Hi! I enjoyed your reminiscences of wartime life in Pinner. On September 3rd, 1939, we were just unpacking our things having t(the previous day) moved into our "new" house at 21 Tudor Gardens, West Acton - not all that far from Pinner. We broke for a cup of tea and turned on the radio, only to hear Neville Chamberlain's broadcast annaouncing that we were at war with Germany. The previous year, my brother and I, as Scouts then living in Hornhurch, Essex, had assisted in the distribution and fitting of gasmasks to the local people. We also had an Anderson shelter, in our back garden at West Acton and, later, a Morrison shelter (the one under the dining room table. The sides were not solid steel sheet, but thick wire, welded in squares about 4 inches vertically and horizontally). One (long) side lifted up for access. My father's office was in Old Change, a narrow street off Cheapside, in the City, just round the corner from St. Paul's Cathedral. By the end of the war, that office building was an island in a sea of devastation. I could stand at the corner, looking across Cheapside and the bombed sites on the other side of the road, and had clear view of a few similar masonry islands stretching N.N.E. for nearly a mile. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Geoff Lewin BLAXALL" <Geoff-Blaxall@beeb.net> To: <WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 11:16 PM Subject: Re: [WORLD WAR II] What iot was like for civvies > Dear Peter, > Your Mum was an "FEA" [Female Engineering Assistant] > As a lad I worked with many of 'em ! > Geoff > All e-mails protected by Mailwasher + Norton AV2005. > ============================================ > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Peter Monks > To: WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com > Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 7:24 PM > Subject: Re: [WORLD WAR II] RAF AIRFIELDS IN SCOTLAND > > > Greetings, > > You wanted expeiences of war time happenings? > > When the war broke out we were living, I think, at 78 Tolcarne Drive, > Northwood Hills, Pinner Middlesex. I do not remember much of the war, > only that I was an 'expert' on enemy or friendly aircraft (whether right > or wrong I still don't know.) We had two air raid shelters (a Morison > and an Anderson), one was under the dining room table, it was a steel > cage--the idea being that if the house collapsed, the table would take > the brunt of the house fall and the steel cage would back it up. The > second was a 'standard' corrigated iron semi circular affair that was > half burried in the back garden and covered with soil. The one in the > garden was often full of stagnent water, frogs etc. that took up > residence. > > 1941 My mother, at second marriage to Bernard Russell, was an assistant > engineer G.P.O. (General Post Office) and was installing the top secret > 'scrambler' phones in places like Winston Churchill's office and the > Admiralty war office. (Bernard went to Egypt with the RAF Winston > Specials.) > > Mum said that she was 'bombed out' 3 times and 'blown up' in the street > 5 times, or greater numbers depending on the discussions and > occasion--traumatic at any time.Mostly the councilling was "Have a cuppa > tea, love, and you'll feel better." > > Peter > > > Delilah wrote: > > >Can you send a copy to the US - also since your wrote this, I would like > to > >hear more about how the people who lived thru WW2 lived, how bad was it > on > >them, etc. > >delilah > > > >From: "Peter Monks" <arethusa@shaw.ca> > >To: <WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com> > >Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 12:34 PM > >Subject: Re: [WORLD WAR II] RAF AIRFIELDS IN SCOTLAND > > > > > >| Greetings, > >| > >| I was watching the war series attack on Monte Cassino yesterday, and > the > >| attack by each of the countries troops, and the Polish flag flying in > >| triumph. > >| > >| I am reminded of an ex POW or displaced person who used to ask for a > >| cheese roll at the canteen EVERY single day. Finally, he arrives and > >| asks for 'Ham Roll Please', the lass asks do you want mustard with > >| that?................Cheese Roll please. > >| > >| Ah, nostalgia! Ask a question, from many years back and get great > feed > >| back. Many thanks. I have an address: Col. G.M. Forteath, > Marcassie, > >| Forres, IV36 0RM (Being the owner of the ex farm in 1974) > >| > >| The information that you supplied is wonderful. I remember Forres as > a > >| small sleepy villiage where we got our accumulators charged that ran > the > >| radio. Where we took our cat whose leg was nearly severed by a > >| trap......the vet returning the cat now on three legs said that it > would > >| never catch mice again. It never had before......... but did after > >| becoming a parent!! I think that this apparition on three legs > puzzled > >| the mice until it was to late. > >| > >| Now on a nostalgia mode, we had an Italian POW camp near the farm, I > >| recall the POW's coming to work on the farm, no guards as I recall, > they > >| seemed happy to be out of the war, it could not be far as they marched > >| each day I think. Do you have any knowledge of the POW camp? Now > >| another incident if I may bother you, memories of their swapping us > >| fresh bananas (??????) for the banana powder that we were 'issued'. > >| Seems that they were making ice cream and using the banana powder as a > >| taste treat. ICE CREAM for the POW's??? Did the civilian population > >| have such treats? Amazing how one query leads to more and more! > >| > >| May I send you a copy of my self published book "The Flying P Ships" > >| being a history of the sailing era of the Laeisz Shipping Company of > >| Hamburg, as a