World War II
 

NOTE: There is now an enormous reference bank available relating to this era in the form of books, VHS/DVD tapes, Internet Web Pages, etc., and so in many instances it would be redundant of me to offer general information. My intention is to summarize the impact of the momentous events of WWII on my family, friends and the East Lancashire region as I remember it.

I will revise/update information in postings via editing.

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I believe it was also in 1938 that we were all issued gas masks by the Government. Although they came in a plain cardboard carry box with a string shoulder "strap", it wasn't long before people -- especially girls and ladies -- were buying and using fancy colored plastic covers with wide carrying straps. Everybody was required to carry their gas mask with them wherever they went at first (they were a pain in the cinemas) and you would be stopped by Policemen and Air Raid Wardens if they spotted you without your gas mask.

We were trained in their use by our teachers during Air Raid drills in the school shelters.

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ive always been intrested in the second world war more than any others, keep it coming mate.

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In early 1940 the Nazi radio propaganda began -- "Lord Haw Haw" (real name: William Joyce) spewed his taunting venom in the evenings ("Germany Calling") -- my Grandfather used to shout and shake his fist at the radio when he came on (but he chose to listen to him anyway). There is a great book out .....

Nazi Wireless Propaganda, M. R. Doherty, Edinburgh University Press, 2000

..... which comes with a wonderful CD containing 24 original Nazi radio Broadcasts to Great Britain (1940-1945) -- mostly "Lord Haw Haw" -- that really brought memories welling back when I played it. We all thought he was an Englishman because of his cultured Public School English and precise diction. It was discovered that he had grown up in America when he was tried before a War Crimes Tribunal in 1945 -- he was found guilty and hanged.

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It's amazing to think that the world was at war not so many years ago. I don't think anyone that wasn't there (myself included) can appreciate what everyone went through. The wars that happen nowadays are never actually in Britain (thankfully) but this means that we don't realise the horror of it all - I'm sure when they broadcast on TV the whole atmosphere is lost - it's like it isn't real on TV.

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The only time I was really scared during the war was the end of May and the beginning of June 1940 -- collapse of Belgium, evacuation of the BEF at Dunkirk, surrender of France, Nazi occupation of Holland/Denmark/Norway -- Britain was alone -- what was next? -- talk of invasion was everywhere.

Away from the beaches the Government took protective measures against possible airborne landing sites (paratroops and gliders) -- series of inclined girders were sunk in the ground at large, flat, even areas such as playing fields and parks (we couldn't play organized football or cricket for some time) and the Home Guard posted patrols at those and remote areas.

The Home Guard kept their weapons at home (no ammunition) -- my father was a corporal and had a Sten sub-machine gun -- I used to hold it and pretend I was defending against invading Nazis.

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Hi jamesicus, finding it very interesting. Keep it going.

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Thank you AccyStanFan, ShortStuff & Sara for your responses -- I will keep this going as long as there is interest shown -- James

Food rationing, and food shortages, were a shock at first. After 1939 I didn't see a banana for six years. Sweets were rationed and you could usually only get your favorites (mine were Rowntrees fruit gums & pastilles) at the shops that you had frequented before the war.

Still, we ate healthy -- more whole wheat bread, lots of fresh vegetables, less sugar. Imported tinned and fancy goods were almost impossible to come by (battle of the Atlantic made cargo ship space a premium -- essential goods only).

Rumors of the Black Market and inferior food substitutes abounded -- my mother heard that some Fish & Chip shops were using dog fat for cooking (lard was rationed) -- that was heartily denied -- still she would only buy fish & chips at our local shop.

We ate a lot of home grown vegetables from our victory garden.

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The first major crisis came in May 1940. For us in counties like Lancashire the only event of real significance since the declaration of war on Sunday, 3 September 1939, was the arrival of evacuees from London and the south of England soon after that date.

We housed two boys from Kent: Colin and Martin (I can't remember their full names or exactly where they were from -- the passing of the years dims my memory on fine points) who were around my age (I was eleven) and they were assigned to my school. We got along together pretty well -- we soon organized a Lancashire vs Kent cricket match (local lads versus the evacuees) in the field back of my Auntie's house. They soon returned to their homes in Kent -- that happened quite a lot -- homesickness and family love overcame the threat of bombing.

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We all knew that things were really grave in the last week of May and the first week of June, 1940. The reins of government had changed hands -- Neville Chamberlain was out and Winston Churchill (WSC) was the new Prime Minister.

The waning days of May and the first week of June were indeed scary -- in the aftermath of Dunkirk there were rumblings afoot that the War Cabinet was debating whether to sue for peace with Hitler -- the unthinkable -- Surrender! Only later did we learn just how close we came to doing just that and of the colossal struggle between WSC and Lord Halifax (the Foreign Secretary and the leading Appeaser) in the desperate War Cabinet meetings.

There is now a superb book by Professor John Lukacs -- an eminent historian and prolific writer -- that covers the events and portents of this period in meticulous detail ..........

Five Days in London - May 1940, John Lukacs, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 1999.

.......... it is an absorbing but chilling read. I don't think most people realize just how close we came to surrendering to Hitler in 1940 -- I didn't.

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great stuff, still intrested incase u were worried :)

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Thank you for your continued interest AccyStanFan -- your responses motivate me to keep this thread going -- yes, I was getting worried by the apparent lack of interest. James

And now to revisit what was going on in our lives in Lancashire in the early months of the war.

Day to day life was undergoing some dramatic changes.

First was the blackout which had been instituted in 1939. With the threat of Air-raids and Invasion very real in the spring of 1940, compliance and enforcement took on new urgency.

All windows and doorways in private houses and public buildings had to be sealed off using heavy curtains, blinds, cardboard, or by painting over, etc., so that not even chinks of light could escape. Violators were subject to heavy fines if caught by Police or Air Raid Wardens.

Most street lights were simply turned off -- the ones that were lighted were greatly dimmed and deflected downward.

Dim bulbs were now used in automobile, bus and commercial vehicle lamps and they were fitted with slotted covers that directed the light downward.

The cabs of railway train engines were outfitted with overhead canvas covers which blocked the glow of the fire -- carriage windows were equipped with heavy black curtains or simply painted over.

You could be fined for not covering the flame of a match when lighting smokes (the great majority of adults smoked cigarettes in those days) outdoors at night.

Because of the pervading darkness caused by the blackout, most people carried flashlights -- they were almost essential when walking on side streets, sometimes even on major thoroughfares, to avoid tripping or bumping into people. The lenses on all flashlights were required to be partially blocked off and they could only be used pointed toward the ground.

