#Manchester Regiment

[herprivateswe]

Manchester’s at bayonet practice under the watchful eye of a drill sergeant.

[thetarttfuldickhead]

Apart from everything else, I think Jamie was pretty damned understimulated at the Dogtrack during his first stint there. He’s come from City, where standards are sky-high and regiments strict, to Richmond, which is, in his own words, tragic. The other players are not up to his level, the legendary captain is checked-out, the first manager middling and the second a rodeo clown, and sure Jamie gets to be the star of the team and he fucking loves that, but he’s also supposed to be learning isn’t he, and he’s… not? Getting a bunch of game time, absolutely, and that’s important, but…

And let’s be clear, Jamie is doing absolutely nothing to improve the sad state of affairs at Richmond; rather, he makes matters considerably worse, with his selfishness and belittling of others – but at the time he isn’t perceptive enough to realize that, and is just pissed that the others are dragging him down, even as he’s thrilled at being the best. And like a lot of gifted kids when they’re not being properly challenged, he gets with the old acting out bit. (And he’s a prick. Like, that is also very much something that’s going on with him at the time. I won’t stand for us brushing that aside, even as we acknowledge that there’s a lot more going on with him even in season 1.)

I don’t think Roy’s really seeing it back then; he’s far too annoyed with Jamie and far too caught up in his depression to pay proper attention to shit like that. But say he travels back in time and gets dumped before Jamie’s shipped back to Manchester… it’d take him, what, three minutes of watching training to figure out that Jamie is bored out of his mind and pissed off about it? And it’d take him another 30 seconds to decide to fuck it, I’m sorting this out, and start coaching Jamie specifically, stepping in to show where and how he can improve and setting a bunch of demanding challenges to make sure the muppet’s properly engaged and working hard. He makes an effort to compliment and encourage Jamie more than the would back in his own time, too, because he understands that he doesn’t really have a proper rapport with this Tartt yet and figures it’s best to build him up while also setting down some very much needed boundaries visavi Jamie’s treatment of others…

If everyone’s surprised by Roy’s behaviour, they’re fucking shellshocked when Jamie, after some initial what-the-fuck-ness, responds positively to the attention, advice and frankly mad stuff Roy has him doing. He’s still a prick, sure, still has issues, but mostly he’s too busy and too exhausted (and let’s be real, too high on having Roy Kent’s undivided attention) to cause too much trouble.

Honestly, Roy is quite surprised himself that things are going so smoothly, but also lowkey furious, because was it really always that easy to sort the little prick out? (Roy’s not giving himself and his own development enough credit here, by the way; it’s reasonably easy for him now, after the work he’s done on himself and the ways he’s grown and gotten to know Jamie, but it wouldn’t have been easy for him then, even if he’d tried.) Then again, it’s not all smooth sailing either, because Jamie is still in his prick era and has not actually agreed to let Roy boss him around, so sometimes he pushes back and Roy had actually forgotten how bloody infuriating Jamie can be when he decides to. But yeah, all in all, it works a treat.

[is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not]

An art piece I commissioned from my good friend @msn-04iinightingale!

It shows three of myself and @baldy-wan-kenobi's Operation TOUCHDOWN characters on the bridge of the Suffren-class destroyer SLS Manchester.

Left: Major Hadrian Winters, CO of Alpha Company, First Battalion, of the SLDF's 46th BattleMech Regiment ("The Chrome Hounds"). ( @wolf-in-shining-armor )

Center: Commodore Colleen Mikolaj, CO of SLS Manchester. ( @sls-manchester-official )

Right: Asena Liška, the Director of Star League Intelligence Command (SLDF military intelligence). Asena is an ex-ComStar ROM agent (and essentially the test subject for many of the various augmentations for what would become the Manei Domini), and an ex-Deputy Director of the Republic of the Sphere Intelligence Service. ( @jerome-blakes-best-foxgirl )

@msn-04iinightingale did such an amazing job with this piece, me and my boyfriend couldn't be happier to see our characters brought to life like this!

[captain-price-unofficially]

Men of the 20th Battalion, Manchester Regiment (25th Division) resting by a disabled Mk V (female) tank of the 301st Btn, A Coy. 8 Oct 1918.

