Here is the weather forecast!

Dartmoor today is wet, windy and thick mist or good training weather as we used to tell our groups training for their Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Expeditions. This morning it was just horrible for Mrs M and me, Jinxy couldn't care less. The wetter the better as far as he is concerned but not the day to flash expensive cameras about in. I took just this shot as we returned to the car where I sheltered on the leeward side to snatch a picture of this small group of sheep trying to find shelter. Our little expedition this morning did confirm however, that the highland cattle are now wandering free on the moor but no sign of the bull from yesterdays blip.

Watching all the ceremonial taking place at the moment reminds me of two large occasions I was involved in during my military service. The first was in around 1961 when I was in a Royal Guard of Honor for the Queen on Plymouth Hoe, when she visited the City and a more memorable one was the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965, where 41 Commando RM formed the last guard of honor on the route, outside the Tower of London before his coffin was taken away by boat down the Thames,
We did all the rehearsals at about 2am. We used to formed up in the Tower, where we witnessed the ceremony of the keys, and then marched out to take up our position outside the Tower. The boat that took the coffin away was in the river pageant on the Thames the other day,