World War II

[jamesicus]

THE LANCASHIRE AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATION TEAM SITE
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/index.htm
..... has recently been updated to include much new information.

An aircaft crash occured in the Burnley area in mid-war. In the late morning of 1 September 1942, an American P38 (Lockheed Lightning) fighter, which was was part of a flight of several on a training exercise, crashed in the woods near Cliviger. My best friend and I got to the crash location in time to retrieve a few souvenirs before the police arrived to cordon it off:

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/P-38%2041-7669.htm

Another crash occurred in the Burnley area toward the end of the war. In the late afternoon of Monday, 19 February, 1945 an American B24 Liberator bomber crashed on the moors just outside Burnley (Black Hameldon). We went to the scene the next day after the crash (not as I previously reported -- I got this crash mixed up with the previous Lockheed Lightning crash at Cliveger):

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

I was on August Bank Holiday at Blackpool with my mother in 1941 when the the following mid-air collision over the Central Railway Station occurred. We were at the South Shore Pleasure Beach when the crash occurred and so I did not see it -- but I heard it and we went to the crash site a short time later:

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/Botha-Defiant.htm

The above excellent report is very detailed and accompanied by several great on-the-spot photos.

James

[cashman]

great photos and information, the ones on back hameldon and blackpool central are really fascinating welcome back again lol

[jamesicus]

Originally Posted by cashman

great photos and information, the ones on back hameldon and blackpool central are really fascinating welcome back again lol

Thanks, cashman. You remind me that I meant to mention that there is now quite a bit more new information available relating to the V1 Flying Bomb (Doodlebug) attack on Manchester during Christmas 1944. Here is a recap:

On Christmas Eve 1944, a formation of specially configured HE-111 Heinkel bombers (I/KG53 squadron) flying over the North Sea launched 45 V1 Flying Bombs (Doodlebugs) aimed at Manchester 31 of which reached the target area. Fifteen fell on Manchester, the remainder impacting in surrounding towns and sparsely populated outlying areas .......... One V1 that impacted near Oswaldtwistle carried a load of propaganda leaflets. Leaflets from these V1s were also found at Brindle, near Manchester and Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

One of the errant V1s impacted in a farmer's field at Gregson Lane near Bamber Bridge just outside Preston. This crash site has recently been examined and recorded by the http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/...son%20Lane.htm Lancashire Aircraft Investigation Team (V1 Gregson Lane 24.12.1944)

A number of V1s were loaded with propaganda leaflets. This subject is covered in meticulous detail by Herbert A. Friedman in his Web page article http://www.psywarrior.com/V1RocketLeaf.html -- The German V1 Rocket Leaflet Campaign. This fascinating article explains how the leaflets were stored and dispersed and the Oswaldtwistle leaflet carrying V1 is detailed -- I am trying to find out if anyone here has in their possession any of the miniature leaflets depicted in this article -- they would be great historical treasures.

James

[jamesicus]

Originally Posted by jamesicus

.......... I was on August Bank Holiday at Blackpool with my mother in 1941 when the the following mid-air collision over the Central Railway Station occurred. We were at the South Shore Pleasure Beach when the crash occurred and so I did not see it -- but I heard it and we went to the crash site a short time later:

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/Botha-Defiant.htm

The above excellent report is very detailed and accompanied by several great on-the-spot photos.

James

BTW, as a point of trivial interest, the middle two open platform bays of Blackpool Central Station http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/...fiant%2011.htm were used by the Colne-Burnley-Accrington-Blackpool wakes week, August Bank holiday and excursion trains -- including the fabled Saturday night "Passion Express".

James

[jamesicus]

A government survey conducted shortly after the war revealed that the general civilian population -- especially children -- despite food rationing, was in better health than pre-war. Many reasons were advanced for that phenomenon: a diet that featured a lot of fresh vegetables but was low in refined sugar and fat; sparse availability of sweets; consumption of bread that was usually made from coarse whole wheat; a great deal of walking and bicycling due to petrol being in extremely short supply; new drugs (such as penicillin) for treating infections; etc.

[jamesicus]

Originally Posted by cashman

great photos and information, the ones on back hameldon and blackpool central are really fascinating welcome back again lol

Thanks, cashman -- I should have additional information shortly.

James

[jamesicus]

Here is a wonderful 1945 Christmas card that members of the 52nd Lowland (Mountain) Division, now in occupied Germany, sent home to their friends and loved ones. It was given to me by my good friend, John Sewell from Southport, who served with the 52nd during the war.

This is truly a card of joy and thanksgiving. WW2 was over and peace reigned throughout the world once again. I have attached a fold out view of the card followed by individual pages at full size for easier reading of their exploits.

The 52nd had fought hard and valiantly throughout the war. They evacuated from Cherbourg -- thereby escaping the debacle of Dunkirk -- during the collapse of France in 1940; they were billeted in tents at Kennet in southern England during the dark days of 1940/41 where they were a vital part of the pathetically meagre Invasion Reserve that was to defend Britain against a Nazi invasion; they trained for, and were a vital component of, the Allied D-Day+ invasion force in 1944; they fought through Holland and occupied northern Germany under Field Marshall Montgomery; they captured the key city of Bremen and were there at the Nazi surrender.

Many of them died or suffered terrible wounds -- now those that survived could relax and send a beautiful Christmas card home. We owe these heroes so very much -- our present day freedom and enjoyment of life. In my opinion we should all honor their memories at this Christmas holiday season by maintaining a spirit of goodwill toward each other and giving thanks for the life we enjoy -- putting aside grouchiness, ill-will and animosity. We owe the heroes of WW2 who sacrificed so much for us at least that much.