In general, people soon adapted to the blackout and accepted its inconveniences in stride. My recollection is that people became more considerate and tolerant of each other because of it. I don't remember any major incidences of robbery, mugging or violent acts (rape, sexual assault, etc.) during the blackout although the potential was great due to the severely diminished visibility and enveloping darkness -- it was a different age.

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its really good this, cause if i looked thing up on the net itd be a whole lot of information, this is small interesting chunks that6 u dont see in the textbooks.

good work :)

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I agree with ASF - very interesting to read about your experiences during this period of time that a lot of us here are lucky we didn't grow up in! Thanks, and keep it up!

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i was born in 1944 & my dad was at dunkirk twice, so im finding it very interesting. keep up the good work. & thanks.

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It's a very interesting read james, have you thought of writing a book about the war years?

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Mez, Roy & Janet:

Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement.

James

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Good luck to you james. :thumbsup:

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The face of travel and transportation changed enormously soon after the war started. Petrol was severely rationed and travel by private automobile was almost out of the question except for those who got extra rations due to essential government service. Most privately owned automobiles went up on blocks in storage for the duration. It must be remembered, however, that the vast majority of ordinary people in Great Britain did not own automobiles in 1939.

Most surface travel -- local and long distance -- was now via public buses and the (steam) railways. Although public sector vehicles were provided special petrol allowances, many ingenious alternative fuel devices such as natural gas bladders and methane gas injectors were employed -- I can still visualize the single decker corporation buses surmounted with enormous gas bags. Some people, who could afford it and were lucky enough to find them, equipped their automobiles with similar devices.

The commercial sector was encouraged to use horse drawn vehicles. And now occurred an interesting phenomenon -- whereas there had been a general shift to motor vehicles by tradesmen and deliverymen during the late 1930s, there was now an equally general reversion to horse and cart. Essential home deliveries of milk, fish (no supermarkets in those days -- and no refrigerated storage in the shops) and coal were now all via horse and cart. Nonessential deliveries or services such as rag & bones and furniture purchases were either by horse and cart -- or not at all.

Everyone was urged to conserve fuel -- petrol and coal -- as much as possible. Large signs bearing messages such as Is this journey really necessary? were prominently displayed in Bus Depots and Railway Stations.

In general, the civilian population traveled on foot (we were a lot healthier and slimmer for that) or in public transportation (we were a lot friendlier and nicer to each other for that) throughout the war.

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Still finding it interesting, in fact i'm captivated. Brilliant reading.

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Jamesicus - also finding this fascinating. How do you remember it all though? Did you keep a diary throughout or is this purely from memory? I don't think many of us will understand completely how dark it would have been throughout the blackouts. Most of us never experience true darkness now. My only experience was when I went on a cave tour & they turned the lights out - very scarey even though you knew they would turn the lights back on. Please keep this thread going.

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Thank you all for your continuing interest and kind comments.


James

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I now beg your indulgence, dear readers -- before I embark on my recollections of wartime Blackpool (to be followed by my other "non-local" wartime travel destinations: Manchester, Lytham St. Annes, Sheffield, London/Surrey and Derby) I would like to offer a prewar prelude ..........

I have many wonderful memories of Blackpool -- it holds a special place in my heart as my favorite holiday destination of all (not to mention the Saturday night excursions in the years immediately following the war). That is saying a lot, for I have lived and/or vacationed in some pretty exotic places throughout the years -- choice locations in Hawaii, Japan, Florida, California -- to mention just a few. For me, Blackpool beats them all!

During the Great Depression years of the 1930s just about every Lancashire family that could afford it (not that many had any spare money) went to Blackpool for holiday during wake's week. What great, happy, magical holidays they were -- the best of my life! The travel by those marvelous steam trains to get there was itself memorable -- I can still recall the excitement of seeing the engine approaching the station and the thrill of arriving at Blackpool Central!

Only the rich went on holiday outside of England -- France was the destination of choice for most -- the very rich went to America, Africa, India, the far East, et al.



http://www.jp29.org/File0222.jpg

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Wartime Blackpool ..........

The last time I was in Blackpool before the war broke out was when my father took me to watch a cricket match -- Australia vs An England XI, on 1 September 1938 -- more about that in a later posting. We went to visit my father's uncle in Weybridge/Kingston-on-Thames (?), Surrey, for our holiday in 1938 (?) -- my first visit to London.

When I next went to Blackpool, in July 1940 with my mother, (my father couldn't go due to his essential war production job and his Home Guard commitments) things had changed dramatically. The Tower lift was closed and the prewar nighttime gaiety was subdued by the blackout (the illuminations were suspended for the duration). Sections of the promenade were roped off by the military so that recruits could be drilled in marching -- you sometimes had to thread your way through formations to get to the sands.

A real shocker for me was no Blackpool rock! -- sugar was heavily rationed in the early years of the war. The colorful shops, stalls, exhibitions, etc., along the front were not as numerous as prewar. Pleasure Beach was only a shadow of its former self at night -- no lights!

However, wartime Blackpool was still a fun place with lots of great entertainment. Big band swing (Joe Loss, Teddy Foster, Ted Heath, et al.) was featured at the Tower Ballroom and Winter Gardens and there were plenty of variety shows -- now usually with patriotic themes, for pride in country was very high at this time.

Unlike the beaches in southern England where there was a great fear of invasion, the Blackpool beach was not guarded with barbed wire as far as I can remember (but I have since read elsewhere that it was).

The biggest wartime excitement I can remember at Blackpool was when American airmen arrived for flight training at a nearby facility in 1943. Things really livened up! Yanks were everywhere, especially at night at the Tower Ballroom and Winter Gardens. It was rumored that Capt. Clark Gable was here for flight training and quartered in a promenade hotel.

I recall a tragedy at Blackpool during the war when a two Briitish aircraft collided in mid-air over Central Blackpool and one crashed through the roof of the Central Railway Station. I believe the pilots were killed. However, I cannot find an official record of this event.

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I am like you James,Blackpool is the best i never get fed up of going there.

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May 1952 started 13 weeks driving course at RAF weeton round about 12 of us cadged a lift 3 nights a week down to Blackpool with the civillian driving instructors most were blackpool taxi drivers we would meet up talbot road bus station at midnight and set off back up the garstang road run the first mile walk the second sprint the third like that back to the camp round about 12 milesof course I was fit then and blackpool was worth it and as long as you were back by 8 oclock am nobody bothered

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As a diversion -- and before I embark on reminiscences of the Battle of Britain and the Air Raid Blitz -- I would like to offer some personal observations relating to wartime cricket and football in Great Britain. But first, a preamble:

I was never very good at either cricket or football, but starting when I was eight years old (1937) I became a great follower and supporter of both as professional sports. I particularly loved Lancashire League Cricket -- the dominating player was the great West Indies all-rounder professional at Nelson, "Leary" Constantine -- and my father started taking me to the Saturday afternoon matches at Burnley Turf Moor and also to some away matches (I kept my own scorebooks). I also followed County Cricket in the Newspapers and soon became an ardent follower of Test Match Cricket.

