THE BOOK
Some of the ideas discussed in this blog are published in my new book called "The Stonehenge Bluestones" -- available by post and through good bookshops everywhere. Bad bookshops might not have it....
To order, click
HERE

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Down memory lane...




Warning -- this has nothing to do with Stonehenge, bluestones, glaciers, erratics, MPP or fairies.

Down Memory Lane...... Thurs 19th July 1962 (fifty years to the day) we landed at Mestersvig, East Greenland, at the start of the OU East Greenland Expedition. Been looking at my old diaries -- I have reached the age where nostalgia becomes more important than anticipation. Happy days. We flew in one of these old things -- a DC3 hired from Flugfelag Islands. A wonderful aircraft -- no air hostess, no refreshments, and come to think of it, no seats either. They don't make them like that any longer.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know the meaning of "Flugfelag", as in the name of the Airline? Threadbare/ basic/ rudimentary??

Ricky Branson

BRIAN JOHN said...

"Flug" must mnean "flight" and I imagine that "felag" is the equivalent of the Swedish "bolag" which means "company" -- so the Icelandic Flying Company or Airline. I stand to be corrected.....

chris johnson said...

I guess Brian is right - felag = fellowship. Comes from fe for cattle and lay for communal. Or something like that.

So a translation might be "Flight fellowship". Perhaps in the early days some people with the same idea came together in a kind of merger.

Anonymous said...

But it wasn't "Oh so quiet?"?


Lulu

BRIAN JOHN said...

Maybe "felag" means a cooperative or jointly owned enterprise. My sister-in-law is Icelandic, so I shall check with her next time we meet.

As for noise levels, the DC3 is not exactly quiet -- but that is a part of its charm...

BRIAN JOHN said...

Should explain -- this was a chartered plane required (in our case) to carry heavy loads and to throw them out of the open door attached to parachutes at the two locations where we intended later on to set up base camps. Worked a treat. Then we had to walk 100 miles to the places where the parachute loads were waiting for us.....

Myris of Alexandria said...

Makes my field work in Matlock, I had to walk up Masson Hill, everyday seem well................
M
I have just realised that another small piece of SH48 is present amongst Stone's Stones.

Anonymous said...

You MUST remember this....

The name's Stone: Jack Stone [also known as J.F.S. Stone].

"Back in the 1940's, Jack Stone had none of these fancy [modern remote sensing] techniques.Field-walking, excavation and looking in holes in other peoples's gardens were the ways in which he searched for new sites".

See pages 261-262 [et seq] of Chairman Parker Pearson's Thoughts if you want to know more about Jack, and Myris of Alexandria's follow-up sleuthing. But don't keep us in the dark, Myris....spill the beans. What's your Story now, huh?

Humphrey Bogart

Myris of Alexandria said...

Oh Humpf I do so love your chairing of Sorry I haven't a Clue. Mrs T (no not that one (whom I have always called the Belgrano Bitc.))and I are glued to our wireless set Sunday lunchtime whilst doing the spuds.
I wish I knew.
I am now at the stage that I should really start again and look at the 6000 SH lithics excavated by D and W and reclassify.
It just amazes me that the 'shoebox' (Stone's Stones) encapsulates to whole of the recent bluestone story. It is no coincidence that it has no spotted dolerite.
When I know you will know.
M

Anonymous said...

Gee thanks, Myris. Must break off now and listen to Devon's JOSS Stone's wonderful re-interpretation of that soulful classic, "Teardrops (on my glasses remind me baby of GW up on t' Preseli tops)".

It's all good, clean, surrealistic fun, with an archaeological twist.

Humph [still with us]

Geocur said...

"Back in the 1940's, Jack Stone had none of these fancy [modern remote sensing] techniques."

Interesting to imagine what technology a Porton Down chemist such as Jack Stone had at his disposal .

Anonymous said...

WE must definitely make sure we leave NO Stone unspoofed, so keep them coming in [and, dear Reader, I married one!]