The winning answers

1) The river is evidently the Lea, but I’ve started so I’ll finish…

“The battle of the River Lea took place in 895 between the English and Danes. A Viking sword believed to be of late 9th century date was recovered from the excavations for the Lockwood Reservoir in the old course of the River and may be associated with this battle. The primary sources are manuscripts of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle:
‘Then that same year in early winter the Danes who were encamped on Mersea rowed their ships up the Thames and up the Lea … ‘, and
‘And in the same year the aforesaid army made a fortress by the Lea, 20 miles above London. Then afterwards in the summer a great part of the citizens and also of other people marched until they arrived at the fortress of the Danes, and there they were put to flight and four king’s thegns were slain. Then later, in the autumn, the king encamped in the vicinity of the borough while they were reaping their corn, and examined where the river could be obstructed, so that they could not bring the ships out. And then this was carried out: two fortresses were made on the two sides of the river. When they had just begun that work … the enemy perceived that they could not bring the ships out. Then they abandoned the ships and went overland … Then the English army rode after the enemy, and the men from London fetched the ships, and broke up all which they could not bring away, and brought to London those which were serviceable.’ ”

…phew!

2) The track was ‘Mash It Up Harry’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErcvG2t8a7U) by the incomparable and late-lamented Ian Dury, and the character is Harry.

Thank you Roland. Your prize will shortly be winging its way to you.

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