Hannay

Until I reached my teen years, I really wasn't one for reading fiction. Then, thanks to a Canadian-born English teacher, I 'discovered' C S Forester, and I began to appreciate a good story in book format!

(By the way, the book that he made us read was THE SHIP, which was Forester's fictionalised account of the Battle of Sirte, and which featured as its main characters the crew of the cruiser HMS Artemis.)

I happened to mention my enjoyment of Forester's books to a librarian ... and they suggested that I ought to try several other authors, including Rudyard Kipling and John Buchan. I followed this advice ... and I was soon hooked! In particular, I enjoyed the latter author's stories that featured Richard Hannay, later Major-General Sir Richard Hannay KCB DSO OBE and his cronies:

• Mary Lamington, later Lady Mary Hannay
• Ludovic 'Sandy' Gustavus Arbuthnot, later 16th Lord Clanroyden
• Barbara, Lady Clanroyden
• Sir Archie Roylance
• Janet, Lady Roylance
• John Scantlebury Blenkiron
• Peter Pienaar

I began with THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS, which I had seen on film in two versions:

• Alfred Hitchcocks 1935 version, which starred Robert Donat.
• Ralph Thomas' 1959 version, which starred Kenneth More.

However, the film version of the story that - in my opinion - keeps closest to the original story, is the 1978 version, which starred Robert Powell.

Robert Powell as Richard Hannay.

Not only that, but it proved so popular that it resulted in a spin-off television series that was simply named Hannay.

By coincidence, the latter is currently being televised by the Talking Pictures TV Freeview channel, and I have been watching them. There are two series and the episodes are as follows:

• Series 1
• The Fellowship of the Black Stone
• A Point of Honour 
• Voyage into Fear
• Death With Due Notice
• Act of Riot
• The Hazard of the Die
• Series 2
• Coup de Grace
• The Terrors of the Earth
• Double Jeopardy
• The Good Samaritan
• That Rough Music
• The Confidence Man
• Say The Bells of Shoreditch

The stories are not based on anything written by John Buchan, but they are very much in their mould, and are set in the period immediately before the outbreak of the Great War. (i.e. the Belle Époque). There is one recurring villain in both series, Count Von Schwabing, who is played with great gusto by Gavin Richards ... who is probably better known for the role of Captain Alberto Bertorelli in the Second World War comedy, 'ALLO, 'ALLO.

Desperta Ferro: A further video review

Further to my blog post review of the back issues of the Spanish-language military history DESPERTA FERRO that I bought online from their website, I have now produced a video version of that review.

It can be seen here.

My father's one hundredth birthday

If he had still been alive, today would have been my father's one-hundredth birthday.

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George Cyril Cordery was the eleventh child of Frederick Thomas Cordery and Eleanor Cordery (née Kemp) and was born on Monday 17th May 1926. This was five days after the end of the General Strike, a strike that his father was actively involved in as one of the leaders of the West Ham tram drivers.

The earliest known photograph of my father.

He passed his 11+ exam and attended what later became Stratford Grammar School, but his education was interrupted when the building was damaged by bombing during the London Blitz. He left school and began working as a clerk during the day and as a member of the Home Guard (and later the National Fire Service) during the evening and at weekends. (He and his brother Stanley joined the Home Guard in 1940, but George was kicked out when they discovered that he was only fourteen! He then joined the National Fire Service who seemed to be less worried about his age.)

My father as a young man.

He was called up for National Service when he was 18, and after initial training at the Durham Light Infantry Depot in Durham, he was sent to Woolwich for further training with the Royal Artillery. When they realised that he had studied trigonometry at school, he was trained as a battery surveyor and joined the Forward Observation Troop attached to the 53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery. The regiment formed part of the 6th Airborne Division and he therefore took part in the Ardennes counter-offensive, the crossing of the Rhine (Operation Varsity), and the drive across Germany that ended up in Wismar on the coast of the Baltic.

My father in uniform. It is thought that this was taken just before he was posted to Burma.

My father at the Operation Varsity anniversary event at the Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich. He was immensely proud of having served with the 6th Airborne Division.

