It was a lovely day yesterday so we decided to hop on the train into town (Reading) and have a wander around soaking up the sun and the sights (such as they are) There was some kind of fayre going on in Forbury gardens (above) so we popped in to have a look. The Maiwand Lion was looking particularly fierce against the azure sky. I've passed by this spot many times but never stopped to read the plaque on the base of the statue, apparently it commemorates the death of 329 men of the 66th Berkshire regiment during the second Afghan war in the 1880's and Dr Watson (of Sherlock Holmes fame) was based on the regiment's medical officer who was injured in the battle of Maiwand. Cast in Iron the lion weighs an amazing 16 tons, it's officially called the Maiwand Lion but locals just call it the Forbury Lion, it's ironic to think that 120 years later there were British troops again stationed around Kandahar and even now that we're out (again) the place is still a hotbed of violence and superpower wrangling.
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