A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY. Queen Mary 2’s first Transatlantic voyage for the 2011 season, set the scene for a special reunion, 65 years in the making, of 15 World War II brides. Described by the ladies as a “sentimental journey” the voyage retraced their history after they sailed from England to...
A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY.
Queen Mary 2’s first Transatlantic
voyage for the 2011 season, set the
scene for a special reunion, 65 years in
the making, of 15 World War II brides.
Described by the ladies as a “sentimental
journey” the voyage retraced their
history after they sailed from England to
North America onboard Cunard ships
including QM, QE, Aquitania and
Mauretania, to be with their husbands
who were part of the allied WWII forces.
In fact during the war years 1939 to
1945 Cunard vessels carried more than
2m servicemen and their families across
the Atlantic, with war-time British Prime
Minister crediting the Cunard fleet with
helping to shorten the war by a year.
Throughout their voyage the brides
enjoyed a series of lectures and
presentations, including one from war
bride daughter and accomplished artist
Bev Tosh, whose many works centre
around the war bride phenomenon.
“It was an absolute pleasure to
welcome this group of women and their
families aboard Queen Mary 2,” said
Captain Paul Wright, Master of QM2.
“Cunard and these women share a
unique and proud history of providing
service and dedication during war time,”
he added.
THE FALL OF ROME?
Italian citizens fled the city of Rome in
droves yesterday, in response to rumours
that “self-taught seismologist” Raffaele
Bendandi, predicted a massive
earthquake would devastate the city.
Bendandi died in 1979 but his writings
have drawn a cult following.
The rumour began after fans believed
they detected the prediction in his notes;
however the president of the Bendandi
Foundation has responded saying: “I
can say with complete certainty that in
Bendandi’s documents there is no trace
of a prophecy about an earthquake in
Rome on 11 May 2011”.
This reassurance however failed to
convince thousands of citizens and
tourists who travelled to the outskirts of
the city, whilst police spent the day
fielding countless calls.
