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MEMORIES
AND INFORMATION - STAFFORDSHIRE HOME GUARD
25th STAFFORDSHIRE (BREWOOD) BATTN.
and Cpl. HERBERT ANDERSON
*****
- MAGNIFIED
GROUP IMAGE - - LIFE IN BREWOOD IN WW2 -
|
This page of the
website provides: -
MAGNIFIED GROUP IMAGE: a magnified version of the Brewood Home
Guard image contained in the
main Brewood
page; - LIFE IN BREWOOD
IN WW2: further fragments of information about life is
the village in the period 1939-1945).
|
![](Images/25StaffsBrewoodw1250.jpg)
(Click on image to
return to main Brewood/Herbert Anderson page)
Above is a photograph of the Brewood Home Guard. It was
taken at an unknown date in a field off
Vicarage Road and shows
The Vicarage in the background. The field itself
later became the site of
Westhall Close and Hall
Farm Road, Brewood.
Some members of the
Brewood unit are remembered although they have not all
been located in this image:
Cpl. Herbert Anderson (grandfather of Mike Buckless):
3rd row from front - 4th
from left
Capt./Dr. A. H.
Cheshire (a well-loved and respected Brewood doctor
- see above):
3rd row from front - 6th
from left
Ted Gordon (future son-in-law of William Holt,
worked at Boulton & Paul):
Back row - 7th from right
Lt.-Col.
Hatton
(Battalion commander, possible
identification):
3rd row from
front, centre, with peaked cap
Geoff Holt
(son of William Holt, emigrated to
Canada in 1948):
Back row - 4th from left
Gerald Holt
(younger son of William Holt):
Front row, 4th from right
William Holt (a tenant farmer on the Chillington
Estate):
2nd row from front - 3rd
from left
Ted
Slim (a veteran of Dunkirk who later joined the
Brewood Home Guard). |
**********
Whilst in some respects life after the outbreak of WW2 went
on in Brewood much as it always had done, the
impact on the village of the outbreak of war in
September 1939 was very significant, as it was
throughout the country.
In this section, there is a selection of
transcribed newspaper reports relating to Brewood
in those years - only a fraction of what is
available – showing how war affected the lives of
local residents in various ways. It includes
mention of the Home Guard (which operated within
the village between May 1940 and December 1944)
and other services relating to the conflict. >
(Those relating to the Home Guard are highlighted;
and events in
the outside world are also indicated).
1939 |
|
January-July |
Anderson air-raid shelters start to be
issued. Conscription introduced for all
men of ages 20-21. |
August |
..... In the last weeks of peace, life in most
ways goes on as
usual in Brewood .....
The Brewood and
District Agricultural Society held its
33rd annual exhibition at Somerford Park
on Monday and, as in previous years, the
event attracted a huge holiday crowd. The
weekend improvement in the weather was
maintained and, as is invariably the case,
the show opened in delightful sunshine....
This year the show was held under the
presidency of Mrs T A W Giffard, whose
husband is chairman of the Society........
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 12 August
1939)
23rd:
Germany and the U.S.S.R. sign a
non-aggression pact.
24th:
Military reservists
are called up and the A.R.P. is put on
alert. 31st:
Thousands of British children start to be
evacuated from cities into safer areas as
the threat of war looms - "The First
Evacuation".
|
September |
1st:
Germany invades Poland.
3rd:
Great Britain declares war on Germany.
5th: President
Roosevelt declares U.S. neutrality.
17th: The USSR
invades eastern Poland in accordance with
a secret pact with Germany.
Children
evacuated from Walsall included 113 to
Brewood, 101 to Penkridge, 62 to Wheaton
Aston, 41 to Coven and 28 to Dunston, near
Stafford
(of whom
two, 8 and 11-year-old brothers, Thomas
and Henry Kirk, absconded on their day of
arrival and walked unaccompanied the 15
miles back to their home in Walsall).
In a statement
Mr VJ Moore (evacuation officer for
Walsall) said: "Evacuation is on a purely
voluntary basis, but no child can come
home unless he runs away. We cannot keep
them under guard as if they were in
prison. It is something done for their
benefit and we hope they will stay. If
children come home we shall not send them
back again".
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 9
September 1939)
|
October |
CARE FOR
EVACUATED CHILDREN
Clothing Provided By
Temporary Foster-Mothers
Appreciation of the way householders in
the Cannock rural district had received
and done their utmost to welcome and care
for evacuees – in some cases under almost
heartbreaking conditions – was expressed
by Mr J T H Hall (sanitary inspector) in a
report to Cannock Rural Council on
Tuesday.
"I know several
instances where the children have been
almost entirely reclothed by the
householder", he said.
Early in September,
431 children and 77 adults were received
and distributed in the parishes of Lapley,
Dunston and Acton, Penkridge, Brewood and
Coven and since then 148 children and 37
adults had returned whence they had come.
Cleanliness of a
considerable number of the evacuees left a
great deal to be desired, and in
consequence the difficulty of billeting
was greatly increased, causing much
trouble to willing helpers who assisted in
the work. "As the habits of some of the
children were so bad it became necessary
to change the billets because householders
would not permit them to remain" continued
Mr Hall. As a result of these difficulties
his department had been put to a large
amount of extra work. In addition,
frequent visits had to be made to the
houses to adjust and decide on many points
in dispute.
Children remaining
in the area now were becoming used to
their new surroundings, and if parents
could be prevented from visiting them
during weekends and disturbing them, they
would be contented.
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday7 October
1939)
|
November |
An uneasy calm
descends on Great Britain - "The Phoney
War". About
1.5 million men will have been conscripted
into the armed forces by the end of the
year.
WOMEN'S
INSTITUTE The monthly meeting was held
on Tuesday – owing to the blackout – in
the afternoon. A demonstration was given
by Mrs Keirlie entitled "Two Toys" and the
County instructor gave hints on physical
fitness.
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 11
November 1939)
RED CROSS
As their first month's contribution, the
Red Cross working party were able to
forward to the supply depot a parcel
containing 75 garments including a
contribution from the Women's Institute of
28 garments including socks, mittens etc.
If it is not possible for helpers to come
to the weekly meetings, Mrs Legg, Dean
Street, will be pleased to give patterns
and materials to anyone wishing to help.
The third of the series of whist drives
arranged by Mrs Moorhouse on behalf of the
Red Cross, took place at the Old Smithy
House on Tuesday. The prizewinners were:
Mrs F Moorhouse, Miss D Jenkinson, Mrs
Jenkinson and Miss N Adams.
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 11
November 1939)
DART PLAYERS PAY UP Dart players in
the various licensed houses are now doing
their bit for the troops. Any player
scoring 10 or under is now to pay a penny and
as a result of this and other efforts, the
three Stirrups Hotel has been able to send
1000 cigarettes to local men serving with
the forces. The Bridge Inn has been able
to send a dart board.
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 11
November 1939)
BEST EVER
The Poppy Day
collection for Brewood, Bishop's Wood and
Stretton reached £28 0s 6d. In 1938 the
amount was £21 17s 3d, and the result
speaks well for the enthusiasm of Mr T
Whitehouse (secretary, local British
Legion), the organiser, and his willing
workers.
