Local News Stories
Various articles and stories which were featured in the local newspaper during the war years.
Cross Country Run, 1942
Air Training Corps take part in Cross Country Run A.T.C. in Hard Test Forty-two members of the Bromley Squadron of…
Shopkeepers re-planning their delivery services
Advert article which featured in the local Bromley Times newspaper in February 1942 from the Ministry of War Transport, Ministry…
Paper Salvage Competition: 1942
Following on from Bromley’s waste salvage drive in September 1941, a competition was set up to encourage more salvage of…
Bromley’s Christmas Games – 1941
Holiday Football Home Guard Overwhelmed On Christmas Day Bromley met the local Home Guard in a friendly match at Hayes…
Members of the Coney Hall Sports Social Club around the world
From Iceland to Suez Members of the Coney Hall Sports Social and Athletic Club are serving with the forces in…
Flying Officer Albert Cyril Batt
Gallant Conduct Flying Officer A.C. Batt, R.AF.V.R., Commended The gallant conduct of Flying Officer Albert Cyril Batt, R.A.F.A.R., on the…
Amazing Ordeal of Two Local Airmen
Blazing Bomber 12,000 Feet up Fought fire over Germany for three hours THEN 57 HOURS ON SEA WASHED ASHORE IN…
Kent men in Iceland appeal for more games
Kent Men in Iceland Games of all kinds needed Appeal by the W.V.S. Bromleian’s impressios of the island There are…
Lord Croft Watches over Gun Crew, 1941
Henry Page Croft, 1st Baron Croft was a decorated British soldier and a Conservative Party politician. In 1940 Croft was appointed by Winston…
Women’s War-time Services, 1941
Attractive procession in Bromley Second Week of Salvage Drive Representatives of many of the women’s war-time services took part in…
Captain Quentin B. Hurst: Killed in Action
Captain Quentin Hurst, the Rifle Brigade, previously reported as missing, is now known to have been killed in action on…
War Savings Campaign
Permanent Memorial for the Borough In the hour of peril People of Bromley earned the gratitude of the British nations…
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…
Mrs Ethel Augusta Pond
Recognition for Bravery Red Cross Distinguished War Service Certificate The many friends of Mrs Ethel A. Pond, MBE, Commandant Kent…
Bad Traffic Lights
It’s strange to imagine a world without traffic lights, as they have now become a necessity in keeping our busy…
Complaints about Food Waste, 1941
Looks like complaints about food waste is not a new phenomenon. Although it seems comical now, this complaint printed in…
Call out for local knitters to help with the war effort
It is amazing how history can repeat itself. This article asking for knitters to help create woollen clothing for the…
Flying Officer Peter E.A. Loat
The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second War engagement between British Imperial and Axis forces, fought from 27–29 March…
Matron Marion Edith Bolton
Mottingham George Medallist Mrs Marion Edith Bolton, matron of the Sir Robert Jeffery’s Homes, Mottingham, received from the King, as…
Canadian Visitor talks to local Toc H group
Toc H (an abbreviation of Talbot House) was styled as an “Every Man’s Club”, where all soldiers were welcome, regardless…
Penny-a-Week fund
One of the most successful ways of obtaining money during World War 2 was through the Penny-a-Week fund. The fund…
‘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…
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…
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…
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…
Caretaker needed for Smallpox Hospital – Job Advert, 1941
Looking for a job? Here’s a good one for a couple – but the remunerations is somewhat uneven but they…
Highest Scout Honour Given, 1941
The Silver Wolf scouting award is the highest award given out by The Scout Association. It is an unrestricted gift of…
Death of Sub-Lieutenant Stafford-Clark, 1940
Sub Lieutenant (A) John Stafford-Clark was the son of former Mayor of Bromley Francis Stafford-Clark (1929-1930). This notice of his…
The Browns of Bromley
This edition of Service Families which was published in the Bromley & District Times during World War Two featured the…
Women’s Land Army
Between June 1939 and November 1950, over 200,000 women were employed by the Women’s Land Army; an army of women…
Why Aren’t There More Trains?
