Mark said (in part)
> Join the club...No kits under the tree for me either, but I did
get a
>copy of 'Aces and Kings', the memoirs of L.W. Sutherland (from Aeolus
>Publishing/ Vintage Aviation Library). He was a Brisfit pilot with the
>Australian Flying Corps in Palestine and the Suez during '17 & '18, his
>squadron flying bombing and ground attack missions for, among others,
T.E.
>Lawrence & his Arabs, and General Allenby. Not much of a technical
>reference work, but an entertaining read; sounds kind of like M*A*S*H*
in
>the desert, sans nurses, but with lots of beer. (We all know how those
>Aussies like to have a good time!)
NOTHING wrong with beer, mate !
> On a more serious note, Sutherlands account of the
>bombing/strafing of the Turkish columns retreating from Damascus in Oct.
'18
>('Nine Miles of Dead') is a chilling reminder of the ugly realities of
war -
>it gives the impression that he never did quite get over the hideous job
he
>and his mates had to do.
During a much more recent Middle East altercation (Gulf War) the press
made much of the shattered remains of Saddam Husseins army littering a
roadside asa result of air attack. They mentioned the precedents of WW2
but what came to my mind is the incident you mention. Sutherland was not
the only one to write about it by the way, and as I remember, the others
also felt unhappy about their part in it.
>Finally...speaking of the recent holidays...could one of our Aussie or
>Canuck friends enlighten me as to just what the hell is Boxing Day?
On impeccable authority (my wife, a Kiwi - they have it too) I am told
that traditionally Boxing Day was when apprentices were given their
Christmas bonus, either in money or goods, so the "box" is actually a
gift box, not a clip round the ears.
>Here in the U.S. 12/26 is traditionally observed by going to the mall
and
>exchanging/returning the gifts you received the day before.
And increasingly so here, where tourism is important enough to drive
shops to opening even on traditional holidays. However, sadly, none of my
favourite model shops were open last 26/12 when I desperately HAD to have
a can of Humbrols finest :-(
I must add my wishes to the list, old friends and new, for another happy
year ,
Shane
sdw@qld.mim.com.au
Brisbane Australia