HUMBLE BLOWER

100 years ago today, at 7.30AM, whistles blew into the silence and men jumped out of the trenches to follow . . . Somme would have us rightly remember this. On Day One only, 19,240 British soldiers lost their lives. Have we learned anything . . . yet again silence !  Somme have a lot to answer for. Somme-one is taking the pea !
Welcome to . . . the Glasgow Thunderer, a whistle used by railwaymen, police, firemen and, in my case, teachers in their duty of work. It seems appropriate to become a whistleblower on this day.
I always find some links unbelievable. On this day a single whistle has a huge significance. Added to this, immediate links exist between my Working Life and my Blip Life, as you will see.
Whilst the manufacturers of my whistle, McPherson Brothers were based in Glasgow, the company founder Thomas McPherson . . . 1822-1888 . . . emigrated to Australia. The company were involved in a number of landmark works, including the building of the Transcontinental Railway (the company produced all of the dog spikes needed for the 1,200-mile railroad) completed in 1917. They also manufactured the five million rivets needed to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge, completed in 1932, and built with steel from Teesside . . . and so my personal circle closes . . . and it began with a whistle.
I hope you all have a grand, and thoughtful, weekend ahead !