thanks for your excellent help? If you care to share > your > >| address, I have no commercial connections! Peter > >| > >| > >| James Flemington wrote: > >| > >| >May I add a bit more? > >| > > >| >Logie would have been a very easy bike ride, about three miles, from > >Forres > >| >airfield which had no perimeter fence and therefore children could > get > >| >access to aircraft being serviced. Although the airfield remained Ir > >| >ministry property for a long time after the war its use as an > airfield > >fell > >| >off in 1944, presumably as training needs changed. The huts used by > the > >RAF > >| >ground crew were handed over to the army and were used to accommodate > >Poles > >| >who had been conscripted into the German army and were captured in > France > >by > >| >the British army. Here they were screened and then drafted into the > Free > >| >Polish army which served with great distinction in France and Italy; > we > >| >remember their gallantry and sacrifice at Monte Cassino. > >| > > >| > > >| >Jim > >| > > >| > > >| >-----Original Message----- > >| >From: Forrest Anderson [mailto:listmail@military-researcher.com] > >| >Sent: 02 April 2006 19:04 > >| >To: WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com > >| >Subject: Re: [WORLD WAR II] RAF AIRFIELDS IN SCOTLAND > >| > > >| >On Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:52:30 -0500, Peter Monks <arethusa@shaw.ca> > >| >wrote: > >| > > >| > > >| > > >| >>We lived on a > >| >>farm property with buildings adjacent to the main farm house/farm > sheds, > >| >>this would have been around 1943 to 1945/6... > >| >> > >| >> > >| > > >| > > >| > > >| >>Around 1974 I... found the actual farm.... Now I cannot remember > >| >>the name and address, but it might have been near Dava at the > junction > >| >>of A939 or was it B9007 and near Logie and A940?? > >| >> > >| >> > >| > > >| > > >| > > >| >>In my fathers service records he is > >| >>listed as > >| >>605 Sqdn 13/9/42 > >| >>11 S. of TT 3 Feb 43 > >| >>19 OTU 8/4/43 > >| >>56 Base 4/11/44 > >| >>19 OTU 26/4/45 > >| >>6 (c) OTU 18/7/45 > >| >>102 PDC Released 27/11/45 > >| >> > >| >> > >| > > >| > > >| > > >| >>As a child I recall being taken to see the aircraft... The aircraft > was > >an > >| >>Anson I believe. Though I have dim memories of Lancasters, but > where > >| >>and when.....?? > >| >> > >| >> > >| > > >| >Having his Service Record is a major help! No 19 Operational Training > >| >Unit, which was formed to train night bomber crews, was based at > >| >Kinloss from the unit's formation in May 1940 to its disbandment on > 26 > >| >Jun 1945. 19 OTU also used the airfield at Forres as a satellite from > >| >1940 or 1941 up to 22 Oct 1944. During its existence, 19 OTU was > >| >equipped with quite a large variety of aircraft, including Ansons. > >| > > >| >After the departure of 19 OTU, 6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit > >| >moved to Kinloss on 18 July 1945, and was equipped with Beaufighters > >| >and Mosquitos. > >| > > >| >Given that the airfield at Forres was less than 5 miles from the > >| >junction at Logie, it rather looks as though he was based at Forres > >| >and Kinloss airfields. > >| > > >| >Forrest > >| > > >| > > >| > > >| > >| > >| ==== WORLDWAR2 Mailing List ==== > >| Please do not send virus warnings to the list. If you have concerns > about > >a virus, contact your list admin or join > VIRUS-DISCUSSIONS-L@rootsweb.com > >subscribe in the subject line. We are an international list. Please > >remember to tell us what country your ancestor was from and what country > you > >are in now if different. This helps us help you. If you give dates > please > >help us understand the date you are referring to. For example: 4 Nov > 1944 > >or Nov 4, 1944. > >| > >| ============================== > >| Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > >| last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > >http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >| > > > > > > > >==== WORLDWAR2 Mailing List ==== > >To post queries/answers to the list, send an email to: > WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com We are an international list. Please remember > to tell us what country your ancestor was from and what country you are in > now if different. This helps us help you. If you give dates please help > us understand the date you are referring to. For example: 4 Nov 1944 or > Nov 4, 1944. > > > >============================== > >Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > >areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > >Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== WORLDWAR2 Mailing List ==== > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Military/WORLDWAR2.html > This is the link to our archives. You may search or browse. Also, > subscribe or unsubscribe and contact admin. We are an international list. > Please remember to tell us what country your ancestor was from and what > country you are in now if different. This helps us help you. If you give > dates please help us understand the date you are referring to. For > example: 4 Nov 1944 or Nov 4, 1944. > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > > ______________________________

