but road running was slow to follow suit; most races were termed ‘marathons’ although the distance now established at 26 miles 385 yards was not recognised until the early 1920s, despite it being used for the first time in the 1908 Olympic Games in London. Charlie Davenport had the sobriquet ‘marathon’ runner’^[5] attached to many newspaper reports referring to him racing; but the only road racing results, as yet,  which has been found is the 6^th placing in the 1915 Polytechnic marathon. To highlight the cruelty of war and the contrasting fortunes, Davenport joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment about six months after the Godiva Harriers club secretary; Davenport lost his life, the club secretary won the Military Cross.

When Godiva had another of its periodic financial crises in the first decade of the 20^th century, local industrial cum philanthropist, Siegfried Bettmann ^[5a], joint founder with Moritz Schulte of the Triumph bicycle / motor bike / car company, baled them out. Besides a cash donation which he stipulated had to be matched by members’ contributions, he gave a silver trophy for annual competition amongst Godiva runners during the winter months.

The Annie Bettmann Cup ^[6] which is still competed for annually, was given to the member who achieved the highest number of points in a series of designated handicap races^[7] during the winter months. The first placed runner in a particular race was given 7 points; second 6 points etc. with each competitor gaining one point for participating. The winner at the end of the season was awarded a substantial solid gold club medal, suitably engraved, and a set of postcard copies^[8] of the large photographic portrait taken of each of the individual winner^[9] which was to be displayed in the club headquarters, which ever pub that happened to be at a particular time! Each handicap which took place during the winter and formed part of the Bettmann competition was sponsored by one of the great and good of the city, no doubt at the behest of Bettmann and Schulte^[10] .                  

                                                                                                                                                                                   Charlie Davenport won the Annie Bettmann Cup in the 1910/11 cross country season, which meant he was the second club member to win the Trophy. He beat the club handicapper the following season to retain the cup, a feat repeated only once since when Alan Dowall won in successive seasons beginning in 1959/60. And of course, Davenport was able to pick up various prizes in each of the handicaps during the winter – not only in his Bettmann winning season, but in other races during his five year running career.

Besides the race results in which Davenport featured in the prewar years, from his distinctive facial features, he can always be spotted in the frequent club group photographs taken at that time. One possible theory advanced as to the reason for the frequency of photos appearing in ‘The Coventry Graphic’ was to ameliorate members at a time as not many of the few championships which existed, were actually entered by the club. Besides not entering any / many championship races, few inter-club competitions took place and there were no ‘open’ cross country races to take part in so competitive activities were held almost exclusively within the confines of the club. Interestingly, one series of ‘inter club’ type races did take place during the first few month after war was declared. Coventry was a town with a military barracks ^[11], and was used as a staging post for various regiments on their way to the front lines. The newly elected club secretary at the time was a well organised forceful personality who showed signs of placing positive ambition within the ranks of the members which had been lacking for some time; any member wanting success resigning in favour of Birchfield, Walthamstow or Small Heath Harriers. He arranged for cross country races to take place against the visiting regiments, the Royal Munster Fusiliers (Feb 1915) and the South Wales Borderers before they left the country for the slaughter which awaited them in the Dardanelles. These fixtures were run from the Butts in the Spon End area of the city with a social and concert to take place later in the evening when race presentations were made ^[12].

On one occasions for reasons which are not clear, a race consisted of multiple laps which were run almost entirely within the confines of the Butts, the cricket field and the nearby park. And of course, Davenport featured in these races against, it must be admitted, not very good opposition.