When the war broke out professional sports soon fragmented -- the old Football league alignment and Cricket league structure were abandoned and replaced by regional leagues in order to conserve fuel and reduce travel.

Football clubs in particular were beneficiaries of unexpected talent -- their teams were often hastily thrown together from available talent -- sometimes team makeup was not known right up to kick-off time. Many of the pre-war professional players were serving in the Armed Forces and were made available to play for teams in the vicinity of their camps. This was a real bonus for fans of some of the smaller pre-war clubs who often got to see International star players in action with both teams. Charity, or War effort, matches were frequently staged between Armed Forces teams made up entirely of star players. The FA Cup competition was suspended for the duration -- the last pre-war winner was Portsmouth (with their new transfer, Stanley Matthews, from Stoke City).

The same situation generally prevailed with Cricket. I got to see some great matches involving International super stars during the war.

Re: World War II
 

please continue james, great stuff.

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Thankyou Jamesicus, for enlightening us about life in pre-war Lancashire and the hardships and life changing events that people had to endure during World War II.
I particularly enjoyed your previous post reminiscing about Lancashire League cricket and also Lancashire County Cricket Club. If you look on Lancashire's official website, http://www.lccc.co.uk/ , there is a full archive section which has details of the games you saw back in 1938. The scorecard for the game at Old Trafford, Lancashire v Australians, can be found at http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Lanc...15/f15940.html, perhaps this will bring more memories back. In this match, a batsman by the name of Eddie Paynter opened the batting for Lancashire. He was born in Oswaldtwistle, played league cricket for Enfield, for Lancashire and also represented England in admirable fashion, most noteably on the winter tour of 1932-1933 to Australia, where he climbed out of his hospital sick bed in Brisbane General Hospital to win the Ashes for England, during the infamous 'Bodyline series'. Eddie Paynter was possibly one of the greatest sportsmen to come from Accrington and its surrounding districts, who went on to represent England in his chosen sport.
Also scorecard of the match that you saw at Stanley Park, Blackpool, of an England XI v Australians can be found at http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Arch...16/f16117.html. I doubt whether the ground or the pavillion at Stanley Park have changed much during the last 66 years.
Please keep posting these memories of Lancashire life, Jamesicus. They are greatly appreciated.

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What a fantastic thread, keep up the good work James.. :)

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I am really enjoying all you emails and am going to show my oldest daughter who will be graduating on May 8th with a BA in History and a minor in English. She is really into WW2 and will enjoy reading these posts

Irene

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Thank you AccyStanFan, Lettie, Sparkologist and Irene for your interest and kind comments.

I appreciate your cricket information very much, Sparkologist. I used the links you provided -- thank you very much for them.

Yes, I do remember Eddie Paynter -- he was another one of my cricket heroes. I recall reading about his famous test match innings (when he was suffering from tonsillitis and running a high fever) in a boy's adventure book I got one Christmas in the mid 1930s. He and Cyril Washbrook (who was also an opening Test batsman for England) were the opening pair for Lancashire for much of the 1930s.

I did get to meet Eddie Paynter after the war in somewhat bizarre circumstances. I think it must have been 1947 or 1948 -- I wasn't keeping scorebooks or making notes by then so the following is strictly from memory (and it is so long ago) -- I would however, really like to validate my recollections if anyone can point me to a source:

I think it was a Lancashire League away match for Burnley against Todmorden -- but it may have been a charity or testimonial match. In those days I was an avid LL fan and went to all Burnley matches. I also used to augment my spending money by operating the scoreboard at Turf Moor Cricket ground. At that time the Burnley professional was Ellis Achong -- the West Indies Test left arm slow bowler. Achong was a fine gentleman but not a particularly good batsman. Anyway, that day Eddie Paynter played as an amateur! (for Todmorden? surely not, for he was an Enfield cricketer -- that is what makes me think it wasn't a LL match) He didn't score many runs, in fact I recollect he had a short at bat. Incidentally, Achong took all ten wickets that day albeit fairly costly. I don't know whether Paynter played any more LL cricket that season -- if he did, I don't remember him making any big scores. Anyway, I got to shake his hand after the match.

I wish I could get the full story on that match. Back to WWII in my next posting.

James

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Excellent James, did history at 6th form and did well so it's nice to see and read a thread like this.

It's just a shame that the 'community spirit' has been lost these days, but not here on accyweb!

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I will get back to you regarding that match, James.
I will probably be at Old Trafford on Sunday to watch Lancashire. They have probably the second best cricket library in existence after the one owned by the MCC at Lords. I will make enquiries for you. If this line doesn't come to fruition maybe the Lancashire Evening Telegraph archives can help.

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I have just found a list of the players who have taken all ten wickets in an innings in the Lancashire League. There are only 21 in total.

The best analysis is that of Learie Constantine. Ten wickets for ten runs in 1934 against Accrington, all out for twelve runs. (Some things never change).
The others who have managed this are all professionals, and are as follows:

• Tom Lancaster of Enfield (twice)
• Cec Pepper of Burnley (twice)
• Roy Gilchrist of Bacup and Lowerhouse (twice)
• Fred Hartley of Church (twice)
• Archie Slater of Bacup (twice)
• A. W. Hallam of Nelson
• A. Kermode of Bacup
• Billy Cook of Burnley
• H. Harrison of Haslingden
• J. Horsely of Nelson
• Ellis Edgar Achong of Burnley
• H. Robson of Haslingden
• Fred Freer of Rishton
• S. P. Gupte of Rishton
• Wes Hall of Accrington
• A. Ferraira of Nelson
• Ted McDonald of Nelson
• F. Slater of Enfield
• A. J. Richardson of Burnley
• A. E. Nutter of Nelson

There are some very illustrious names here. How many do you recall watching James, in what is fair to say, was the golden era of Lancashire League cricket.

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Manchester in early 1940:

We used to periodically visit an aunt of mine (one of my mother's sisters), who lived in Salford and a cousin of hers who lived in Stretford near Trafford Park -- her husband worked at Metropolitan Vickers. The first time I visited Manchester after the war broke out was one weekend in early 1940, when I went with my mother. My aunt was ill at that time and so we stayed with her for two days so that my mother could help her with housework etc.

For the first time I experienced the actual threat of war -- there were barrage balloons all around the Manchester area and we could see them quite clearly as we approached the city from Bury. There were lots of searchlight and anti-aircraft gun batteries scattered around the outskirts. They had a couple of Air Raid drills (Sirens) while we were visiting, but Manchester had not experienced any actual Air Raids at this time.

