The Bromley T.W.E.R.P.S. Concert Party was an amatuer group set up for the purpose of entertaining service personnel and giving public concerts to raise money for various wartime needs. The group performed at various locations including airfields, gun sites, the Woolwich Garrison Theatre and to the cadets at HMS Worcester – a training college for the Merchant Navy. This article featured in the Bromley & District Times newspaper on 9th August 1940. T.W.E.R.P.S. want recruits Bromley T.W.E.R.P.S. Concert Party have shortened their name somewhat to T.W.E.R.P.S. Varieties as being more representative of…
Tag: Bromley
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 back them. One particular drive the government pushed through was the salvaging of metals, especially aluminium, which could be used for their potential in the aircraft industry. This is a typical sacrifice that many people are making in town In some towns around the country you may even notice where old iron railings once stood. These were removed for the same purpose. This article featured in the Bromley & District…
Our Service Families
Wartime was be a huge sacrifice to families with sons going off to war; wives left without husbands; fearing they will never return. The Blade family from Bromley, was no exception and they were very proud of the fact. They had 2 sons on active service, with their youngest awaiting his call up with the Royal Navy. they also had two son-in-laws on active services, both of whom has recently married into the family. Reported in the Bromley & Kentish Times on 26th July 1940 (page 5) Our Service Families The…
Captain John Peake Knight
Captain John Peake Knight, of Sundridge Mansions, was the son of James Percy and Ellen Gray Knight, of 17, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone; and Grandson of the late Mr J P Knight for many years manager of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway. He attended Quernmore School. He had married his cousin, Miss Olive Phyllis Wall Row (formerly Knight), of 8, Rodborough Rd., Golders Green, Hampstead, London. She was a native of Brighton, and the eldest daughter of Mr & Mrs Gray Knight of Preston Park, Brighton. They married at St John’s…
Private Charles Mitchell
Private Charles Mitchell was the son of Mrs H Mitchell of Chatterton Road, Bromley, and was an old boy of Raglan Road Boy’s School. He signed up to the Royal West Kent Regiment at the outbreak of war. Source: Bromley & District Times, October 1914 (searched via www.militaryancestors.co.uk)
Signaller Peter Robert Marchant
Reported in the Bromley & District Times newspaper on the 19th July 1940 Missing Signaller Peter Robert Marchant of Bromley Mr and Mrs Robert Whittingham Marchant, of Brookmeade, Hayes ROad, Bromley have been officially notified that their eldest son, Signaller Peter Robert Marchant, is missing. He was on the staff of the engineering section of the G.P.O. and joined the Royal Corps of Signals when he was 19, being one of the first to embark for France last September. From colleagues who have come back safely it is understood that…
Home for Heroes (TALK)
Pam will be giving a talk to the Bromley Borough Local History Society on the building of the first Council Houses in Bromley after the Great War, on Bromley Common – affectionately known as Bromley Garden City. Non-members of all ages are very welcome to come along. There is a contribution of £1 towards the cost of the meeting (50p for Members) The talk starts at 7.45 pm in the Small Hall at the Trinity United Reformed Church, at the junction of Freelands Road and Upper Park Road, Bromley, BR1 3AQ.…
Private A C J Boxall – Missing
6345533 Private Albert Clarence John Boxall (aged 19) with the Royal West Kent Regiment was posted as missing on May 20th 1940. His parents were anxious for any news and “would be grateful to any of his comrades in the battalion who could give them any information about their son.” He had been taken a prisoner of war (no 15534). In 1945 he was being held at Stalag 344, Lamsdorf in Poland Sources: Bromley and Kentish Times, 12th July 1940 and www.forces-war-records.co.uk [su_button url=”http://footstepstothepast.co.uk/private-albert-boxall” style=”flat” background=”#51ccd1″ color=”#ffffff” size=”6″ radius=”0″ icon_color=”#fffff”]Prisoner…
Hugh Bertram Neely, 2nd-Lieutenant
Hugh Bertram Neely was 2nd-Lieutenant of the 3rd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (attached to 1st Battalion). He was the second son of William and Clare Neely, of Ruxley House, Widmore Road, Bromley. His brother Clive William Neely also fell in World War 1 in Basra. Hugh was educated at Quernmore School, Lancing College and then to Rouen. He entered the Medical School at Guy’s hospital where he took the Licentiate in Dental Surgery. He was noted as being a clever and able student. He then went on to start a dental practice at…
Gunner Walter Bax
Walter Bax was part member of a large family of boys, who were all in the Army. The son of Mr Alfred W. Bax and Clara E. Bax, of 17 North Road, Bromley, Kent. He was brother to Private George Bax. Walter was an old boy of Wharton Road School in Bromley and had worked for a time for Mr Cox, fruiterer. Before World War 1 he had joined the 5th Dragoon Guards, but was invalided out after 2 years’ service. He rejoined the Royal Field Artillery in October 1914, and after training…