It is worth quoting a passage sent to me about an attack by Davenport’s battalion in which he was killed. “… after completing their [6 weeks] training, [the battalion] had gone into the trenches at Fauquissart before Laventie, where on July 19^th, 1916, the 2/6^th and the 2/7^th took part in an extensive attack, which penetrated deeply into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted severe loss. In the 6^th the attacking companies at once came under heavy shellfire, with the result that all the offices were killed or wounded, nevertheless the men held on and two platoons reached the enemy’s parapet; but the attack being unable to make progress at this point was eventually abandoned. The conduct of all under the most trying conditions had been excellent.  … the casualties in the 2/7^th [Davenport’s] were even greater, over 300 killed”. The German’s had shifted some of their troops up to the Somme to give added strength to the defenses there. British intelligence knew of this degree of troop movement and the British Command thought that the weakened front offered a chance to attack a weakened German defensive line. It was little comfort to anyone when Haig described the enterprise, which was a total disaster, as “a gallant effort”. He went on to say that the attack “… had by no means been in vain; it had accomplished its purpose, which was to impress on the enemy the risk he would run, if, in order to reinforce the Somme front, he weakened his line elsewhere.” I am sure the remnants of the fruitless British attack were greatly comforted by the reassuring words. Davenport was seriously injured and died five weeks later from his wounds. He, like his namesake, lies in Loos Memorial Cemetery.

It is unfortunate and rather sad that no commemorative plaque is dedicated to Charlie Davenport in the Coventry War Memorial Park, where many other local casualties are so remembered. He does however appear on the list of fallen inside the foyer of the Information Centre.

Ref [1]: The number continued to decline towards 40,000 a month, as essential men were needed for war work and the poor health of many others remained, even as the requirements of man power were progressively reduced. A very large number of men appealed: by the end of June 1916, 748,587 men had appealed to tribunals. Over the same period around 770,000 men joined the army. Most men were given some kind of exemption, usually temporary (between a few weeks and six months) or conditional on their situation at work or home remaining serious enough to warrant their retention at home. In October 1.12 million men nationally held tribunal exemption or had cases pending; by May 1917 this had fallen to 780,000 exempt and 110,000 pending. At this point there were also 1.8 million men with exemptions granted by the government (for example, those working in war industries); if these exemptions are combined, they covered more men than were serving overseas with the British Army.

Ref [2]:- The Coventry Graphic began life as a locally produced sports paper founded by a Godiva member under the banner of ‘The Coventry Reporter’ in the 1880s; a sporting pink [or sporting green] of the time! The title metamorphosed several times until it became the Graphic in 1908.

Ref [2a]:- Charlie Davenport joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment ^[13] in 1916. After a century it might now seem strange that, as a coal miner, he was not relocated to a regiment / battalion concerned with the deep tunneling under enemy lines; the burrows were built to house huge quantities of explosives charged to cause widespread devastation to the German front lines. A similar observation might be made about his non assignment to a cycling battalion, coming from a city renowned for its cycling industry, the Pioneer Cycling Company being one local firm selling huge quantities of bikes to the military. The Cyclist Memorial in Meriden which commemorates fallen cyclists in the Great War is testament to cycling in WW1 and is the focus of an annual Service of Remembrance. The centre of England monument was initially conceived as a memorial to cyclists who were on active duty as cycling soldiers rather than soldiers who had a hobby of cycling in civilian life. It has to be remembered that transportation of goods, supplies and weaponry was nearly all done with horse power a century ago. Hundreds of thousands of horses were a requirement of warfare before the use of the internal combustion engine was widely available; when a horse was killed, as they were in their many thousands, a replacement was required. The horses were lost in large numbers because of the atrocious muddy conditions which prevailed in or near the front lines or on the supply routes. And a horse is an easy large target for a gunner to hit. It was realised in the Boer War that soldiers on bicycles would free up more horses for mundane labouring work and large orders were placed with Coventry bicycle factories. A stream of patents was consequently taken out to improve the efficiency of the bike to cope with the demands of warfare. And in the arid conditions of South Africa, regiments of bicyclists could be rapidly deployed as a fast response force. As a consequence of this, it was thought by the military thinkers at the time of WW1 that a similar use of the bicycle could be used in the various theatres of war in Europe and specifically dedicated battalions of cyclists within certain regiments were formed. The muddled thinking of the time did not seem to realise that the underfoot conditions and weather in Europe was vastly different from that in South Africa.

Ref [2b]:-  For very many years it was widely believed that the Coventry Godiva Harriers was founded in 1870. This date appeared on letter headings, membership forms and medals besides being quoted in many books on athletic history such as the AAA Centenary, the History of ECCU and features in magazines such as ‘Athletics Weekly’.

