Another Marc, not me.

I've been watching Atlantic Convoys on Channel 4 (Sundays, 8pm, available on 4OD).  It's a brilliant telling of the battle to keep Britain supplied during World War II, bringing home the dangers faced by merchant seamen in their struggle to bring essential supplies across the Atlantic, principally from packs of U-boats.  One of the great things about the programme's format is that they use lots of talking heads to recount their experiences and explain the history and naval strategy.

One of these talking heads is Dr Marc Milner, a Canadian Naval historian.  Now I'm sure what he was saying was very interesting and relevant but I couldn't help but be excited that he was called Marc (in England, there aren't that many of us).  I was also wholly distracted by his amazing beard. The luxuriance and shape of his grey naval beard is awe-inspiring.  I have seldom seen a richer, fuller beard.  It put me in mind of another abundant beard, possibly the most copious naval beard of all - that of Captain Haddock from the Tintin cartoons.  If Captain Haddock's beard were grey, he would look like Dr Marc Milner.