(Stafford
Advertiser Saturday 23 November 1940)
|
December |
SCHOOL
ENTERTAINMENT
A well attended
entertainment provided by the children of
Brewood Convent School was given in the
Jubilee Hall. The arrangements were made
by the Convent Sisters and the proceeds
were divided between the Red Cross and the
Brewood WVS Knitting Fund. The
entertainment included a fairy comedy and
two nativity plays. During the intervals
various dances were given and altogether
30 children took part in the
entertainment.
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 16
December 1939)
BRITISH LEGION At
the annual meeting, the Secretary (Mr T
Whitehouse) reported a credit balance of
£32 18s 10d and a membership of 64 (a
record for the branch). Officials were
elected as follows: President, Mr C O
Langley; Chairman Mr J Sales;
Vice-chairman Mr W Webb; Treasurer Mr S
Doughty; Secretary Mr T Whitehouse. The
British Legion and the WVS will send
comforts and cigarettes to all local men
serving with HM forces and to provide
funds. Mr W Webb arranged a concert in the
Jubilee Hall on Monday. About 200 attended
and the O.K. Optimists Concert Party gave
a good programme.
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 9
December 1939)
|
1940 |
|
January |
January/February:
Rationing begins in Great Britain.
Conscription is extended to the ages 20 -
27. A large proportion of evacuated
children have now returned to their homes.
January is a particularly cold month in
the U.K.
CONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTORS
One of the objectors
who appeared before the Midland
Conscientious Objectors' tribunal at
Birmingham on Monday was Kenneth Oakland
Goodwin of 11 Queens Hill Avenue Stafford
who based his objection on "Christian
grounds" ......
Leslie Samuel
Martin, electrical wire-man, Coven Road,
Brewood, was granted exemption by the
Tribunal on Wednesday on condition that he
continued with his work.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 20 January 1940)
|
February |
WHIST
DRIVES
A whist drive
and dance arranged by Miss N Adams took
place in the Jubilee Hall on behalf of the
Comforts Fund. Mr J Mottram was MC and Mrs
VS Gosling presented the prizes to Mrs M
Wakelam, Miss C Daw, Mrs Hale, Mr C Price,
Mr F Adams and Mr J Morris.
A whist drive
arranged by Mrs F Moorhouse on behalf of
the Red Cross and the Comforts Fund took
place on Tuesday at the Old Smithy House.
Mr F Moorhouse was MC and the prizewinners
were Mrs F Smith, Miss B Norcup, Mrs P
Hale and Mr F Fallon.
A similar
function was held in the Institute,
Bishops Wood on Tuesday in aid of the
Comforts Fund. Mr Francis was MC and the
prizewinners were Mrs Myatt, Miss E
Alcock, Mr F Barnacle and Mr D Taylor.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 24 February 1940)
|
March |
WOMEN'S
INSTITUTE
Mrs A M
Archer presided at a meeting in the Old
Schools when Mrs T Freshwater gave an
instructive demonstration on wartime
cookery.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 2
March 1940)
ARP WORKERS
A meeting
of ARP, AFS and casualty workers was held
on Friday. Mr W H Davies (district chief
warden) presided and said that while each
section had received separate training, he
thought the time ripe to draw them
together for closer collaboration. Miss L
Wibberley (leader of the casualty workers)
gave a resumé of the work of the
casualties service and said they had a 24
hours service available. Mr S Doughty
spoke of the work of firefighting and said
they now had equipment to meet any
eventuality.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 2
March 1940)
|
April |
9th:
Germany attacks Norway and Denmark.
CIVIL DEFENCE
Mr J Swales (Head
Warden) presided at a meeting of civil
defence workers at the Three Stirrups
Hotel and said he would like to see them
all get together at some local festivity
so that they would get to know each other
better. A committee was formed to arrange
this and met on Monday. Mr W Webb was
elected chairman, Miss L Wibberley
secretary and Mr S Frost Treasurer. A
whist drive and dance was arranged to take
place on April 26th.
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 6 April
1940)
PARISH CHURCH The
Easter vestry meeting took place on
Tuesday when the Vicar, the Rev C
Broughton Thompson, MA) said the hopes of
building a new Church school had to be put
on one side with the coming of war.
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 6 April
1940)
CAPTAIN'S OBE
Captain George
Dennant Simpson of the SS Egba, who is
well-known to residents of Brewood and
Stretton, has been awarded the OBE for
coolness and resource in effectively
replying to the fire of an enemy
submarine. Mr Simpson, as a boy, attended
Brewood and Stretton school. His mother
was headmistress of Stretton school and
his father was organist at the church.
Captain Simpson received the declaration
for his skilful handling of his ship when
it was attacked by a submarine off Madeira
in November. As soon as the submarine was
sighted about a mile away, Captain Simpson
laid a smokescreen and steered a zigzag
course. Five shots were fired at the Egba
but the ship was undamaged. Captain
Simpson replied to the fire and after a
number of shots the conning tower was seen
to be struck. The submarine submerged and
was not seen again.
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 6 April
1940)
|
May |
10th:
The German Army and Luftwaffe attack
Belgium, the Netherlands and France.
Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister.
12 - 16th:
Thousands of aliens are interned.
13th:
The second evacuation of children starts
from vulnerable areas and continues into
July.
14th:
Secretary of State for War, Anthony Eden,
broadcasts to the nation announcing the
formation of
the
Local Defence
Volunteers
and enrolment starts immediately. 27th:
Evacuation
of
B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) from
Dunkirk starts
28th:
Belgium
surrenders
WOMEN'S
INSTITUTE
Mrs Cooper presided
at the monthly meeting of the Coven
WI...... more comforts had been sent to
the Coven men serving in HM Forces, Mrs
Cooper told the members.....
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 18 May
1940)
|
June |
1st: All signposts which might be helpful to
parachutists landing in Britain are taken
down.
4th: Evacuation from Dunkirk ends with
340,000 British and French soldiers safely
reaching Southern England, but without
their arms. Fighting continues in France.
8th: The last Allied troops withdraw from
Norway after the unsuccessful attempt to
defend the country.
14th:
Paris surrenders.
22nd: France capitulates
and signs an Armistice with Germany, and
with Italy on the 24th
L.D.V. ON
DUTY
The new Local
Defence, volunteers have soon got into
their stride. A meeting was held on Sunday
in the Jubilee Hall when the duties were
explained to the volunteers and on Sunday
night the patrols were out on duty.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 1 June
1940)
|
July |
9th:
The Luftwaffe
attacks on Great Britain begin - the start
of the Battle of Britain.
CHURCH PARADE
A church parade of
LDV, firemen, AFS, wardens, Red Cross
workers, and Girl Guides was held on
Sunday at the Parish Church. All sections
were well represented. The service was
conducted by the Vicar (the Rev C
Broughton Thompson) and afterwards Colonel
C Hatton spoke to the LDV and said he
would not order them to do anything but
who would always ask them. He knew they
would always follow him.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 20
July 1940)
|
August |
8th:
The Luftwaffe's heightened main
offensive against Great Britain begins,
prior to invasion.