Ref [3]:- A handicap race in the summer took place invariable on a temporary grass track marked out specifically for a ‘sports’. Usual to squeeze the track into the confines of a agricultural field or similar, the track would be measure about 300 yards, the minimum oval which would allow a 100 yard straight to be accommodated in the centre of the arena. The classier events might have the 100 yards demarked by tape [string] strung between small metal stakes [about a foot] running the length on the straight; there would be no lanes on the oval grass track. There would be multiple starting lines for the 100 yards and cards pinned to small wooden stakes around the oval. These were to facilitate the ‘ handicap marks’ given to the athletes, each runner starting a different point, the allowance giving some indication of the ability of the runner, the slower ones being given a generous allowance on the back marker or scratch man. The meeting handicapper tried to equate the abilities of each athlete from past performances, trying to ensure all the field crossed the finishing mustard at the same time, thereby providing the paying public with an exciting race. Most sports had only running and cycle events, the cycle races being similarly handicapped as the runners were, the difference being that the cyclist operated under the National Cycle Union rules, the athletes under the Amateur Athletic Association regulations, each sport having its own list of official handicappers.

Ref [4]:- Coventry to Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield to Birmingham, Birmingham to Leicester, Northampton to Leicester, Birmingham to Nottingham.

Ref [5]:- A ‘marathon’ in the early years of the 20^th century was a term given to any distance race, usually but not exclusively, over 10 miles. The distance of 26 miles 385 as we now know was fixed in the early years of the 1920s despite this distance first being covered in 1908 at the London Olympic Games. Another Coventry athlete in the army, ran a 14 mile ‘marathon’ just after the WW1 hostilities ended.

Ref [5a]:- He also incorporated Godiva members into the novel medical scheme he operated for his employees.

Ref [6]:- The cup was dedicated to his wife.

Ref [7]:- The arrangements for cross country handicap was different to the system operated on the track. Handicaps took on two forms. A yacht handicap was a race in which all runners set off together but none of them knew what allowance the handicapper had given them. It was only after the race had finished that the handicap time was made known and the result of the handicapper adjusted the actual finishing time for the runners according to the handicap time he had given them. For example if a particular runner had been allocated an allowance of 2 minutes say and finished with a time of 30 minutes and 24 seconds, his handicap time would be 28 mins and 24 seconds which would be used to find the race finishing order. It was from this list that determined the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prizes. The actual winner [the fastest man] was also given an award. The other handicap was arranged so that each athlete was given a time allowance to reflect his ability. The slowest man was sent off first, the second slowest next and so on until the fastest man was dispatched with all the other runners already scattered around the course. 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prizes were given to the first three to cross the finish line, a prize also awarded to the man with the fastest time.

Ref [8]:- All portraits, group and race photographs at this time were taken by Charles Winterbourne who came to the midlands from Lewes in Sussex, first living in Birmingham and joining Birchfield harriers before moving to Coventry and joining Godiva.

Ref [9]: With the exception of two portraits, all the originals have been lost. Luckily in the late 1960s when it was suspected that our centenary was imminent⁶, some unknown member had copies made, most of which have survived.

Ref [10]:- More circumspect than Bettmann, Schulte was as equally philanthropic, his main sporting interest lying with cricket.

Ref [11]:- Reasons for this are discussed in ‘The History of Coventry Godiva Harriers and other clubs in the city during the last 140 years’. Although there was a military barracks in the city where the aptly named Barracks car park is now situated, many visiting soldiers were billeted in the houses of the city folk.

Ref [12]:- The Hen and Chicken pub was favoured to the closer, Albany, as the latter was utilised as the headquarters of the Coventry Branch of Small Heath Harriers, a nearby close rival from Birmingham who employed the tactic of setting up ‘branch’ clubs to poach athletes from other clubs!! Birchfield Harriers, another Birmingham club, did the same.

Ref [13]:- Care should be taken as a ‘Charles Davenport’[private 3858] – the Godiva Harrier - and a ‘Henry Charles Davenport’ [Lance Corporal 3492], both from Coventry, joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment within a week of each other and both died in the same battle in July/August 1916. They were in the same 2/7^th battalion. Both are buried at the Loos Memorial. Unfortunately some local press reports get the exploits of the two men muddled. It seems that the initial mistake was never corrected and subsequent reports merely made matters worse, each article probably relying solely on the previous one for its facts.

