Miss Winifred Tremain

Experiences of a local nurse in France Praise for British coolness and tact Miss Winifred Tremain, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Frederick Tremain, of Orpington, is very happy in her work as a V.A.D. nurse in No. 14 General Hospital, with the British Expeditionary Force in France.  writing a few days since to her sister, Nurse Tremain says: – I must tell you about the ghastly thing that happened last night.  I had just got into bed; it would be about a quarter past eight o’clock.  My mate was…

Wedding of Hook & Ryan

Flight-Lieut Hook, RAF and Miss Ryan Flight-Lieutenant Robin Hook, RAF, only son of Mr and Mrs E.M. Hook, of The Croft, Beaconsfield Road, Bickley, was married on Monday at the Parish Church of St Jude, Mapperley, Nottingham, to Miss Mazie Doreen Ryan, only daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Ashwood Ryan, of Mapperley. The bridegroom, who took part in one of the first raids on Berlin, had as best man Flight-Lieutenant Eric Randall, D.F.C., his comrade in many raids over Germany. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. H. Taylor,…

Old Valley Boy Plays for Scottish Command

Mr Jack Lansbury The many friends of Mr Jack Lansbury, whose mother lives at 37 Recreation Road, Shortlands, will be please to hear of his success in the football field. An old Valley School boy, Jack played in peacetime for St John’s, Nunhead, and Shortlands Reserves.  He is now in the R.A.S.C. and a member of the Scottish Command Team. A clever forward (inside-right), Mr Lansbury has played against Third Lanark and Queen’s Park, and also for Gateshead and Bradford City. He has several brothers in the Army fighting for…

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…

2nd Lieutenant John B. Bassett

72521 2nd-Lieutenant John Bond Bassett , aged 28, was a printer by trade, the third son of Mr & Mrs W R Bassett of  Bromley.  In July 1940 the local newspaper reported that his parents had received word from the War Office that he had been injured: “He was in the severe fighting following the German breakthrough and after the evacuation of Dunkirk it was believed that he had been brought back, though he was known to have been wounded.  Nothing definite, however, could be ascertained and on June 17th his parents…

Gunner Harry Garcia

Old Bromley Scouter Broadcasts An exciting story Harry Garcia, a gunner of a Coastal Command Lockheed Hudson, whose home is at 239 Southlands Road, Bromley, told an exciting story on the radio recently. The pilot of the aircraft also gave an account of the incident when the plane, flying over the sea near the Norwegian coast, encountered three enemy ships.  They dropped their bombs but their plane was damaged by anti-aircraft fire.  After nearly crashing they set a course for home, but Garcia reported that the wireless operator was wounded. …

Wedding of Dr. Doobie & Miss Schooling

Dr David N. Dobbie and Miss H.E.M. Schooling Interest was aroused in Bromley on Saturday by the Wedding at St Mary’s Church, College Road, of Dr. David Noble Dobbie, of this town (now Captain, R.A.M.C.), son of Mr and Mrs David Dobbie, of Edinburgh, to Miss Hazel Eva Margaret Schooling, daughter of Councillor and Mrs Lionel Schooling, of Rosewood, Bromley, and granddaughter of the later Mr and Mrs F. Schooling of Holly Dene, Beckenham Lane. The bride’s parents are among the best known residents of Bromley, and she herself is…

Wedding Anniversary: Gunton

Former Mayor and Mayoress of Bromley Celebrate golden Wedding Anniversary Mr and Mrs C.H. Gunton Honoured residents of Bromley who were Mayor and Mayoress in 1934-35, Mr and Mrs Charles H. Gunton, of Kingsbury, London Lane, are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary on Tuesday. Source: Bromley & District Times, 13th February 1942 (page 5)

Rector of West Wickham Leaving: 1942

Rev. Charles A. S. Page was the Rector of West Wickham for nearly 12 years, before he moved onto Hawkinge near Folkstone.  When he moved had been recently widowed, and his only son Squadron Leader Harry Charles Shaw Page, had been reported as missing (this report was mentioned earlier in the same newspaper, page 5) Rector Leaving Rev. C.A.S. Page Coing to Hawkinge Speech at Church Meeting The Rev. C.A.S. Page, D.S.O., M.C., Rector of West Wickham for nearly 12 years, has accepted the offer of the living of Hawkinge,…

Squadron Leader Henry Charles Shaw Page

Henry Charles Shaw Page (known as Harry) was the only son of West Wickham Rector Charles Alexander Shaw Page and Beatrice Ellen Page, ; and husband to Nancy Mary Heather Page, of Retford, Nottinghamshire. Having served in the Middlesex Regiment, he later joined Squadron 61 of the RAF. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1941 for his part in numerous raids over Germany and was promoted to Squadron Leader that same year. Sadly after being reported as missing, he was later found to have died on 31st January 1942,…