ARP
Mr G Wheeler, Stafford Street, is taking a
10 day course of instruction in ARP
measures. Before he was selected from the
Cannock rural district Mr Wheeler was on
the report centre staff under Squadron
leader W H Davies. Previously Mr Wheeler
was deputy head warden of Brewood.
ALUMINIUM
Coven branch of the
WVS with Mr L J Wiles (headmaster of Coven
schools) and Mr and Mrs Nicholls, The
Beeches, have collected over 1 cwt. of
aluminium from the district in response to
the recent appeal.
Mrs T Freshwater
(head of the Brewood section of the WVS)
reports that the WVS have now collected
over 9 cwt. of aluminium from Brewood,
Bishop's Wood and Weston.
The collectors of
scrap iron and waste paper now have the
use of a pony and cart to gather waste in
the district.
P.O.s FOR TROOPS
The workers for the
Coven comforts fund have now raised over
£50 from various efforts in the village.
This week 25 five-shilling postal orders have been
sent to 25 local men serving with the
forces.
Brewood British
Legion and WVS have this week been busy
despatching comforts to local men serving
with the forces. Altogether 67 parcels
have been forwarded.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 3
August 1940)
|
September |
AIDING RED CROSS The series of whist
drives arranged by Mrs F Moorhouse on
behalf of the Red Cross has been the means
of raising the sum of £25 10s 3d for the
funds......
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 7
September 1940)
GUARDSMAN PRISONER OF WAR Guardsman
Kenneth Pitchford, Glengarth, McBean Road,
Wolverhampton, who was reported missing,
has now written to his parents from
hospital in Germany where he is a prisoner
of war. He joined the Irish Guards at the
start of the war and has seen service in
Holland and Boulogne. He was a former
scholar of Brewood Grammar School.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 7
September 1940)
FORCES
PARCELS The WGS and British Legion
comforts funds committee have dispatched
115 parcels to local men serving with the
forces. Each parcel contained woollen
goods and a PO for 2s.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser, Saturday 7 September 1940)
BRITISH LEGION The local branch of
the British Legion held the annual meeting
at the Three Stirrups Hotel on Monday. The
Treasurer (Mr W H Davies) reported a
credit balance of £45, an increase of £7
on the previous year. The 115 local men
serving with the forces received regular
gifts from the British Legion comforts
fund amounted to £71. The president
(Captain CO Langley) welcomed Colonel C
Hatton (County chairman) and spoke of the
good work done by the Legion. Colonel
Hatton congratulated the branch on their
efforts during the year. Referring to the
decrease in membership he said this was
happening all over the country. The
present soldier would be the future
ex-service man and should have a say in
the planning after the war with the old
hands to guide them.....
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 7
September 1940)
PARISH COUNCIL At a meeting on Tuesday
(under) the Chairman (Mr V S Gosling).....
could anything be done with regard to
supplying the people of Brewood with air
raid shelters? Mr F Adams asked. Mr T A
Walley said that it was not practicable to
provide a shelter for every person in a
rural area.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 21
September 1940)
BETTER THAN EXPECTED
The fruit and vegetable show held
in September in aid of the local comforts
fund was more successful than the
organisers expected. They hoped to make
£10 and it is now revealed that the profit
was £15 10s 7d
(Staffordshire Advertiser 9 November 1940)
|
October |
24th:
British Summer Time is to extend
throughout the winter. 31st:
Official end of
the Battle of Britain.
RED CROSS
FLAG DAY
£7 2s 6d was
realised in Brewood as a result of the
recent Flag Day on behalf of the Red
Cross. At Coven the collection amounted to
£4 3s 2d but was augmented by a donation
of £8 from the Women's Institute and 35s
for the sale of Master Meredith's magic
lantern, bringing the total to nearly £14.
(Staffordshire Advertiser 19 October 1940)
WOMEN'S INSTITUTE
..... Mrs T
Freshwater gave a demonstration of
slipper-making from old felt hats....
(Staffordshire Advertiser 19 October 1940)
PRISONER OF WAR
Mr J Wall, The
Pavement, Brewood, has just received
notification from the War Office that his
son, Driver Joseph Wall, of the Royal
Artillery, is a prisoner of war in
Germany. Driver Wall was originally posted
as missing and it is now believed that he
was taken prisoner on June 12 at St.
Valery.
(Staffordshire Advertiser 19 October 1940) |
November |
14/15th:
The
Luftwaffe switches from London to other
targets for its bombers, industrial
centres starting with a devastating attack
on Coventry.
RED CROSS
PARTY
Brewood Red Cross
working party had made 502 garments during
the past six months, comprising 271 pairs
of socks, 44 pairs of mittens, 22
pullovers, 62 scarves, one pair of
operation stockings, five helmets, three
knitted blankets, three bedspreads, 15
shirts, 69 pairs of pyjamas and seven
dressing gowns. They have also sent
woollen garments to the local men serving
with the forces.
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 30
November 1940)
BRITISH LEGION
The local branch of
the British Legion held their annual
meeting at the Three Stirrups Hotel on
Monday. The secretary (Mr T Whitehouse)
reported a credit balance of £38 4s 11d
and mentioned that four years ago they had
an overdraft of £3 16s. The 91 local men
serving with the Forces received a monthly
parcels from the British Legion comforts
fund. Mr W Webb (chairman) disclosed that
90 percent of the members of the branch
were doing national service.......
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 30
November 1940)
|
December |
PARCELS FOR
FORCES
The WVS have this
week dispatched 91 parcels to local men
serving with the Forces. Each parcel
contained a novel, aspirins, socks,
stationery, toothpaste, Christmas card,
and a two shilling postal order from the
Brewood British Legion.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 14
December 1940)
|
1941 |
|
January |
CIVIL
DEFENCE
Brewood civil
defence units held a practice on Sunday
afternoon, those taking part being ARP,
AFS, Home Guard and Casualty Service. An
aeroplane started the proceedings by
giving a spectacular display of aerobatics
and power diving over the spots where
parachute troops and incendiary bombs were
assumed to have dropped. All services
worked well and only eight minutes elapsed
between the time of the casualties service
receiving a report of an incident and the
time they were attending the casualty.
Brewood AFS took three minutes and Coven
AFS seven minutes in reaching their
objectives. Meanwhile the Home Guards had
succeeded in "capturing" the parachute
troops which were attempting to take the
village. The umpires were: -
ARP, Major Dobson
(county sub-controller), Capt. AD Dallow,
(chief warden, Penkridge), Mr F Tonks
(head warden, Penkridge), Capt. J Swales,
M.C., (head warden, Brewood); - AFS,
Chief Officer S. R. Biggs, Section Officer
FH Wakelam, Capt. CO Langley (chief AFS
officer); -
Home Guard, Lord Bradford and Col. C
Hatton. - Messengers:
Squadron-Leader WH Davies, - Casualty
service, Mr Carlin (Staff Officer,
First-Aid parties, Staffordshire County
Council). Major Dobson, speaking to the
wardens afterwards, congratulated them and
made special mention of the messengers.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 18
January 1941)
|
February |
GOOD WORK
What can be done in
a small village in providing comforts for
the troops, articles for the Red Cross etc
is shown in a resumé of the work of the
people of Coven. During the year £104 has
been raised by whist drives, jumble sales,
concert, fruit and vegetable show and
other means. This has been expended in
donations to the Red Cross, parcels and
postal orders to the Forces and gifts to
men on leave after which a balance in hand
of £37 is recorded. In addition to this
they have made for the Red Cross and the
serving men over 300 articles.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 8
February 1941)
EVACUEES VISITED
The Mayor and Mayoress of Margate (Ald. GP
Hoare and Mrs Hoare) visited Brewood
during their tour of the districts to
which children from the coastal town have
been evacuated. The mayor was very
appreciative of the way the children had
been looked after and impressed by the way
in which they had settled down.