James

[LancYorkYankee]

Hey James, just finished up reading this whole thread. Very interesting events. Also, a noble hobbie to keep these stories alive for both current and future generations.

I've found it fairly difficult getting much information about my Lancashire granddad's WWI experience (he fought in the trenches and suffered quite bad burns from the gas attacks).

Very early in WWII, I lost a Yorkshire Uncle at Ala Mein (sp?). His other 3 brothers were hurt in various ways. As the years go by, and we lose this glorious generation, the only facts we'll have are those that have been so well documented. Hence, I not only enjoyed your documentation of events but thank you for sustaining and bringing your thoughts/feelings to us through your writtings.

3 Cheers!

Brian

[jamesicus]

Originally Posted by LancYorkYankee

Hey James, just finished up reading this whole thread. Very interesting events. Also, a noble hobbie to keep these stories alive for both current and future generations .......... As the years go by, and we lose this glorious generation, the only facts we'll have are those that have been so well documented. Hence, I not only enjoyed your documentation of events but thank you for sustaining and bringing your thoughts/feelings to us through your writtings.

3 Cheers!

Brian

Thank you for your most kind words and comments, Brian. As I mention elsewhere, my goal is to record my own experiences, accompanied by contemporary photographs and documents, relating to the British Home Front during WW2 before I die. To that end, I am constantly refining and adding to my Web pages. I am anxious to record the stories and exploits of as many people as possible who lived through those tumultuous times -- particularly in Lancashire - together with their photographs and documents before they are lost to history.

I provide links on my WW2 British Home Front Web pages via my WW2 British Home Front Directory to several similar sites as mine, some of which contain additional information in great detail.

The BBC instituted a massive program titled "The People's War" which is a vast repository for individual stories, but the submissions have to be brief vignettes out of necessity. There are some other similar projects.

I want to record the minutia of every day living -- again mostly in Lancashire -- on the British Home Front during WW2. Hopefully, others will contribute their own experiences and materials -- I would be most happy to compose Web pages for them to record their stories and store and present them via my own server. Time is running short: WW2 British Homefront survivors are dying at an alarming rate every day.

James

[LancYorkYankee]

Hey James, it's really ashame that as many folks didn't do the same for the WWI years. As far as keeping some good first person stories about things.

I know neither of my Grandfathers would talk about it all although I know they both saw so pretty bad stuff. I wonder if folks "on the homefront" during WWI would have been as forthwith as the WWII folks?

Even stuff like me Grampa Hall being the youngest of 16 children, having to quit school in 3rd grade to work in the "mines," join up with the army at 16 years old etc.. All we have are me Mums stories about these events and her memory is dwindling quickly.

My Dad sign up for WWII here in the states but the war ended while he was in New Mexico training to enter the pacific theater with the Air Corp. But even he doesn't talk much about it. He just says it's just something you did and it was done. Almost like it didn't happen.

It's very frustrating that most of any of my detailed history is lost to the ages!

Brian

[jamesicus]

Originally Posted by LancYorkYankee

Hey James, it's really ashame that as many folks didn't do the same for the WWI years. As far as keeping some good first person stories about things ..........

Yes, it is indeed a shame, Brian. I appreciate your lament. My own grandfather Pickering had great stories about his Army service in Egypt & France during WW1 as a soldier in the East Lancashire regiment. He also had a nice collection of photographs, army accoutrements and medals. The stories were never recorded and his WW1 effects were thrown out by my grandmother, as was the fashion in those days, when he died in 1943. The same thing happened with my father's and uncle's WW1 memorabilia -- all lost to succeeding generations forever.

.......... I wonder if folks "on the homefront" during WWI would have been as forthwith as the WWII folks? .......... It's very frustrating that most of any of my detailed history is lost to the ages!

Unfortunately much of the WW2 memorabilia I saved from WW2 was thrown out after the death of my father in 1963, including his medals and Home Guard accoutrements -- how sad! I composed my WW2 British Home Front pages and Unsung Allied Heroes of WW2 pages in an attempt to rectify that and preseve our WW2 heritage and record precious historical information.

James

[jamesicus]

I maintain a Web site (Directory) Unsung Allied Heroes of WW2 that I am constantly updating. I invite you to visit my latest addition John Joseph Lynch jr., RAF (Eagle Squadron) for a fascinating story of a WW2 "Yank" Ace in the RAF.

[jambutty]

I have some photos of my dad Walter Hanson Buckley who was with the 5th East Lancs Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 1st East Lancs Brigade and others in his group. You are welcome to them. I can send them by email if you like – well several emails actually – if you would like to send me a PM with an email address.

He joined in August 1914 and was demobbed in 1921 or thereabouts after serving in Egypt, Gallipoli and possibly in Europe and Russia.

[jamesicus]

Originally Posted by jambutty

I have some photos of my dad Walter Hanson Buckley who was with the 5th East Lancs Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 1st East Lancs Brigade and others in his group. You are welcome to them. I can send them by email if you like – well several emails actually – if you would like to send me a PM with an email address.

He joined in August 1914 and was demobbed in 1921 or thereabouts after serving in Egypt, Gallipoli and possibly in Europe and Russia.

Thank you very much for that kind offer, jambutty -- I am sending a PM. BTW, I really enjoyed your web site!

James

[Barrie Yates]

I came across this thread by accident - Thank God.
It is one of, if not the most, tear jerking thread I have read on here.
So sad that it appears to have died over 3 years ago - Lest we forget.
Such poignant stories.