Post-war, the 6th Airborne Division was sent Palestine, but rather than go to the Middle East, George was posted to Burma as part of the British Training Mission to Burma. There he became part of the team  tasked with training the Chin Hills Battalion to become the Burmese Army's anti-tank battalion.

During his time in Burma he was also involved in combatting dacoits (armed robbers) who were plaguing the border area with India as well as protecting the family of the assassinated leader of Burma, Aung San. He was also in Calcutta during the pre-independence riots, and took part in the armed suppression of those riots.

He returned home and was demobbed ... and very soon afterwards he married Kathleen Eva Jackson (my mother).

My mother and father on their wedding day.

Between 1950 and 1962 they had three children; myself, my younger brother, and our younger sister. They spent their first few years of married life in Sydenham and then Kenton before buying their forever home in Corbets Tey, Upminster in 1958.

He returned to office work, and trained to become a bookkeeper and later an accountant. After working for a large property company, his brother Charles suggested that he move over to the Alliance Assurance, an insurance company. Over the years this company became the Sun Alliance, the Sun Alliance & London, and then the Royal & Sun Alliance Group, and by the time of his retirement in 1990, he was a senior management accountant.

My mother and father at a family wedding.

Throughout his life, he was a keen supporter of West Ham United Football Club, and for many years he worked as a matchday stile man serving the North Bank of the Boleyn Ground, Upton Park. He was also a very keen gardener – something that he had learned from his father – and particularly enjoyed growing vegetables.

My mother and father in our conservatory. This was taken at New Year 2000.

My father during a visit to Marcus Street in the East End. He lived there whilst he was a child.

My father in the care home where he spent the last years of his life.

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I think that every member of my family – his children, his grandchildren, and his great grandchildren – wish that both my mother and father were alive today to celebrate his one hundredth birthday.

We dearly miss them.

Thirteen million hits!

I almost missed the fact that the number of hits achieved by my blog had passed yet another milestone.

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13,000,000 hits!

The AI bots seem to have been at it again … and earlier today my blog achieved thirteen million hits!

• Twelve million hits: 10th April 2026
• Eleven million hits: 3rd March 2026
• Ten million hits: 3rd February 2026
• Nine million hits: 16th December 2025
• Eight million hits: 4th October 2025
• Seven million hits: 26th July 2025
• Six million hits: 6th September 2024
• Five million hits: 20th January 2024
• Four million hits: 8th November 2021
• Three million hits: 6th December 2018
• Two million hits: Unsure
• One million hits: 25th December 2015

Yet again, I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to my regular blog readers. I know that not all the hits are down to AI bots and that you are continuing to read and comment on my blog … and long may you continue to do so!

The Timeless Traveller: This week's update

This is my take on what took place this week ... and if you think that because we went back twenty-four hours, things will repeat themselves, then you are in for a big surprise!

So, the group resumed their place in the queue to board Thinkertop’s ship.

This time, everyone ignored Elandra, even though she was immediately in front of the group and was bubbling with enthusiasm to get aboard. As we reached the shoreside end of the gangway, Mankare (the Shadowmancer) noticed a man in a hood at the top of it. He immediately put his hand into Elantra’s shadow, pulled out one of his spirit entities to pursue the man as he disappeared inside. Unfortunately, it lost him.

Bumble (the Stormshifter) attempted to fly aboard in the guise of a bird, but as he approached the side of the ship, an invisible force field stopped him and a giant hand appeared above him and indicated that he was a magic user!

Our party eventually reached the top of the gangway, and after being greeted by Thinkertop’s assistant, Nordian (the head of the ship's security team) – who did not acknowledge Ragnar (the Berserker) on this occasion – made everyone hand over their weapons and the magic users to put on the magic-cancelling bracelets.

As this was happening, a commotion broke out when someone just ahead of us refused to hand over their weapons and were thrown overboard by two of the guards. Whilst this was happening, Munch (the Songweaver) noticed a small man dip his hand into the chest everyone was having to put their weapons and other possessions into … and then disappear into the gloom. Munch identified him as Umber, the halfling hustler who claims to be able to get hold of anything that you want.