(Staffordshire Advertiser,
Saturday 1 March 1941)
A
HAPPY TOUR - MARGATE'S MAYOR IN THE
MIDLANDS ........ a daughter of the
Vicar of Brewood, who has four evacuees in
his home, referred to the Margate children
staying with them as their cousins. It
was in this village that the Mayor and
Mayoress met a little Birmingham girl, the
only survivor of a family of seven whose
home was bombed. The child is unaware of
the fate of her family......
(Thanet Advertiser, Friday 28
February 1941)
|
March |
YOUNG
FARMERS DANCE The young farmers of the
district held a successful dance in the
Jubilee Hall on Friday in aid of the Red
Cross.
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 15
March 1941)
BOMB
LECTURE A lecture on incendiary bombs
was given in the Council Chamber on Friday
by Mr G D Wheeler, assistant ARP
divisional officer. The lecture was well
attended.
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 15
March 1941)
COMFORTS FUND CONCERT An entertainment
was presented by Mr Robert Hodgson with
the "Star Entertainers" Concert Party at
the Jubilee Hall on Wednesday in aid of
the British Legion Comforts fund and the
event was a huge success....
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 15
March 1941) |
April |
6th:
German
forces invade Yugoslavia; and also Greece
where they rapidly overwhelm the British
forces and take complete control by 11th
May.
THE LATE MR J F
DANIELS
The death has
occurred at the age of 35 of Mr John F
Daniels, elder son of Mr and Mrs J
Daniels, The Wharf, after being in ill
health for the past 12 months. Well-known
and respected throughout the district, Mr
Daniels was a member of Brewood Fire
Brigade and was responsible for the
training of Bishops Wood AFS.....
.... The mourners
included...... Chief Officer S R Biggs
(Penkridge Fire Brigade), Captain CO
Langley (chief AFS officer) section
officers AES Doughty (Brewood AFS), F
Alcock (Bishops Wood AFS) and H Nicholls
(Coven AFS)....
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 5 April
1941)
|
May |
15th:
The
establishment of a National Fire Service,
combining local brigades and the A.F.S.
(Auxiliary Fire Service), is announced. 24th:
HMS Hood is
sunk by
the German battleship Bismarck.
27th: Bismarck
is sunk.
LESSONS FROM
RAIDS
Civil defence
workers and members of the public attended
at the Jubilee Hall for an address by
Captain Colin Ross (Wardens Service,
Staffordshire County Council) on "What we
have learnt from the Blitz". Captain Ross
who until recently was in London was
thanked by the Rev. C B Broughton
Thompson.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 10 May 1941)
WEDDING
The wedding took
place on Saturday at Bushbury Parish
Church of Miss Madge Cotterill Gibbins,
youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs Gibbins,
Brewood, and Mr John Perry Plant of
Woodsetton. The bridegroom is a solicitor
formally in practice at Smethwick but is
now a member of the Royal Air Force with a
fighter squadron.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 10 May 1941)
WOMEN'S
INSTITUTE
Mrs F Evans
presided at the monthly meeting on Tuesday
when Miss M E Corlett gave a demonstration
on the after-treatment of war gases.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 10 May 1941)
WAR
WEAPONS WEEK
War Weapons
Week commenced at Brewood on Saturday when
there was a parade of police, Home Guard,
AFS, ARP and WVS Casualty service.
Afterwards a public meeting was held in
the Jubilee Hall when Mr TAW Giffard
explained the object of the week. By
Tuesday we would have contributed £4425 3s
6d. On Tuesday night, Flying Officer March
gave an address on German and English
aircraft.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 24 May 1941)
|
June |
1st: Clothes
rationing is introduced in Britain.
22nd:
Germany attacks its ally, the Soviet
Union, without warning. Russia thus
becomes the first ally of Great Britain
and the Commonwealth since mid-1940 in the
fight against Nazism.
...... In
celebration of the second anniversary of
the creation of the Home Guard......
HOME GUARD
PARADE
The
Lord-Lieutenant of the county, the Earl of
Harrowby, took the salute in the Market
Square, Brewood on Sunday after Brewood
Home Guard had attended a drumhead service
in the grounds of Deansfield......
|
July |
DEATH OF MR H
MARSON
The
death occurred on Saturday of Mr Harold
Marson of Shutt Green at the age of 54.
When the Home Guard was formed he was one
of the first to join..... The funeral took
place on Tuesday at the Parish Church and
many friends and members of the Home Guard
attended..... Six members of the Home
Guard were bearers.....A trumpeter sounded
the Last Post and Reveille..... Among the
mourners were... Colonel C Hatton
(Battalion commanding officer), Captain C
H Twigg (company officer), Captain S.
Tykiffe (adjutant).
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 5 July
1941)
A GOOD RESULT As
a result of the recent concert given by
the pupils of the Roman Catholic School
under the tuition of Sister Phillips, a
profit of £26 was made and this has been
forwarded to the local comforts fund.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday
19
July 1941)
W I GARDEN FETE
A garden fete was held on Saturday in the
gardens of Light Ash, Coven. The event was
arranged by the Coven Women's Institute
and the opening ceremony was performed by
Mrs R F P Monkton (Red Cross divisional
organiser). Sideshows, dancing etc drew
crowds of patrons and £65 was raised.
Profits are to be divided between the Red
Cross and Coven comforts fund.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser, Saturday 26
July 1941) |
August |
GOOD WORK
The WVS have again dispatched over 100
parcels to local men serving with the
Forces. Each parcel contained, amongst
other articles, razorblades, soap,
stationery and a 5s postal order from the
British Legion....... What can be done
by the Women's Institute in a small
village in providing comforts for the
troops, articles for the Red Cross etc is
shown in a resumé of the work of Coven
Women's Institute. The garden party held
recently showed a profit of £65 11s of
which £40 has been sent to the local
branch of the Red Cross and £25 to Coven
Comforts Fund. They have now contributed
£53 to the Red Cross and £174 to Coven
Comforts Fund. In addition they have made
for the Red Cross and the serving men many
articles for which they have organised a
penny-a-week collection.
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 16
August 1941)
FOR MOBILE CANTEEN
As a result of the
recent dance arranged by Mr W Webb, a
profit of £14 6s 6d has been forwarded to
the fund to provide a mobile canteen for
use with the Cannock Rural AFS.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, 23 August 1941) |
September |
Brewood, in
common with the rest of the country, on
Sunday answered the Call to Prayer.
