Steve Smith

Final Walk - Portsmouth Cenotaph

It was Baltic again early this morning, set off early to lay my ABF Fundraising Army Remembrance cross in an appropriate place. I stopped at this location earlier in November, before 11/11, but wanted to come back for my final walk this year. There are many Army souls commemorated here, 2 memorials to WW1 & WW2. It was a smashing sunny day, so I sat here for a few minutes before heading back for the Gosport ferry. I’ve just self donated to get to £107 and by the time I have walked home I’ll be at 107 KM - which pleases my OCD brain. Good luck to those still walking and thanks for the interactions - I’ll be back for Operation Bletchley BERLIN in January 2025. OUT. 🥾❤️🥶❄️🌨️🥾❤️🎖️

Walk 10 - Eastleigh & South Stoneham - 6KM

The “Smudgeometer” said it was ‘Kin Baltic’ for this mornings walk, although it did warm up a bit later. A few different observations today on my 6KM walk - Eastleigh CWGC site: Every single grave had a Union Jack planted and a remembrance cross, possibly the RBL’s work, but a smashing touch. I also found a small Gurkha plot. South Stoneham: I found a registered CWGC grave for a lost soul from the Non Combatants Corps (NCC) - I hadn’t seen a grave from the NCC, these brave souls that volunteered but did not want to bare arms - RIP❤️ I cleaned up my 2022 Normandy FLW boots for this little trip as it was both frozen and a bit moist in the long grass at both sites, also I modelled me ABF Fundraising Army Royal Signals hoody & FLW T-Shirt (layered up despite the beautiful sunshine).🌝❄️ Registered WW1 & WW2 fallen Infantry Soldiers graves from the following Regiments: The Buckinghamshire Light Infantry The Wiltshire Regiment The Gurkha Rifles The Grenadier Guards

Walk 9 - Gosport memorial Gardens

Walk around Gosport town centre and the many memorials to Soldiers and Sailors lost in conflicts, another 5KM 🥾👌🎖️

Walk 8 - Lee on Solent CWGC

Walk 9 - Lee on Solent CWGC A brisk walk along the beautiful Lee on Solent coastline, lovely calm day with some lunatics sea swimming🥶 Visited the War Memorial near the old site of HMS Daedalus [now an airport], past the Hovercraft museum on the return leg and also stopped at a WW1 Memorial in the town centre. Fitbit says nearly 10KM and managed to miss most of the rain too🥾👌❤️ — at HMS Daedalus.

Walk 7 - Milton Cemetery

I yomped to the ferry again today, hopped over to Pompy to walk to Milton Cemetery on the other side of Portsmouth [Fratton side]. I passed The Falklands Memorial at Gosport Ferry Terminal, Portsmouth War Memorial, Fratton Park football ground [historical links to local Regiments in WWI & II], then onto Milton Cemetery where I located a 2 of many Infantry graves: The 1st Surrey Rifles The Middlesex Regiment as per my mission this year. Also had a chat with 2 fine Gent’s from the CWGC - tending to graves on site, I’ve seen them several times this year, so decided to have a chat and thank them for what they do, they were interested in what the ABF were up to with the My FLW, they made sure I knew the main CWGC sites in my area 👍 11KM in total, the sun even made another appearance, Bus & Ferry back - Home for tea and medals 👌🥾🎖️❤️

Walk 6 - Netley CWG Cemetery - Southampton

Armistice was spent in the sunshine at a quiet cemetery an hours drive away from Gosport. I parked up and walked an 8KM circuit around the cemetery. I was joined by a few other members of the public and we had our 2 minutes silence. I wore my ‘leak proof sunglasses’, my ABF FLW hoody and Tee-Shirt to fly the flag. I was surprised how many Irish Regiments I could find today, but my most poignant picture was probably the British and German WW1 graves side by side in the sunshine, Armistice in a nutshell ❤️🎖️ Following Infantry Regiments seen today: Royal Munster Regiment Royal Irish Rifles Royal Irish Regiment Royal Dublin Fusileers Leinster Regiment Connaught Rangers Durham Light Infantry Kings Liverpool Regiment Highland Light Infantry Worcestershire Regiment South Lancashire Regiment Royal Inniskilling Fusileers York & Lancashire Regiment Scots Guards Royal Scott’s Fusileers Gordon Highlanders East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) Middlesex Regiment South Wales Borderers Loyal North Lancashire Regiment Kings Royal Rifle Corps Kings Dragoon Guards — at Netley Military Cemetery, Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley.

Everyday is Remembrance Day

Rest day today, but took some time to look around our home for everyday reminders we have built up over the years.

Walk 5 - Alverstoke village

Walk 5 - Alverstoke village - 4KM I donned my buckshee ‘ABF-socks-bimbling-for-the-use-of’ and went for a short walk around my local village. Some nice shop fronts supporting 11/11, also stopped in to a local rest home, sat in a small rememberance garden and had a moment. Wearing England colours today ready for a weekend of Rugby, you can’t beat Twickenham Autumn international matches during remembrance weekend - maximum pride and respect 🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎖️

Walk 4 - IOW - Ryde CWG cemetery

Walk 4 - IOW - Ryde CWG cemetery I ramped up my distance today, FitBit says 16 KM's which is about right, even though I kept forgetting to pause/restart the damn thing. I had a bit of an adventure, nearly a full day walking, finding new stuff and meeting some Veterans (I'll do a separate post with further non-FLW info), overall it was a good day and it didn't rain (bonus). Today I found WWI & WWII Infantry Regiments that weren't on my list so far, Regiments as follows: 8th BN Hampshire Regiment Essex Regiment Manchester Regiment I’ll add some pictures now then do another post with my journey and some other ((hopefully) interesting things to see if you are over on the IOW (Isle of White 😀). 🥾🥾

Walk 3 - Gosport WM hospital

Rich history in GWMH - more pics added to FLW FB group.

Walk 3 - St Ann’s cemetery

Walk 3 - Gosport War Memorial Hospital & St Anns Hill cemetery. Unplanned 6KM walking to an appointment, took in some local shops supporting rememberance and a Gosport CWG cemetery too. Lots of history at GWMH. I located several fallen Infantry soldiers from WW1 Regiments at St Anns cemetery, as listed below: Highland Light Infantry The Border Regiment Gloucestershire Regiment Dorsetshire Regiment Royal Berkshire Regiment Plus some cheeky squirrels

Walk 2 - Fareham Cemetery

Today I found fallen Infantry soldiers from both WWI & WWII, the following Regiments: Hampshire Regiment Hampshire Home Guard (14th Btln) Warwickshire Regiment Essex Regiment Queens Regiment Wiltshire Regiment 6km’s masquerading as Callsign ‘WingNut’ 👌😀👂👂 Nice peaceful site.

Walk 2 - Fareham Cemetery

On Monday I am going to locate some WWI & WWII Infantry graves at Fareham cemetery 🥾🎖️🪦

Walk 1 - Haslar CWG

Haslar is my local CWG cemetery, over a thousand Naval souls laid to rest, plus a few Soldiers and Airmen. I was lucky to see a CWG maintenance man renovating a grave today. Lovely site, right next to Alverstoke estuary. 6Km in the bag, need to dig out my FLW/ABF shirts. 

Ready to start tomorrow - 01/11/24

This time I am going to find as many Infantry Regiments as possible in my local Military ceremonies, I live in a mainly Navy area, but there are many many Soldiers graves to locate also. Good luck everyone.