Between June 1939 and November 1950, over 200,000 women were employed by the Women’s Land Army; an army of women, known as Land Girls, who replaced farm workers who had gone off to war. These women came from all walks of life, and despite having little to no experience of agriculture, they ploughed, drove tractors, grew produce, milked cows and much more, to help with the critical need to increase food production around the country. The Women’s Land Army started to publish a monthly magazine called ‘The Land Girl’, with…
Tag: Local News
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 the commuters of the 1940s. At least British rail had a good reason – moving weapons to the theatres of war, as well as the war damage to the railways. The railway system suffered heavy damage in some areas due to German Luftwaffe bombing, especially in cities such as London and Coventry. It is estimated that 482 locomotives, 13,314 passenger and 16,132 freight vehicles were damaged during World War Two. Sources: Advert –…
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 Mr Albert Purless Harman, have been awarded the British Empire Medal for their part in extricating a man from a bombed house, the house received a direct hit from a high explosive bomb, and it was discovered that a man was buried beneath the wreckage. Mr Wright an Mr Harman had great difficulty in reaching him, and tunnelled for three houses during the night while the raid was still on,…
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 of Mr and Mrs T. Collyer, 27 Pope Road, Bromley, to Miss Phyllis E. Mildred Hopkins, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. Hopkins, 32 Nichol Lane, Bromley, took place at St Mary’s Church, Plaistow, on Saturday, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. W. R. Crichton. The bride, who was given away by her father Lance-Corporal G. Hopkins, Queen’s West Surrey Regiment, wore a dress of white figured taffeta,…
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 found Pilot-Officer Frank Henderson Denton who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C.). The D.F.C. is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers of the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for “an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy” DFCDistinguished Flying CrossDFCDistinguished Flying Cross Wedding After Decoration Pilot-Officer’s D.F.C.…
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 prolifically on two parts of a South-East suburb on Tuesday night. They were sheltering in dug-outs. One of the victims was Joan Wooton*, daughter of an auxiliary fireman. Her mother was also injured and was taken to hospital. A high explosive bomb dropped between two shelters. Another high explosive bomb completely destroyed the homes of Mr A.E. Jeffreys, Mr G. M. Knowles and Mr G.B. Willis. Adjoining houses were badly…
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 carried on as normal for the residents of London during the Blitz of 1940. LONDON CARRIES ON 35-MILE TOUR AFTER THE BLITZKRIEG THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE The early morning train was crowded, and subsequent stops, and we were soon speeding along side by side with other trains, equally crowded with men and women, boys and girls, all headed for London. Surely not for London after the Blitzkrieg visitations…
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 injured. London was then bombed for 57 consecutive nights, and often during daytime too. While London was bombed more heavily and more often than anywhere else in Britain, the Blitz was an attack on the whole country. By the time this article was published on the 18th October 1940, London had endured 42 days of attacks by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force). Air Battles over S.E. England Several…
Wanton Bombing of Hospital
Sister Killed, Four Nurses Injured Stories of miraculous escapes and high courage A Sister was killed and hours nurses severely injured when German raiders deliberately attacked a South-East hospital during Wednesday night. High explosive and oil bombs were dropped and a kitchen an the female reception ward suffered most. While nurses and patients were being rescued from the debris caused by the first attached the enemy came back and dropped a 1,000lb bomb outside one of the newer hospital buildings. Despite their terrifying experiences, nurses, doctors and rescue workers carried…
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 the A.R.P. workers who were at once on the spot, the man crawled from the wreckage suffering only from cuts and shock. Here he is being taken to a nearby first-aid post. Press Censorship during World War Two Newspapers rarely gave details of the exact location of successful bombing raids, so we may never know where this incident happened, nor who the lucky survivor was. When war broke out…