[musical-theater-mania]

Rating performances of "Stars"

I am deeply particular about Javert's character and deeply unsatisfied with many of the performances of "Stars" that are available on Spotify! So here are my thoughts:

Terrence Mann (Original Broadway Cast Recording) - 9/10. Listen. It's pretty good. I feel like he really gets into it at all the right times! That being said, I cannot STAND the lyric "Falling from grace, falling from grace". The first "grace" should be "god"!

Philip Quast (Live at Albert Hall) - 7/10. I cannot get past the "there" at the beginning. It's the first word and I hated it. You already turned me against yourself. I also feel like he can be a little breathy when he changes notes (both times he sings "You fall in flame" are good examples). Other than that though his tone is great! He gets a great dynamic range.

Roger Allam (Original London Cast Recording) - 3/10. Holy fuck I hated this one. I HATE what the orchestra is doing (especially in the beginning). Like what is that weird staccato pattern??? It is too early of a production of this show to feel like it needs to be doing something cute to stand out. Also I feel like at times he's trying to do cutesy little runs? And again it just doesn't feel like Javert. He's too serious for those frills. Also the ending pissed me off so much. Why are you petering out? You are supposed to be strong and vivacious! Can you not hit those notes???? What's going on with the lyrics????

Russell Crowe (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) - 4/10. Ok. I don't love what the orchestra is doing at the beginning, that part is too iconic. Also, his voice is just so gentle. I do not believe for a second that he is hunting down a fugitive of the law! Where is the fire! Where is the severity! Where is the last note! Seriously why did they remove the last note?????

Michael Ball (2020 Live Recording) - 6/10. Something about his tone feels kinda mellow? Like idk it just isn't as rich and powerful as I'd like this role to be. (It kinda feels like an overly edited Disney recording, which is funny bc it's LIVE.) He also constantly sounds like he's behind the beat. And I'm sure this is an intentional choice, but I don't like it! Again, Javert is SO regimented and severe that I feel like he would be aggressively on beat (which would then make "Javert's Suicide" even MORE powerful when he stops adhering as strictly to the beat)! I liked the growl on "never rest" though, that ate.

Earl Carpenter (2010 London Cast Recording) - 8/10. I don't love what the orchestra is doing in the beginning? Idk it just really throws me off. (Although they do slay the end!) Also sometimes it feels really rushed. They play too fast + loose with tempo for me. Javert is an EXTREMELY regimented man!

Philip Quast (Manchester Cast Recording) - 8/10. I liked this one MUCH better than the other one he did. Still don't love the "there" but it isn't quite as off-putting somehow. He also has way less of the breathiness! (Fun little aside: his vibrato is tighter than most of the other people on this list, which you can really notice in "lord, let me find him")

Bryn Terfel (Renée & Bryn) Under the Stars - 9.5/10. They really let the Welsh National Orchestra go wild on this one and you know what I liked it! It had the same vibe to me as when a singer does an opt up (it was selective spots that showed off their abilities without changing the nature of the piece or taking away from it). The tempo was a little faster than I would have chosen but I feel like it worked for the character/song. Bryn is also an incredible singer! His voice is stunning and so wonderfully expressive. He also has that wonderful bassy quality that is SO important to me in this role.

Jason Manford (A Different Stage) - 7.5/10. He sounds a little young to me? Like he's missing some of the grit/bassy quality that I want in this role but something about the performance feels soothing? Like it's easy to listen to idk. It does lose points because it is missing some of the fire and passion. He lets a little of it out at the end so I know that he has it in the tank when he wants to use it

[humanpurposes]

Just for a Moment, teaser

Tom Bennett x OFC

Warnings: none here, but there will be angst, smut, mentions of war and death. OC has no specified description but she does have an Irish surname.

Words: 500

A/n: I caved. I wrote this yesterday in memory of Tom Bennett's character development (while I had mad cramps and the worst headache of my life). All in all this is going to be a 3 parter. Also, I know I'm being slow with other updates, I've kinda hit a brick wall lately, just glad I managed to get something down.

That night, when she should have been asleep, she lay awake in her bed, listening to her brothers whispering and giggling in the next room as they always did. Sometimes she felt sad to be left out of their antics, but tonight she was glad to be on her own, in her little box room at the front of the house.

