Northumbrian Gunner: 2016

Sunday, 13 November 2016

Remembrance Sunday 2016

Remembrance Sunday 2016 Eldon Square Newcastle

Remembrance Sunday 2016
Eldon Square War Memorial and Veterans Wreath Party

Remembrance Sunday 2016
Two Minutes Silence

Remembrance Sunday 2016
Newcastle City Pipe Band lead Veterans Parade

Newcastle and North East pays its respects on Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday Parade 2016

Newcastle

Saturday, 12 November 2016

Remembrance 2016 - TS Jesmond URC

Tyneside Scottish Branch Royal Artillery Association act remembrance at Jesmond United Reformed Church's Great War Memorial.

The Jesmond United Reformed Church is the location where the 4th Battalion Tyneside Scottish (23rd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers) was laid up after the First World War.

Tyneside Scottish Branch RAA
Jesmond United Reformed Church

Great War Memorial
Jesmond United Reformed Church

A plaque in the church commemorates Mr JR Hall, a prominent member of the Tyneside Scottish Committee in WW1 who would subsequently become Honorary Colonel TS. In 1939, on the outbreak of the Second World War, it was Colonel Hall who petitioned to have the Tyneside Scottish title revived.

Colonel JR Hall Commemoration Plaque
Jesmond United Reformed Church

Thursday, 3 November 2016

New York 2016 - Hoboken

Hoboken is located on the Hudson River in New Jersey opposite Manhattan. During World War One it was the main port of embarkation for the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) destined for Europe.

Hoboken New Jersey

The port was the location of the piers of the German Hamburg-America line. When America declared war on Germany on 6^th April 1917, the piers and the ships belonging to the Hamburg-America Line were sized and would be used by the US Military as a port for the AEF.

German-America Line ships seized in Hoboken
Source: Hoboken Historical Museum

Hoboken Pier - Seized from German American Line
Source: Hoboken Historical Museum

The first convoy carrying US troops to Europe left Hoboken on June 14^th 1917, the first of 93voyages which would transport 1,656,000 men during the war.

American Trans Atlantic Routes WW1

Before the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in September 1918, the American Commander, General John J Pershing rallied his troops with the slogan that they would ultimately end up in “Heaven, Hell or Hoboken by Christmas”.

Heaven, Hell or Hoboken by Christmas

The Troops were brought to Hoboken from training and transit camps by train into Hoboken Station which was situated on the water font adjacent to the shipping piers.

Hoboken Port of Embarkation Rail Links

Hoboken Station

After the Armistice in November 1918, the returning troops disembarked in Hoboken.

American Troops returning home to Hoboken WW1

American Troops returning home WW1 - Hoboken Station

To commemorate the part played by Hoboken during World War One and to remember the men of the American Expeditionary force, a memorial has been placed on the waterfront where the transport piers were located.

Hoboken Waterfront

Hoboken Memorial Port of Embarkation American Expeditionary Force

Hoboken Memorial Port of Embarkation
American Expeditionary Force

Hoboken Memorial Port of Embarkation American Expeditionary Force

Hoboken Memorial Port of Embarkation
American Expeditionary Force

Hoboken Piers 2016

Hoboken Station 2016

Hoboken viewed from Manhattan

Hoboken's location opposite Manhattan provides excellent views of New York City.

World Trade Centre viewed from Hoboken

Empire State Building viewed from Hoboken

VM / IJ Hoboken looking towards Manhattan and WTC
New York 2016

Mike / Ian Hoboken
New York 2016

New York 2016 - Grand Central To Poughkeepsie

The movie Girl on a Train is about a troubled woman wrapped up in a murder. The train in the movie is the Metro North Hudson Line from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie, and it was filmed in Westchester County, New York State.

The Girl on the Train

On many occasions I had flown high above Poughkeepsie, a noted waypoint of the KLM flight map as it signalled we were getting close to JFK. A journey from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie seemed a great way to actually see Poughkeepsie, the Hudson and the film locations.

Metro North Railroad Map

The journey starts at Grand Central Station New York City ....

Grand Central Station New York City

Grand Central Station New York City
Station Concourse

The station boards announce the trains to Poughkeepsie ........

Grand Central Station New York City
Hudson Line Departures

However............... ended up on 47th Street and at Maggies Place, an old haunt.

New York
Maggies Place 47th Street East

We were able to make the journey........courtesy of YouTube.

The line passes through Ardsely (38mins),, the station used in the movie Girl on the Train.

Metro North Railroad Hudson Line
Ardsley on Hudson Station

Metro North Railroad Hudson Line
Ardsley on Hudson Station
Girl on the Train

Bear Mountain (1hr 9 mins) brought back memories of visiting new York State

Bear Mountain

Bear Mountain with Mike

The line progresses towards Poughkeepsie, where North East of Garrison Station, on the opposite bank of the Hudson is the United States Military Academy at West Point (1hr 15mins). Another place visited a while ago.

