There will be a book signing of Super Nit Rescue Mission on Sunday June 10th 4pm at the Willow’s Shake on Stert Street. Thanks to Steve for sending the picture.

It is an illustrated book for children (4 – 7 years) written by two Abingdon mums, Julia E K Thomas and Julia King. Julia and Julia set up Juplicate Books in 2018 to showcase their creative writing.

Join Harry and Super Nit on a hair-raising adventure, you’ll be itching to find out more!.

The book is a fun way to make children aware of nits and head lice. You can find more about nits at http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/head-lice.html

Not many boats are coming through Abingdon Lock at this time of year. Somebody has given Pooh Bear a new companion to keep him warm, but he looks a little overawed.

There are now a lot of bird boxes and bird feeders at the woody area behind the lock. Frank has been keeping the birds supplied with food, and is showing here one of the devices that keep out the squirrels but allow birds to feed.

Back along the road near the Kingfisher Barn Holiday Cottages there were sheep grazing in view of Abingdon’s County Hall. The sheep will need their thick coats in the days to come.

Thanks to Colin for this updated report …

On Friday, 01 July at 0700, the Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor Alice Badcock, led a small gathering of about fifteen souls, who met at the War Memorial on The Square, for a short act of remembrance in honour of those who fell at the battle of the Somme, which had begun one hundred years earlier, in 1916.

Almost two years after the start of the First World War, among the British infantry regiments fighting at the Somme was the local Royal Berkshire Regiment, in which a large number of men from Abingdon had enlisted. Some of those who fell at the Somme are remembered on the War Memorial including one Ock Street resident, who lost his life aged 22 on the first day of fighting.

Lined up on the west side of the memorial was a British Army Padre and five sergeant-majors from 3 Logistic Support Regiment, based at Dalton Barracks, near Abingdon. On the south side was the civic party comprising the Mayor, the chairman of Vale of White Horse District Council and a few other civic leaders. On the east side, stood two buglers from The Rifles and a few members of the public.

Shortly before 7am there was an Exhortation:
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”

Then followed The Last Post on the bugle, a two minutes silence, and a Reveille.

You can hear an audio recording on The Abingdon Taxi Sound Cloud.

The Mayor laid a wreath in the town colours of yellow and green, and the Padre followed on behalf of the Logistics 3rd Regiment, saluting towards the War Memorial as he stepped back.

The Mayor read the Kohima Epitaph:
‘When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.’

The short ceremony was concluded with a blessing from the Padre –
“God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest
to the Church, the Queen, the Commonwealth, and all people, peace and concord…”

By five minutes past seven, Abingdon once more went about its daily business.