Until she heard a tapping on the window.

She froze between her sheets. Was it too late for it to have been a bird?

And then it came again, tap, tap, tap.

With a determined little huff she rose from the bed, smoothed her hands down the front of her nightgown and drew back the curtains.

“Tom?” she whispered.

He grinned when he saw her, perched on the windowsill behind the glass. 

Kitty raised the window and before she could invite him in he was crawling through it.

“What are you doing?” she hissed.

Tom shrugged and went to sit on the edge of her bed. He glanced around the room, at the little shelf of books, dolls and small wooden animals, at the overcoat hung on the back of the door and the drawings stuck to the wardrobe. He’d been in the Wheelans’ kitchen before, but he’d never been allowed upstairs.

“Couldn’t sleep,” he said, far too loudly for Kitty’s liking.

She pressed a firm finger against his lips. She held her breath, waiting for one of the lads to notice, but they kept on chatting– whatever it was teenage boys chatted about.

“Keep your voice down,” she said.

Tom smiled against her finger and made a cross over his heart.

She sat beside him, swaying her legs while she tried to think of something to say.

Tom reached for a book on her bedside table and flicked through the pages. When he was bored of that he grabbed her teddy, tossing it about in his hands and running his hands over the ancient and matted fur. It had been Eddie’s, back in the day. Every single one of her brothers had owned it before her.

“I don’t like seeing my dad cry,” Tom said.

Kitty frowned. “Why not?”

“I just don’t like it. He’s always been a bit…”

Dad had often mentioned the case of Douglas Bennett. They had fought in the same regiment in 1914. When Micheal Wheelan came back from war, he returned as a self-proclaimed hero. His boys loved to hear his stories and take turns wearing his medals. Douglas Bennett had returned to Manchester a far more troubled kind of man.

“And with mam he–” but he stopped himself with an irritated grunt. “Can I stay here?”

“What?”

“Not forever, I just… can I sit here, just for a moment?”

Kitty took the teddy from him and placed his hand firmly in hers. “That’s what we’re doing, isn’t it?”

From then on, Tom made quite a habit of appearing at the window and hiding in her room whenever he was in trouble.

General taglist: @randomdragonfires @jamespotterismydaddy

[scotianostra]

On July 30th 1746 Francis Towneley, an English Jacobite of The Manchester Regiment was executed in London.

Colonel Francis Toneley was executed at Kennington Common along with eight other officers from the Manchester Regiment; George Fletcher, David Morgan, Thomas Chadwick, Andrew Blood, John Berwick, Thomas Deacon, Thomas Syddall and James Dawson. He was said to have been calm and dignified, wearing a suit of black velvet made for the occasion.

Townley was born in Lancashire to a Roman Catholic family and many of his family joined the Jacobite cause. His father and grandfather both fought to return the throne to King James II when he was exiled and his brother Richard was part of the Jacobite Rising in 1715. However, most of Francis Townleys involvement was in the ’45 Rising.

In 1728 Townley went to France and received a commission in the royal service. He would stay in France for over a decade before he returned to England where he was sent a colonels commission from King Louis XV of France. This enabled him to raise a force of Jacobites to aid Prince Charles Edward Stuart and the Jacobite cause. Townley headed to Manchester where he spent several months as a guest of the Jacobites in the town.

A few days before Prince Charles entered Manchester himself Townley rode out to join him and was told that all those in England who joined the Prince would be commanded by Townley as part of the Manchester Regiment. A few men of the town volunteered, and were made officers, but most of the rest, about three hundred in total, received payment for joining the Princes army.

The Manchester Regiment followed the Prince down to Derby and on their retreat back up to Carlisle. Here Townley was given orders to remain at Carlisle and defend the town, while the prince and his army continued their retreat into Scotland. Townley was determined to fight for the town and it was against his wishes that the governor of the town, a man called Hamilton, surrendered.

With the surrender Townley was thus taken prisoner and put to trial. In his defence Townley said that as a French officer he should be treated as a prisoner of war. He was a commissioned officer of France, not the Stuarts, and therefore was not a traitor. This defence however was not allowed and Townley was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death.

