Mark Simner
@marksimner
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Author and Magazine Feature Writer of British Military History | MHM Book of the Year Nominee | Book Reviewer | Militaria Collector | BA (Hons) MSc
West Midlands, England
Joined September 2011
#OnThisDay (26 Jan 1885) #Khartoum falls to Mahdist forces following a 317-day siege. General Charles George Gordon is killed just two days before a British relief column arrives. The event sparks a national public outcry in Britain. #MahdistWar (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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Still one of my favourite war movies, and a pretty good way to spend the first part of a Sunday evening.
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Another productive afternoon writing about the Battle of the River Plate. Tackling events in Montevideo in the lead up to Graf Spee’s scuttling shortly. For now, though, it’s time for coffee and an 80s movie. 🤓 Image: Damage to HMS Exeter during the battle - Wikimedia Commons
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#OnThisDay (25 Jan 1797) A Royal Navy squadron of three frigates and a corvette under George Stewart engaged the Spanish ship San Francisco de Asís off Cádiz. Despite a fierce 3-hour battle, the British were forced to withdraw due to heavy damage. (Images: Wikimedia Commons)
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My days of making plastic model kits are long in the past, but I had fun building this.
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Personally, I’d like to see politicians required to hold a licence to practise, renewed every twelve months. Afterall, it’s important to drive up standards of professionalism, integrity and accountability.
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What might have been.
The EM2 rifle was an experimental design that was issued in small numbers for operational testing in the 1950s. It was issued to some British soldiers in Malaya. <1/3>
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A truly beautiful sight!
Saturday was 'pocket money day' when I was a kid in the 1960s, which entailed a walk of 500 yards to my local model shop, run by a real life retired RAF Squadron Leader! These beauties were my usual purchase, the Airfix 'bagged' kits, sold at around 2 shillings (10p) each.
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This is outrageous and unacceptable. @DCMS @lisanandy you need to address this and act!
From April 1, listed places of worship will have to bear the full cost of VAT on repairs. This brings to an end a system that has operated successfully for 20+ years. Local people will have to raise money not just to repair roofs and towers but to pay a 20% tax to the Government.
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Slowly getting my head around the finer details of the Battle of the River Plate. This surely has to be one of the most intriguing stories of WW2.
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Another fascinating mini-thread from @Taff_Gillingham. What an historic item to own.
WW2 Windak Smocks are incredibly rare. There were only 154 of them made, most of them snaffled at the time by senior Officers, and very few seem to turn up outside museum collections. I sold this for a friend several years ago, without knowing what it was, and assuming like many
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I feel angry and sick at DT's slur against NATO troops in Afghanistan. There are some lines you simply don't cross. And this is one of them!
Donald Trump claims NATO forces stayed “a little off the frontlines” in Afghanistan In fact: 457 UK service personnel died Denmark lost more per capita than any other NATO state Trump dodged the draft for Vietnam 5 times Analysis by @Stone_SkyNews
https://t.co/YnSgzAuR4I
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Interesting graphic.
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A day of writing about this. ⬇️ Now for an evening of reading and coffee before the delights of another manic week ahead. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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History in the making. Absolutely fascinating. https://t.co/jj2XZrg2YI
news.sky.com
The NASA mega-rocket set to carry four astronauts on a 10-day test trip around the moon is on its way to its launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Follow live.
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I had an original one of these back in the late 80s. For pure nostalgia reasons, I've decided to buy a new one. And yes, I fully intend to wear it.
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