AUTUMN YEARS

I mention recently that the autumn colours were now visible here.  I will post some pics of Haslemere later and try to get to a couple of arboreta over the weekend to catch the leaves at their best.  This year, because of the (to put it kindly) peculiar weather, the colours are particularly striking.  We don't have the displays of scarlets and purples such as are famous in Virginia or Kyoto, but this year we have splendid golds and yellows and russets. 

Down the A3 though, on Bramshott Common, are a collection of maples that catch the eye every time you drive past.  They are a memorial to Canadian soldiers who died during the wars.  

Canadian troops trained here during both Wars and 418 of them, who died in the First World War, are buried in nearby Bramshott and Greyshott churchyards.  Many of those who died in the Second World War are buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, north of Guildford. 

Road widening unfortunately meant that the original avenue had to be moved, but new trees were brought in from Canada and planted in 1995, the last one by the Canadian High Commissioner, the visiting Minister for Roads and Canadian veterans and British Legion representatives.  

This is what you see from the A3.

 

 

Soon after the car park, you realise there are Canadian maples just round the corner.

 

Bramshott Common is still used for training and manoeuvres, so I was only half surprised, as I walked along the footpath, when I encountered an armed patrol in full battledress coming towards me.  I stood back into the undergrowth, trying to look inconspicuous, and the walked past, glancing in all directions and waving their weapons from side to side.  The last man through, walking almost backwards, nodded to me and raised his hand as they disappeared into the forest.  They were almost silent in their progress and I never saw them again, so I had to pinch myself to make sure it had really happened.  

Anyway, here are some shots of the avenue.