His body was interred in the graveyard at St Pancras Old Church, one of the few places in London reserved for Catholic burials. Along with that of George Fletcher, his head was placed on a pike on Temple Bar; the journalist John Taylor reported that it was later removed by friends of his nephew Charles Townley.

Author Katherine Grant, who is a direct descendant, states the relic was returned to his wife Mary and kept in the family chapel. In the 1930s, it was moved to Drummonds Bank in London, before being interred at St Peter's Church, Burnley in the late 1940s.

The third pic is a satirical poster from 1746 and poem regarding the Jacobite Rebellion showing severed heads on poles include those of Francis Townley and George Fletcher.

There’s a great article about Towneley, well mainly his head, at the link below.

https://www.theguardian.com/.../grisly-inheritance...

[barbucomedie]

Jungle Uniform of the 16th Punjab Regiment from the British Empire dated to 1941 on display at the Imperial War Museums North in Manchester, England

This jacket was worn by a Major Adams serving with the 6th Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment. Raised in 1941, the 6th Battalion later served as a demonstration battalion at the Tactical School at Dehra Dun, but in April 1945 was assigned to the 14th Air Landing Brigade, of the 44th Indian Airborne Division, itself created in April the previous year.

The division never saw action in the way it was purposely created although a composite battalion did parachute into action during Operation Dracula, the capture of Rangoon. Braced for the recapture of Singapore and invasion of Malaya the war abruptly ended but small airborne detachments were later deployed in Japanese-held territories ahead of the main Allied forces, locating and liberating prisoners of war and interned civilians, and providing emergency relief.

Photographs taken by myself 2024

[world-of-wales]

─ •✧ WILLIAM'S YEAR IN REVIEW : NOVEMBER ✧• ─

1 NOVEMBER - The Prince of Wales held an Investiture at Windsor Castle. He gave a video message at Emergency Responders Mental Health Symposium. 2 NOVEMBER - The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay visited at Burghead Primary School and Brodieshill Farm. Subsequently they visited Day1 in Inverness. 4 NOVEMBER - William departed from Heathrow Airport for Singapore. He appeared in the BBC Earthshot Prize Trailer. He appeared in a video message to support the Stand Up To Cancer Campaign. 5 NOVEMBER - William arrived at Singapore Changi Airport and was received by the British High Commissioner to the Republic of Singapore. Afterwards, he attended a Welcome to Singapore event at the Jewel and was received by the Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. 6 NOVEMBER - William visited PAssion Wave @Marina Bay and joined in a Dragon Boat Race. He was received by The President of Singapore at the Istana. Subsequently, William called upon the Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore. He attended the United for Wildlife Global Summit. 7 NOVEMBER - William held Meeting with Finalists of the 2023 Earthshot Awards. Afterwards, he attended a Founding Partners' Lunch. He attended the Earthshot Prize rehearsals. He later visited EcoLabs. He attended the Earthshot Prize Awards. Subsequently he attended an Earthshot Prize Thank You Reception. 8 NOVEMBER - William visited TreeTop Walk at Central Catchment Nature Reserve. He attended the Earthshot+ Summit. He visited Centre for Wildlife Forensics. William attended a Meeting with UK Defence Advisers at the British High Commission. He attended a Reception for the Earthshot Prize. Finally, he departed from Singapore Changi Airport for the UK. William gave appeared in an Earthshot Q&A video. 9 NOVEMBER - He arrived at Heathrow Airport. 10 NOVEMBER - William appeared in BTS Earthshot Prize Portraits. 11 NOVEMBER - Will and Cat attended the RBL Festival of Remembrance. 12 NOVEMBER - The Prince of Wales along with The Princess attended the Remembrance Day Service of Remembrance and laid a wreath at the Cenotaph. The broadcast of the 2023 Earthshot Awards, featured a video of William and Catherine snorkelling with Coral Vita. 13 NOVEMBER - William received Lieutenant General Ian Cave & Brigadier Peter Dennis (Colonel & Secretary, Mercian Regiment) at Windsor Castle. Later, he attended the Funeral of Sir Robert Charlton. 14 NOVEMBER - William and Catherine attended The King's Birthday Party. 15 NOVEMBER - The Prince of Wales was represented by Miss Helen Asprey at the Service of Thanksgiving for the late Earl of Airlie KT. 16 NOVEMBER - William visited the Hideaway Youth Project in Manchester. Later, he visited Keeping It Real at Moss Side Millennium Powerhouse. Subsequently, he visited Jessie's Wall. 17 NOVEMBER - William appeared in a 'This or That' session video for Earthshot. 21 NOVEMBER - William and Catherine welcomed The President of the Republic of Korea and Mrs Kim Keon Hee at their Hotel. They then accompanied the Presidential Couple to Horse Guards and were met by The King and Queen. Afterwards, they viewed an Exhibition of the Royal Collection items relating to the Republic of Korea. Finally, they attended the State Dinner at Buckingham Palace. 22 NOVEMBER - Will and Cat held a Reception at Windsor Castle. 23 NOVEMBER - The Prince of Wales received Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown and Prince Radu of Romania. Later, he visited The Mercian Regiment on Salisbury Plain. 24 NOVEMBER - He received The Crown Prince of the Sultanate of Oman. 27 NOVEMBER - William held an Investiture at Buckingham Palace. Later, he attended the Tusk Conservation Awards. 28 NOVEMBER - William received Lieutenant Colonel Guy Bartle-Jones (Regimental Adjutant, Welsh Guards). Afterwards, he received submariners. He awrote a letter to Dr. Alex George. 30 NOVEMBER - William and Catherine received Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Prince Daniel of Sweden at Windsor Castle. Afterwards, they were we're joined by Victoria and Daniel for the Royal Variety Show.

