Saturday Afternoon at the Imperial War Museum

On Saturday Jules, Jerry, their house mate Sophie, Ann Maria and I went to the Imperial War Museum. 

As you know, Bill is not into war stuff so he went off on his own for the afternoon while I prepared for battle.

 Ann Maria was as excited as I was.  Or else she was practicing Big Face in the museum garden.

Jerry and I were the photographers of the day.  

 Outside the museum they had a whole slew of antique cars.

 This would be my car with the Union pillows and the crown on the door.

 Eventually we made it inside the museum.

 There were lots of big mechanical things for people to look at but I prefer the more subtle aspects of war - the propaganda, life on the home front, etc.

No wonder Bill doesn't like war!!  It would impede his fashion sense!

The gallery at the top of the museum is filled with stories of winning the Victoria Cross or the George Cross (the civilian version).  Some of the stories were pretty amazing and I left the room vowing to take a bullet or run into the next burning building I saw in order to join the ranks of these folks.

 I love the wartime scarves.  I actually saw some for sale in a vintage clothing shop recently but they were hundreds of pounds and none of them were quite as fabulous as the ones on display here.  I might pay a couple hundred quid for that Churchil….

 I also went into the Holocaust exhibit but no photography was allowed.  Be thankful because it was brutal.  Incredibly effecting and moving but horrific - as it should be.  

When I came out it was time to meet the others to queue up for the WW1 exhibit.  That mish mash of people below is the queue.

 Jules, Ann Maria and I were the only ones who found each other at the assigned time so we went in with the masses.  I'm sure the exhibit was wonderful but it was so packed with people that I was only able to give it a cursory look and I only took a couple of pictures.

 

 As you leave this exhibit you walk through the trenches yourself to get a taste of life in these deep tunnels.  Then again, I was dry and clean and those poor boys were drenched and miserable.  The projection at the end looks like hell on Earth.

I was so glad that I went but I didn't even begin to see it all.  I need to make another trip on a week day morning when there will be fewer people.

Tune in tomorrow for our next stop  - the wine bar….