Between Sunderland War Memorial and Mowbray Park a memorial wall has been erected to commemorate those who have served in conflicts since the Second World War and to honour Sunderland’s post-World War 2 fallen.

The first section commemorates non-combat deaths in war:-

The rest of the wall is a sobering reminder of the many conflicts in which British soldiers have lost their lives since 1945.

Palestine and India:-

Malaya and the Cold War:-

Korea and the Canal Zone:-

Kenya and Cyprus:-

Aden, Radfan and Suez:-

Borneo, Northern Ireland and Oman Dhofar:-

Falkland Islands and Gulf War:-

Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone:-

Afghanistan and Iraq, plus Ode of Remembrance:-

Coalville Memorial Clock Tower with fence in foreground. The words inscribed on the fence are, “Memorial. For your tomorrow.”

Post World War 2 commemorations – 2 general plaques one noting deaths in Korea, Cyprus and Iraq. (Mining memorial in near background.)

Original Dedication. “To the glorious memory of the men of the burgh and parish of Inverness who laid down their lives in the Great War 1914-1919.”

First Internal Dedication. “An Codagh Mor,” and “We honour them for what we owe them.”

Second Internal Dedication. “An Codagh Mor,” and “They fought for King and country, faith and freedom, nor did they fight in vain.”

Dedication on rear of memorial. “In three continents and in the deep they lie, but in our hearts their deeds forever are enshrined.”

More than 5,000 men of Inverness parish served in the Great War. 117 did not return.

Second World War dedication. “To the glorious memory of the men and women of the burgh and parish who made the supreme sacrifice in defence of their country in the Second World War.”

Post 1945 dedication. Borneo, Canada, Gulf War, Afghanistan, Belize, Cyprus, Air Accident. “We will remember them, today, tomorrow, for ever.”

Scottish Challenge Cup (Irn Bru Cup) Final, McDiarmid Park, 24/3/18.

I’m a bit deflated at the moment as I’m sure you can imagine. Football can be such a cruel game.

I made the fatal mistake of beginning to hope when Scott Gallacher made the penalty save with about seven minutes to go. But to lose it in the last gasp of injury time was harsh; especially on the players who’d worked so hard.

We had the better of the early exchanges, ranking up several corners (I can’t remember them getting even one in the whole game) and having a shot on target without really troubling the keeper. More worryingly they came into it towards half-time by which time the on target count had become 2-2.

They had more of the second half and did make Scott Gallacher handle the ball a few times. The nearest we came was with a Danny Handling shot which the keeper held. I noticed today that Handling has a terrible habit of turning back with the ball. Who was it back in the day who did that all the time. Paul Quinn? Robert Russell? Not Russell I think, much further back than him.

After his debut for Cyprus yesterday (the Sons’ first full international player since 1932) Froxy came on as a late sub but it was too late for him to affect the game much. The only free-kick he could attempt was from way too far out even for him.

Here’s a photo of my match ticket:-

Before entering the stand I took a few photos of the ground as it’s the first time I’ve been there. Through a frosted glass window I caught Sons’ manager Stevie Aitken in the dressing room probably trying to get a signal on his phone:-

I’m proud of the lads, they did well. But I’m gutted – for them and for me.

They’ll need to raise themselves for Tuesday night’s game now. At least most of the players who were unavailable for today should be in the squad.

This cup run has probably ruined our league season what with all the postponements. We don’t have a midweek free now until the last week of the season.

But when will be the next time Sons are in a national Cup Final?

SPFL Tier 2, The Rock, 10/3/18.

Well, this is becoming depressing.

Another home game, another 1-0 defeat. No leage goal since Boxing Day (and none in the two games before that.)

And it seems we missed a penalty.

If we didn’t have a Cup final to look forward to things would be bleak indeed.

And it seems Froxy is unavailable for that due to a Cyprus call-up. Gloom all round.

I didn’t photograph all the plinths lining the avenue leading towards Boston War Memorial as there were about forty of them, some of which commemorated lesser known conflicts or aspects of large ones.

Arctic Convoys, 1941-45:-

Cyprus Veterans’ Association, 1955-58:-

Falklands War 1982:-

Suez, 1945-56:-

Dunkirk Veterans. (My father was one of the evacuees from Dunkirk):-

Dieppe, 1942:-

Battle of Jutland, 1916:-

Gallipoli 1914-16:-

Battle of the Somme, 1916:-

Battle of Amiens 1918:-

Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca, 11/11/11

This looked pretty uninspiring in the first half with Cyprus getting in amongst our back four too often for comfort and only a great tip onto the bar by Allan McGregor preventing us going behind. That was before Kenny Miller struck with a goal that, had it been struck by a Brazilian or a Spaniard we would never hear the end of. Just after, Cyprus hit the woodwork again.

Jamie Mackie looked lively but tended to take wrong options until he wormed his way into the box in the second half and scored a beautifully engineered and taken individual goal. Shortly thereafter the defensive frailties showed themselves again as poor covering by Phil Bardsley allowed Christofi in to pull one back.

Scotland missed Darren Fletcher when he was substituted. The play wasn’t as fluid after he went off; but we seem to have a lot of options up front now.

And an away win is nothing to sneeze at.

Mind you, Cyprus are 120^th in the FIFA rankings; 69 below us.