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Wow this stuff is so interesting....and how you remember it all amazes me too.
Makes me apreciate my life so much more now.Thankyou jamesicus xxx

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After Dunkirk -- the early summer of 1940

Although we were removed from the initial war action here in Lancashire, everybody pretty well understood the gravity of the situation after Dunkirk and realized that we were now fighting for our very survival as a Nation. I believe the BBC and the Newspapers (we took the Daily Mail during the week and the News of the World & Sunday Pictorial on Sunday) reported the war situation honestly and responsibly. I don't recall any real panic or a pervading sense of doom and gloom. We often talked about the war at school -- teachers and students -- and there seemed to be a general consensus that we would weather the storm and win the war eventually -- I know that I always held that view. At the local level people seemed to accept that we would probably soon experience Air Raids and that grim times (rationing and shortages) lay ahead. Our parents reassured us that we would be safe.

Our local Air Raid Warden announced that the neighborhood post was offering instruction on how to use stirrup pumps in combination with sandbags to extinguish incendiary bombs in case we found one burning in our house after an air raid. My mother and me went for the instruction together. One of the Air Raid Wardens explained that you couldn't extinguish an incendiary bomb with just water -- the burning magnesium would explode -- you had to smother it first with a sandbag. The drill was for one person to man the stirrup pump (submersed in a bucket of water) while the other person crept forward in a crouched posture and, using a dustbin lid for a shield, toss a small sandbag on the burning magnesium thereby smothering it -- the pump operator would then direct a a spray of water on the sandbag to extinguish the incendiary bomb. Our drill was a fiasco -- my mother wasn't strong or dexterous enough to toss the sandbag on the (simulated) bomb and when we reversed roles she also wasn't strong enough to produce more than a dribble of water from the nozzle. Mercifully, we never had to use a stirrup pump/sandbag at any time during the war.

James

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Pots & pans -- scrap metal for the war effort.

Note: now that I have found some Web pages about WWII I find that I have been off on some of my dates and locations -- please excuse the lapses, but it has been over sixty years ago and I have been relying on my memory and some rough notes and occasional remembrances of friends.

Shortly after the war started there were calls for scrap metal drives to fill the ever increasing need of the war effort -- there was a severe shortage and reliability of transportation for raw materials (especially iron ore via ship) was poor.

School children in particular pitched in with vigor and most schools had ongoing scrap metal drives -- Boy Scouts and other organizations did their bit too. We collected every kind of metal item you could imagine -- lots of old flat irons were melted down to make bombs and shells. The government soon got in the act and one of the prime sources of superfluous metal was the iron railings/gates surrounding parks and public buildings -- private home owners contributed their gates and railings also . Much beautiful ironwork was surrendered to the cause -- only the stubs were left as railings were sawn off (or cut with oxyacetylene torches). I remember how sad Scott Park and many homes looked with (most of) the railings gone. Eventually even historic landmarks were sacrificed -- the two Crimean War cannons next to Burnley Grammar School went -- I was sad about that because I always thought they were an important part of the town history.

James

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jamiesicus i have just one word to say, and i will keep on saying: [B]fantastic.

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My nephew is studying the 2nd world war for exams at school and will be studying history at college then on to university. The 2nd w.war fascinates him, he has read loads of books and watched many documentry's. He sounds like a younger version of you james when he gets talking on the subject, it is a good job that i like it too.

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Thank you Neal, Sara & Janet.

Rationing of clothing started in 1941.

Clothes rationing was especially odious for teenagers with their age old desire to be stylish. Everybody was issued a clothing ration book full of coupons of various point values. You were allowed sixty six points a year (representing one complete outfit of clothing) -- if you could find a shop that even had the items of clothing you wanted (the Utility clothing approved by the government was, to put it kindly, uninspired and unattractive). Everybody was encouraged to "make do and mend" by patching worn or torn clothing and to hand down clothing they had out grown or no longer wanted to family members. The foregoing explains why so many people look to be dressed funny in vintage WWII photographs.

This photo is me in the middle of the war (1943 -- age fourteen) taken in my auntie Clara Howarth's rear garden, 59 Glen View Rd, Burnley. Check out my kind of tacky looking clothes -- the too small jacket was a hand me down from a cousin (Dick Wills who was in the RAF) and the oversize baggy trousers had belonged to my uncle Jim Howarth. But with the jacket worth 10 points and the trousers worth 8 they represented a great ration book saving for me -- we were all (at least my family was) happy to sacrifice style for practicality during the war.

http://www.jp29.org/File0226.jpg

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The National Government was concerned about the morale of the people during the dark days of 1940/41. The Prime Minister (Winston Churchill) delivered his famous inspirational speeches in Parliament (and sometimes to other prestigious gatherings) -- but they were really directed at the British people and the BBC and the Newspapers gave them the widest dissemination.

Local Government leaders exerted a lot of effort to boost the Morale of the public too. They published and distributed inspirational fliers and notices at Schools, Churches, Organizational Meetings, etc. and in the local newspapers.

http://www.jp29.org/File0228.jpg

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I beg an interlude for some Lancashire League Cricket, dear friends.

Where did you find that list, Sparkologist? I would love to be able to tap into a database like that! BTW, the Todmorden match must have taken place in 1945 or 1946 -- that is when Achong was the Burnley Professional.

Also, Sparkologist, didn't Accrington sign up the great Australian all-rounder, Keith Miller, only to have him back out of the deal? -- I seemed to remember something like that happening -- or was that Rawtenstall? I remember that Don Bradman almost signed on with Rochdale in the 1930s -- now that would have been something!

My memory dims and I cannot recall all of the great professionals playing in those early postwar years -- some of the ones on the list may have joined the League after I left England -- I simply cannot remember all the names.

Aside from the Burnley Professionals, the ones I readily recall are the West Indians Manny Martindale (pre-war Burnley -- postwar Lowerhouse), Everton Weekes, Clyde Wolcott and the Australians Bill Alley and Ken Grieves.

As I mentioned previously, I was an avid follower and supporter of Burnley CC in the post WWII years during the glory days of (Burnley Professionals) Ellis Achong, Sid Barnes and Cecil Pepper. I earned some of my spending money working the scoreboard at (Burnley CC) Turf Moor and was therefor able to meet some of the great pros when I went to the Pavilion to get sandwiches and drinks for the scoreboard crew between innings.

Some of my more vivid Lancashire League memories from that era (mostly at Turf Moor):

* The sheer beauty of Sid Barnes batting. He had been proclaimed the best batsman in the world at this time by some of the Newspaper sportswriters -- but, better than Don Bradman? -- I don't think so. However, he was great, no doubt about that.

