Crosswire Conspiracy Part 1 (1/2) By Buick McCain

(1/2), (2/2). Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

During the summer of 2006 my grandmother sadly passed away. Amongst her possessions, that I was given responsibility for sorting, was a neatly filed and dated collection of my late grandfather's diaries, dating from the early 1940s. Over the ensuing weeks I read and reread all my grandfathers' thoughts. Of his hopes and aspirations and his concerns about the war and its eventual outcome.

Like many young men of his age he could easily have ended up conscripted and fighting in France or Norway but because of several of my grandfathers more eclectic idiosyncrasies (more later!) he was assigned to the fledgling Special Operations Executive (S.O.E). A covert organisation instructed by Churchill to create mayhem and maximum disruption to the Nazi war machine throughout occupied Europe by whatever means were available.

Cambridgeshire has a distinguished history of involvement with S.O.E and many dangerous, clandestine operations were either planned, or agents and wireless operators would train in this area before leaving for the secret airfield at nearby Tempsford and their eventual destinations in war torn France, Belgium and Holland. My grandfathers daring and extremely brave wartime exploits are covered from his recruitment into secret operations until June 9th 1944, three days after D-day.

It has never been properly established what happened to my grandfather after the last diary entry or how the diaries came into my grandmothers possession and as she refused point blank to discuss the war or my grandfathers involvement, I am afraid that all their secrets have now gone to the grave with them.

NOVEMBER 1940

I hated London, even on a bright, sunny autumn afternoon, I hated London even when it hadn't been bombed. It was an unmitigated cacophony of mayhem, madness and insufferable rudeness. Cockney chirpiness was a figment of Noel Cowards vivid imagination. The hand delivered letter contained a first class return ticket from Cambridge and overnight accommodation at the Grand and the short but important looking missive had been enough to drag me away from my studies.

64 Baker Street seemed innocuous enough, but the gentleman that insisted on leading me to the third floor offices of Goodwin Paper Supplies was an all together different proposition. More small mountain than man. I was lead into a large study to be greeted by three rather grandiose looking chaps, two in day to day business attire and the other in full colonel army regalia. The invitation that nestled in my jacket pocket never once mentioned donning khaki of that I'm sure!

Continued .... Next Page (2/2)

Articles - A Nightmare on Ella Street By Chester Draws

	Saint’s preserve us ... It’s the end of the world as we know it, the biblical flood has arrived to punish Ella Street for its Liberal Bohemian ways. We thought that all our pot smoking, hippy festivals and savage alcohol problems would put us on square terms with the man upstairs but it seems God is a raging Conservative who would see us all drown Read more...

Articles - The Drain - Memories of East Hull By Nicholas Boldock

	It can sometimes transcend strangeness, the things we humans can have a fondness for. Me, I rather like "The Drain", that muddy, filthy waterway that flows through East Hull, fostering luminous green algae and prehistoric hermaphrodite fish as it goes. At first glance the drain looks like not much more than a cleverly designed cesspool, Read more...

Articles - Buses By Andrea Longstaff

	I was running to catch the number 13 bus in Bond Street when the driver, standing next to his vehicle and smoking a roll-up said to me "There's always going to be another bus you know" I replied that I had to be somewhere and was running late. "Why don't you walk then?" Hmmmmm and why don't you mind your own fucking business? Read more...

Articles - Behind the Wall - Ibrahim's Pavement Café By Rich Wiles, of Hull and Hebron

	Most cities and town across Europe have a central square, or several, around which the city or town is built. These can include bustling market squares in rural England, lazy plazas in small Spanish villages, and huge piazzas in Italy's great Roman cities Al-Khalil's (Hebron's) Beit Romano Square bears little in common with these Read more...

Articles - Appeal - Calling East Hull ...

	When was the last time you ate a meal so good that you had to tell someone about it? When was the last time you walked into a pub and had a really good night out? When was the last time you spoke to someone who was so unique that you immediately thought: now that would make a good story... If any of the above applies to you, then we want to hear from you. Read more...

Articles - Wilberforce House - New Exhibition By Michael Smith Age 15

	The house of William Wilberforce has been converted into a fabulous exhibition dedicated to the Slave trade and its abolition along with the life of William Wilberforce and his work. Such a museum is exactly the correct thing to do to the very house that William lived and worked in. The museum is an emotional and educational experience that Read more...

Articles - Trepanning Worked For Me And The Joys Of Public Transport By Andrea Longstaff

	The Government and the Greenies moan like fuck about carbon emissions but I use public transport on a regular basis. I don't know if it's me going through an olfactory hallucinatory phase but the buses always seem to stink of rancid piss these days, and the people that you have to endure! One time I was on the bus on my way to Park Avenue when a lass sat down Read more...

Articles - Yankeeburger By John Science

	I came across your website purely by accident when I was looking for any comments regarding Yankeeburger in Jameson Street. I was pleasantly surprised to read that a Vivian Wan from Australia worked there in the 80's and referred to me as a 'great guy' -a compliment indeed. I do remember we had some wonderful students from Asia during that period Read more...

