For the eightieth anniversary of D-Day, the scout set off along the canal towards Dawlish, with an idea appropriate to the occasion.
As he approached Countess Wear, two army officers and two men came towards him on the towpath; they should have been a clue to what he would find but it was only when he got to the swing bridge and saw the assembly of dignitaries and soldiers that he realized there had been a ceremony at a place with great significance locally to the Normandy landings.
The scout read later that the Deputy Lord Mayor had been with the senior police officer and officers and ranks from 6th Battalion, the Rifles, based at the city’s Wyvern Barracks.
The sun was out when the scout passed Coastguard’s Cottage Garden and so he got another shot for the sea wall album.
He took a few more photos in the sun and then retired to Boat Cove breakwater with his Co-op lunch and Western Morning News, where he was stared out by a lone gull.
The scout arrived at Dawlish Museum at around a quarter past two to find the door locked.
As the scout was pondering why the museum was closed, two other fellows happened along, also wishing to be admitted. Thoughtfully, a gentleman came from his garden opposite and said that there was a marquee on the Lawn for the day.
Within minutes, the scout was standing at the entrance listening to a lady recalling her experiences of returning to France with veterans. A gentleman followed her, telling the story of the flags.
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The scout asked a lady on the door if the historic bagpipes from the museum were there. She told him that they would be played at nine that evening.
The scout took in some displays, chatted with a couple of veterans, one a Marine who had toured Aden in ’67, and then rode over the hills, via Black Forest, back to Exeter, clocking 32 miles in all.