Lieutenant Richard Been Stannard

Lieutenant Richard Been Stannard was born at Blyth, Northumberland. His father, Captain George Stannard, was lost with the Mount Oswald, an Allen liner, which he commanded when he was making a trip from Baltimore to England in 1912. He had 2 brothers in the Merchant Service and his sister married Mr Douglas Jenkins. Stannard left school at 15 and joined the Port Line and was at sea in 1918. He transferred to the Orient Line after obtaining his master’s certificate and was 2nd officer of the liner Orford when the war…

War Savings Campaign

Permanent Memorial for the Borough In the hour of peril People of Bromley earned the gratitude of the British nations Sustaining the valour of The Royal Air Force and Fortifying the cause of freedom by the gift of Spitfire Aircraft They shall mount up with wings as eagles Above we give a reproduction of the tablet sent down by the Ministry of Aircraft Production as an acknowledgment to the people of Bromley for their gift of a fighter aircraft. It is at present in the Mayor’s Parlour, but will no…

Flying Officer Peter E.A. Loat

The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second War engagement between British Imperial and Axis forces, fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the south-west coast of the Peloponnesian peninsula of Greece. Following the interception of Italian signals by the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley Park ships of the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy, under the command of the Royal Navy’s Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, intercepted and sank or severely damaged several ships of the Italian  Regia Marina under Squadron-Vice-Admiral Angelo Iachino. The opening…

Lieu. (E.W.) Kevin Walton

Eric William Kevin Walton, known as Kevin Walton, was an officer in the Royal Navy during World War II. Born in Kobe in Japan on 15 May 1918, Lieu Walton was the son of William Heward Murray Walton, a clergyman and missionary, and his wife Myra (née Hebbert), whose family had served for four generations in the Indian Civil Service. Walton joined the Royal Navy as an engineer officer at the start of World War II, and took part in various naval actions during the first five years.  Walton later…

Downham Gunner Shoots Down Raider

Decorated for Cool Bravery For his action in staying at his battery post when it was attacked by enemy air craft, and for shooting down one of the raiders, Gunner Stanley Alfred Joseph Martin, whose home is at Glenbow Road, Downham, has been awarded the Military Medal. Aged 19, Gunner Martin was born at Southwark, and came to Downham with his parents 14 years ago. Before the war he was employed on the office staff of the “Illustrated London News,” and was also a member of the Territorial Army. He…

Hero Honoured with Award from King

We watch Dad’s Army and see the Chief ARP Warden Hodges bickering with Captain Mainwaring. We can still enjoy the light-hearted humour of the shows. The characters are just figures of fun. Let’s put the record straight: this story is one of many when we learn what the A.R.P. Wardens really did to win their honours, with incredible bravery and disregard for their own safety; just their sense of duty and care to those trapped in their homes during the blitz.   Kent A.R.P Warden Honoured Remained Four Hours in Collasping House The King…