United States Military Academy
West Point

United States Military Academy
West Point - 2002 ?

United States Military Academy West Point

Poughkeepsie derives it's name from it's Red Indian name, U-puku-ipi-sing, meaning "the reed-covered lodge by the little-water place". The closest I got to a Red Indian was outside Grand Central Station.

New York
Red Indian

Return Journey...........

New York 2016 - Madison Park / Flatiron

Madison Square Park is located between Maddison Avenue and Fifth Avenue, 23rd to 26th Street. At the South West Corner, at the junction of 5th Avenue and 26th Street the Flat Iron Building is situated.

Madison Square and Flat Iron
New York City

The Flat Iron building derives it name from it's resemblance to a cast iron clothes iron. The building sits on a tri-angle of Fifth Avenue, Broadway, and East 22nd Street, it's address 175 5th Avenue. When it was built in 1902, with 20 floors, it was one of the tallest buildings in New York.

Madison Square

Flatiron Building
New York City

Flatiron Building

Flatiron Building British Tank WW1
New York City

WW1 American Troops march down 5th Avenue past Flat Iron Building
New York City

On the West Side of Madison Square is the Worth Monument which was erected over the tomb of General William Jenkins Worth. Worth enlisted into the Army in 1812 when America went to War with the United Kingdom, serving as a Lieutenant. He was the fourth commandant of West Point. By 1824 he was a Lieutenant Colonel and a Colonel in 1838, fighting with the Eighth Infantry against the Seminole Indians in Florida. Promoted to Major General in 1846, he took part in all the major engagements of the Mexican-American War (1846-48). After the War he commanded the Army in Texas where he died from Cholera in 1849.

Worth Monument

Worth Monument Madison Park
New York City

Located on Madison Avenue and 23rd Street is the Met. Life Building. Constructed in 1909, it was the tallest building in the World until the building of the Woolworth Tower in 1913.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower

Met Life Building and Eternal Light Flagstaff
New York City

Located on 5th Avenue in Madison Park is the Eternal Light Flagstaff. It was erected to commemorate the first anniversary of American troops who were received in the square on their home coming. It records the Battles of the American Expeditionary Force, and is dedicated to those who lost their lives during the conflict.

Each year the annual Veterans Day parade concludes at Madison Park, and official ceremonies are conducted at the Flagstaff.

Eternal Light Flagstaff

Eternal Light Flagstaff
Madison Park NYC

Inscription: East face:
TO OUR HEROES / 'TIS THE / STAR SPANGLED BANNER / OH LONG MAY IT WAVE/ O'ER THE LAND / OF THE FREE / AND THE HOME OF / THE BRAVE / YPRES-LYS / AISNE LYS / SOMME DEFENSIVE / SOMME OFFENSIVE /

West face:
OISE-AISNE / ST. MIHIEL / CAMBRAI / AISNE-MARNE/ VITTORIO-VENETO/
MEUSE-ARGONNE / SOMME OFFENSIVE / CHAMPAGNE-MARNE / MONTDIDIER-NOYON/ THIS STAR WAS LIGHTED / NOVEMBER XI MCMXXIII/

North face:
IN MEMORY OF THOSE / WHO HAVE MADE / THE SUPREME
SACRIFICE / FOR THE TRIUMPH OF / THE FREE PEOPLES / OF THE WORLD/

South face:
ERECTED / TO COMMEMORATE / THE FIRST HOMECOMING / OF THE
VICTORIOUS / ARMY AND NAVY / OF THESE UNITED STATES / OFFICIALLY
RECEIVED BY / THE CITY OF NEW YORK / ON THIS SITE / ANNO DOMINI
MCMXVIII /

New York 2016 - Union Square

Union Square derives it's name from the Union of two major thoroughfares in New York, Broadway and Fourth Avenue (formerly Bowery Road).

Union Square

Union Square
New York City

The Square contains a statue of George Washington, unveiled in 1856, which depicts General Washington leading American troops into New York on 27th November 1783 into New York City following the withdrawal of the British.

George Washington Statue
Union Square NYC

Evacuation Day - November 27th 1783
George Washington leads American Troops into New York City

Union Square took on a different meaning on 20th April 1861 at the start of the American Civil War. Although many in New York City supported the Southern States prior to the War, the act of aggression by Confederate Troops capturing Fort Sumter in South Carolina had the effect of New Yorkers rallying to the Union cause. An estimated 100,000 people of attended a rally in Union Square.

The Great Sumter Rally in Union Square