                                                 Colin

Disable athletic sprinter

Dear Blog,

                  Did you see any of the I.P.C., International Paralympic Competition on the television set on Sunday afternoon? Two observations ….(1) it was somewhat insulting to tack the races at the end of the Birmingham Games at the Alexandre Stadium like an afterthought, just  going through the motions of political correctness. We don’t really want them cluttering up the track but it looks good in the pre meet publicity?? (2) The insulting way in which most of the crowd got up and went home at the end of the able body races, a situation which could have been resolved if the disable events had been part of the main  programme … the crowd then would have been forced to witness how talented the disable athletes are. Of course, the irony of all those people leaving early is that they all missed some of the most exciting finishes of the afternoon. And I am also biased because I have a disable grandson.

                  An interesting start of one of the disable sprint races .. unfortunately I have been unable to find you a picture of the specific start to which I am referring, sorry Blog … involved a young lady on the inside lane of a ‘200’ I think. She adopted a starting stance with one hand held high behind her semi crouch position instead of the usual two handed crouch start; I assume this was because of her particular disability, although I do not know for sure. Any way ….. last year, Wilf Paish, the well-known coach died. I have known Wilf since 1963. For about a year before he died we were in a correspondence about the methods of sprint starting. Wilf has written a couple of authoritive books on the mechanics of athletics and I did a few sums at the Pink Panther University many years ago, I found them of interest. The correspondence between the two of us was about my theory that the modern way of a sprint start was very inefficient, and a better dynamical approach was to have a one handed support on the track with the body in a typical crouch position but with the other arm (the one opposite the lead leg)  raised to the rear of the athlete … almost identical to the one the young disable sprint athlete was using on Sunday. Of course Wilf died before we could do much actual trial work to resolve the theory, but it makes you wonder. I would certainly like to try to see what would happen with a group of sprinters with their coach to give the idea a trial!! Up for it Blog???

                                                   Colin

Calor gas cum Flogas revisited

Photograph:- More Allesley scarecrows Blog (nearly finished!!) On the left, I think is my best effort Blog. It reads ‘The last of this summer’s wine.’

Dear Blog,

   I have been banging on about, the Calor Gas / Flogas suppliers in the last couple of weeks. Well, purely coincidentally, (Blog, I kid you not) during my campervan experience this week, the gas supply ran out and of course, it needed replacing so I could have my nice cups of Yorkshire Tea. The bottle containing the gas slipped nicely into a small purpose build cupboard at the back of the van. It was the first time, since my younger daughter bought the campervan eighteen months ago, that the gas bottle needed replacing.

Fact:- the bottle was a 6kg size, from the Flogas company.

Problem:- Finding a depot that sold Flogas ….. rather a difficult task, Blog, I kid you not. Many miles (kilometres to you Blog) of stop and search, a supplier was found. And Problem:- ‘No sir we do not have a 6kg bottle of Flogas, but we have  7kg bottle of Flogas. I have sold gas for 25 years and this is the first time anyone has come in to the depot to ask for a 6kg bottle of Flogas. [and then the understatement of the year considering his last statement] There is not much demand for them’!!! Another Problem:- ‘The 7kg bottle has a different connection system from the 6kg bottle so you will need an adaptor’ he told me. More quids but O.K. , it would always be useful I thought. He assured me there would be no problem fitting the adaptor …. I had travelled around the countryside by car as the van was no fun to drive on the very narrow country lane where I was camping. So I would have to check his assurance when I got back to the van. Anyways, a little drive around in circles kept the grandkids happy. It was a family break without younger daughter. And Problem Plus :- Back at the van, have bottle, have adaptor, have supply pipe in the small cupboard at the back of the van, and ne’er the twain shall meet. Well prim actually. So thank you to the cakesman Mr Kipling for that.

The happy ending Blog, was that I got all my quids back when the bottle plus the adaptor was returned to the supplier, and, as a bonus, I got my cup of Yorkshire Tea despite having not a whiff of gas because I always carry a Trangia with me for just such an emergency. Being so prepared, I really should have been a Boy Scout as a youngster.