Home
Guards, firemen, AFS, Casualty Service and
the Girl Guides attended morning service
at the Parish Church. The Vicar (the Rev C
Broughton Thompson) conducted the service.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 13th
September 1941)
PARCELS FOR FORCES
The WVS comforts fund have again
dispatched over 100 parcels to local men
serving with the forces. Each parcel
contained a woollen article, stationery,
toilet soap, a novel, razorblades,
toothpaste, handkerchiefs and a postal
order for 2 shillings which was a gift
from the local branch of the British
Legion.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 27th
September 1941) |
October |
ARP
DANCE
Brewood Casualty Service held a
well-attended presentation dance in the
Jubilee Hall on Friday. During the evening
Captain AD Darlow (chief warden,
Penkridge) introduced Mr Altree (chairman,
General Purposes Committee, Cannock Rural
Council) who presented the first-aid party
with Saving Certificates which they had
won in an inter-team competition at
Penkridge. Those receiving certificates
were Miss L E Wibberley (leader), Mr W
Norcup, Miss M Blewitt, Mr F Downey, Miss
E Norcup and Mr T Robinson.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser, Saturday 4th October 1941) |
November |
27th:
German
Panzers are only 19 miles from Moscow.
HOME
GUARD SOCIAL
An
enjoyable social evening was held at the
Jubilee Hall on Friday arranged by "A"
Company, Brewood Home Guard. Mr H Cliff
and party were the artists and the MCs
were Mr H Cliff and Captain S Tykiff.
Colonel C Hatton (Battalion commanding
officer) introduced Mrs CH Twigg (wife of
the company commanding officer) who
distributed the prizes. CSM R Payne made
the arrangements.
(Staffordshire Advertiser,
Saturday 29 November 1941) |
December |
5th:
Britain declares war on Finland, Hungary
and Rumania.
7/8th:
The Japanese
attack the U.S.A. at Pearl Harbour and
simultaneously attack Malaya and The
Philippines.
9th:
Great Britain and the U.S.A. declare war
on Japan.
10th:
HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse are
sunk off Malaya by Japanese aerial attack.
11th:
Germany declares war on the U.S.A. The war
is now truly global.
18th:
All men and
women aged between 18 and 60 are now liable
for some form of national
service including military service for
those under 51. This
includes compulsory
service in the
Home Guard in certain districts, the
removal of the right of Home Guards to
resign and the imposition of obligatory
training and duty of 48 hours per month.
25th:
Hong Kong falls to the Japanese.
RECORDS
BROKEN Records for attendance must have
been broken at a successful whist drive
and dance held on Boxing Night in the
Jubilee Hall. A large number of whist
players followed by many dancers made
floorspace very limited. Mr J Mottram was
MC and the event was arranged by Mrs W
Jenkinson in aid of the local comforts
fund.........
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 3
January 1942)
FORCES PARCELS
The WVS and British
Legion comforts funds committee have
dispatched 115 parcels to local men
serving with the forces. Each parcel
contained woollen goods and a PO for 2s.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 20
December 1941)
BRITISH LEGION
The local branch of
the British Legion held the annual meeting
at the Three Stirrups Hotel on Monday. The
Treasurer (Mr W H Davies) reported a
credit balance of £45, an increase of £7
on the previous year. The 115 local men
serving with the forces received regular
gifts from the British Legion comforts
fund amounted to £71. The president
(Captain CO Langley) welcomed Colonel C
Hatton (County chairman) and spoke of the
good work done by the Legion.
Colonel Hatton
congratulated the branch on their efforts
during the year. Referring to the decrease
in membership he said this was happening
all over the country. The present soldier
would be the future ex-service man and
should have a say in the planning after
the war with the old hands to guide
them.....
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 20
December 1941)
WOMEN'S
INSTITUTE At the annual meeting of the
Coven Women's Institute it was disclosed
that during the year the Fruit
Preservation Centre had made nearly 600lbs
of jam.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 20
December 1941) |
1942 |
|
January |
15th:
The Japanese Army moves into Burma.
23rd:
Those living in East Anglia are warned of
the continuing possibilty of invasion,
possibly in the spring.
HOME GUARDS FUNDS
An
enjoyable dance was held in the Jubilee
Hall on Friday in aid of "A" Company,
Brewood Home Guard, social funds. Miss
Joan Vaughan judged a competition, the
winners being Miss Dawson, Mr W Dodd and
Mr and Mrs G A Taylor. Colonel C Hatton
(Battalion commanding officer) introduced
Mrs CH Twigg (wife of the company
commanding officer) who distributed the
prizes. CSM R. Payne made the
arrangements.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 24 January 1942) |
February |
15th:
Singapore surrenders and its huge British
Garrison falls into the hands of the
Japanese Army.
MASTER IN
NAVY
Mr George Embleton,
a master at Brewood Grammar School who is
serving in the Royal Navy, has qualified
for the rank of sub Lieutenant. Mr.
Embleton joined the Navy early in the war.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 7
February 1942)
CASUALTY SERVICE
Brewood Casualty
Service held a well attended dance at the
Jubilee Hall on Friday.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 7
February 1942) |
March |
C-IN-C CEYLON
Vice-Admiral Sir
Geoffrey Layton, who has been appointed
Commander-in-Chief, Ceylon, is a
brother-in-law of Mr C O Langley, Brewood,
who is Borough coroner for Wolverhampton.
The new commander was previously in
temporary command of the Far Eastern
Fleet.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser 21 March 1942)
THE LATE MISS
TELFORD
The funeral took
place on Wednesday, at the Roman Catholic
Church, of Miss Telford who was born in
Brewood and for many years kept a private
school at The Poplars. Amongst the
mourners was the Archbishop of Glasgow who
had one time been taught by Miss Telford.
Her brother was the famous engineer who
made great roads, including the one from
London to Holyhead and built the Aqueduct
over the Watling Street.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser 21 March 1942)
Webmaster
note: It is difficult to equate the
statement that Miss Telford was the sister
of the late engineer Thomas Telford with
the fact that the latter's lifespan was
1757-1834; and that at the time of his
death it was said that he had no living
relative. Qualification of the
latter comment might have explained the
precise family relationship between the
famous engineer and Brewood's Miss
Telford.
CONCERT
RESULT
As a result of
the entertainment given by the "O K
Optimists" Concert Party, Mr W Webb has
been able to give the local British Legion
Comforts fund £20 5s 3d
(Staffordshire
Advertiser 21 March 1942)
WOMEN'S INSTITUTE Mrs Cooper presided
at the monthly meeting of Coven WI at
which members celebrated the 21st birthday
of the Institute.... The Institute has
been prominent in any effort for worthy
causes and raised £202 for the local comforts
fund. They also knit and sew for the Red
Cross, run a produce and pig club and last
year made a great deal of jam under the
government scheme.
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 28
March 1942)
WARDENS' DANCE
Brewood Wardens Service held a successful
dance in the Jubilee Hall on Friday. There
was a good attendance and a RAF orchestra
provided an enjoyable programme.