* The extreme, super-closeup, fielding of Sid Barnes -- he was renowned for that, but it made me nervous to watch him.

* The phenomenal run scoring ability of Everton Weekes -- he was the first batter in the League to score a double century (he did it at Turf Moor) beating the previous (pre-war) record of 198 by Learie Constantine.

* The batting power of Cecil Pepper -- he hit some prodigious sixes at Turf Moor and was the first batter to hit the ball out of the ground and on to the roof of the Turf Moor Football Stand.

* The baffling spin of Pepper's bowling. Old-timers who liked to sit by the sighting boards in order to watch the ball movement said his was the best they had ever seen.

A word about Manny Martindale -- he was indeed a superb fast bowler who could be devastating with the new ball. He lived just four doors down from my grandpa and grandma Pickering in Burnley (18 Creswick Ave) and not far from our house (33 Rossetti Ave). He had two sons, Fred and Colin, who used to be part of our group that for a while played informal cricket after school on the top of Healey Heights. Fred (who was one year younger than me) was a good fast bowler and Colin (one year younger than Fred) was a graceful batsman. I was excited to go to their house when I visited my grandparents in case Mr. Martindale was there. He seldom was, but Mrs. Martindale and the children (including two girls) usually were. Mr. Martindale was a quiet man and although he didn't speak to me much, he was always very pleasant. I do believe the Martindale's were the only people of colour in Burnley prior to the war but nobody gave that any notice whatsoever -- Fred and Colin were simply fellow boyhood cricketers to me and Manny Martindale was a great professional cricketer. I often wonder what happened to Fred and Colin -- I know Mr. Martindale returned to the West Indies where he died.

Re: World War II
 

I changed my Avatar because it just seems appropriate to use a photograph of me taken in the middle of WWII -- in 1943 when I was fourteen.

James

Re: World War II
 

NOTE: There is now an enormous reference bank available relating to this era in the form of books, VHS/DVD tapes, Internet Web Pages, etc., and so in many instances it would be redundant of me to offer general information. My intention is to summarize the impact of the momentous events of WWII on my family, friends and the East Lancashire region as I remember it.

Soon after the start of WWII my father got a job with Joseph Lucas (like many large manufacturers they had split up and relocated their operations away from major industrial cities) in the Burnley Wood Top Works as a metallurgical Inspector. It was classified as an essential war effort job -- we didn't know until much later in the war that Joseph Lucas was developing and producing the Whipple Jet engine. My father worked there throughout the war and served in the Home Guard. Because of his work demands (long hours) and Home Guard service my father was not home much in the early war years. My mother had lost her weaving job just before the start of the war in 1939 and stayed at home until she eventually got a war effort job at Lupton & Place, Burnley -- I believe in 1942.



James

Re: World War II
 

This is brilliant Jamesicus, you really should be writing your memoirs as a book. I know I'd buy it...:)

Re: World War II
 

NICE ONE JAMES, havent looked ta these for a bit, brilliant reading still intrested if ya got any more.

Re: World War II
 

Jamesicus,

Fantastic stuff…This is part of the social record and an important part of our local heritage.

You should keep this up and encourage other’s to remember their actions in the war and those who severed the country in civilian life who also may have valid memories of the war and what it meant to those left behind.

Worst still the effects on the lives of those whose fathers, sons and brothers that fell and never came home.

There should be a permanent forum on the subject. The Great War should not be excluded. I know there is a lot of local reference to the Accrington Pals (and so there should be) but we should remember that some our grandfathers joined Regiments other than the Pals Battalions and must not be forgotten for what they did.

Doug.

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To my good Accrington and vicinity friends:

I found that this project was getting so large that it was becoming very difficult to keep it going as a Discussion Forum activity. I also wanted to add a large number of supporting images. So in order to avoid consuming an inordinate amount of bandwidth, and also to provide a better editing capability, I composed a series of Web pages to that end. They can be accessed at .....

http://www.jp29.org/2dr.htm

..... or via the portal URL in my signature block.

As I receive more input from surviving family members and friends -- and as I read more research references -- I am updating some of my earlier material.

I still have much more material to add relating to the WW2 Homefront in East Lancashire -- including some that relates specifically to Accrington -- particularly popular culture (such as my Saturday night railway trips from Burnley to the dances (what was the name of the premier dance hall?) in pursuit of an Accrington girl -- compelling story, that :)

Re: World War II
 

i think it could have been the ritz or the accy con club jamesicus not that im old enough to have gone there, but i believe they were 2 of the popular dance places of the time, may i say thank you once again for all the information & the enthralling way that it has been written,you have kept quite a lot of accy webbers reading your work, hoping you are keeping well & thank you once more from all your friends on acc webb

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Thank you for the kind words and information, Mez. The Ritz it was.

Re: World War II
 

your very welcome our friend

Re: World War II
 

I posted the following on the BurnleyWeb and I will incorporate it on my website. I am posting it here not only for its general interest, but to see if anyone on this Forum knows if a similar scheme existed in the Accrington area.
Thanks, James
----------------------------------------------->

Burnley was involved in a decoy/subterfuge scheme in WW2 as were other locations in Great Britain.

The government literally created "Manchester on the Moors" -- the idea was to build a fake or simulated industrial complex in a remote area, but in close proximity to Manchester and on the Luftwaffe bombing run approach, thereby enticing the bombardiers to drop their load there.

A large expanse of desolate moor land to the south of Burnley, in the vicinity of Crown Point, was set aside -- cordoned off and guarded 24 hours a day -- and a good sized mock industrial complex of plywood structures erected. Each of these mockups contained a single electric light bulb and enough discreet chinks were provided to wink an attractive target from the air at night.

I believe this elaborate decoy was erected and activated sometime in 1940. The construction, maintenance and guarding was accomplished by a detachment of RAF all of whom were from Ulster, Northern Ireland, who were voluntarily (and patriotically) billeted with local residents (the government provided extra food rations) living on the southern fringes of Burnley. My Auntie Clara and uncle Jim Howarth housed two of them in their house at 59 Glen View Road, -- A/C Billy Russell and A/C Sidney Watters. They were fine men and became good friends of the family -- including me.

Both Billy and Sidney maintained contact with us after the war -- Sidney, who became a Bank officer in London, used to visit Auntie Clara every year until she died in 1979. I would dearly like to make contact with him if he is still alive -- he would be in his eighties now.

The whole project was hush-hush and I don't recall any press coverage of it. I don't think many people in Burnley were even aware of its existence -- outside of those actually involved in it.

Did the scheme work? Well, I don't think it was at all successful -- I only recall a couple of stray bombs being dropped on "Manchester on the Moors" during the entire war.