[intermorior]

[cis man and he/him] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [SIMON MORAN]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [ANDREW LINCOLN] You must be the [FIFTY] year old [SOCIAL WORKER] Word is you’re [LEVEL-HEADED] but can also be a bit [RESTRAINED] and your favorite song is [TWO BLUE LIGHTS BY SONGS: OHIA] I also heard you’ll be staying in [OCEAN CREST APARTMENTS] I’m sure you’ll love it!

hi im tj allow me to introduce u to my fruit gummy simon :)

born in manchester, april eleventh, nineteen seventy-one. his father worked in the mills open to close and his mother was a house cleaner.

grew up on a rough council estate. always was the broad-shouldered beanpole so he learnt to fight early, had to defend himself.

freshly 18, joins the british army, entered the parachute regiment (paras). got tapped for SAS selection. passed his first go, one of 12 out of 300.

served 22 years. got to sgt. major. ied in helmand takes out his vehicle, kills three of his teammates and leaves him with shrapnel wounds, a tbi, partial hearing loss and a fucked up knee.

gets medically discharged (seethed)

whole life falls apart because who is he without a mission and a uniform. can't sleep. can't connect with the outside world. his depression era. dark things happened here.

va counselor yanks him out of the pit. makes him see that he can still serve through helping other people. gets his social work degree, starts working crisis intervention.

one of his teammates (rip) made him a deal during service that if he didn't make it out, simon could have his family home in aurora bay. simon was like yea ok mate we're still gettin' u out of here. to cut a long story short my guy did not make it and it took a long time for his will to get sorted out. now simon's here (living in a flat in ocean crest because the sparse remaining family are seething and malding about this random dilf getting the house. this has been going on for two years and shows no signs of being resolved soon LMFAO)

he works at the local va-cboc... the community outpatient clinic. hes also involved in nonprofit veteran outreach. specializes in PTSD support, particularly crisis management and suic/de prevention.

his knee is in bad shape. he has balance issues from his hearing loss. he has chronic pain. but fuck it we ball.

personality wise... stoic, observant, grounded, deeply empathetic beneath a hardened exterior. sarcastic wit, dark sense of humor. loyal, overprotective, pragmatic, emotionally reserved but intense when he connects. resentful of the military yet nostalgic. grounded in purpose—“helping others is the mission now.”

connection ideas?!?! do u guys remember plot bunnies. i do. miss that term so bad.

the coffee shop regular: they both frequent the same café, grumbling about the terrible coffee but drinking it anyway. maybe they bond over mutual sarcasm...?! waggles eyebrow.

fellow manchester FREAK: ow do, me old pal from the big manc

annoying neighbor: they’re either endearingly irritating or just… irritating. dw simon can be the annoying crotchety one also.