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 28
March 1942)
|
April |
WASTED MOTOR
FUEL
Norman R. (19), of
Bishop's Wood, Brewood, pleaded guilty at
Staffordshire Borough Police Court on
Monday to taking and driving away a motor
lorry without the owner's consent and to
wasting motor fuel. Evidence was given by
PC Green that, in consequence of a
complaint, he visited a café at Penkridge
and there saw a lorry standing on the car
park. When spoken to regarding the lorry,
R. Said "the boss did not say I could not
take the lorry home" Alfred Ernest
Hayward, St Mary's Place, Stafford, stated
that R. had been employed by him as a
lorry driver since February 25th. He had
not given him permission to take the lorry
away. R. told magistrates that he
completely forgot himself and offered the
excuse that the firm for whom he had
worked previously allowed him to take the
wagon home every night. The Bench imposed
a fine of £5 on each charge with £1 14s
costs.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 4 April 1942)
HELPING RUSSIA
Three performances
of Ralph Lynn and Tom Wall's farce "Thark"
was given in the Grammar School by local
people in aid of Mrs Churchill's
Aid-to-Russia fund.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 4 April 1942) |
May |
8th:
The Philippines
fall to the Japanese (following
Hong Kong -
Dec. 1941; Singapore -
Feb. 1942;
Rangoon - March 1942; Mandalay - April
1942).
DANCES
A well attended
dance was held in the Jubilee Hall on
Friday in aid of the local comforts fund
and the hall was filled to capacity at a
similar function on Whit Monday when the
proceeds were for the hall funds. Both
these successful efforts were arranged by
Mr W Webb who acted as MC at both events.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 1 May
1942)
PRESENTATION Many
members of the NFS from the Western
Division of the Cannock rural district
gathered at the Council Chamber when
Captain C O Langley of Brewood Hall, their
latest divisional officer, was presented
with a silver tankard as a token of
appreciation of three and a half years
association. Section leader H Nicholls,
making the presentation, spoke of Captain
Langley as a fine sportsman and gentleman
with whom it was a pleasure to work. They
all knew the difficulties Captain Langley
had met with in building up the AFS from a
small beginning to the splendid personnel
of which they were all proud today.
Captain Langley said the AFS in its early
days depended on loyalty and friendship
and these qualities he had always met
with. He was now
liaison officer
with the Home Guard so he would
still see a good deal of them but the AFS
was still his first love and he would
always be willing to help them.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 16 May
1942 |
June |
7th:
The Japanese
lose four aircraft carriers to the US Navy
at the Battle of Midway and lose air
superiority in that part of the Pacific.
CIVIL DEFENCE
Brewood civil
defence units held a practice on Sunday
afternoon, those taking part being ARP,
NFS, Home Guard and Casualty Service. It
was assumed that parachute troops, high
explosive and incendiary bombs were
dropped in the district and fires and
casualties caused. All services worked
well and good times were recorded. The
"paratroops" showed initiative which was
matched by the Home Guards' skill,
however, very few getting through the
defences.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 20
June 1942) |
July |
PLAY FOR
RED CROSS
The Brewood
players gave a three-day presentation of
the play "Death Takes a Holiday" in aid of
the Red Cross. Ronald Purdy produced of
the play and the cast, purely a local one,
was as follows: Jeanne Asprey, John
Wilson, Donald Freshwater, Margaret
Leadbetter, Ida Branson, Adelaide Hawkins,
Frederick Wall, Doreen Neville, Guy
Newbury, Hugh Simkiss, Elizabeth Gibbs,
Ronald Purdy, Alan Jell.
(Staffordshire
Adviser, Saturday 11 July 1942)
FLAG DAY RESULT
The recent
Flag Day in Brewood arranged by Mrs C
Broughton Thompson and Mrs Johnston
realised £11 6s 7d.
(Staffordshire Adviser, Saturday 11 July
1942)
PRISONER OF WAR
Well-known in the district,
Second-Lieutenant LTC Wilding, the 23
years old only son of Mr and Mrs CE
Wilding, Anchor Inn, Coven, has been
reported a prisoner of war in German hands
following his capture in Africa.
Lieutenant Wilding joined the army soon
after the beginning of hostilities as a
private and received his commission after
12 months........
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday18 July
1942)
|
August |
£21
FOR RED CROSS
Dances were held in
the Jubilee Hall on Saturday and Monday in
aid of the hall funds. These were arranged
by Mr W Webb who on Saturday night
presented Mrs R F P Monckton (divisional
organiser for the Red Cross) with £21 for
the Red Cross Prisoner of War Fund, the
result of dances held previously.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, 8 August 1942)
DEFENCE PRACTICE
Civil defence units from Brewood and Coven
held a practice on Sunday afternoon, those
taking part being ARP, NFS, Rescue
Parties, Home Guard, Casualty Service,
WVS. It was assumed that parachute troops,
high explosive and incendiary bombs were
dropped in the district and fires and
casualties caused. The paratroops were
allowed to penetrate into the village
making it necessary to evacuate all
services which was successfully
accomplished, nothing being left for the
"enemy".
(Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday
15 August 1942)
RAF WARRANT
OFFICER
The death has been
announced of Warrant Officer Ronald
Saunders, RAF, as a result of a fatal
accident which, it is believed, occurred
while on duty. An old boy of Brewood
Grammar School, Warrant Officer Saunders
was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs F
Saunders, Newport Street, Brewood. Always
keen on aviation he joined the RAF four
years previous to the war.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 29 August 1942)
POOLED TRANSPORT
In order to reduce
consumption of fuel, to make a cut in
manpower and reduce transport, schemes for
the retail delivery of goods in Brewood
district commence on September 1. No
delivery of meat will be made unless a
customer is more than one and a half miles
from the shopping centre of Brewood. Other
trades will only deliver parcels over
14lbs in weight or over one cubic foot in
size and the deliveries will be made by
pooled transport.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser Saturday 29 August 1942)
|
September |
COMFORTS
FUND EFFORTS
..... There was
a large attendance at the civil defence
and Home Guard sports on Saturday in aid
of the comforts fund. Mrs Dunkley
performed the opening ceremony and Mrs P W
Bailey distributed the prizes.....
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 5
September 1942)
SPORTS
At the Brewood
Civil Service, local services and Brewood
Home Guard sports on Saturday in aid of
the Brewood Comforts Fund, first prize
winners included M Snape, R Bray, H
Simkiss, G Horne, J Davies, K Hunt, J
Onion, T Hall, G Freeman, C Franks, Mrs H
Barton, C Wooley, D Freshwater, C Bethell,
P Bill, W Smith, ATC team, casualty team,
Home Guard team. CSM R Payne carried out
the secretarial duties.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 5
September 1942)
|
October |
DRIVE FOR
METAL
Brewood is
taking part in the drive for non-ferrous
scrap metal that is being carried out in
most parts of the country. The drive,
which commenced on Monday, continues for
14 days and is carried out by WVS depots
established at Mrs Sanderson, Dean Street;
Mrs W Evans, Kiddedore Green Road; Mrs
Cheshire, Shop Lane.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 24
October 1942)
WEDDING
The wedding took
place at York on Friday of Sergeant Betty
Medovnik, ATS, of Paddington, London and
Company Sergeant-Major Instructor Gerald
Gibbs, elder son of Mr and Mrs W
Gibbs, Market Square, Brewood. The
bridegroom is an old boy of Brewood
grammar school and before the war was a
schoolteacher. He is an all-round
sportsman and plays cricket for Brewood
Cricket Club.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 24
October 1942) |
November |
4th:
The British Eighth Army defeats Rommel
and his army at El Alamein.