Another interesting type of decoy plus a good reference on this subject can be found at:
http://www.ajg41.clara.co.uk/mirrors/cherrycobbdecoy.html

Re: World War II
 

It has been quite a while since I last posted here and I have missed this excellent Forum and all the fine participants.

I have added an enormous amount of material to my Web pages and I ask all those interested in WW2 as it affected Lancashire to visit .....

http://www.jp29.org/2dr.htm

..... in order to catch up on things. Some of the new material results from the posting of other participants here. I have now got quite a collection of British WW2 posters and documents thanks to contributions from family members and friends.

I will pick up where I left off with Lancashire specific WW2 stories -- please contribute any of your own here.

Best regards,

James

Re: World War II
 

There was quite a hulaballoo in Lancashire at Christmas 1944 -- there was a V1 Flying Bomb (Doodle Bug) attack on Manchester!

A formation of specially configured HE-111 Heinkel bombers flying over the North Sea launched a number of V1 Flying Bombs (Doodle Bugs) aimed at Manchester on Christmas eve.

(see later posting covering this in great detail)

Re: World War II
 

YANKS the film:

Along with "Hope and Glory" this is my favorite WW2 British Home Front film. The romantic and dramatic episodes in the film are often typically romanticized and sometimes a little far fetched -- but that is the case with most movie fare. But overall I think it is an excellent film and the acting across the board is of very high quality.

This film resonates for me -- the daughter of one of our neighbors on Rossetti avenue in Burnley had a very similar romance with an American GI (and ended up marrying him) -- We (my mother and father and I) went to the wedding. I was born and grew up in Lancashire during WW2 (the setting for this film) -- Richard Gere's character is from Tucson, Arizona (where I now live).

There are numerous authentic touches or redeeming features in this film:

*Gere's character is a Mess Sgt (cook) not the usual combat infantryman!

*In the Cinema scenes there is an authentic Concert Organ and audience sing-along (we typically sang the same songs as in the movie) --- I've got sixpence, jolly, jolly, sixpence -- I've got sixpence to last me all my life -- I've got tuppance to spend and tuppance to lend and tuppance to send home to my wife! .......... The stars at night, are big and bright -- deep in the heart of Texas .......... Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run (Run Adolph, run Adolph, run, run, run) .......... There' ll always be an England, and England shaLL be free ..........
Smoking cigarettes in cinemas was permitted and prevalent in those days. The poster for the film "Song of the Islands" starring Jackie Oakie in the lobby -- I remember seeing that film.

*Fish & Chip shop scene: ordering "fish and chips two times" "fish and chips four times" -- wrapping them up and eating them out of old newspapers.

*Walking in the blackout scenes: realistically very dark -- use of subdued flashlights.

*Older men wearing woolen flat caps.

*Stalwart Lancasire housewives nicely depicted.

*Concert in the church -- very popular in the war years -- profusion of bicycles laying on their sides on the entry pathway (we used to do that).

*Pub scenes: well done and most authentic for those days -- nice depiction of Publican -- prominence of dart game -- bitterness and frustration of British father toward American servicemen due to the death of his son in action.

*Railway station scenes -- authentic looking and sounding -- correct maroon LMS 3rd class 57 ft. railway carriages.

*Scenes showing the moors -- nice sweeping views -- typical moorland reservoir -- stone walls -- sheep (my wife, Beverly -- who was born and grew up in Ohio -- was amazed by the vast numbers of sheep on the Lancashire moors during her first visit).

*The double-decker bus: subdued blackout lighting -- two bell ring signals to start, one to stop.

*Grocers shop: authentic use of ration books -- queuing up for oranges.

*Lancashire dialect: fairly authentic -- especially by supporting actors who are mostly suitably "broad" -- phonetic examples: "all reet, lad", "doin champion", "riding two 'orses with one arse", "pretty soon tha'll be coughing thi guts up wit rest on us", "****** off t' weer thi bloody come from", "what the bloody 'ells goin on", "ey up". Of course, the "non-Lanky" actors couldn't be expected to mouth the true rich "broad Lanky" dialect and idioms -- neither could the Lancashire born actors, for then the vast majority of the audience wouldn't be able to understand some of the dialog. My Ohio born wife, Beverly, still has a hard time understanding my family and friends when we visit Burnley -- especially when they slip into "old broad Lanky" after a few drinks in the Pub!

*Diamond pattern bomb blast tape on windows.

*School kids wearing uniforms -- caps and blazers for boys -- sashed skirts and brimmed hats for girls.

*Young child in street eating a "jam butty".

*Great Big Band music (and jitterbugging) in dance hall scenes: "I'll be seeing you", "aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, I like you very much" (Carmen Miranda),"String of pearls"", "Argentina", "Elmers tune", "Tuxedo junction", "Don't sit under the apple tree" -- and at wedding celebration: "Hands, knees and bumpsy daisy", "Hokey pokey" (you put your left foot out .....) -- women dancing with each other.

*Racial confrontation/incident at dance hall: black soldiers dancing with white girls -- I only witnessed one such incident (although there were others) but it involved West Indies servicemen instead of black GIs.

*The Yank build-up for D-Day -- the proliferation of vehicles and supplies -- GIs throwing candy and gum to local kids.

Authenticity shortcomings and problems:

*No air raid sirens -- although air raids were pretty well over by late 1943 in Lancashire, siren alerts were still fairly common.

*Bobbies not carrying gas masks and tin hats -- most Policemen carried them througout the war. Example:

http://www.jp29.org/hf169.jpg

*GIs embarking trains for D-Day deployment do not have correct helmet identification markings. Example:

http://www.jp29.org/hf178.jpg

*I thought ending the film with "I'll be seeing you" was a nice touch but I wish they would have used a Vera Lynn recording instead of Anne Shelton.

All in all, IMO, an excellent and authentic movie.

I think if you see this movie and "Hope & Glory" you will have an accurate understanding of what life on the British home front was like in WW2.

Re: World War II
 

I have just found this thread due to your most recent post bringing it to the top of the board James. Please keep posting, it has to be the best thread on the whole of the site. I was interested to hear that your American wife was born and bred in Ohio. So was mine. The nearest town of any size to where she was born was Canton. I am somewhat younger than you, and being born in 1943 do not remember any of the war. I do remember my father coming home though early in 1946. He ended the war in Holland and made some Dutch friends who we went to visit in the summer of 1946. I still keep in touch with the lady (now in her late seventies) and her adult children to this day.

Re: World War II
 

Thank you for those very kind words, John. I will indeed keep posting. My wife, Beverly, was born and grew up in Columbus, Ohio.

