Fragments

Fragments is precisely that. Small even inconsequential, items of information that may jog a memory or elicit a response that develops into a debate which may then evolve into some avenue of research that finally fills a gap in our knowledge or understanding. Conversely it may just remain a fragment.

Aircrew Watches

In December 1965 it was announced that the British government had issued a contract to the Hamilton Watch Company for the production of several thousand general service wrist watches. The 17-jewel, anti-magnetic, waterproof and shockproof watch was selected after a series of comprehensive tests both in the laboratory and in live mock battle conditions in the air and on the ground conducted by the Chronometer Department of the Royal Greenwich Observatory. In total twenty watches produced by various manufacturers were submitted to the laboratory for testing with all of them passing each and every stage of the procedure. The Hamilton watch was chosen following the live battle scenario. The watch was manufactured in Bienne, Switzerland and in 1966 it was made available to the general public in the United Kingdom.

The First Air Raid on Great Britain

Dover has the dubious distinction of being the first place in the British Isles to endure aerial bombardment. On the 21 December 1914 a single German aircraft dropped two bombs which fell into the sea close to the Admiralty Pier. Three days later on Christmas Eve a second raid took place and this time a single bomb exploded close to Dover Castle. There were no casualties.

Aircraft Prices

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