I realise this is an odd photo but I wanted to upload it ahead of Remembrance Day. I went in The Eagle pub yesterday and took this quick shot in the RAF bar. It's hopeless because it's very dark in there and the famous RAF ceiling is dark brown with the graffiti in darker brown so it's really tricky to read. Hence the jigery pokery with processing. This is just a small part - the RAF and American airmen used to gather here and write their names on the ceiling - the whole room has been preserved for posterity. My old neighbour, Hazel and her mum used to go to a lot of funerals for American airmen during the war - they didn't like to think of them being buried alone and far from home with nobody there. Sometime I'll go in the bar for a drink and take some better shots - I was a bit embarrassed walking in, taking a photo and walking out and I got a lot of suspicious looks.
I never knew this was there Judith & I must surely pay a visit one day to see that. How wonderful that they have preserved all those signatures too !! Would be very interesting to me as my dad was in the RAF. I have just watched 'Bomber Boys' on channel 5 this evening , the unsung heroes of the war & my dad was one of them.
Very interesting ceiling, each name has a story that we will never know but good to remember them tomorrow. Brave of you to go in and take a photo with all those suspicious looks!
I'm pleased you did go in and take the photo though. In the same way that your mum and her friend didn't like to think of the soldiers being buried on their own so far from home, I always feel sad seeing the war graves here. I doubt a 17 year old from Britain ever thought he'd end up buried forever in Ramleh. So sad for the parents.
November 24th, 2011
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