As the Patriarch of this part of the 'Simmonds' family, I have become the family historian and have traced the family back several generations.

In discussion with my sister last week, we were bemoaning the fact that we knew so little about our parents and their upbringing.

During the course of entertaining my colleagues with another tale of my adventures (and misadventures) at home and abroad, it suddenly dawned on me that when I go, these stories will be lost forever, and my children will be wondering what it was like to be me.

So this Blog is my way of saving my memories for posterity and will take the form of little snippets that I can record as I remember from them from time to time.