Re: World War II
 

I have always enjoyed the film, Hope and Glory, for it very much captures the spirit of the WW2 British Homefront the way I remember it. In some ways the experiences of the young boy featured in the film are eerily similar to my own (although he is depicted as living in the London). He appears to be about the same age I was when the war started and his middle class background, the house he lived in and his attitudes & outlook on life were very similar to mine.

Another coincidental similarity is his learning how to bowl cricket "googlies" (his father teaches him in the film) -- I taught myself by bowling at a clothesline post in our back garden. My great sports passion was (and still is) cricket. I was a poor batsman and fielder, but I developed into a pretty good leg break bowler -- although I got into the habit of turning my wrist too far over when bowling my googly which resulted in an occasional top spinner -- still a good delivery but lacking the subterfuge of a googly! Sorry for the digression, but I don't get many opportunities to write about cricket these days! There is much made about googly bowling in the film -- of course I really enjoyed those scenes!


There are some nice authentic touches of nostalgia in the film -- some highlights for me: The great introductory music - "In the mood"; the depiction of the impact of Sunday, 3 September, 1939 (war outbreak day) on a typical British family (I was returning home from Sunday school when I found out that war had been declared -- from the signalman at the level crossing at Towneley station); putting the car up on blocks for the duration (my father did that with our Standard); installing an Anderson shelter in the back garden; evacuation of children scenes; taking shelter under the stairs during air raid alerts (I used to do that at my auntie Clara's house); harvesting shrapnel after an air raid; gas mask drill in the school air raid shelter; the boy drawing eye brow pencil seams down the back of the (tinted) legs of his sister to simulate silk/nylon stockings (I used to do that for one of my cousins); some great jitterbugging; the wartime Christmas party which was very similar to the ones we used to have at our house; the beautiful music throughout the film (a little Mozart and including a take-off of the legendary Myra Hess lunchtime piano recitals) and a nice touch in concluding the film with "Land of Hope and Glory".

To me, some of the Air Raid and family crisis scenes are a little over dramatized -- but this, after all, is a movie and other people in real life may have had experiences very similar to the ones depicted in the film. We didn't have martinet school teachers as depicted although some of mine were "Victorian severe"; Our school was not bombed; My own grandfather Pickering was a far better sport than the grandfather in the film (although he was quite a character); the main boy character does not seem to age as the war progresses in the film; the kids in the Saturday morning movie matinee (Mickey Mouse club?) scene were wilder than we were ever allowed to be -- but not a whole lot.

Overall, though, a pretty faithful depiction of life on the British Homefront in WW2 -- and, IMHO, a very good film!

Re: World War II
 

In Burnley -- in 1939 when the war broke out -- there were not enough truncheons to equip the Special Police and Air Raid Wardens. Local Billiard Halls (Mechanics Institute, Weavers Institute, Burtons, et al.) contributed billiard cues which were cut down so that they were about two feet long (butt) and a leather wrist strap was attached via a hole drilled through the small end.

Re: World War II
 

Woops in 1982 i defected over here and believe me the Germans mostly believe in the 3rd Reich.Saw the pilot on the tele that stopped the Queen being bombed by flying at the German plane and cutting the tail off.Courage or what???

Re: World War II
 

When the Home Guard (originally, but only for a short time, called the LDV - Land Defense Volunteers) was first formed in 1940 weapons were in very short supply. In Burnley -- and I am sure throughout Lancashire -- some were drilling with broomsticks and garden hoes.

My father's (#1 Burnley) Company was eventually issued US lend-lease. I went with my father to the Hambledon Hill rifle range (just outside Burnley near Hapton) a few times when they did familiarization/qualification shooting in 1940/1941. My cousin, Alan Parkinson, and I used to dig bullets out of the back stop when they were through shooting and collect spent cartridge cases that had been overlooked.

Some NCO's were issued either US lend-lease Thompson sub machine guns (Tommy guns) or British Sten sub machine guns. My father was a Corporal and was issued a Sten gun which he kept at our house (no ammunition) -- I used to play soldiers with it.

Re: World War II
 

only just discovered this thread jamesicus,its absolutely spellbinding,hope you keep batting for many years to come.

Re: World War II
 

Jamesicus found this site it may help with your reseach. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/

Re: World War II
 

Thank you for those kind words, cashman -- they are much appreciated.

James

Re: World War II
 

Thank you, Bazf -- I have visited there several times and have found it to be an excellent resource.

James

Re: World War II
 

Here is a stalwart Home Guard unit after field training maneuvers in 1940 -- note the Thompson sub machine guns (Tommy guns) -- I think the rifles are pattern 1914 Enfields.

http://www.jp29.org/homeguard.jpg

Re: World War II
 

The following photograph of is of a reunion of my father's (directly under the arrow) WW2 Home Guard unit taken shortly after the war. Most of these men are in their 50s and 60s and are veterans of WW1 (my father did not serve in that war). There are also two of my uncles (one standing to my father's left, the other the only one with folded arms (WW1 East Lancashire Regiment Veterans).

The photo was taken in front of the Rose & Crown , Manchester Rd in Burnley, (the unit's "unofficial" wartime HQ :) ) as they were preparing to depart on a bus trip to the Lake District.

There aren't any "pot bellies" that I can see!

http://www.jp29.org/hf184.jpg

Re: World War II
 

German Officer: Vhat is your name?
Capt Mainwaring: Don't tell him Pike!

Priceless.

Re: World War II
 

remember that quote like it was yesterday lol

Re: World War II
 

During the Battle of Britain -- and throughout WW2 -- many badly damaged Spitfires and Hurricanes (and major components) were expeditiously shipped to the London, Midland & Scotland (LMS) Railway Wolverton and Barassie carriage workshops for repair and return to service. The British Railways Press Office pamphlet "It Can Now Be Revealed" (about the role of British Railways in WW2, published in 1945) offers the following interesting information:

"At Barassie Works, where the Spitfires were repaired, a runway was laid down alongside the shops and the machines were flown away from this on completion"

Note: Barassie is located on the west coast of Scotland near Prestwick. Wolverton is located in Buckinghamshire in south east England. Both are relatively small rural villages.

Click on the following link for more information relating to this subject:

http://www.livingarchive.org.uk/nvq03/phil/wolverton%20works%201936%20-%201945.htm

Re: World War II
 

A noteworthy tragic event occurred in the Burnley/Accrington area toward the end of the war. In the late afternoon of Monday, 19 February, 1945 an American B24 Liberator (#42-50668) crashed on the moors just outside Burnley (Black Hameldon). I went to the scene not long after the crash when the wreckage was still smoldering. The entire event is well chronicled at:

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/B-24%2042-50668.htm

Re: World War II
 

fascinating stuff jamesicus,wasn't aware of the incident at all.

Re: World War II
 

what them people must have gone through , it is beyound beliefe.