local mechanic: the only person simon trusts to work on his old pos car (i have not decided what car it is i know nothing about vehicles they are loud and they scare me) there’s mutual respect here because si knows they wont jerk him around

gym buddy (reluctantly): someone who keeps trying to rope simon into casual workouts, despite simon’s gruff refusals. over time, it just… becomes a routine.

farmer’s market vendor: sells him vegetables he doesn’t even like, but he keeps going back because he appreciates their no-nonsense attitude and respects the grind.

library regular: they both sit in the library at the same time every week.

post office friend: they bond over complaining about lost mail, long lines, and the eternal mystery of why the package simon ordered three weeks ago still isn’t here.

dog walker (he doesn’t own a dog): he keeps running into the same person walking their dog on his route, and now the dog is obsessed with him. please convince him to get a dog i think it would stop him from crying himself to sleep at night

the rando at the diner: they always end up seated near each other at the local diner. eventually, they start making snarky comments about the specials.

the waiter at said diner: hates his guts because he talks shit about the specials

um my fave tropes are angst. found family. low-stakes connections. high stakes connections. silly goofy plot points as much as serious ones. idk im here to vibe.

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

The Princess of Wales’ Year in Review: November

November 1st - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, visited Dadvengers November 2nd - The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay visited Outfit Moray, Burghead Primary School. Afterwards, they visited Brodieshill Farm, before finally visiting Day1 at Inverness Kart Raceway November 8th - The Princess of Wales, Colonel-in-Chief of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, visited the Regiment at Robertson Barracks November 11th - The Prince and Princess of Wales were present with the King and Queen at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall November 12th - The Princess of Wales joined members of the Royal Family at the cenotaph for the Remembrance Sunday service. During the 2023 Earthshot Prize ceremony, a video of the Prince and Princess of Wales snorkelling in the Bahamas with Coral Vita was released November 14th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation, received Mr. Jack Shonkoff (Director of Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University) at Windsor Castle. That evening, Catherine attended a reception at the Design Museum. Afterwards, the Prince and Princess of Wales joined members of the Royal Family at a private birthday party for the King November 15th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation, held a symposium on Early Childhood at the Design Museum November 16th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation, held a meeting at Windsor Castle. The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales and Mayor of Greater Manchester announced £100,000 funding to support the work of the Manchester Peace Together Alliance to provide positive opportunities for young people and reduce youth violence November 17th - The Princess of Wales opened BBC's Children In Need with a message about the importance of childhood November 18th - A photo of the Princess of Wales decorating a christmas tree was released to announce her carol concert November 21st - The Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed The President of the Republic of Korea and Mrs Kim Keon Hee on behalf of The King at the Four Seasons Hotel. They then drove to Horse Guards and were met by The King and Queen. At Buckingham Palace, they viewed an exhibit of South Korean art from the Royal Collection. Finally, they attended a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace November 22nd - The Prince and Princess of Wales, Joint Patrons of the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, held a reception at Windsor Castle November 24th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation, visited Sebby's Corner November 30th - The Prince and Princess of Wales received Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden at Windsor Castle. That evening, the four royals attended the Royal Variety Performance in aid of the Royal Variety Charity at the Royal Albert Hall

[herprivateswe]

352047- Pte. Thomas Victor Palfreyman. 2/6th Manchester Regiment.

[notwiselybuttoowell]

In the past two years Glasgow has become the first UK museum to repatriate objects to India. Newcastle and the Horniman in south London followed an example set by Aberdeen and Cambridge by returning looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria. Exeter handed sacred regalia to the Siksika Nation in Canada. Oxford returned the remains of 18 indigenous people to Australia.

Earlier this month Manchester completed a landmark return of 174 objects to the to the Anindilyakwa community, who live on an archipelago in the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the northern coast of Australia.

The scale of repatriation – or rematriation as it was proudly labelled by a Scottish national museum returning a totem pole to Canada – is unprecedented but missing from all this, campaigners say, are the nation’s London-based national museums who look increasingly isolated.

“Regional museums are so far ahead of national institutions,” said Lewis McNaught, who runs the not-for-profit Returning Heritage project.

