Re: World War II
 

My dad was a designer/engraver at Celanese, Jamesicus. He had worked at Steiners until 1935, when he moved to Spondon. He too went to work at Rolls Royce when the war started (conscripted as a reserved occupation) as an aero-engine inspector but got a move back to Lancashire in 1941 and worked at Bristol Aircraft for the rest of the war. If it hadn't been for Hitler, I'd probably be a "Derbyshire thick neck" instead of a Lancastrian.

Re: World War II
 

I have installed an http://www.jp29.org/rss_smaller.gif feed on my site.

Please visit http://www.jp29.org/ (my Home page) for detailed information.

I would appreciate feedback regarding its function.

James

Re: World War II
 

had a quick flick around your site,seems very interesting and informative,will have a good read when time permits.

Re: World War II
 

Thanks, cashman.

James

Re: World War II
 

we are reading the stuff you put on,what do you think of the modern day stuff?

Re: World War II
 

Well, you need to define "stuff" before I can answer that.

James

Re: World War II
 

Looking through my Granddad's things with my Mum for reference for my VE/VJ day event - by the way, I'd still like to receive photos from as many of you as possible of heroes that returned.

Anyway, whilst looking through his things my Mum found a diary that he'd written during the war. Apparently he was the 'bat' man to an officer which meant that he had to keep the battalion records. At the end of the journal it said

10th May 1942
Strength of battalion
24 Officers and 789 other ranks

1st June 1942
Strength of battalion
5 Officers and 210 other ranks

I cried - not for the first time since I've been researching this event.

Re: World War II
 

i talk to all the owd dears that frequent this place and too listen to the stories is amazing?ny grandad was with the dessert rats under monty and the stories i have heard about him ..............people would not listen and believe?

Re: World War II
 

Derry, originally from Burnley, wrote:


..... I lived in Dugdale Road, just off Padiham Road .....

..... I went back recently to see the old house, and found the whole area developed in a rather unpleasnt way, as it had been semi rural in my childhood days .....


I had a similar experience -- the house where I was born -- 5 Duckett Terrace (off Accrington Rd. at the Railway bridge) in Burnley -- indeed the whole surrounding area, was long ago demolished for construction of a new roadway overpass. The house I lived in from age four until 1950 is now nothing like I remember it. As they say, you can never go back (to the way it was in your memory).

Re: World War II
 

intresting to read what realy went on.Keep it coming. great job!!!

Re: World War II
 

Handwriting and the associated materials & equipment played a big part in our everyday lives during WW2. In those days before computers, cell phones, hand held PDAs, copying machines, etc., all business notes, forms, documents, receipts, school work, personal correspondence -- and so on -- were rendered on paper using pencils or pen and ink. In school we used steel nibbed dip pens and black ink from inkwells in the desktops. Kids fortunate enough to own fountain pens (I owned a used Mabie Todd "Swan" given to me by an uncle in 1938) were allowed to use them. Ballpoint pens did not come into use until after the war.

In Lancashire housewives, shopkeepers, deliverymen, etc. mostly used indelible pencils which they wetted with their tongues (bitter taste) for important notes, receipts, ledger entries, etc. Teachers also used indelible pencils to grade schoolwork. Fountain pens were used by businessmen for formal correspondence and were used for private letter writing by numerous individuals.

Regular lead pencils, indelible pencils, dip pens, paper and ink were in short supply throughout the war and we saved every pencil stub and scrap of good writing paper we could -- we also drastically diluted the classroom ink. Letter writing to loved ones serving in the armed forces was very important during WW2. Fountain pens were treasured writing instruments, the most popular makes being Mabie Todd (Swan & Blackbird), Waterman and Parker in Britain at that time. It was almost impossible to buy new fountain pens in England during the war (the Mabie Todd manufacturing plant was totally destroyed in the London Blitz).

Re: World War II
 

http://jp29.org/hf105.jpg

Greatly increased production of vegetable food crops of all kinds was essential for the nation's wartime health and well being. Farming was designated an essential war effort occupation and farmers were provided with maximum Government support and assistance.

The Women's Land Army (WLA) was formed in 1939 to replace farmer's helpers who had been conscripted in the armed forces or to augment existing work forces. Young women were recruited and underwent intense, high caliber, training before being assigned to farms. They were uniformed in khaki shirts & jodhpurs, dark green wool pullovers and sturdy brown boots. WLA members resided on the farms to which they were assigned and performed every farm task imaginable. The program was an enormous success and the efforts of the WLA went a long way to insure the civilian population was adequately fed throughout the war. Even the smallest farms were assigned WLA members on application.

I worked on the farm of our milkman during the school summer holidays of 1940 and 1941 (and sometimes after school in the spring and early autumn) assisting the one WLA member assigned. She was very competent and hard working -- every bit as good as the farmer himself.

Re: World War II
 

Mmmmm interesting thread :) my daughter is doing WW1 & 2 so will be good input as to what it was really like, maybe she might appreciate things more mmmm maybe not lol

Shes been learning about the rashon books & allowances.

Re: World War II
 

good to see you back on james,have put your site in my favorites & do get to read it now & again, having been born 1944..... your writings for me are of great interest, thank you .

Re: World War II
 

Thanks, mez.