Once aboard, Vale (the Shepherd) asked a servant to provide him with a live chicken. This was done, and the bird was immediately named Tofu. Munch then asked a servant for assistance in helping Umber … but this request was politely declined although they did agree to pass on a message that Munch wanted to meet with Umber.

Mankare asked the portal to take us all to where the Silamane twins were, and we were transported to the ship’s Great Hall. The twins were surrounded by people and – with the exception on Munch and Bumble – we joined the group.

Munch had seen a Umber in the corner of the hall and he and Bumble approached him. He was very evasive, but did eventually allude to his possession of a potion that could enable the user to override the bracelets for fifteen minutes … but the price as huge and he refused to indulge in a wager with Munch for it. He did – however – intimate that he would swop the potion for the recipe for Cockatrice in mushroom sauce ... and he also sold Bumble a 50’ rope!

Munch and Bumble 'negotiate' with Umber.

Whilst this was happening, Mankare began speaking to the twins about a life-changing situation they were about to find themselves in. They followed him to one side of the room, and protected by Ragnar, Vale, and Callistra (the Hunter), he disclosed that we had knowledge of the future … and that one of them was going to die during a robbery that was intended to steal one of the amulets that one of them wore.

The twins were stupefied by this information and did not believe what they had been told until Vale showed them the amulet he had taken from Thinkertop’s body. Callistra also intervened and tried to convince the twins that everything that they had been told was true.

Mankare explained that the twins’ amulet was a necessary part of a ritual that was going to be used to summon a titanic demon, and in support of this, Vale described how he had been possessed by the cult’s magic and that he had seen a priestess summon the titanic demon using a book and a dagger. Mankare then asked to touch the amulet, which – true to its function – told the twins that they had been told the truth. Callistra then asked the amulet to tell the group if Thinkertop would help us to stop what might happen … but its answer was undefinable.

Mankare explains what will happen if the group cannot stop it.

She then invited the twins to accompany the group to meet Thinkertop, and they agreed. Callistra then told them about the Hooded Men, and warned them to be alert. The twins became somewhat agitated by this, but when they were told about singing in the garden to the wisps, they began to calm down.

By his time, Bumble had decided to go to Elandra’s room. Once there, he told her that she was in danger and that she needed to collect all her things and to come with him to his room. She began to panic, and in the hope that he can calm her, he told her that he is from the future and what had happened. Elandra protested, and wanted to call the guards to protect her, but Bumble told her that they were useless. Eventually he persuaded he returned to the ship’s Great Hall.

Munch planned to go to the kitchen to get hold of the recipe for the forthcoming special meal that Thinkertop had planned, but before he did so, he told everyone about the potion that will disable the bracelets and that he had used an ability he has to enter Nordian’s mind to ‘see’ an important event from his life … and disclosed that Nordian once led a mission to kill an enemy force and was the only survivor, and that he had feelings of guilt that he led his men to their deaths.

Nordian remembers.

The group decided that:

1. Munch and Johnny-Baptiste (the Cheat) should visit Nordian to tell him about what was going to happen so that everyone could get their weapons back and the bracelets removed.
2. Callistra, Mankare, and Vale should accompany the twins to see Thinkertop.
3. Ragnar would help Bumble to protect Elandra.
4. Everyone would meet up in Bumble’s room in an hour’s time.

Munch and Johnny-Baptiste went to see Nordian, and after passing through the guarded door into the barracks, they told him that there was a group of hooded cultists aboard who were going to try to animate a dormant titanic demon. When they were asked how they knew this, they explained what had happened previously, but Nordian did not believe them and kept them in one of the cells. He did – however – ask to see Ragnar, who he knew would be truthful.

Callistra, Mankare, Vale, and the twins waited in the ship’s Great Hall for Thinkertop, and when he appeared to announce the special dinner he had planned, they managed to speak to him … and after Thinkertop spotted the amulet Vale had, he agreed to see them in his room in fifteen minutes.

Ragnar was accompanying Bumble to Elandra’s room when a guard asked him to go to see Nordian at the barracks. He reluctantly agreed, and when he got there, Nordian asked him what he knew … and upon hearing Ragnar’s version of events, Nordian seized one of the guards and commanded him to open his tunic and show his chest. Another guard attempted to avoid being asked to do the same, but Ragnar grabbed him and restrained him.