As an after thought Blog. From my last couple of letters to you about gassing, I should not have been surprised how the events unfolded. But, you have to wonder if these companies really think about what they are selling …. Two systems for small bottles of gas …??????? Beggars belief. To kill two birds with one stone (6.35kg to you Blog) I may have to stick to methylated spirits in future. At least it will cut down on my wine bill.

                                  Colin

P.S. Shall I repeat this experience with Calor Gas Blog to see what happens??? No way Jose! B ut it could be the introduction to a popular song

Music maestro please ….

“You say calor gag and I say coal gas.

You  say propane and I say butane.

Propane, butane, propane butane,

Search for a bottle in vain

Lets call the whole thing ……” Sorry Blog. It’s been a long hard week.

The God, the Bad and the ....

Photograph:- (inside the church … see below)

Dear Blog,

    Sorry for the silence, have only just returned from another sojourn in the countryside in my younger daughter’s campervan, which she kindly loaned me … sorry Blog, but I still prefer the canvas topping.

On my last letter’s theme ….. Would you believe I have shaken the hand of a murderer and kidnapper??? I might have told you before??? And he gave me a lift in his car. Safe to say he is banged up never to be released. Gives you the willies though, doesn’t it?? And there was me thinking he was a nice bloke!  And while you are scratching your head about that little puzzle about who he is, which International churchman said to me … “Excuse me, may I come into the church?” Who was I to refuse, I ask you Blog. So I stepped to one side and he popped into the church (see picture!)

                                      Colin

Hitler

Photograph:-

Dear Blog,

                I shook the hand of a man who shook the hand of Adolf Hitler. Blog, I kid you not. Who was he??

                                        Colin

Flogas - Calor Gas

Photo no 223:- surely not another scarecrow from the Allesley Village Festival I hear you say. Now next week I will have another set of photos of the Lane outside the Mansion, so it is worth keeping this to the fore front of your brain recall facilities, Blog.

Dear Blog,

               Following all the feedback you sent me after I wrote to you about Calor Gas and Flogas just over a week ago, and the comments yesterday by Mr Cameroon’s Energetic Minister in one of the broadsheet newspapers, the exciting news is that I have devised a new game for adults. It has a working title of ‘It’s a Gas, Gas, Gas!!’  It’s for adults only. Already a couple of the large games companies have shown not the slightest interest. But I am not expecting the other companies to get in touch any time now.

The beauty of the game is that it is for any number of players. It is one you can construct for yourself Blog, with the minimum amount of effort, equipment and preparation. The commercial version will be just a tarted up version and printed to make it look something it isn’t. Like a toothless tiger with a set of National Health dentures.

So …

You need a pack of six plain cards and on each one write one of the following:- ‘Mains Gas’   ‘Wood Burner’   ‘Oil Tank’   Coal Fire’   Electricity Supply’, and  ‘A mixture of supplies’. Shuffle the cards and place them face down on the table in front of all the players. All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The order of play is decided by whatever method the players agree upon, but once agreement on the method is reach, each players has a glass of wine, red or white..

The first player takes a card, looks at it, keeps it at his side face down (her side if it is a lady who is playing) and reshuffles the remaining cards, returning the pile of cards face down on the table in front of all the players.

The first player then makes 4 telephone calls. The player rings up the Calor Gas Company stating to the person answering the phone that he is using [the form of energy supply he read on the playing card] and he is giving serious consideration to changing to propane gas for his energy use in the near future. Could Calor Gas quote a price for a unit of gas and quote a price for the hire of the gas tank. A note of both prices is made by the player.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The second telephone the first player makes is to the Flogas Company stating to the person answering the phone that he is using [the form of energy he read on the playing card] and he is giving serious consideration to changing to propane for his energy use in the near future. Could Flogas quote a price for a unit of gas and quote a price for the hire of the gas tank. A note of both prices is made by the player.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The third telephone call is to Calor Gas. This time the first player tells the person from the Calor Gas Company who is answering the phone that at present he uses Flogas and wants to find out what prices Calor Gas will quote if he switches supplier. And what would be the cost or a new tank? He makes a note of the quoted prices and remembers that Calor Gas will purchase the tank off Flogas so that will be zero cost if he changes to Calor.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The fourth telephone call is to Flogas. This time the first player tells the person from the Flogas Company who is answering the phone that at present he uses Calor Gas and wants to find out what prices Flogas will quote if he switches supplier. And what would be the cost or a new tank? He makes a note of the quoted prices and remembers that Flogas will purchase the tank off Calor Gas so that will be zero cost if he changes to Flogas.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The second player now selects a card from the deck, looks at it, keeps it at his side face down (her side if it is a lady playing) and reshuffles the remaining cards, returning the pile of cards face down on the table in front of all the players.