Next time you are waiting for a train, and perhaps complaining about the lack of them, spare a thought for…
Bromley Rescue Squad Members Honoured , 1941
A.R.P. Awards Members of Champion Rescue Squad Honoured Two members of a Bromley Rescue squad, Leader Cecil Edward Wright and…
Wedding Bells in Bromley, 1941
Mr. R. C. Collyer and Miss Phyllis E. Mildred Hopkins The Wedding of Reginald Clarence Collyer (Tank Corps) second son…
Decorated Soldier marries Sweetheart, 1940
It’s always exciting to read about military personnel who were awarded honours for the services in the war. Here I…
Tragic Result of S.E. Suburb Bombing
Three Children Killed Tragic result of S.E. Suburb Bombing Sheltering in Dug-out Three children were killed when bombs were dropped…
London Carries on – Spirit of the People
This news report featured in the Bromley & District Times in mid-October 1940 and gives an insight into how life…
Spirit of the People Unbroken during Air Battles over SE England
The Blitz began on 7th September 1940, ‘Black Saturday’, when German bombers attacked London, leaving 430 dead and over 1,600…
Wanton Bombing of Hospital
Sister Killed, Four Nurses Injured Stories of miraculous escapes and high courage A Sister was killed and hours nurses severely…
Man Survives Air Raid which Destroyed his House
When a bomb demolished a house in a suburb on Saturday afternoon, the owner was inside. To the amazement of…
Burial of Air Raid Casualties
The idea seems to have gained currency in some districts where there have, unhappily, been fatal air-raid casualties, that such…
Ten Planes Brought Down during 1940 air battle
Another week of heavy bombing was felt over London in early Autumn 1940. While thousands of people travelled to work…
Ancient Church Damaged, 1940
Stained Glass Destroyed An ancient Parish Church in S.E. England was damaged during a recent air raid. A bomb fell…
Rambler Captures German Airman
Although no actual date is given for when this ‘capture’ happened, it is likely to have been shortly after the 15th September…
Heinz Ketchup boss contributes £20K to War effort
After opening its first overseas office in London in 1896, the company opened its first UK factory in Peckham, south…
Police Sergeants Bravery During WW2
Award for Rescue of R.A.F. Pilot The King, states Tuesday’s London Gazette, has been pleased to approve the award of…
Bromley Fighter Fund: 1940
Appeared in the Bromley & District Times, 20th September 1940…
Air Raid Damage: SE London and Kent
Some pictures of the damaged caused by bombing one weekend in SE London and Kent. Most people were in their…
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…
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…
Dunkirk Evacuation
From the Women’s page by Elvira The level of help at the evacuation of Dunkirk spread far further than just…
Unexploded Bomb on Railway Line
Danger coolly tackled by staff In the South of England an unexploded bomb fell a short distance from a main-line…
Gun Crew who Shot down three Dornier bombers
This is the anti-aircraft gun crew who brought down three Dornier 17 bombers shortly after mid-day on Sunday last. …
Recycling at its best
Recycling and re-using was a huge part of life during World War II, we could certainly learn a lot from…
Typical Local News Reports from WW2
Here we show a typical page from a local newspaper which, like so many others, had several reports of men missing…
Saving for the War Campaign
The National Savings Movement was a mass savings movement that operated in Britain between 1916 and 1978. It was used…
Ramble with a Thrill
Ramble with a Thrill “Bomber Came Out of the Clouds” A lady who was walking with a friend in a…
Thrilling Aerial Dog-Fights over Kent in WW2
Raiders Over Kent —————— Bombers Chased off by R.A.F. and A.A. Gunners ——————- Home Guard “Bag” a Dornier with Rifle…
German Plane Brought Down
A German aeroplane which was brought down in South East England on Sunday 28th July 1940…
German pilots buried in Cudham
This story appeared in the Bromley & District Times newspaper in July 1940, recording the funeral of two German airmen…
Daring attacks over German and Italian territories, 1940
This report featured in the 19th July 1940 edition of the Bromley & District Times, giving readers an update on the…
Council Sets up Battlefield Scene to Help Raise Funds for the War
FEEDING THE GUN ON BROMLEY’S BATTLEFIELD “No Man’s Land” from the Trenches £70,000 raised: How the Money Came in In…
War Naturally Affected the Birth-Rate in a Most Alarming Manner
On 4th October 1918, there was a report in the Bromley & District Times on a CHILD WELFARE EXHIBITION ‘An…
Warning to take your own Tea on Holiday with you