One of
the longest parades ever seen in Brewood
assembled on Sunday when the local company
of the Home Guard led,
followed by Girl Guides, Wardens, Rescue
and Casualty Service, WVS, NFS, ATC, GTC
and Boy Scouts. The parade was marshalled
byCaptain S Tykiffe. The Parish Church,
the bells of which were rung, was filled
to overflowing and the service was
conducted by the Rev C B Broughton
Thompson (Vicar of Brewood). Units of the
various services placed wreaths on the war
memorial.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 21
November 1942) |
December |
23rd:
The ringing of
church bells will be permitted before noon
on Christmas Day; but the general ban
remains in place.
COMFORTS
FUND A successful whist drive and
dance held on Boxing Night in the Jubilee
Hall was arranged by Mrs W Jenkinson who
acted as MC and Mrs F Moorhouse and was in
aid of the local comforts fund.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 2
January 1943)
WEDDING
The wedding took
place at Brewood Parish Church of Miss
Joyce Mary Mottram, only daughter of Mr
and Mrs Joseph Mottram, Dean Street,
Brewood To Sergeant-Pilot Ernest George
Bell of Newbury.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 2
January 1943)
MARRIAGE OF MISS GIFFARD
The marriage took place on Tuesday at St
Mary's and Saint Chad's, Brewood, of
Captain Airey Middleton Sheffield Neave,
Royal Artillery, and Miss Diana Josceline
Barbara Giffard, elder daughter of Mr and
Mrs Giffard, Chillington Hall.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 2
January 1943)
(Lt-Col. Airey
Neave had previously been a
prisoner-of-war and had become the first
officer to escape from Colditz; he was a
lawyer and later Member of Parliament and became
a close colleague and confidant of
Margaret Thatcher. He was murdered by the
IRA within the precincts of the Houses of
Parliament in 1979).
|
1943 |
As Brewood enters 1943, life
continues much as previously with
significant effort devoted to fund-raising
activities, just as it has been ever since
the outbreak of war more than three years
previously. These activities are
undertaken by several organisations, not
least the WVS and the Women's Institute,
and benefit many causes close to the heart
of Brewood residents, especially funds to
offer comfort to servicemen including
prisoners-of-war. This summary of life in
Brewood omits further reports of this type
from this date onwards even though all the
activity continues: we concentrate on the
impact of the war on individuals in
Brewood against a background of world
events. |
January |
WEDDING
At Brewood Parish Church on Monday the
wedding took place of Miss Molly J Barnes
of Codsall and Mr Edwin T White, only son
of Mr and Mrs Edwin White, Hyde Farm,
Brewood. The bridegroom, an old boy of
Brewood Grammar School, is a member of the
Brewood Home Guard. His father, Mr E
White, well-known in the district, is a
member of the Staffordshire War
Agricultural Committee. The bride is a
member of Brewood Casualties Service,
civil defence.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 9
January 1943)
31st:
General von
Paulus surrenders the remnants of the
German 6th Army at Stalingrad. |
February |
|
March |
Home Guard
membership peaks at 1,793,000.
|
April |
UNLICENSED PIG KILLING
A warning that
people must not kill pigs until they are
sure of getting the necessary licence was
given by a Ministry of Food inspector,
Joseph Wilde, when prosecuting at
Penkridge Police Court on Monday for
unlicensed killings. "Any applications for
licences to slaughter pigs are refused" he
added. James H., The Dell, Bishop's Wood
was ordered to pay £6 12s. In fines and
costs for slaughtering two pigs for human
consumption and causing to others to be
slaughtered without licences. Francis W.
of Milhouse Farm, Wheaton Aston, had to
pay £6 18s. fines and costs on three
summonses for slaughtering without
licences. H. Pleaded that he did not know
he should have had licences and W.'s
excuse was that he "took it for granted"
the necessary licence would be issued. Two
of the offences alleged against weate
related to the slaughtering of pigs
belonging to John D. of Peace Hay Farm,
Bishop's Wood, and John B. of Lapley. As
D. And B. did not answer summonses against
themselves, warrants were issued for their
arrest.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 24
April 1943) |
May |
13th:
Final total
victory by the British and American armies
in North Africa.
PRESENTATION
Section-Leader H L Barton who is leaving
the district after a two-year association
with the NFS was on Monday presented with
a pair of pipes in case and a tobacco
pouch as a mark of appreciation from the
members of his area. The presentation was
made by Fireman R. Alcock who spoke of the
amount of work put in by Section-Leader
Barton. Column Officer R. A. Lacey also
praised and thanked Section-Leader Barton.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 1 May
1943)
..... In
celebration of the third anniversary of
the creation of the Home Guard.....
Wing Commander
West took the salute in the Market Square,
Brewood, when the 25th Staffordshire
(Brewood) Home Guard attended a drumhead
service at Deansfield. The service was
conducted by the Rev E P St. John (senior
chaplain to the RAF) and the Vicar of
Brewood (the Rev C B Broughton Thompson). After the
service a demonstration was given of
battle drill, bayonet fighting, camouflage
and sub-artillery firing.
(Staffordshire Advertiser,
Saturday 22 May 1943)
|
June |
ATS
GIRL'S COOLNESS
When a
sea-front billet was wrecked in an East
Anglian sneak raid last month, killing 26
ATS, Private Norcup was cleaning a car.
This week she was commended in orders by
General Sir Frederick Pile, GOC-in-C
Anti-Aircraft Command for "setting a fine
example of coolness and courage and
carrying out her duties without a sign of
nervousness". Private Norcup, a domestic
servant before the war, is the elder
daughter of Mr and Mrs W Norcup, Dean
Street, Brewood.
Yesterday morning Lady Baden Powell
visited the Guides and Scouts camp at
Beaudesert, Cannock Chase and attended the
Wolverhampton rally in the afternoon. Here
she presented a silver cross to Betty
Norcup, a Staffordshire Loan Ranger,
awarded for gallantry during an air raid
on an ATS camp on the east coast. On May
11 last bombs were dropped on the billet
which formed the headquarters of the
anti--aircraft brigade to which Private
Norcup was attached. A special friend was
killed and there were only five survivors
of the contingent, including Private
Norcup..... After pinning on the medal,
the Chief Guide called for three cheers
for Private Norcup.....
(Birmingham Daily Post, Monday 20
September 1943 )
|
<
July |
10th:
Allied forces invade Sicily.
15th: The German offensive in
Kursk ends in failure following the
biggest tank battle in history. |
August |
|
September |
3rd:
British
landings in Italy, followed by further
landings on 9th.