Ragnar tells Nordian that Vale and Johnny-Baptiste are telling the truth about what is going to happen if the group don't stop it.

On his own, Bumble arrived outside Elandra’s room, only to find four Hooded Men outside, attempting to get in. Hearing screams from inside, Bumble summoned servants to help him …

Bumble confronts four Hooded Men outside Elandra's room.

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Unfortunately, I am going to miss next week's session ... but I look forward to finding out what happens!

Warship Annual ... and other naval books in my collection

As can be seen from this photograph ...

... I have been buying WARSHIP ever since it was first published nearly fifty years ago!

For the first twelve years, it was published as a quarterly in softback format but then moved over to being produced as a hardback annual. Luckily, I was able to buy bound copies of the first twelve year's issues, so I now have a shelf and a third full of these invaluable reference books.

I am guess that several sure sighted blog readers will also have noticed that I have well-thumbed copies of the reprints of JANE'S FIGHTING SHIPS for 1898, 1905-06, 1906-07, 1919, 1924, and 1931 as well as a reprint of JANE'S ALL THE WORLD'S AIRCRAFT for 1913. There are also several other books by Fred Jane (THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN NAVY, THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY, and THE BRITISH BATTLE-FLEET) as well as a copy of his biography.

These books represent about a third of my naval book collection ... which probably gives you some idea about how strong my interest in the subject is!

Warship 2026

Every May I look forward to receiving my annual copy of WARSHIP … and this year's issue was delivered on Sunday.

This issue was edited by John Jordan, and contains the following articles:

• Editorial
• The High-Speed Destroyers of the Novik Type: Part I by Przemyslaw Budzbon
• Royal Navy Fleet Carriers: Second World War Damage by Robert Brown
• The Reconstruction of the Battlefleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy between the wars: Part II by Hans Lengerer
• The development of Torpedo Boats in the Imperial German Navy (Part II) by Dirk Nottelmann
• The Allies' Emergency Escort Programmes of Summer 1942 by Nigel Whybrow
• The French 450-tonne Destroyers by John Jordan
• Royal Danish Navy Vig Class Inshore Minesweepers by Lars Jordt
• 'Sea-Stained Priceless Documents': The Capture of Magdeburg's Codebooks by Stephen McLaughlin
• The Cadet Training Ships of the Royal Navy by Aidan Dodson
• The Italian Aircraft Carrier Falco/Sparviero 1942-43: The Real Story by Enrico Cernuschi
• Warship Notes
• The French Navy's Twin 203mm Turrets Mle 1924 and 1931 by John Jordan
• The Paknam Forts by Ian Sturton
• Russians on the Clyde by Kenneth Fraser and Stephen McLaughlin
• A's and A's
• Naval Books of the Year
• Warship Gallery
• The Danish Coastal Defence Ship Skjold by Tom Wismann

Wow! There's not a single article that doesn't have something to interest me. The ones that stand out for me are:

• Hans Lengerer's article about the reconstruction of the Japanese battlefleet ... because it covers the Fuso, my favourite Japanese battleship.
• Enrico Cernuschi's article about the Italian aircraft carrier Falco/Sparviero ... because I once saw a model of what she might have looked like.
• Ian Sturton's article about the French attack on the Paknam Forts that were situated on the Chao Phraya river in Siam ... a little-known colonial battle.
• Tom Wismann's illustrated article about the Danish Coastal Defence Ship Skjold.

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WARSHIP 2026 was edited by John Jordan, assisted by Stephen Dent, and published in 2026 by Osprey Publishing (ISBN 978 1 4728 7259 3).

Going off at a tangent

Until Saturday morning, my wargaming life was bimbling* along quite nicely. I was working – albeit at a leisurely pace – on several projects. These included:

• The working draft of my Portable Belle Époque Wargame project.
• Assembling the figures for a couple more armies for my Belle Époque project.
• Writing an article about the development of warships between 1800 and 1920.
• My ongoing American Civil War campaign.
• My weekly role-playing sessions.

