The Squander Bug was propaganda character created during the Second War War by artist Phillip Boydell, an employee of the British National Savings Committee. The unpleasant-looking character was used for press adverts, as well as widely used by other wartime artists in poster campaigns and political cartoons. At the time, the British National Savings Committee had become concerned that inflated prices were being paid for consumer goods that were in short supply and believed that the money would be better spent on savings certificates to help with the war effort.…
Category: Extracts
‘Staycations’ are nothing new!!
All through the second world war there were ideas and discussions on taking holidays at home. Here’s what was going on in Bromley for your delectation in 1943 The band of the Royal Artillery, Woolwich A concert in the hall of the County School for Boys, Hayes Lane The Leslie Bridgewater Quintette – well-known singers The Ripley Choir and the Bromley and Chislehurst Orchestra Captain Joe Merrill of the Hayes Home Guard will produce a play: ‘The man who Stayed at Home,’ at Crown Lane A circus and zoo at…
Daddy’s Medal: Devotion to Duty
This feature appeared in the Bromley & District Times calling for more to be done to save Daddy’s Medal… Our part in the Great Offensive doesn’t call for bravery, but it does call for devotion… Devotion to Duty. No matter how hard we work, no matter how much we save, we cannot equal the sacrifice made by the men who use the weapons we provide… But we must try, so that at the end of it all we can say that “by devotion to duty” we, too, have played our…
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…
Private E. Brooker
Prisoners of War Private E. Brooker News has been received that Private E. Brooker of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, son of the late Mr James Brooker and Mrs Brooker, of 19 Chatterton Road, Bromley, is a prisoner of ward in Japanese hands at Camp Malai. Private E. Brooker joined His Majesty’s Forces in 1940 and was in Singapore when it capitulated and no news had been heard of him for 15 months. He was educated at Raglan Road and Bromley Common Schools. Private Brooker has two other brothers serving,…
Appeal: Householders told to save bones
During World War II households were encouraged to save bones, as well as other waste materials, in a bid to help the war effort. Bones in particular were needed as they were used to make explosives lubricating oil, glue, fertiliser and animal feed amongst other things. This article featured in the local Bromley newspaper in 1943 appealing to householders to save their bones, however small they seemed. The Ministry of Information also used promotional films such as the cartoon “Bones..Bones..Bones – Save Bones” (1944) to highlight their mission. Appeal to…
Trailblazing iconic fashion of the 1940s
Although we look back at the 1940’s and think of it as a decade of mostly war and hardship, it was in fact a milestone decade for style in women’s fashion, despite the 1930’s being a hard act to follow. With style icons such as Christian Dior, Ava Gardner, Bette Davis, Doris Day and Rita Hayworth, these women were trailblazers in styles and new silhouettes – many styles of which are still supported today in women’s fashion. These adverts appeared in the local newspaper in 1943, encouraging women to invest…
The Men of the Sea: Merchant Navy
A deck boy on a ship on a convoy to Russia What is the Merchant Navy? The merchant navy is a term used to refer to the commercial sector of the maritime industry. The merchant navy has no involvement in military service, but rather the shipping of cargo and people across sea routes aboard cargo ships, tankers, and cruise liners. Merchant seamen crewed the ships of the British Merchant Navy which kept the United Kingdom supplied with raw materials, arms, ammunition, fuel, food and all of the necessities of a nation at war…
King Decorates A.P.R. Supervisor
Mr Leslie Harding, Green Street Green Just as the nation were reading the first official account of the rout of the German “invincible” air amada in the Battle of Britain – the greatest air fight in history – last August and September, the King, at Buckingham Palace, on Saturday decorated Mr Leslie Harding, of Bryrdale, Old Hill, Green Street Green, with the medal of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) in recognition of bravery and courage displayed during the battle in civil defence ground work. Mr Harding is…
Private John Bertram Ecott
Private John Bertam Ecott was the son of John Roland and Edith Miriam Ecott, of Bromley, Kent. He volunteered in February 1940 and was called up almost immediately. The Commonweath War Grave Commisson reported his death as being sometime between 07/06/1940 and 18/07/1940. This report of his death was reported in local newspaper in April 1940. He is buried at Pornic War Cemetery in Loire-Atlantique, France. Private J.B. Ecott We regret to record the death of Private John Bertram Ecott, R.A.S.C. He had been posted as missing more than eight…