“It has been led by Glasgow and it really just remains for national collections to wake up to the trend which is, actually, now global. The UK is really falling behind quite dramatically.”

Dan Hicks, a professor of contemporary archaeology at Oxford University as well as curator at the city’s Pitt Rivers Museum, said repatriation has become part of the “fake culture wars” with some on the right seeing it as “wokery”.

“What that means, sadly, for our national institutions is that they are being forced into a position of inertia and making themselves increasingly irrelevant with every week that goes by and every restitution that we see from the regions and elsewhere around the world.

“Everyone else is getting on with it.”

The big reasons for the two different narratives is that the London-based national museums are hamstrung by legislation.

The British Museum Act 1963 specifically forbids the museum from disposing of its holdings. The National Heritage Act of 1983 prevents trustees of institutions, including the V&A, Science Museum and others, from deaccessioning objects unless they are duplicates or beyond repair.

Regional museums, whether they are run by local authorities, universities or are regimental museums or private, don’t have the same issue.

But the picture is more complicated, said Hicks, and repatriation is also not a new issue or debate.

“There is a deep and long history to restitution in this country. Edinburgh university was returning human remains two generations ago, never mind one generation … there are scores if not hundreds of stories over the past 40 to 50 years.

“It should be part of what museums do. It’s a part of the job.”

Glasgow is seen as a leader in the repatriation conversation since an agreement in 1998 to return a Sioux warrior shirt acquired at the end of the 19th century from Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

The return of the Lakota Sacred Ghost Dance Shirt to the Wounded Knee Survivors’ Association established criteria that have been widely adopted in the museum sector.

Duncan Dornan, the head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, said repatriation should be seen as a two way process and recalled the joy at the signing ceremony last year for the repatriation of artefacts to India.

“It was a very emotional event and Glaswegians of Indian heritage were very emotional. Their response was that they were very proud of their city.

“We see repatriation as establishing a relationship of equals and emphasising Glasgow as an outward-looking modern city.

“This is about a 21st-century relationship rather than a historic relationship.”

The recent Manchester Museum return of objects was seen as important because they were not giving back things that had been looted. They were everyday objects, including dolls made from shells, baskets and boomerangs.

“We believe this is the future of museums,” said Esme Ward, the director of Manchester Museum. “This is how we should be.”

Unesco hopes that Manchester will be a model for other museums to follow. Krista Pikkat, Unesco’s director for culture and emergencies, said: “It is a truly historic and moving moment. This is a case we have shared with our member states because we felt it was exemplary in many ways.”

The UK government has no plans to change the law that could then lead to movement in some of the most high-profile repatriation debates such as the Parthenon marbles and the Benin bronzes.

Campaigners say the UK is looking increasingly isolated and there is a growing movement for a change in the law.

Lord Vaizey, a former long-serving Conservative arts minister, has said the 1983 act “makes it almost impossible for UK museums to establish themselves as outward-looking, modern institutions fit for purpose in the 21st century”.

There are ways of getting around it. The V&A announced last year that it was returning the Head of Eros, a life-sized marble carving dating back to the 3rd century AD, to Turkey to be reattached to the famous Sidamara sarcophagus.

It made good a promise made by the British government in 1934 but the return is essentially a long-term loan, not an unconditional return.

Across the world, from the US to France to Germany and the Vatican, countries are repatriating objects. “Almost everywhere you look, items are being returned,” said McNaught.

In July, for example, the Netherlands repatriated nearly 500 looted objects to Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

The objects going to Sri Lanka include the famous and fabulous ruby-inlaid Cannon of Kandy dating from 1745, one of six objects from the Rijkmuseum that represented the very first return of colonial items from the museum’s collection.

The Vatican has also voiced willingness to return indigenous artefacts. “The seventh commandment comes to mind: If you steal something you have to give it back,” Pope Francis said in April.

The London-based national museums are undoubtedly hamstrung by law but that does not stop the regular calls for the return of objects.

Some cases are indisputable, say campaigners.

McNaught pointed to Ethiopian tabots that have been in the British Museum’s stores for more than 150 years.

The wood and stone tabots are altar tablets, considered by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as the dwelling place of God on Earth and the representation of the Ark of the Covenant.

“They have never been exhibited and they never will,” said McNaught. “They have never been studied. They have never been photographed. The only people who can release these items are trustees and they can’t see them either.