Re: World War II
 

There was a memorial service at St. Peter's (Church of England) parish church in Burnley for the crew members who died. A massed choir was formed from those of several local churches -- including St Matthew's choir, of which I was a member. It was a moving service -- we all carried candles in the processional. An American memorial chapel was installed in St. Peter's church -- it is still there.

James

Re: World War II
 

There were only a few bombs dropped on Burnley in WW2. I posted all the information I was able to glean on my page: http://www.jp29.org/2ar.htm

BTW, there were a couple of bombs dropped on the Crown Point RAF decoy site on the moors just to the south of Burnley -- I believe in 1941 -- but the incidents were not reported in the Press due to security concerns.

Re: World War II
 

A few years ago I was in Cambridge with my late husband. He was on business there for a few days and I'd gone with him for a break.

I had to amuse myself during the day when he was working so I took the open-top tour bus that went round the city and ended up at the American War cemetry. I wandered around for a couple of hours - noting the inscribed Wall of Honour, dedicated to Americans who were missing but were never found; my musical "passion", Major Alton G Miller (Glenn Miller) is commemorated there.

There was a gardener/groundsman going round on a motorised mower while I was looking at the perfect ranks of crosses. I was very moved at some of the inscriptions, such as "A soldier, known only to God" and graves that contained 2 bodies, so badly burned and fused together that they couldn't be buried separately. I must have looked very sad and the gardener kept nodding at me and giving me looks of pure sympathy. I am quite sure he thought I was looking for the grave of my long-lost father.

N.B. My dad was English and spent the war years as an aircraft engine inspector at Bristol Aircraft Co., Accrington.

Re: World War II
 

As memories of WW2 fade in our consciousness, it is very important that we remember those who "gave the last full measure of devotion" so that we can all enjoy our precious liberties and freedoms The following well known poem is particularly apropos:


http://www.jp29.org/cal267.jpg

Re: World War II
 

Memories do fade my friend
As with all wars
Our memories of them pass into History
With the passing of those that came home
Distant guns but a memory
Of battles fought, lost and won.
But we will fight them all again my friend
With the raising of a Son we failed to educate.

Re: World War II
 

On my own Message Board, Derry reminded me about brick surface air raid shelters with concrete slab tops.....

..... they could be death traps. I recall a newspaper story of one collapsing and killing several people -- I believe in Manchester. I remember that several schools in the Burnley area (I'm sure throughout Lancashire) used them. At Towneley senior school we had a great air raid shelter -- extensive reinforced concrete "tunneling" covered with a thick layer of earth (ala Anderson shelter methodology) that became our school project Victory garden -- we grew every kind of vegetable imaginable throughout the War. I actually attended Burnley Municipal College (Junior Engineering School) during most of the last year of the war -- they used the brick surface shelters mentioned previously, but by then the air raids were over.

Re: World War II
 

think their was one in accy in the grounds of platts club,if thats what it was?we used it for differant things lol

Re: World War II
 

There certainly used to be one on 'the rec' in Baxenden. It was on the left as you entered Hollins Lane from Manchester Road, more or less opposite the Alma pub. We kids used to go in there for a crafty Woodbine, one ciggy shared amongst 3 or 4 of us. I remember it was really filthy, and stunk in there, this would be around 1950. Of course, this is long before the school was built. The rec. was used as St. John's football ground in the winter and cricket ground in the summer.

Re: World War II
 

Yes they remained for many years after the war and were used for all kinds of (frequently unsavory) purposes. Many of them did smell and were sometimes full of nasty trash.

Re: World War II
 

Jamescius thank you for the thread that I have had the pleasure in being able to read tonight at work.

I think that when I get up this afternoon I will have to look at the links (works pc will not allow links in case it is a "naughty" link) but as I have got Accyweb.com reg with work they have added it to my account.

Please try to carry on as I am finding this slice of history very interesting and compelling to read. :) :engsmil:

Re: World War II
 

Can I use any of these stories as snippets for my end of war 1945 event? I won't put names next to them, just use some of the phrases and quotes? If anyone does have any stories from the end of the war that they'd especially like to be included in my event pm me with them. I'm planning on producing a photographic memory wall and it would be great to have some quotes and stories to go with them.

Re: World War II
 

I have a little story (I sound like Max Bygraves, don't I?) from about 1940, before I was born. My mother told me this and she swore it was the absolute truth.

My parents and my brothers were living in Spondon, near Derby, and not very far from the heavily camouflaged Rolls Royce aero-engine factory which was being targeted by bombers every night, though it was never hit. At the time there were many German spy scares and one spy had, in fact, been caught masquerading as an artist and painting the countryside around the factory. He was actually making detailed drawings of the area.

In their back garden was a small shed where Dad kept gardening tools etc. It was never locked and the garden was easily accessed from the fields behind. One day Mum went into the shed to get something. Propped against the shed wall, just inside the door, was a large metal cylinder with what she described as "buttons" on it and a "sort of handle" on the top. She said it looked a bit like something you would spray weedkiller with, but not quite. She had never seen it before and she had no idea what it was. When Dad came home from work she asked him what the "thing" in the shed was. He didn't know what she was talking about. They went to the shed so she could show him but it wasn't there.

After she had convinced him she wasn't hallucinating, or pulling his leg, Dad went to the police and told them. They sent round a couple of policemen and 2 men who Mum suspected were from the army, though not in uniform, who asked Mum a great many detailed questions then went through the shed and the garden with a fine-tooth comb.

If they found anything, they didn't tell my parents, and they were never told what the officials thought it was but Mum remained convinced to the end of her life that it was something to do with the spying on Rolls Royce.

Re: World War II
 

re world war2 Is there anyone on the accrington web that can remember the avro hanson crash landing on the then highams playing fields cannot tell you the year maybe 1942 every kid on the ferngore dashed over there my brothers and I

Re: World War II
 

Sorry about that, included as was nearly every one from accrington I believe the pilot was hurt slightly but the word spread that it was taking off again in a couple of days time round about six in the evening thousands turned up to give it a wave off On starting up it stuttered and popped for about ten minutes but it finally moved round the playing field and as it slowly took to the air everyone give it a massive cheer and the pilot gave us a big thumbs up

Re: World War II
 

Quite a coincidence, West Ender -- I am very familiar with Spondon for an Uncle (Herbert Pickering, brother of my Father) and aunt lived there. They moved there from Burnley in the mid 1930s to work for Celanese (hard to get good weaving jobs in Lancashire during the depression) which as you know was close to Spondon. They lived in a small cottage on the road that led into the village from the north. We visited them before the war (1938 I believe) -- I liked Spondon which was quite rural in those days. My uncle left Celanese to work for Rolls Royce when the war started. Eventually they moved into Derby closer to the RR works.

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!!!