Yesterday I was attempting to catch up with my blog reading. There are a number of boating blogs I’ve followed since we first started seriously thinking about narrow boating in 2009. One of those blogs is Carol and George on Still Rockin’. They managed to find the time to meet us in Perth during their 2019 Australian trip. Still Rockin’ is now for sale <more info here>
I was reminded I’d first met Carol and George when we started the fit-out of Waiouru at Aldermaston Wharf on the Kennet & Avon Canal. I had walked the towpath from Aldermaston to Reading and then the Thames Path upstream to Rivermead Park. At that time Carol and George still had their narrowboat Rock ‘N’ Roll and were moored with Geoff & Mags on Seyella and Sue & Vic on No Problem. I met all of them; except Geoff who had walked to Tesco. George kindly gave me a boat inspection of Rock ‘N’ Roll pointing out some interesting features.
On my return walk to Aldermaston I decide to “cut the corner” rather than walk down to the junction of the Kennet and Avon and the Thames. Turning south at Reading Bridge I headed towards the Oracle Shopping Centre only to discover a park which had to be crossed. That’s when I noticed the large bronze statue of the Lion. Interested, I walked over to read the various plaques on the plinth.
Well the statue was cast iron instead of bronze and I thought to myself “It must weigh a ton!” I had that wrong. According to Wikipedia it weighs 16 tons The original plinth was made from brick and started to crumble under the weight. It was subsequently replaced with granite. Another surprise was the purpose of the statue. It commemorates the 329 officers and soldiers of the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot who were killed in 1880 during the Battle of Maiwand, Afghanistan. Reading is in Berkshire and one assumes many of those killed were local. This battle occurred during the second British-Afghan war and I was struck by the coincident I’d come upon the statue towards the end of the “Third” British-Afghan War.
The Maiwand Lion sits in Forbury Gardens which was sadly reported on the local news this morning as the site of the UK’s most recent terrorist attack.
3 comments :
We used to read several narrow boat blogs too, they were always so interesting. But sadly most of them have fallen by the wayside. Or gone on to making U Tube videos these days.
Jenny I considered converting to a You Tube Vlog but if you live on a boat you're internet access is mobile and that can be expensive. The written word is obviously much cheaper.
Its very unusual for me to watch a video blog. A couple sitting babbling on for 20 minutes about nothing. I would much rather read and see photos.
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