So, what happened on Saturday morning?

I opened a cupboard in my toy/wargame room ... and found something that I thought was in storage.

It was the printed copies of first ten years of my blog posts.

Now, many of my regular blog readers might not be aware that way back in 2018 I decided to have the text of my blog posts printed and bound in hardback format. I did this because I was afraid that if Blogger was ever to close down, I would not have a copy of what I had written. I have not had the last eight years of blog posts printed or bound ... but its something that I really need to think about ... just in case.

So, how did this discovery cause me to go off at a tangent?

I made the mistake of opening the first volume of my printed blog posts ... and immediately began to read it. Back then, my blog posts were about the then recently published reprint of Donald Featherstone's WAR GAMES by the History of Wargaming Project and its impact on my RED FLAGS AND IRON CROSSES (TARRED AND FEATHERSTONED) rules. In fact, between 20th September 2008 and 21st October 2008 I wrote eight blog posts about the rules and my play-tests as well as four about the Colonial version, which was entitled REDCOATS AND NATIVES (TARRED AND FEATHERSTONED).

Looking at the rules now (and the former are available online and in the History of Wargaming Project's reprint of Donald Featherstone's WARGAMING AIRBORNE OPERATIONS), I am struck by how much fun they were to wargame with. I was also struck by the fact that they could do with a bit of updating and improving because since I wrote them, I've had a lot more experience in writing wargame rules and developing slicker – and hopefully better – game mechanisms.

So, I now have another project to add to my growing list ... and I can see myself having a bit of fun tinkering with these rules and even pushing a few figures and tanks around on a tabletop!

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Here are some images from the play-tests of my RED FLAGS AND IRON CROSSES (TARRED AND FEATHERSTONED) ...

... and REDCOATS AND NATIVES (TARRED AND FEATHERSTONED) rules.

I hope that they convey how much fun I had ... and how few figures etc., I needed to enjoy myself! Sometimes, less is more!

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* For those of you who have never come across this verb before, it is defined as being 'to walk or travel at a leisurely pace.'

Desperta Ferro: A video review

Further to my blog post review of the Spanish-language military history DESPERTA FERRO, I have now produced a video version of that review.

It can be seen here.

The Timeless Traveller: This week’s update

Here is my take on what took place this week. If you think that a lot happened last week ... you ain't read nothing yet!

In the aftermath of the fight in the dining room, Callistra (the Hunter) searched one of the bodies, and besides a few gold coins, she found what looked like an amulet embedded into the body’s chest. The centre of the amulet was a shining jewel that looked like an eye ... which went blank when the man died.

She attempted to pull it out ... but it seemed to be attached to the body by vein-like tendrils. Johnny-Baptiste (the Cheat) and Ragnar (the Berserker) attempted to help Callistra, and eventually Johnny-Baptiste's knife cut through the tendrils and pulled it free.

Whilst this was happening, Mankare (the Shadowmancer) took the surviving member of the Silamane twins to the infirmary and then returned to talk to one of the remaining Hooded Men in Abyssal. Before he died, the latter claimed that they had won. Mankare then went back to the infirmary, where the surviving twin was being treated by a number of clerics. She was in a state of shock and incapable to talking properly without her sister. He asked her why the Hooded Men were after the amulet, but she only wanted to know about her sister and to see her dead body.

Mankare and the twin returned to the dining room, and she collapsed next to her dead sister and became hysterical. As this was happening, Nordian arrived in the dining room with some guards and begun trying to sort out the chaos. Ragnar approached him and in no uncertain terms told him how useless the ship's security was. Nordian agreed and also agreed to allow all the members of the group to use magic – with immediate effect – and to collect their weapons from the barracks.

In the hope that it would help the surviving twin to cope with her loss, Johnny-Baptiste gave her the amulet that had been taken from her dead sister. Mankare then retrieved it and attempted to examine it. He found that it was a magical, chaotic good amulet, and that its magic related to divination, alteration, and probability.