“So if you are a trustee and you say, ‘Let me see what all the fuss is about,’ then you can’t.”

[aceofwhump]

I have a potentially strange question, but the search feature on Tumblr leaves a lot to be desired - do you know of any good WWII whump? Specifically that might involve hospital scenes, or takes place in Europe vs the Pacific theater? The WWII movies I know off the top of my head that involve (admittedly brief) scenes in a hospital/dealing with illness rather than injury are Unbroken (Japan) and Hacksaw Ridge (also Japan), The Great Raid (Phillipines), Flags of Our Fathers (Japan again), and Empire of the Sun (Japan and China). If context helps, I'm working on a one shot for Sam Gillespie and Sister Boniface and referencing his time on Sword Beach. (if you haven't seen it, highly recommend - WWII vet DI is besties with a former code-cracking nun who moonlights as the police scientific advisor and the solve crimes and make puns in 1960's Cotswolds).

I can definitely help you here!! I tend to lean more towards watching ETO WWII media myself. And oddly enough a lot of I've watched doesn't have that much whump. Which is weird for a war film/show. But here are some things I'd recommend:

Band of Brothers - follows U.S. Army troops of E "Easy" Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division from their training in England through D-Day and the rest of the war in Europe.

World on Fire - this show follows characters in Warsaw, Manchester, Berlin, and Paris during their lives as the Nazi party begins to take hold of Europe. Season 1 is set from March 1939 to July 1940 and shows events like the Defense of the Polish Post Office in Danzig, the Battle of the River Plate, the Dunkirk evacuation and the Battle of Britain. Season 2 covers October 1940 to May 1941 and shows the North Africa Campaign, The Blitz, Nazi Germany, and Occupied France.

X-Company - follows five recruits as they are trained as agents at a secret Canadian training facility, Camp X near Lake Ontario east of Toronto and then sent out into the field in Europe.

Dunkirk (2017) - This movie is all about the Battle of Dunkirk and the

Atonement (2007) - Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.

Combat! - a tv series from the 60s that follows a front line American infantry squad as they battled their way across Europe

Saints and Soldiers (2003) - Four American soldiers and one Brit fighting in Europe during World War II struggle to return to Allied territory after being separated from U.S. forces during the historic Malmedy Massacre.

Saving Private Ryan (1998) - Set in 1944 in France during World War II, it follows a group of soldiers, led by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks), on their mission to locate Private James Ryan whose three brothers have been killed in combat

finally I totally need to watch sister boniface!! that sounds great!

[captain-price-unofficially]

Men of the 20th Battalion, Manchester Regiment (25th Division) resting by a British Mk V (female) tank serial number 9891 of the 301st Battalion. Near Prémont, France. 8 October 1918.

[carbone14]

Lieutenant-Colonel Jack 'Mad Jack' Churchill

Jack Churchill surnommé 'Fighting Jack Churchill' ou 'Mad Jack', est un officier britannique qui combattit pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale armé d'un arc et d'une épée écossaise (broadsword) . Il est connu pour sa devise «Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed.» («Un officier qui part au combat sans son épée n'est pas dans une tenue correcte»).

En mai 1940, le capitaine Jack Churchill et son unité, le Manchester Regiment, prirent une patrouille allemande en embuscade au lieu-dit L’Épinette, hameau entre Richebourg et Festubert, près de Béthune. Jack Churchill et ses hommes se déployèrent dans les fermes désertées de leurs habitants. Jack Churchill mena l'attaque en levant son épée.

Une histoire raconte qu'il a tué le sergent en tête d'une patrouille allemande avec son arc. Jack Churchill dira plus tard que son arc a été cassé bien avant dans la campagne de France...

Une fois rapatrié en Angleterre par Dunkerque, Jack Churchill se portera volontaire pour intégrer les commandos. Il mènera des actions en Norvège (Opération Archery), en Italie et en Yougoslavie où il sera capturé en 1944 par les allemands pour être déporté au camp de concentration d'Oranienbourg-Sachsenhausen. Libéré du camp, il sera transféré en Birmanie juste à la fin de la guerre du Pacifique après l'explosion des deux bombes atomiques sur le Japon.