The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second War engagement between British Imperial and Axis forces, fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the south-west coast of the Peloponnesian peninsula of Greece. Following the interception of Italian signals by the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley Park ships of the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy, under the command of the Royal Navy’s Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, intercepted and sank or severely damaged several ships of the Italian Regia Marina under Squadron-Vice-Admiral Angelo Iachino. The opening…
Tag: RAF
RAF “Presents” for Hitler
By the mid end of the Second War World, Britain began using larger ‘giant’ bombs against the enemy. They were nicknamed the ‘blockbuster bomb’ by the press and referred to a bomb which had enough explosive power to destroy an entire street or large building through the effects of blast in conjunction with incendiary bombs. By informing the reader of the weapons being used upon the Germans during the Second World War, was this a form of propaganda to scare the enemy? This small feature appeared in the local newspaper in May 1943,…
Leslie Ralph Eden
Leslie Ralph Eden was a sergeant in the 83 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He lived in Bromley wth his aunt and cousins, but was educated and worked in Camberwell. He was interred into the family grave in Camberwell New Cemetery , Grave 2094 Sergeant L.R. Eden, R.A.F. We have to record the death on active service of Sergeant Leslie Ralph Eden, R.A.F. He was the only child of the late Mr J. Eden and of Mrs Eden, who lives with her sister, Mrs Frances Jordan, 104…
The Browns of Bromley
This edition of Service Families which was published in the Bromley & District Times during World War Two featured the Browns of Bromley – Three brothers; Charles Thomas, Leonard Frederick and Stanley George. Our Service Families Three sons of Mr C.H. Brown, 23 Bromley Crescent, Bromley, who served himself in the last war, are now serving with H.M. Forces. The eldest, Charles Thomas is a first class Aircraftman in the R.A.F. Aged 24, he attended Beckenham Junior Art School, and on leaving became a colour engraving apprentice at Grout and…
Sergeant-Pilot Harold Ian Maxwell
We have with regret to record the death on active service of Sergeant-Pilot Harold Ian Maxwell, R.A.F., youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Maxwell, formerly of Firgarth, Edward Road, Bromley, and now of Newlands, Plaistow Lane. Friends and neighbours unite in offering heartfelt sympathy to them. Mr. Harold Maxwell was born at The Avenue, Grove Park and educated at St Lawrence College, Ramsgate. In business he was first of Sweet and Maxwell, law publishers, Chancery Lane, London. During the Munich crisis of 1938 he joined the R.A.F. as…
Residential Areas Suffer, 1941
Night Raiders bring tragedy to families Some places attacked second time Daylight Air Battles: Ten Enemy Machines Down in One Fight Continuing their nightly raids on this country, German raiders have again dropped bombs on towns and villages in South-East England. Residential areas, far from military objectives, have suffered badly, many houses and cottages bring wrecked. The bombers have brought tragedy to several homes in the area, but it is remarkable how few fatal casualties there have been in view of the extent of the material damage. In daylight raids…
Only 7 men want to be Airmen
On the day that Britain declared war on Germany, 3rd September 1939, Parliament immediately imposed the National Service (Armed Forces) Act which enforced full conscription on all males between 18 and 41 who were UK residents. Exempt from this were the medically unfit, and those who were in key industries and jobs such as baking, farming, medicine, and engineering. Conscription helped greatly to increase the number of men in active service during the first year of the war. Conscription of women To help widen the scope of conscription still further,…
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 the Medal of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire, for Meritorious Service to Arthur Hendon Cole, Sergeant, Kent Special Constabulary. An aircraft of the Royal Air Force taking off from Biggin Hill aerodrome crashed and turned over in the garden of the house next to that occupied by Sergeant Cole. The pilot was trapped and hanging by his harness upside down. Cole ran to his ambulance and,…
Pilot Officer R.A. Marchand
The funeral of Pilot Officer Roy Achille Marchand, who was killed in action on September 15th, aged 22, took place at St Mark’s Church, Bromley and afterwards at Bromley Hill Cemetery. He was the only son of Mr And Mrs Rene A, Marchand, of 6 Hayes Road, Bromley, and his death was recorded in our issue last week. The mourners were Mr and Mrs Rene Marchand, Mrs Jean Marchand, Mrs O. Cullen and Mr and Mrs E. Dean. The flowers included a wreath (R.A.F.) from his father, a large heart…
The Hardest Day – WW2 Air Battle
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…