Oh the Burden of History
Bardeau returns across Atlantic
Robert Bard
Wed 29 Aug 2012 10:22
Oh the burden of history. We rounded Cape ST Vincent yesterday afternoon and are nearly off Cape Trafalgar. St Vince was where the Brits roughed up J.Foreigner in 1794. Playing on the winning side in a minor role was a Mr Nelson...more of a half Nelson at that time.
In the hot afternoon sun as I lay tea-shirted and sunglassed in my bean bag under the ship's bimini I felt, sitting there with England's finest firemen a conversion to the love of history had been made.As a professional historian it almost brought tears to my eyes when whilst observing the true magnificence of the Cape two profound comments were uttered by England's finest...comments that made be proud to both be there, and be British. Steve the firemen captured the moment when pointing Nelson-like the ships binocs at the Cape he uttered the immortal words:
'oi Mark,there's a burger stand up there ...yeh...just there...near where the gyppos 'ave moved in....'
The second immortal remark that led me to believe that one day Mark the Fireman would write history amongst the finest, men like Beevor and Starkey was:
'Rob I really luv histr'y ....and one day I'm gonna write a book and call it 'F*****s We have Bombed.'
I lay there in silence not sure what to say.Encourage? Discoiurage? Copyright the title and not tell him?