The second player then makes 4 telephone calls. The player rings up the Calor Gas Company stating to the person answering the phone that he is using [the form of energy he read on the playing card] and he is giving serious consideration to changing to propane for his energy use in the very near future. Could Calor Gas quote a price for a unit of gas and quote a price for the hire of the gas tank. A note of both prices is made by the player.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The second telephone the second player makes is to the Flogas Company stating to the person answering the phone that he is using [the form of energy he read on the playing card] and he is giving serious consideration to changing to propane for his energy use in the near future. Could Flogas quote a price for a unit of gas and quote a price for the hire of the gas tank. A note of both prices is made by the player.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The third telephone call is to Calor Gas. This time the second player tells the person from the Calor Gas Company who is answering the phone that at present he uses Flogas and wants to find out what prices Calor Gas will quote if he switches supplier. And what would be the cost or a new tank? He makes a note of the quoted prices and remembers that Calor Gas will purchase the tank off Flogas so that will be zero cost if he changes to Calor.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The fourth telephone call is to Flogas. This time the second player tells the person from the Flogas Company who is answering the phone that at present he uses Calor Gas and wants to find out what prices Flogas will quote if he switches supplier. And what would be the cost or a new tank? He makes a note of the quoted prices and remembers that Flogas will purchase the tank off Calor Gas so that will be zero cost if he changes to Flogas.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The third player now selects a card from the deck, looks at it, keeps it at his side face down (her side if it is a lady playing) and reshuffles the remaining cards, returning the pile of cards face down on the table in front of all the players.

The third player then makes 4 telephone calls. The player rings up the Calor Gas Company stating to the person answering the phone that he is using [the form of energy he read on the playing card] and he is giving serious consideration to changing to propane for his energy use in the near future. Could Calor Gas quote a price for a unit of gas and quote a price for the hire of the gas tank. A note of both prices is made by the player.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The second telephone the third player makes is to the Flogas Company stating to the person answering the phone that he is using [the form of energy he read on the playing card] and he is giving serious consideration to changing to propane for his energy use in the very near future. Could Flogas quote a price for a unit of gas and quote a price for the hire of the gas tank? A note of both prices is made by the player.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The third telephone call is to Calor Gas. This time the third player tells the person from the Calor Gas Company who is answering the phone that at present he uses Flogas and wants to find out what prices Calor Gas will quote if he switches supplier. And what would be the cost or a new tank? He makes a note of the quoted prices and remembers that Calor Gas will purchase the tank off Flogas so that will be zero cost if he changes to Calor.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

The fourth telephone call is to Flogas. This time the third player tells the person from the Flogas Company who is answering the phone that at present he uses Calor Gas and wants to find out what prices Flogas will quote if he switches supplier. And what would be the cost or a new tank? He makes a note of the quoted prices and remembers that Flogas will purchase the tank off Calor Gas so that will be zero cost if he changes to Flogas.

All players now have a glass of wine, red or white.

You have now got the idea Blog??? The procedure continues for all six players. If there are more than six players, the cards are collected in, shuffled and the game carriers on in the same routine until everyone has had a turn and the game ends.

All players now compare the prices offered to each player by Calor Gas and Flogas , the winner is the one who can stand up and remain upright without falling over because all the prices are the same … check this out Blog, I kid you not.

The player who comes second is the one who remembers that it is only a game and it is nothing like what might happen in the real world. Absolutely Not with a capital ‘N’.

 Don’t you think that I am simply brilliant Blog???  Or do you think I am simple???? Goes without saying really.

                                 Colin

Bikes. blokes and booze

Photo no 222: As the Allesley Village Festival theme this year was about ‘Countries of the World’ it seemed appropriate that I fly the flag of the country represented by all my scarecrows!!!