In 1918 the Ministry of Food proved it cared about its nations love of Tea after sending a message out…
Children to be paid to pick Blackberries
Blackberries – Children to get 3d. A lb for picking A discussion took place on the subject of blackberries for…
Great Demonstration on the 4th Anniversary of the War, 1918
With the entry of the American troops, fresh and ready for the fight, in April, 1918 and the failure of…
Canadians & Americans bring their national game to Bromley
Ensuring that the oversea visitors felt at home, a game of Baseball was arrange at the Spartan Athletic Ground in…
Every Man Who Is Fit to Fight is Fit to Pension – Demand for Justice
The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers (NADSS) was a British veterans’ organisation. Founded in early 1917 at a…
Lady Librarian initiates a very practical improvement at Bromley Public Library, 1918
According to this article, which was published in the Bromley & District Times, 1918, it took a female librarian’s initiative…
Inmates of the ‘Grim Grey House” given a holiday… stories from the Workhouse
Workhouses, like the one in Bromley (now the PRU hospital), often organised holiday outings for the inmates. This article reports…
Sharing Piggies in St Mary Cray, 1918
St Mary Cray Pig-Keeping Society Nearly 800 shares Applied for A meeting of the committee of the newly-formed Pig-keeping Association…
National War Bonds – invest every shilling you possibly can!
No sum can be too large! Another example of an advert, often seen in local newspapers, encouraging local people to invest…
Where they have succeeded Chislehurst will not fail – War Weapons Week, 1918
Help us to win Our Gun Adverts like this were often featured in local newspapers encouraging local people to invest…
Local schools finally acquire land for gardening purposes
Gardening at Bickley Schools Bickley and Widmore schools reported that at last it was possible to acquire a piece of…
Strong Protest by Butchers as to the Fair Distribution of Meat
The Meat Supply: Strong Protest by Butchers Supported by Committee The question of the quality of the meat now being…
Throwing Stones and Cutting Property
Boys will be Boys The following matter was brought before Beckenham Council: ‘Among the matters dealt with was a letter…
They came to Britain, looking for safety…
They came to Bromley, looking for Safety REPATRIATION OF BELGIAN REFUGEES During World War 1, it is estimated that Britain…
Dame Clara Ellen Butt performs in Bromley
Dame Clara Ellen Butt, DBE (1 February 1872 – 23 January 1936) was an English contralto. Her main career was as a…
Women Committee Set Up to Stop Girls Canoodling with Soldiers
During World War 1 a Women Committee was set up as there was concern about girls canoodling with the soldiers…
Would you have welcomed an Aussie to your home in 1918?
Would you have welcomed an Aussie to your home in 1918? When the war broke out in 1914, the echoes…
Why do the British love to Queue?
I really like this advertisement to encourage people to queue in an orderly fashion for the trains and buses. It…
Spring Cleaning the 1918 Way
Want to clean your carpets? From steam carpet beating to the cordless vacuums today. Advert taken from the Bromley &…
Tanks for the Memory
The country was in desperate need of money to pay for the Great War. Throughout the war the Government had…
The Paper Shortage – Recycling in 1918
There many were shortages by 1918. Paper had been in short supply for several years to such an extent that…
National Kitchens Open During WW1
National Kitchens were opened during World War One to provide affordable nutritious meals for war workers and poorer people. The…
What was happening in Bromley 100 years ago?
1917 was a bad year. The death toll was going up. If the casualties of the Battle of the Somme…
Soldiers Entertained
This extract, taken from the Bromley & District Times, 6th September, 1918 and gives an account of an evening…
Conscription Introduced
Conscription Introduced Within a year of Great Britain declaring war on Germany in August 1914, it had became obvious that…
Red Cross Animals
One of the four-footed friends of the French soldiers approaching a wounded man with a bandage in its mouth. Like…
Teaser the Mascot of H.M.S. Warwick
A lot of ships had pet mascots like Teaser, who was the mascot on H.M.S. Warwick during World War 1…
“Dominion Day” at Orpington
Ontario Military Hospital Carnival It was “Dominion Day” at Orpington on the 1st inst., and a successful and largely attended…
The Call to Arms
The Call to Arms Source:Bromley & District Times, 7th August 1914 (page 5)…
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