8th:
The Italian surrender is announced but
Germany immediately assumes control of the
country. |
October /December |
|
1944 |
|
January |
The
battle for Cassino begins in Italy and the
Allies land at Anzio, south of Rome. |
February |
|
March |
WEDDING
The wedding took
place on Saturday at Gailey Parish Church
of Miss Elsie Prudence Roberts, youngest
daughter of Mr and Mrs Thomas Roberts,
South View, Crateford, Brewood and
Colour-Sergeant Albert Walter Bishop of
Hackney.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 25
March 1944)
|
April |
WEDDING
The
wedding took place at Brewood Parish
Church on Saturday of Bombardier Hyla
Harcourt Roberts, RA, eldest son of Mr and
Mrs George Roberts, School Road, Brewood
and Miss Joan Catliff Pidcock of
Essington...... Mr D Roberts, RAF,
(brother of bridegroom) was best man.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday
22 April 1944) |
May |
14th:
Fourth
anniversary of the founding of the Home
Guard.
27th:
Residents of Brewood are informed when and
where they can collect their latest issue
of Ration Book: (Parish Council Room,
Stafford Street - June 26-30, between 2
and 5.30 p.m., not Saturdays). |
June |
5th: Allied
troops enter Rome.
6th:
D-Day - Allied
forces land in Normandy. |
July |
20th:
An attempt
on Hitler's life fails. |
August |
15th:
Allied forces land in the South of France.
25th:
Paris is liberated. |
September |
8th:
The first V2
rocket lands on London. V1 "Doodlebugs"
have been falling for many weeks.
17th:
"Operation
Market Garden", the airborne assault to
capture Rhine bridges, is initially
successful but eventually fails at Arnhem.
Disappointed by two chases after
what turned out to be friendly aeroplanes,
a Staffordshire night fighter crew were
returning to their base one night recently
when they saw a third aircraft. It didn't
turn out to be friendly and in a very
short time a Do 217 went crashing to earth
in Brittany - another enemy night raider
to add to the already large total downed
over France since D-Day by the County of
Middlesex Squadron. 22-year-old Flying
Officer R T Wood of Walsall, the
successful pilot, is on his second
operational tour and has already shot down
one Hun raider over France and probably
destroyed another...... Flying Officer Roy
Leafe, whose home address is Strangleford
Birch, Brewood, is Flying Officer Wood's
navigator. Close on 30 years old, he was
educated at Swanwick Hall and Peterhouse,
Cambridge and was a schoolmaster before
the war. Although he and Wood have flown
together for a long time, Leafe was
unlucky enough through sickness not to
share in Wood's other kills and this is
his first success.
(Rugeley Times,
Saturday 23 September 1944) |
October/ November |
|
December |
3rd:
The Home
Guard stands down.
16th:
German forces break through the Allied
lines in the Ardennes, halting the
relentless Allied advance.
AWARDED M.M. Sergeant Dennis
Brookes, Coldstream Guards, has been
awarded the Military Medal. The citation
reads: "On August 1st 1944 in front of
St. Martin de Besaces, Sergeant Brooks
showed magnificent personal courage and
offensive spirit as platoon sergeant. He
personally attacked a number of the enemy
in the open using every available weapon,
killing a German officer and others in
single combat and leading the hand-to-hand
fighting generally. Later, while his
platoon was taking up a fire position
behind the bank, Sergeant Brookes stood in
front of it spraying the oncoming enemy
with a Bren gun, firing from the hip and
inflicting such casualties that the enemy
withdrew. Sergeant Brookes's work of an
administrative nature was as outstanding
as his gallantry in the field".
Sergeant Brookes was later wounded and
returned to England but is now fit again.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday
2 December 1944)
(There is no indication in the report of
where in Brewood Sgt. Brookes lives).
|
1945 |
|
January |
The
Russians cross the German border and enter
East Prussia; and the Allied
counter-offensive in the Ardennes force
the Germans back to their border. |
February |
4th:
Belgium is
liberated and the Russians are 50 miles
from Berlin. |
March |
7th - 23rd:
The Allies
cross the Rhine
27-29th:
The last V1 and
V2s fall on London.
LEGION OFFICIAL'S DEATH The
funeral took place at Willenhall yesterday
of Mr V E Holt of Brewood, Hon. Secretary
of South Staffordshire County Committee of
the British Legion for 12 years, a member
of the Royal Observer Corps and quartering
commandant for the military authorities at
Lichfield and Stoke-on-Trent.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday
24 May 1945) |
April |
28th:
Captain Tykiffe
(Home Guard) and Mrs. Tykiffe
celebrate their Silver Wedding Anniversary.
29th:
Hitler commits
suicide. |
May |
7th:
Unconditional surrender of all German
armed forces. 8th:
Formal end to
the war in Europe - V.E. Day |
June |
6th:
The
campaign in Burma is effectively over,
with the Japanese ejected from the
country.
WEDDING
The wedding took place at Holy Trinity
Church, Knightsbridge, London, on Friday
of Squadron-Leader Reginald G Pickford of
Tettenhall (formerly of Somerford Grange,
Brewood) and Captain Joyce Davies, RAMC,
of Purley. The bridegroom, who was
educated at Brewood Grammar School and
Saint Catherine's College, Cambridge, was
house surgeon at University College
Hospital for some time. He joined the RAF
in 1941 and is now stationed at the RAF
Hospital, Ely. The bride, who is 25, has
recently taken her MRCP and is at present
at Aldershot.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 16
June 1945) |
July |
5th:
The liberation of the entire
Philippines is announced.
6th: Attlee succeeds Churchill
as Prime Minister.
BREWOOD
SERGEANT IN HONOURS LIST
Sergeant D F Jones, RASC, of High Green,
Brewood, was awarded in the Kings birthday
honours list a certificate for good
service. Before volunteering for the army
he was head cashier at the Westminster
Bank's Wolverhampton Branch.
(Staffordshire Advertiser, Saturday 14
July 1945) |
August |
6th:
The first
atomic bomb destroys Hiroshima.
...... and on the same day, August
Bank Holiday Monday, life in Brewood slowly
starts to return to a new normality.......
BREWOOD SHOW REVIVAL
Popular Bank Holiday
Event
The Brewood and
District Agricultural Society are this
year reviving their annual show which will
be held at Somerford Park, Brewood on Bank
Holiday Monday under the presidency of Mrs
E M Vaughan. The profits will go to the
British Red Cross Agriculture Fund.
(Staffordshire
Advertiser, Saturday 7
July 1945)
(The show is
deemed a spectacular success with an
attendance of about 40,000. Thousands
arrived by train and bus at Four Ashes and
the officials in charge of the entrances
and car parking facilities were almost
unable to cope with the situation. Cars
travelling nose to bumper blocked the
narrow road from Four Ashes to the ground
and long before midday the line of traffic
stretched for about a mile along the main
Stafford-Wolverhampton road. See
the
Staffordshire Advertiser of Saturday 11th
August 1945 in which a very detailed
report of the event is contained).
8th:
A second
atomic bomb falls on Nagasaki.
14th:
The war
against Japan ends with
total surrender.
15th:
V.J. Day.
|
|
WW2 is over and the sons - and
some daughters - of Brewood will start to
return home to a post-war life.....
|
|
Acknowledgements
Please see
the main page for acknowledgements to Mr. Mike
Buckless, Mr. Paul Holt and the staffspasttrack
website. Grateful
acknowledgement is also made to the British Newspaper
Archive, the source of much of the information on
this page. |
**********
|