Dear Blog,

                  If you remember Blog I started spending all my hard earned pension on stamps so that I could write to you to tell you about my London Marathon Trudge many years ago!!! I trudged round the streets of London to raise some quids for ‘Newlife’  and Tiny  Tims Children’s Centre in Coventry, both charities providing facilities for disable children. I also told you that the charities were chosen by me for the selfish reason that both charities had made life much easier for my disable grandson who has to use a wheelchair.

Well Blog, I am still collecting!!!

Two Fridays ago I was invited to attend a bowling night at a local pub organised by ‘A Coventry Way’ to present a cheque to Tiny Tims Children’s Centre following their successful event last April in which many walkers / runners circumnavigated the city of Coventry on country paths over a distance of forty miles (64 kilometres to you Blog), starting and finishing at the Queen’s Head in Meriden. And yes Blog, my team didn’t win BUT it did come second!!! We woz robbed!!! “My team” refers to the team of bowlers of course, not the team of forty milers!!!!!!

I have given a few talks on ‘Bikes, Blokes and Booze’ to various groups which again raises a few quids for Tiny Tims Children’s Centre. The lectures are very light hearted and based on my tome, ‘The History of Coventry Godiva Harriers and other clubs in the city during the last 140 years’. It is not a boring talk about athletic statistics … and the most satisfying part, apart from the cheque for Tiny Tims Children’s Centre  is when I get the audience laughing!!! If you know of anyone who wants a talk given Blog, let me know and I will trudge along, cost zero … and any expenses given to me for my trouble is passed to the Tiny Tims Children’s Centre!!!

                                             Colin

WW1 Coventry soldier is shot

‘Told lass allus teks mi ome after a ard days tripe pickin’   …to go with my last message to you!

Dearest Blog,

                   With all this commemorative stuff about WW1, it is about time that I got in on the act, methinks. So…. I am preparing details of the short life and times of a Godiva Harrier who had hardly time to set foot on French soil before he was shot … and another one who ended up in India!!! Watch this space!!!!

                           Colin

Tripe

Deja vu squared Blog,

       Surely not even more treats for you Blog, and ever more laughs? …. Yes more scarecrows to tell more of your friends about. And guess what??? These didn’t come first in the Allesley Village Fete three weeks ago either. They didn’t come second nor did they come third. AND they didn’t even get an honourable mention in the village parish newsletter nor the local or national newspapers. This despite that at least more than 400 people in cars, on bikes and on foot visited for a viewing on one single day alone. Blog, I kid you not when I tell you there were some angry motorists who were held up in the country lane outside my mansion by the crowd blocking the lane!!!!!

                                             Colin

An ideal marriage

Deja vu Blog,

       Is this August 1^st or is it August 1^st??? No, no no Blog, it is the 5^th so without further ado do do ….

 What another treat for you Blog, what more laughs? …. A couple more scarecrows to tell more of your friends about. Note that these didn’t come first in the Allesley Village Fete three weeks ago either. They didn’t come second nor did they come third. AND they didn’t even get an honourable mention in the village parish newsletter. This despite a request that they be left out for a further few days after the end of the Allesley Festival so that a couple of hiking club leaders could bring their respective members round for a giggle. Blog, I kid you not!!!!

I must mention Blog that I have had THE most stressful day EVER. My younger daughter has gone away on holiday. My elder daughter went away with her family two days ago which of course means that I am left alone with my wife in the Mansion. HELP Blog. Yesterday was the first day by ourselves. Question for you Blog …. What do I talk to her about???? After forty two years of marriage I have said all I want to say years ago. The silence is most embarrassing. So just what do I say????

I tried to engage her in conversation at breakfast yesterday, starting as I mean to go on BUT ……. Trying to be topical, I asked her what she thought should be done about the problems with Gaza. She said that he ought to give up drink and go on the wagon. ‘Israel’ I said pointedly. She replied that she agreed with me and that going on the wagon is the real thing to do.

I changed tack and asked her about the Sunni and Shia complications. She said that she thought it was a real tragedy of huge proportions. She continued that after their big hit record of ‘I got you Babe’, their splitting up was outrageous. Still Cher’s solo albums and then her acting in films was an interesting outcome she added.

