Special Operations Executive Agents Memorial & Violette Szabo

This bronze bust of Violette Szabo, on the Albert Embankment, just yards from the Headquarters of the British Special Intelligence Service (MI6), commemorates the secret agents who led covert operations against the Nazis.

This monument was commissioned by the Public Memorials Appeal.

S. O. E.

The Special Operations Executive was secretly formed for the purpose of recruiting agents, men and women of many nationalities, who would volunteer to continue the fight for freedom, by performing acts of sabotage in countries occupied by the enemy during the Second World War.

This monument is in honour of all the courageous S.O.E. Agents: those who did survive and those who did not survive their perilous missions. Their services were beyond the call of duty. In the pages of history their names are carved with pride.

The Heroes of Telemark.

In 1943 Norwegian resistance commandos sponsored by the S.O.E. raided the enemy occupied Norsk Hydro Plant in the Telemark region of Norway.

This successful raid sabotaged the machinery that was producing heavy water, which is used in the manufacture of the Atomic Bomb.

Thanks to those Norwegian Commandos the enemy's attempt to develop the Atomic Bomb was thwarted.

The Maquis French resistance fighters.

470 S.O.E. agents were sent on sabotage missions to occupied France where they fought with networks of French resistance fighters who played an important part in the liberation of France in 1944.

Violette Szabo.

Violette Bushell was born in Paris, France, in 1921, before her family moved to England. At the outbreak of World War II, she joined the Women's Land Army and the Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she met Étienne Szabo, a Free French corps soldier. They were married and she bore him a daughter, Tanis, in 1942. That same year Étienne was killed in action at the battle of El-Alamein. 

It was this event that led her to join the Special Operations Executive intelligence agency, which, at the time, had its headquarters on Baker Street.

National Covid Memorial Wall

National Covid Memorial Wall.

The National Covid Memorial Wall stretches for a third of a mile along the Albert Embankment, from Westminster Bridge to Lambeth Bridge.  It was a risky idea as it could be interpreted as criminal damage, as no permission had been granted.

National Covid Memorial Wall.

The first hearts began appearing in March 2021, when members of the 'Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Campaign' arrived and began painting hearts on the wall.

National Covid Memorial Wall.

At the time of writing there are almost 250,000 hearts painted or drawn onto the wall. The idea being that there be one heart for each person who had Covid listed as a cause of death on their death certificate.

A staggering figure, that could have been much worse.

'Tamesis Dock'

The Tamesis Dock floating pub.

It was during a late afternoon wander along the River Thames that I discovered the 'Tamesis Dock' floating pub. Intrigued I stepped aboard for a drink and found it to be cosy and welcoming. 

Never a truer word written.

Much like the TARDIS, from Doctor Who, the 'Tamesis Dock' is a lot larger on the inside than it looks from the outside. Of course, there is seating available on the decks, too, for those warm London days and nights.

Walking with family: A Halloween Stroll

Looking North, from below the MillenniuM Footbridge.

Friday 29th October, 2010.

It was an early start for us, as we were going to London with my Mum. The plan was go with her to Queen Square for her appointment, then we would all go around London as a family.

So, we got up, had a coffee and got to my Mums for 9 O'clock. We then booked a taxi to take us to Croxley Station. Then Alysha called. She had evidently changed her mind and wanted to come with us to London.