Harry Charles Shaw Page

Promotion for Rector’s Son Squadron Leader Page Flight Lieutenant Harry Charles Shaw Page, D.F.C., only son of Lieutenant-Colonel and Mrs Page, of West Wickham Rectory, has been gazetted squadron leader in the R.A.F. He has taken part in numerous raids on Germany and was in the first flight over Hamburg. Source: Bromley & District Times, 12th September 1941 (page 5)

Leading Aircraftman Harold Lidster: Wedding

L/A/C Lidster and Miss M. Fitch The wedding took place at St Luke’s Church on Saturday,  August 30, of L/A/C Harold Lidster, R.A.F., eldest son of Mr and Mrs Lidster. of Rugby, and Miss Margaret Fitch eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Fitch of 13 Clarence Rad, Bickley. Canon Hassard Short, Vicar, officiate. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a dress of ivory ninon with a long veil held in place by a pearl head-dress.  Her bouquet was of pale pink roses and white heather.  The…

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…

Cigarettes for Prisoners of War

Rooms at Rothwell, Sundridge Avenue are used five days a week by the workers, who number a hundred, most of whom are volunteers. Miss N.L. Spicer is the manager of the Centre with Miss Galloway, head storekeeper, and Mrs Ford Hutchinson, assistant storekeeper. Seen by a Kentish Times representative, Miss Spicer, who is the daughter of Mr Leonard Spicer, 20 Orchard Way, and the late Mrs Spicer gave some interesting particulars of the useful piece of war work tat is being done in bringing consolation to the brave men of…

Advertisement for Regent Portraits (Photographers)

“When Jack came home on leave…” …he realised how much happier his friends and family would be while he was away if they had a photograph of him…. a life like portrait which would always form a comforting link between them. So he went along to Regent Portraits where he knew he would get a portrait with which he would be perfectly satisfied. Now more than ever it is a family duty for everybody to be photographed… not just “sometimes”… but NOW. Satifaction Guaranteed Source: Bromley & District Times, 26th…

Flying Officer Ross James

Roll of Honour MISSING. Hero who raided Berlin A fortnight ago we announced that the Distinguished Flying Cross had been awarded to Flying Officer Ross James, R.A.F., son of Mr and Mrs H.J. James, of 20 The Mead, West Wickham. Since then official intimation has been received that Flying Officer James is missing after operations over Germany. This popular young officer, who is only 27, had taken part in more than thirty raids over Germany including Berlin, and he had flown “Flying Fortresses” across the Atlantic. He belonged to the…

Mrs Ethel Augusta Pond

Recognition for Bravery Red Cross Distinguished War Service Certificate The many friends of Mrs Ethel A. Pond, MBE, Commandant Kent 50 Voluntary Aid Detachment, will be delighted to hear that she has been awarded the British Red Cross Society’s Distinguished War Service Certificate or devotion to duty on the night of a severe raid in April. She went out with the mobile canteen serving tea and light refreshments to firemen and members of the Civil Defence Services in the midst of danger always, and at times under the arch of…

Sergeant Peter David Devereux

Lost at Sea Sergeant P.D. Devereux, R.A.F. Sergeant Peter David Devereux, aged 22, who has been reported “missing” while on an R.A.F. patrol at sea, joined the R.A.F. before the present war began.  He was in action in France last year and was wounded. Sergeant Devereux’s parents have until recently been living at Bourne Way, Hayes.  His wife, formally a Miss Keech, of Faversham, Kent, has received a letter from the Flight Commander of Sergeant Devereux’s squadron, in which he pays a high tribute to his ability and personal charm. …

Bad Traffic Lights

It’s strange to imagine a world without traffic lights, as they have now become a necessity in keeping our busy roads safe and less chaotic.  Before traffic lights, police controlled the flow of traffic using hand signals.  The world’s first traffic light was installed in London in December 1868.  It as a gas-lit signal operated manually by a policeman.  Unfortunately this model had limited success, as less than a month later it exploded after it was implemented, injuring its operator. The more modern electric traffic light was developed in 1912…

Gunner Sydney Bax: Wedding

A member of an old Bromley family was married at St John’s, Eden Park, on Saturday, when the bridegroom was Mr Sidney Bax (now Gunner, R.A.), eldest son of Mr and Mrs S. Bax, of The Cottage, 11 Upper Park Road, Bromley, and the bride , Miss Gwendoline Prior, second eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Prior, of 338 Upper Elmers End Road, Beckenham.  The Rev. W. J. Berry, M.A., officiated, and appropriate music was played before and after the ceremony, the hymn, “O Perfect Love,” being sung during…