Shout out to the young man at @ItchenValley Brewery near #Arlesford, #Hampshire, yesterday. Not only did he open up when we arrived just after their excellent bottled beer shop had closed - but I learnt on leaving he'd done so despite having a train to catch for #englandvdenmark

Poignant reminder of the 'ordinary' cost of war. Three WW2 airmen practising for D-Day killed in training nr #Arlesford, Hampshire, 1944 - all about the ages of my boys. Unexpected encounter on first off-road cycle of the year, yesterday.