Another 8 days Blog. HELP, HELP.

And what is so unexpected for me is that she talks and talks and talks; after forty three years of marriage I had never really noticed ….. but that’s the only hope I have got, the only saving grace, the single straw which I can clutch. As we were starting the washing up (I promised both my daughters that I would help around the house; I must say that it’s a lovely kitchen we have got and the sink is so smart with both hot and cold taps, and the cooker. Well. I have never seen so many burners and all those ovens. Shocked I was. I daren’t ask my wife what they were all for as she was in full verbal diarrhoea and it seemed such a shame to stop her as I would have felt obliged to say something. But what Blog?  After forty four years of marriage I have said all I want to say years ago.) Just as I was about to ask where the tea towels were kept, she suddenly stopped talking to take a breath. I panicked. This is it I thought. She is expecting a reply. After forty five years of marriage I have said all I want to say years ago and now I don’t listen while she is rattling on; quite happy with the sound of her own voice she is, she doesn’t want me disturbing the flow. But she had stopped. I felt myself blushing with embarrassment. THEN I was saved. She went into a coughing fit and I didn’t have to join in the conversation. She coughed an awful lot and looked quite distressed. I must confess for a moment Blog, I thought I might have to do the washing up AND the wiping of the dishes. But of course it was not necessary as I could have left the dishes to drain. I must say that I am quite good in an emergency like the coughing fit she was having when I have to think on my feet and find a solution, like letting the dishes dry themselves.

After a couple more minutes of coughing she was going a funny colour and I was beginning to think she was beginning to milk the situation so that I would enter into verbal intercourse with her. Then much to my great relief she stopped her coughing fit and resumed her normal breathing pattern. Phew. I was so thankful that I had to make myself a drink of coffee and have a sit down. I thought it best not to make my wife a coffee as I felt the coffee grounds might set her off choking again and I certainly didn’t want that. No way Jose!!!

I must report Blog that after the excitement and drama, the rest of the day was a bit of a blurrrrrrrr. Suffice to say that I got through somehow or other; and now I have to start all over again .. today is a new day, a new beginning. After forty six years of marriage I have said all I want to say years ago. So come on Eileen or you Blog. Giv us a clue. To say or not to say what, is the question.

                                             Colin

Calor Gas - Flogas

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no 220.

Question:-  Thought you might like another nice photo of the unveiling of Joe West’s statue. Who are the others in the picture I hear you ask Blog?

Dear Blog,

                It is good to moan. Relieves the frustration and gives the feeling that something has been achieved; whereas nothing really happens and no one either listens to the moans or takes any notice of the moans …. mainly because no one listens to the moans.

               A moan in point. Yawn. That nice Mr. Cameroon and one of his energetic mates, Mr. Yohoho, have started banging on about energy prices again, presumably because it is a quiet news day, Parliament is down and they don’t want to commit to anything that the media will latch onto and demand questions. Yawn. Everyone is urged to shop around, change suppliers etc.. Privatisation was to stimulate competition and bring down prices. Double Yawn. Well now. Yawn. For those of us who have piles in the country, mansion not connected to local services, [no sewerage as one example] we have to rely on L.P.G. gas. Yawn. Shop around indeed??? With only two suppliers of that product, there does not appear to be many places to shop Mr. Cameroon. Now I would not be so bold as to suggest that Calor and Flogas would operate a cartel, but an analysis of prices of both companies over the last 10 years does not seem to suggest to me that much cut throat cut price competition is taking place. Yawn. They have the trapped market well and truly sewn up between them so why rock the boat???? Letters to M.P.s pointing out the situation elicits a big YAWN, if indeed any reply is forth coming. Yawn, yawn, yawn. Nay four times yawn. Mr Cameroon, like the previous occupants of number 10 send only a courteous reply to letters … and the press are certainly not interested in the plight of tanked gas users; presumably on the premise that only fat cats and farmers use the stuff anyway so why bother wasting news print on the issue??? Yawn. Shall I start a petition on Change.com Blog? That would be a wheeze, wouldn’t it???? Methinks I shall consider this???? Colin Yawns and falls off stage right.

                                                    Colin