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The Ashes and the B-29

admin — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:15:45 +0000

Guest Blog – Kevin Grant

“Remember-where-you-when” is a universal opener for anecdotes. Yesterday’s (Sunday 23 August 2009) heartening Ashes victory for England sent my thoughts tumbling back to two contrasted encounters with the Old Enemy, linked, almost fantastically, by the B-29 bomber, known as the Washington in the days when I flew in them as an air-gunner. I had been called up by The King, but arrived to serve The Queen. That’ll give you the dates.

My diary for the day we won the Ashes, Wednesday 19 August 1953, began with another world event – MOSSADIG (sic) DEPOSED. It then related an interesting day in our B-29 WF 566, part of Exercise Momentum. Places we flew over included Rheims, the Zuider Zee, London, Bristol, the Channel Islands, Le Mans, Le Havre, Eastbourne, Hull then home to Marham.

After noting that we flew at 20,000 feet and saw many allied fighters sharing the exercise with us, I broke off to record: “ENGLAND WON ASHES – scores 306 and 132 for 2, Ozzies 275 +160. Lock (spinner) hero. 2nd Inns Edrich 60 odd”.

I cannot check these figures but they add up: diary texts must never be amended anyway. But I recall that the whole crew, all ten of us, had abandoned attention to the Exercise and were listening to the cricket. I think we were over Bedford when Compton hit the winning boundary. I’d love to say we were over The Oval but we were not. If a Communist fighter had attacked us at that moment we would have died blissful but undecorated.

On 6 August 1945 my late father took me and two brothers to Lords for a day at the Victory Test against Australia. The Australians had a scratch side, made up of any lads available here. They had a bowler called Christophani, who scored 14. I don’t know why I remember that. Miller played, I think, but not Bradman. Pope was our captain. Hutton scored 34, falling LBW attempting a leg-glance. “His favourite shot,” Dad said. We lost, I believe. My current (only) Wisden is silent on the point. As we left the ground the papers were telling us that a bomb no bigger than a golf ball had destroyed a Japanese city. It was dropped by another B-29, Enola Gay.

I still go to B-29 and 207 Squadron reunions. And to Test Matches. I was a happy lad on the first day at Lords this year, and pretty happy on the second day at Edgbaston, but my last day there was hard to bear. The Australians ground us out of the game and set themselves up mentally for their triumph at Headingly. But then there was yesterday, such a beautiful day. Shall I see another like it? Or fly in a B-29 again?

England Ashes Triumph

Peter Jennings — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:14:26 +0000

England regained the Ashes when they beat Australia by 197 runs in the deciding Test of the summer Match at a capacity-filled Brit Oval at 5.49 pm on a glorious sunny day, Sunday 23 August 2009, with a day to spare. The 2-1 margin was a repeat of the scoreline in the thrilling home series of 2005. Set to score 546 for victory by the England Captain Andrew Strauss the Australians, led from the front by Captain Ricky Ponting, made a valiant attempt to score what would have been a world-record fourth innings total. Ponting was gracious in defeat. Australia frequently played the better cricket but England won the crucial moments.

The final wicket fell at 5.49 pm when Mike Hussey was caught by Alastair Cook off the bowling of Graeme Swann for a determined 121 out of a total of 348. Swann bowled 40.2 overs in the Australian second innings and ended with four wickets for 120 runs.

My four England men of the series are: Andrew Strauss for his calm captaincy and crucial runs. Jonathan Trott of Warwickshire, the team I have supported since the late 1950’s, who made a sensational England debut, batting at number five. He was unlucky to be run out for 41 in his first innings and scored a brilliant 119 in his second innings. He fielded well and will undoubtedly become a permanent fixture in the England team for the next few years. Matt Prior who played with great enthusiasm and showed that he his reliable behind the stumps. Graeme Swann who took 14 wickets during the series with some excellently controlled spin bowling. Stuart Broad ended the series with 18 wickets and Andrew Flintoff ended his test career with the crucial run-out of the Australian Captain for 66, when he looked set for a long innings on a difficult but easing Oval pitch.

It’s a wonderful feeling to win the Ashes but realistically, England are an adequate, rather than a great side. I have a question mark over the following players who have not played to their full potential in this Ashes series: James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Paul Collingwood, Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar

For the record: England held on to draw the First Text at Cardiff. England won the Second Test at Lord’s by 115 runs. The Third Test at Edgbaston ended in a dull draw. Australia won the Fourth Test at Headingly by an innings and 80 runs. England won the Firth Test at The Oval by 197 runs.

