Kitchener’s Memorial

Horatio Herbert Kitchener was born in Ballylongford, County Kerry, Ireland on 24th June 1850 and was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1871, after which he rapidly ascended the ranks of the British Army

It was his defeat of the Mahdi at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898 that secured control of the Sudan and his fame. Following this decisive victory he worked tirelessly to improve the medical, educational and legal systems of the Sudan and also those of Egypt.

As Commander-in-Chief of British forces in South Africa he brought the Second Boer War to a successful conclusion in 1902 with a generous compromise peace by the Treaty of Vereeniging.

Whilst Commander-in-Chief in India he successfully reformed the Indian Army and strengthened the defences of that great country.

Away from matters martial, Kitchener placed huge store on the transformative value of education: he was elected Rector of the University of Edinburgh in 1914.

His greatest achievement and lasting legacy, however, was undoubtedly as Secretary of State for War, a position he took up on 5th August 1914 - the day after Britain had declared war on Germany. As a key member of the Cabinet, he laid the foundations for eventual victory in the First World War, not least as a result of his success in raising the largest volunteer army that Great Britain, and indeed its then Empire, had ever seen.

Tragically whilst setting out on an advisory mission to a British ally - Russia - Kitchener, his Staff, and 643 of the 655-strong crew of the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Hampshire perished when the warship struck a mine in heavy seas off Marwick Head on the evening of 5th June 1916.

(Those words are taken off the information board beneath the Tower)

Drove up to Skrail Bay this morning and was greeted in the car park by what I think was a Skylark bathing in a fresh water puddle. I fact, not choosing this as my blip for today was difficult to say the least, but in many respects I thought this memorial tower to Lord Kitchener was more fitting. If only in part, he is the one historical character, that is often quoted by Corporal Jones, the butcher, in the BBC’s many times repeated and watched comedy, “Dad’s Army”!

On Skrail Bay this morning the tide was receding and leaving in it’s restful wake, wet sand of different shades of grey. Not quite 50 Shade of Grey, but you cannot have everything in one day. I picked up and photographed many of the stones more for their shape, than their colour. I have forgotten how pleasurable it is to comb the beach looking at the sand, rock-pools and the various stones and drift-wood.

Drove on up to Marwick and parked the car in the small, but useful car park at the base of the hill path to the Memorial, from here I walked along the coastal path to Earl’s Palace and onto to Brough of Birsay, where there is a Neolithic Brough Head Settlement. As in 2010, when I was here last, the Atlantic tide was racing back in quicker than people could run to walk the causeway back to the mainland. The number of people who get caught out and forget the quickness of the tides, on this particular evening was eight people.

There are other places of interest to delay the visitor on this little island, namely, Walter Reid’s Hole, a Subterranean Passage (low tide only, I expect), ruins of a Celtic Monastery and the Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace, oh and an automated Lighthouse.

It was a fair old walk taking most of the afternoon and early evening. It would have been nice to stay and have cheese and biscuit and some wine, but the breeze was freshening and Kirkwall seemed like a good idea. The drive back was very pleasance, driving via Burgar and Evie to Finstown. The A966 from Brough Head to Finstown has two very straight pieces of road that just goes on and on for 5-6 miles each. You might drive up and down and the road curves a little, but in the main with just one sweeping right hand curve it is straight line drive.

Decided to have my last meal in the Orkneys at Helgi Inn on the Harbour Road. It is a small pub/restaurant so, get there early, or be turned away. Helgi I discovered was a tenth century poet and was much respected during this time for his descriptive words, by all the Earls of the Orkneys.