WTHWTR Walking Through History with Tony Robinson

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Tony Robinson (now Sir Anthony Robinson: shortly after the 'Walking Through History' series was broadcast, he was appointed Knight Bachelor in the 2013 Birthday Honours for his public and political service) came to prominence playing underdog Baldrick to Rowan Atkinson (who was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity) as the overarching villain Edmund Blackadder. This is British fair play at work. Robinson, an amateur historian, went on to present 'Time Team', an outstandingly popular series of archaeological digs. Those who thought this was a new phenomenon for TV viewing clearly did not remember Brigadier Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler CH, CIE, MC, TD, FBA, FSA. Here are Atkinson (left) and Robinson (right) as their famous TV characters.

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Robinson did a number of factual history documentaries after 'Time Team' and in the spring of 2013 a four part series entitled 'Walking Through History with Tony Robinson' was broadcast. Unusually, we are highlighting the second episode, 'Frontline Dorset', but with a recommendation that you watch the complete series. An English acquaintance is walking the 'Southwest Coast Path' National Trail in the UK—Robinson's walk is the final section of that 630 miles trek—and an American friend is following his valiant efforts as a prelude to his own forthcoming pedestrian heroics in the This Sceptered Isle. Oh, a neat and totally seamless segue to Winston Churchill and WWII. That kind of smooth, effortless transition takes years of practice; just like Baldrick: "I have a cunning plan."

Yes, yes, we know "this scepter'd isle" is the dying prophecy by John of Gaunt in 'The Tragedy of King Richard II' by William Shakespeare in 1594 from Act 2, Scene 1, but the phrase is arguably better known from its use as the titles for a book, a TV series, a radio series, and a record album; probably also an oven gloves & apron set for all we know.

Here is a Wikipedia reference that caught our attention: "On 18 Apr. 1944, six weeks before D-Day (06 Jun. 1944), Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister was joined by King George VI, Supreme Allied commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery and Acting Admiral Louis Mountbatten at the observation point to witness the largest live ammunition practice of the entire war." Quite a bash; such a shame that President Franklin D. Roosevelt was busy on that day in Georgetown, South Carolina, bathing his puppy, Fala, with a smelly tick poison. The dull, rainy day must have brightened with visits from the Misses Spreckles and Hickok. Hobcaw Barony, aka the Bellefield Plantation, on the Baruch estate was hosting Roosevelt who was suffering from congestive heart failure and was trying to balance his medical problems with the heavy responsibilities of Commander in Chief. He died in office on 12 Apr. 1945 just days before Adolf Hitler committed suicide on 30 Apr. 1945, effectively signaling the end of WWII in Europe.

The observation point is a bunker known as Fort Hudson, a name derived from the home base in Ontario of the Canadian Royal Engineers who built it. Robinson pays a visit during his walk; you can tour the site courtesy of a comprehensive Daily Mail article, or perhaps you may be able to visit the site yourself.

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