On the group's arrival at the entrance to the barracks, they are ambushed by a number of Hooded Men. Ragnar was pushed inside and the door was shut behind him, leaving Callistra, Johnny-Baptiste, and Mankare in the corridor. Vale (the Shepherd) – who had by now been released from his gaol cell – healed Ragnar, who then retrieved his axe from the chest it was in. As he did this, Vale conjured up his spirit wolf.

Outside, a confused fight took place. Mankare made a spell that blasted one of the Hooded Men with a ball of darkness, whilst Callistra attacked one of the others with the spear she was carrying. The spirit wolf then appeared through the wall and was ineffectually attacked by one of the Hooded Men ... who Johnny-Baptiste promptly stabbed with his concealed dagger! The wolf then attacked two of the Hooded Men and Callistra pinned another to the wall with her spear.

The fighting in the corridor outside the ship's barracks.

At this point, Ragnar opened the door of the barracks, and with two deft blows of his axe, cleaved one of the Hooded Men in two from his head to his chest. Mankare then reached into his shadow and brought forth two spirit entities who attacked and killed the last of the Hooded Men in that part of the corridor.

Sensing that something was amiss, Bumble (the Stormshifter), who had been sitting with Elandra the historian and researcher, turned himself into a lion and set off to find the rest of the group. He found them in the corridor outside the barracks, and the party went inside and retrieved their weapons. During this, the group overheard a conversation that made it clear that some of the guards knew about the Hooded Men.

Now reunited with Bumble, the group set off for the ship's vault to find a secure place for the amulet. On getting there, the floor outside was covered in dead bodies of guards and guests ... and the vault door was open! Mankare sent one of his spirit entities into the vault, and before it 'died', it told him that there was someone or something inside. Bumble – who was still in his lion form – then entered the vault and saw two Hooded Men in there. He immediately attacked one and knocked him to the ground. The other Hooded Man fired at Bumble ... and missed ... but this allowed the other Hooded Man to try scrambling away. He did not get far as by then Mankare and Ragnar had rushed in and attacked him, pinning the Hooded Man to the floor.

Callistra rushed toward the other Hooded Man, but before she could reach him, he self-immolated by slashing his chest open and crying out in Abyssal 'The Lord is here!'. A great dark light surrounded him, he rose to the ceiling ... and then he was gone, leaving a large black void in his place.

Mankare – assisted by Johnny-Baptiste and Ragnar – attempted to interrogate the remaining Hooded Man, who stated in Abyssal 'All glory to the Titan! He will be reborn here!'. Vale then attempted to psychically link with the Hooded Man ... and he immediately began to have visions of hell and a sunken temple. Whilst this was happening, Mankare and Ragnar attempted to remove the Hooded Man's embedded amulet ... but Vale pleaded for them not to, just as he felt himself being dragged into hell. In the meantime, Callistra began investigating the other end of the vault ... but then the room began to shake as if affected by an earthquake and the ceiling began to crack and clouds of dust and plaster began to descend.

The fighting in the ship's vault.

Suddenly, Vale rushed for the vault door, which he slammed shut behind him. The rest of the group immediately followed him, and after forcing the door open, set off in pursuit. Using the portal to find where Vale as gone, the group suddenly found themselves on the open deck, where they found numerous bodies (including that of the ship's captain and several guards) and ring of acolytes ... including Vale! The goddess in the centre of the ring gradually levitates, and as she rises, she cries out 'The Lord is here!' ... and as she does so, a huge, horned entity rises out of the sea behind the ship. The Titan then smashes the centre of the ship with a huge hammer ... and the ship immediately breaks up, and the group is thrown into the sea, where they drown!

The horned Titan destroying Thinkertop's ship with his huge hammer.

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Sometime later, Vale awakes on a beach, where he finds the remains of Thinkertop.

Vale on the beach after the destruction of Thinkertop's ship.

Next to the body, Vale finds Thinkertop's assistant, who is clutching the gold disc that Thinkertop had used to fly about his ship. On Thinkertop's body, Vale finds an hourglass-like amulet, which he takes. Pondering on it, he wishes that he could turn time back by twenty-four hours ... and suddenly Vale finds himself back on the dockside with his erstwhile companions, wating to board Thinkertop's ship!

The group prepare to board Thinkertop's ship ... for the second time!