On the day that Britain declared war on Germany, 3rd September 1939, Parliament immediately imposed the National Service (Armed Forces) Act which enforced full conscription on all males between 18 and 41 who were UK residents. Exempt from this were the medically unfit, and those who were in key industries and jobs such as baking, farming, medicine, and engineering. Conscription helped greatly to increase the number of men in active service during the first year of the war. Conscription of women To help widen the scope of conscription still further,…
Category: News
Hitler will Never Defeat our Spirit
This wonderful article, published in the local newspaper, shows that even business rivals were determined to carry on no matter what the enemy throw at them during the severe bombing of England in World War 2. It is this spirit of determination to carry on that Hitler will never defeat. Good Will Among Rivals Sir Waldron Smithers, Member for the Chislehurst Division, writes to The Times : Sir – I have received a letter from a young Naval officer from which I send you an extract :- “My father…
London received over 44 days worth of alerts in a 5 month period during the Blitz
This short articles, published in the local newspaper, reports the number of hours which London had been on alert since the enemy air offensive began in August 1941 to mid-January 1942. To give an idea of how intense the bombing was, it is reported that Hull received just over 1,00 hours of alerts during the whole of the Blitz! 1,056 Hours of Alerts in London According to a calculation by a news agency reporter, who has kept a daily log of alerts since the enemy air offensive on a big scale was…
Exciting Wartime Football Matches
In spite of the war, there was plenty of football to watch and teams to support. This report appeared in the local newspapers reporting on a match between Bromley Police and the Royal Corps of Signals. Football Bromley Police v Royal Corps of Signals With the score 5-2 in their favour ten minutes from the end, it looked as if Bromley Police were going to have a comfortable victory over a team drawn from the Royal Corps of Signals at The Warren on Saturday. In those ten minutes,…
The Bromley Plane
The “Bromley” Plane Cheque for £5,870 handed over The Mayor (Councillor H. Lynch-Watson, J.P.) and Mr. A.F. Hobbins, hon. secretary and treasurer of the Bromley Fighter Fund, attended at the Ministry of Aircraft Production on Monday and on behalf of the very numerous subscribers handed over a cheque for £5,870 to cover the cost of a fighter plane. In absence of Lord Beaverbrook they were received by the Right Hon. R. B. Bennett, former Prime Minister of Canada and now principle adviser to the Minister of Aircraft Production. With Mr.…
Children’s Party at Cudham Hall
Children’s Party at Cudham Hall Plays and Dances The children’s Christmas party at the Royal Naval and Marine Orphanage, Cudham Hall, on Saturday, January 4, was a great success. The children looked very pretty in their party dresses and fancy costumes. The varied and entertaining programme was a great credit to the matron, Miss Edith Lingard. Nurse King and Nurse Maidment rendered the matron able assistance with the children during the evening. Among the many visitors were Commander P. Sydney Smith, R.N., and secretary, the Rev. W. Horace Boxall, R.N.…
Black-outs in the Church
Blackouts proved one of the more unpleasant aspects of the war, as they often disrupted many civilian activities and caused widespread grumbling and lower morale amongst the population. Blackout regulations were imposed on 1 September 1939, before the declaration of war. The regulations required that all windows and doors should be covered at night with suitable material such as heavy curtains, cardboard or paint, to prevent the escape of any glimmer of light that might help enemy aircraft spot a target. Shops, factories and churches had particular problems with black…
Gunner Alfred Haffenden
Alfred Haffenden was the son of George Haffenden, of Eastbourne, and husband to Mrs E. A. Haffenden, of 10 Albert Road, Bromley with which he had one son (born 1904). Haffenden had left the Army, but had re-joined on 7th September 1914 serving with the 4th Depot, Royal Field Artillery. He was wounded whilst serving in France and died of his wounds on 22nd October 1914. He was commemorated at a memorial service at Bromley Parish Church in July 1915, and his name appears on the Bromley War Memorial. Source:Bromley…
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…
Bromley’s Post Bag 35% below normal during Christmas 1940
We had a comfortable Christmas, everything worked smoothly and well” said Mr H.J. Sibley, head postmaster of Bromley to a Kentish Times representative. People had been asked to post earlier than in peace-time and earlier in the day. In their readiness to comply with this request, it was a tremendous help to all departments of the postal service. “We did not get the violent peaks as in former years, The Christmas rush was spread over a longer period” said Mr Sibley. The busiest day on the postage side (mail going…