World War II

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by jamesicus

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.

The Rifles you refer to were known as the P14 .303
made in WW1 in America to british specifications, they were never issued to the Tommies in WW1, the delivery date was over due and enough SMLE's had been produced by then. The septics liked the rifle so much they produced one for their own men in 30-06 calibre known as the P17, some of the latter were also issued to the LOCAL defence volunteers, LDV, later changed to home guard.

Those ranges up Hapton were used by most of the H.G., units in East Lancs throughout the war. I used to shoot on that range till it was closed in the early 1950's.
The range had been in use for quite a long time, for I found lot of different calibre's of spent bullets,
.303 Mk7's, .303 Mk6's, .303 Mk2's and several ball rounds from the days of the Brown Bess.

Retlaw.

[rtbarton]

My mother, Mary Greenwood, used to work at Riley's Chemicals and Colours in Clayton-le-Moors during the war.

The factory was used to produce war gasses.

[Elizabeth Robinson]

I am new to this site. Please can you tell me the name of the regiment (?) of American soldiers who were stationed at Accrington during the Second World War.


Elizabeth

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Robinson

I am new to this site. Please can you tell me the name of the regiment (?) of American soldiers who were stationed at Accrington during the Second World War.


Elizabeth

I never saw any Septics in Accrington during WW2, where the eck could they billet a regiment of them, thats 1000 officers and men, the only place that comes any where near big enough for company (250 men) would have been Hargreaves St School, and that was being used by the Home Guard.

[MargaretR]

There might have been some yanks in east lancs, because I recall my mum insinuating that one of my aunts 'bothered' with one.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

There might have been some yanks in east lancs, because I recall my mum insinuating that one of my aunts 'bothered' with one.

May be, but I never saw a Septic in this part of East Lancs, there might have been some at Fulwood, or Bury Barracks, there were quite a lot at Warrington.

[MargaretR]

I found this -
BBC - WW2 People's War - The Battle of Bamber Bridge

" Adams Hall in Bamber Bridge, essentially a collection of army huts. This was the location of US Eighth Army Air Force Station 569 which consisted of a number of Quartermaster Truck Companies.

.. there were yanks at Bamber Bridge

[MargaretR]

More browsing at that site reveals this
BBC - WW2 People's War - A Child in WW2: In Accrington
"Occasionally, G.I’s (American General Infantrymen) descended from Burtonwood, to court the local girls, and ‘ any gum chum?’ became the standard phrase. The Yanks seemed far more interesting than their British counterparts, and their stylish uniforms, suntanned faces and attractive accents fascinated me. When I spotted the occasional American Negro, I presumed he had appeared from the depth of the African Jungle. I had never seen a coloured person before."

[jamesicus]

Greetings Accrington Web denizens!

My goodness, it has been several years since I last contributed here - I am glad to see this thread is still alive. I am afraid some of the images and links have disappeared from some postings - the infamous "link rot" you know. I will try to resurrect some of them.

I am now 83 years old and my WWII memories are dimming more and more but I will contribute some more tid-bits if there is any interest. I have unearthed additional information as a result of (now just a few I am afraid) relatives and friends digging up their old memories and sometimes memorabilia - but authentication of information is sometimes difficult - our memories often play tricks on us. On several occasions in the past I have had to correct postings as new or conflicting information came to light. I will keep trying to present accurate information and avoid "old war stories".

James

[Barrie Yates]

Originally Posted by jamesicus

Greetings Accrington Web denizens!

My goodness, it has been several years since I last contributed here - I am glad to see this thread is still alive. I am afraid some of the images and links have disappeared from some postings - the infamous "link rot" you know. I will try to resurrect some of them.

I am now 83 years old and my WWII memories are dimming more and more but I will contribute some more tid-bits if there is any interest. I have unearthed additional information as a result of (now just a few I am afraid) relatives and friends digging up their old memories and sometimes memorabilia - but authentication of information is sometimes difficult - our memories often play tricks on us. On several occasions in the past I have had to correct postings as new or conflicting information came to light. I will keep trying to present accurate information and avoid "old war stories".

James

Welcome back - only last night I was browsing through your earlier postings and found them quite enthralling. The details you provided reminded of a couple of incidents that I have vague childhood memories of. One of quite extraordinary clarity was seeing the southern sky as bright as day even though I had been put to bed- it was Manchester burning.
In later years I accompanied my Mother to meet her cousin on his release from hospital having been a prisoner of the Japs after being captured in Java - he was mentioned in "The Naked Island".
As you mentioned, it is a great pity that the photographs are now missing.
Please continue with your posts, you bring so much to this site.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by jamesicus

Greetings Accrington Web denizens!

My goodness, it has been several years since I last contributed here - I am glad to see this thread is still alive. I am afraid some of the images and links have disappeared from some postings - the infamous "link rot" you know. I will try to resurrect some of them.

I am now 83 years old and my WWII memories are dimming more and more but I will contribute some more tid-bits if there is any interest. I have unearthed additional information as a result of (now just a few I am afraid) relatives and friends digging up their old memories and sometimes memorabilia - but authentication of information is sometimes difficult - our memories often play tricks on us. On several occasions in the past I have had to correct postings as new or conflicting information came to light. I will keep trying to present accurate information and avoid "old war stories".

James

Welcome back, glad yer o.k. have certainly missed yer contributions.

[sm_counsell]

Originally Posted by jamesicus

Greetings Accrington Web denizens!

My goodness, it has been several years since I last contributed here - I am glad to see this thread is still alive. I am afraid some of the images and links have disappeared from some postings - the infamous "link rot" you know. I will try to resurrect some of them.

I am now 83 years old and my WWII memories are dimming more and more but I will contribute some more tid-bits if there is any interest. I have unearthed additional information as a result of (now just a few I am afraid) relatives and friends digging up their old memories and sometimes memorabilia - but authentication of information is sometimes difficult - our memories often play tricks on us. On several occasions in the past I have had to correct postings as new or conflicting information came to light. I will keep trying to present accurate information and avoid "old war stories".



James

I had never visited the old thread on this but have now done so. Very very interesting. I'm looking forward to more. Welcome back

[jamesicus]

Thank you Barrie, cashman and sm_counsell for the welcome back.

James

[davidf]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

There might have been some yanks in east lancs, because I recall my mum insinuating that one of my aunts 'bothered' with one.

There were some stationed in Blackburn, certainly during 1944. I think that they were accommodated at Brookhouse Mill, off Whalley New Road.