Articles - Nappy Nature By Shellie

	Nappy Nature is the trading name for the Hull and East Riding Real Nappy Network, we are a not for profit business, by which we mean though we make a profit that money is re-invested into our activities and projects, not shareholders! We are actively working with the Real Nappy Campaign as well as any other baby and parent group Read more...

Articles - Ghost Chasers In Hull By Mike Smith

	Ghost Chasers www.ghostchasers.co.uk are Hull's Leading Internationally Renowned Paranormal Investigative Team. We investigate local and national alleged paranormal locations. The investigations we carry out are done professionally and in the strictest confidence. We do not involve the media without the clients consent. Read more...

Articles - Why Should I Use Cloth Nappies?

	Breast feed, bottle feed? Home Birth, Water Birth, Hospital Birth? What colour to decorate the baby room, cots, cribs, moses baskets? What's a muslin square again? Without a doubt there are many, many options open to you as a parent to be, with so many retailers telling you what to buy, and so many magazines reporting what you Read more...

Articles - I Want To Be a Megalomaniac But Haven't Got The Confidence By Andrea Longstaff

	I've decided that I'm going to jump onto the current bandwagon and devise a new and improved fitness and relaxation programme. I'm going to call this regime pilokga (pronounced piloogar). It's a combination of Pilates, knitting machine maintenance and yoga. Well I have been attending a yoga class for a couple of years now. I've also watched Read more...

Articles - Saddam Hussein And Reality's Last Gasp By Joe Hakim

	I managed to contract some sort of stomach bug over Christmas, so I spent the majority of it alternating between puking my guts up and shivering under a blanket. My dreams were populated by images of dead friends being devoured by giant skeletal insects in the ruins of Hull's new bus station, and I became convinced that my neighbour was plotting to drive me Read more...

Articles - Life in Walajah By Suzy Allott

	I have to say that I've started writing this a few times, but every time I've given up as the words seemed a little empty. The past few weeks in my new home have been, typically, both great and heart breaking. I'm now working in the village Walajah. It's great to be part of such a small, close community, and as such I'm having to walk up all of the steep hills around Read more...

Articles - God's Plan??? By Merle R. Stone

	As of late, (this morning, to be precise) I find myself in a state of realization which actually sort of frightens me. What I am beginning to realize is that if I were to stumble upon God, the supreme Almighty, say on the street or in some bar, I would kick him square in the balls. Then, I would question him to his face about his 'Divine Plan' as it has been called. Read more...

Articles - Lets Talk 'Bout Eugenics, Kids By Sally Satan

	My long-held prediction that shit American films would rule the world may have finally come true. I mean, I always thought these 'innocent' Disney flicks contained secret totalitarian messages, but hell - it sounds like someone's taken Honey I Shrunk The Kids a bit too seriously... This week, a profoundly disabled teenage girl in America has been deliberately kept in Read more...

Articles - The Restoration of Wellington Street Swing Bridge Part 3 By Tony Waddington Photographs By Tony

	In September the eastern side of the bridge was lifted into position by the Ainscough crane crew and with great skill put the 60 tonne span on the centre pintle without any problems Now it's the turn for the western span to be delivered by road from Sheffield based Davy Markham. Arriving on time along with the huge crane, the operation got under way. Read more...

Articles - Update On Georgie By Peter Fenwick

	As you know from previously on thisisull (Birds in Hull By Pete and Sue ), we bought an African grey parrot 18 months ago and called him George. We had George DNA tested by a local vet. Just letting you know that we, Pete Sue and George are doing really well. He has started to talk now, saying the usual things, whistling, singing, cuppa tea, going shopping etc. Read more...

Articles - Whole New Life By Peter Fenwick

	Having lost my wife's father in September this year we inherited his allotment in Tavistock Street off Newland Avenue. Sue's dad Stan had kept his allotment for 15 years. Our first job at the allotment was to dig up 24 rows of potatoes. This mammoth task took about three weeks, and I think everyone we knew received a sack of organic spuds. Then it was time to pick Read more...

Articles - An Open Letter To The Good People of Hull By Merle R. Stone

	My dearest good people of Hull, I know it has been a very long time since I have seen any of you, and for that I am deeply sorry. I hope this letter finds you all enjoying good health and high spirits. What compels me to write today is that I find myself somewhat lonely for you. I realize that many of you will not remember me, and maybe more than a few of you are asking yourselves Read more...

Articles - Romance Takes A Back Seat As Loyal Football Followers Are More In Love With The Beautiful Game

	Football fans claim being taken to their first match is a more memorable occasion than their partners' birthdays, and even their first kiss, according to a new research from www.backyourclub.com. The research of football fans* reveals that 83% of dedicated supporters can recall the first match they attended. However, when it comes to their partners' birthdays, a Read more...

Articles - Bouncers By Rachel Oxley

	How the hell did one of the nicest customers in Hull end up looking like this after a so-called bouncer followed him into a nightclub toilet? The duty of a bouncer is to monitor the crowd to see that everyone behaves and follows the house rules. The goal should be to see that everyone has a good time but within limits. The best bouncers are personable, Read more...