At my suggestion, the Isle of Man Post Office produced a magnificent England v Australia 2009 miniature, first day cover, insert, and presentation pack – text by me. I also worked with them to produce a limited edition first day cover and insert to commemorate “England First Ashes Victory at Lord’s since 1934.

I am working with The Isle of Man Post Office again as they plan a special cover and insert to commemorate ENGLAND ASHES WINNERS 2009. Watch this space for full details. Cricket, Lovely Cricket!

: Kevin Grant

I am delighted that my good friend Kevin Grant has accepted an invitation to write an occasional blog for my website. Kevin is a veteran Catholic journalist and writer and the best sub-editor that I know. He and I spent two days together during the rain-affected third Test Match at Edgbaston that resulted in a dull draw. So what better start to his first innings than this unique take: “The Ashes and the B-29”?

To shown that Kevin Grant has justified his selection to my “First Eleven” here is a short biography: Kevin spent his early working years with Unilever, in commodities then in advertising. His National Service was as an air-gunner with Bomber Command, reflected in his text here. He graduated by evening study at Birkbeck College, London in 1958. He joined The Thomson Organisation in 1965, serving in Newcastle, Aberdeen, Reading and London before entering religious publishing. At different times he headed two of the Catholic weeklies, The Universe and The Catholic Herald.

He was British Director of Aid to the Church in Need and edited its international Mirror from its Königstein HQ. Through the Keston Institute he worked over many years for the relief of religious persecution under Communism. Kevin was Master of The Keys, the Catholic Writers’ Guild, 1979-81, and has run his own editorial and publishing services bureau, Works Ink, since 1988. He is particularly associated with The Catholic World Report and the Messenger of Saint Anthony. He published Deeps and Shallows, verse captions to a minor life, in 2007. He has been an amateur baritone soloist and actor. He has followed Charlton Athletic, often forlornly, since 1946, England and Kent in the greater game. A widower, he has a son and grandson in Italy.

Ashes Fever 2009

Peter Jennings — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:32:46 +0000

Article in Gibbons Stamp Monthly, published by Stanley Gibbons.

Click here for full size PDF article

President of MCC commends Isle of Man miniature sheet

Peter Jennings — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:41:07 +0000

News story published in Gibbons Stamp Monthly.

The President of the MCC, Derek Underwood, the great England and Kent spin bowler, himself a knowledgeable philatelist who specialises in the stamps of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, has warmly commended the Isle of Man Post Ofﬁce special ‘England v Australia 2009’ miniature sheet.
Mr Underwood showed great interest in the sheet and related products during the ofﬁcial launch in the Museum at Lord’s Cricket Ground during a memorable champagne and canapés reception on Tuesday 30 June, reports Peter Jennings FRPSL, FRGS.
The Chairman of the Isle of Man Post Ofﬁce, Alan Crowe, a member of the Parliament of the Isle of Man, presented Alastair Lack, Chairman of the MCC Arts and Library Committee, with the specially framed miniature sheet that vividly captures Ashes fever 2009, together with a ﬁrst day cover dated 29 June 2009 and a presentation pack.
The £3 miniature sheet contains three £1 stamps depicting the great W G Grace batting at Lord’s in 1895; the MCC Ashes Trophy and Urn and a vibrant painting, England v Australia, Lords’ 2005, by Karen Neale, who was the MCC’s Young Cricket Artist for 2005. The dramatic painting, Two to Win, on the front of the presentation pack, text by Peter Jennings, and the illustration of the Umpire on the f.d.c. are by talented artist Christina Pierce, who was present and autographed covers.
The Chairman of the Isle of Man Post Ofﬁce was accompanied by Bill Chacksﬁeld, Chief Executive; Maxine Cannon, Isle Man Philatelic Bureau and Lucy Webster-Thompson, PR and Communications Manager, at the MCC Arts and Library at the Summer Party held in the Coronation Garden.
Terry Mitchell (Chapman and Mitchell Covers), who together with the MCC Museum at Lord’s provided invaluable help and background for the stamp issue, did the hobby proud with an eye- catching selection of special cricket covers and blow-ups of the Isle of Man Ashes miniature sheet and the three stamps.
Terry took GSM editor, Hugh Jefferies, the editor of Stamp Magazine, Guy Thomas, and this correspondent, to the edge of the hallowed turf as the sun was setting at the end of glorious summer evening.