The Bromley & District Times published this photograph of a German plane which had been brought down close to Biggin Hill airfield during a fierce air battle between the German Luftwaffe and British Royal Air Force (RAF) on Sunday 18th August 1940. The Luftwaffe had chosen this particular day to make an all-out effort to destroy RAF Fighter Command. The air battles that took place on the 18th August were amongst the largest aerial engagements in history to that time, with both sides suffering heavy losses. In the air, the British shot…
Category: Extracts
Guardsman James Williams
James Williams was the son of Mr & Mrs Frank Williams of 4 Lily Cottages Swanley, Kent, and brother to Mr W Williams who was assistant steward of Swanley Junction Working Men’s Club and Institute. His father had served 21 years in the British Army, for some years with the Grenadier Guards and served through the Egyptian campaign in 1882. As an Army Reservist he went to Canada between 1910-11. He married Miss Emma Brittain (formally Williams), of Swanley in 1912 in Canada, where they moved to Ontario. James had…
No Waste! Tactics of the Kitchen Front
This advert, to help combat waste in the kitchen, featured in the Bromley & District Times newspaper on 20th September 1940
Private Frederick Norman Ayles
Private Frederick Ayles was an old boy of Aylesbury Road School. His mother (a widow) lived on Simpson Road, Bromley. He had joined the army in 1902 and later served with the South Lancashire Regiment. He went to France on 7th October 1914, and consequently must have seen some of the severest fighting. He was killed in action on the 13th November 1914. His brother Ernest Walter Ayles joined the Army Service Corps in October 1914 (two month prior to the report of Frederick’s death) and was in training at…
Gunner W H King
Son of William Henry and Eliza King, of 17 New England Road, Brighton, King was a Bromley postman and Captain of the Bromley Postal Football Club (which was a successful team) when he signed up to the war. He was serving with the Royal Horse Artillery when he was wounded at the battle of Mons. He died of his wounds on the 12th September 1914 Source:Bromley & District Times, 27th November 1914 (page 7)www.cwgc.org
Raiders Foiled in Air Attacks on London: 1940
The onslaught continued into September 1940. This article appeared in the Bromley & District Times newspaper. Fine Work by R.A.F. fighters and A.A. Gunners Waves of enemy bombers, supported by fighter escorts have failed in repeated thrusts at London’s defences. Mass raids by day and cruising “nuisance” planes at night have formed the enemy’s tactics against Britain this week. In the attacks over Kent, R.A.F. fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft guns have smashed large formations of German bombers and escorts, sending them racing for home depleted and battered. The R.A.F.…
Private T Smith, 1914
This is Private T. Smith who served in the First World War. I want to link him to the correct reference in my Military Ancestors database. Can you tell from this photo which regiment he belonged to? The list of possibilities is: Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment Royal West Kent Regiment J Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, 4th Cavalry Division Royal Engineers
Autumn Fashions – 1940
For the fashion conscious in 1940, this advert appeared in the Bromley & District Times on 13th September 1940
Private John Ludlow
Private John Ludlow was one of three brothers serving in the First World War. He was a member of the Army Service Corps and stationed in Ireland. Information sourced from the Bromley & District Times 1914-1920 Researched using the FREE database at www.militaryancestors.co.uk
Bombs on Villages during World War 2
This sad report were published in the Bromley & District Time newspaper on 6th September 1940. Family of Four Killed A husband and wife and their two boys were killed in a quiet Kent village on Sunday afternoon, while they were in a shelter. There is no military objective of any kind in or near that village – it was just a case of ruthless indiscriminate bombing. On Friday several bombs fell in a Kent beauty spot. An old mansion was destroyed, but happily no one was in residence at…