A cold, clear fresh morning greeted me. No wind meant no windchill, which was very nice. Mind you though, the weather is promising a big change with storms coming mid week. I tend not to walk if it’s raining, so we’ll have to see what the week brings.
I’ve finished reading the Gosport Journals. After last week as I say I only had a couple to go. The last leaflet contained a few interesting pieces. I didn’t know that the origins of the St John Ambulance Service goes back to the hospital of St John of Jerusalem, with the Order of St John beginning in A.D. 1100. It appears that there is still a branch of St Johns that services both Fareham and Gosport.
Then there is the event that has been labelled Gosport’s Finest hour, that being the visit of King Louis Philippe of France on Tuesday, 8 October 1844. Apparently, the pageantry was absolutely splendid.
Until my arrival in the area, I never knew of the role that Gosport had in the formation of the Royal Air Force. In the 14/18 war, Major Robert Smith-Barry identified the lack of appropriate training given to the pilots of the Royal Flying Corps, and introduced training methods that are still appropriate today, based upon how to get out of a situation, rather that how to avoid getting in to them.
I want to bring my readings of the Gosport Journals to an end by saying how much I have enjoyed reading them. They have certainly given me food for thought. My next book, is more of a pamphlet really; the earlier fortifications of Gosport. Looking forward to that.