Greetings, How delightful, thank you for the memories. I was in London, Southwark after the war, my father worked for the City of London Corporation and we got a flat in a failry modern block around 1946 so they must have been built prewar. Bombed buildings basements were converted to water holding tanks for fire fighting. There was little to scavange, but my father bought a nice grandfather clock at the time c/w a carpet inside. Later we moved to Bletchingly in Surrey, a new bungalow, where I terraced the sloping back garden and listened to my step mother saying how much work they had put into the place. It is of interest to me that the population of England endured the bombing, was there an alternative? Bomber Harris was equally convinced that the bombing of Germany would break their morale and the war would be won! Today there is little evidence of the devastation of those years. I very briefly visited Hamburg and found historical buildings with wonderful structural wood beams that had to be 'modern', in fact one such facade has a brand new building attached behind. Best wishes, Peter Frank Bullen wrote: > Hi! > > I enjoyed your reminiscences of wartime life in Pinner. On September > 3rd, 1939, we were just unpacking our things having t(the previous > day) moved into our "new" house at 21 Tudor Gardens, West Acton - not > all that far from Pinner. We broke for a cup of tea and turned on > the radio, only to hear Neville Chamberlain's broadcast annaouncing > that we were at war with Germany. > > The previous year, my brother and I, as Scouts then living in > Hornhurch, Essex, had assisted in the distribution and fitting of > gasmasks to the local people. We also had an Anderson shelter, in > our back garden at West Acton and, later, a Morrison shelter (the one > under the dining room table. The sides were not solid steel sheet, > but thick wire, welded in squares about 4 inches vertically and > horizontally). One (long) side lifted up for access. > > My father's office was in Old Change, a narrow street off Cheapside, > in the City, just round the corner from St. Paul's Cathedral. By the > end of the war, that office building was an island in a sea of > devastation. I could stand at the corner, looking across Cheapside > and the bombed sites on the other side of the road, and had clear view > of a few similar masonry islands stretching N.N.E. for nearly a mile. > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Geoff Lewin BLAXALL" > <Geoff-Blaxall@beeb.net> > To: <WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 11:16 PM > Subject: Re: [WORLD WAR II] What iot was like for civvies > > >> Dear Peter, >> Your Mum was an "FEA" [Female Engineering Assistant] >> As a lad I worked with many of 'em ! >> Geoff >> All e-mails protected by Mailwasher + Norton AV2005. >> ============================================ >> ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter Monks >> To: WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com >> Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 7:24 PM >> Subject: Re: [WORLD WAR II] RAF AIRFIELDS IN SCOTLAND >> >> >> Greetings, >> >> You wanted expeiences of war time happenings? >> >> When the war broke out we were living, I think, at 78 Tolcarne Drive, >> Northwood Hills, Pinner Middlesex. I do not remember much of the war, >> only that I was an 'expert' on enemy or friendly aircraft (whether >> right >> or wrong I still don't know.) We had two air raid shelters (a Morison >> and an Anderson), one was under the dining room table, it was a steel >> cage--the idea being that if the house collapsed, the table would take >> the brunt of the house fall and the steel cage would back it up. The >> second was a 'standard' corrigated iron semi circular affair that was >> half burried in the back garden and covered with soil. The one in the >> garden was often full of stagnent water, frogs etc. that took up >> residence. >> >> 1941 My mother, at second marriage to Bernard Russell, was an assistant >> engineer G.P.O. (General Post Office) and was installing the top secret >> 'scrambler' phones in places like Winston Churchill's office and the >> Admiralty war office. (Bernard went to Egypt with the RAF Winston >> Specials.) >> >> Mum said that she was 'bombed out' 3 times and 'blown up' in the street >> 5 times, or greater numbers depending on the discussions and >> occasion--traumatic at any time.Mostly the councilling was "Have a >> cuppa >> tea, love, and you'll feel better." >> >> Peter >> >> >> Delilah wrote: >> >> >Can you send a copy to the US - also since your wrote this, I would >> like to >> >hear more about how the people who lived thru WW2 lived, how bad >> was it on >> >them, etc. >> >delilah >> > >> >From: "Peter Monks" <arethusa@shaw.ca> >> >To: <WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com> >> >Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 12:34 PM >> >Subject: Re: [WORLD WAR II] RAF AIRFIELDS IN SCOTLAND >> > >> > >> >| Greetings, >> >| >> >| I was watching the war series attack on Monte Cassino yesterday, >> and the >> >| attack by each of the countries troops, and the Polish flag >> flying in >> >| triumph. >> >| >> >| I am reminded of an ex POW or displaced person who used to ask for a >> >| cheese roll at the canteen EVERY single day. Finally, he arrives >> and >> >| asks for 'Ham Roll Please', the lass asks do you want mustard with >> >| that?................Cheese Roll please. >> >| >> >| Ah, nostalgia! Ask a question, from many years back and get >> great feed >> >| back. Many thanks. I have an address: Col. G.M. Forteath, >> Marcassie, >> >| Forres, IV36 0RM (Being the owner of the ex farm in 1974) >> >| >> >| The information that you supplied is wonderful. I remember >> Forres as a >> >| small sleepy villiage where we got our accumulators charged that >> ran the >> >| radio. Where we took our cat whose leg was nearly severed by a >> >| trap......the vet returning the cat now on three legs said that >> it would >> >| never catch mice again. It never had before......... but did after >> >| becoming a parent!! I think that this apparition on three legs >> puzzled >> >| the mice until it was to late. >> >| >> >| Now on a nostalgia mode, we had an Italian POW camp near the >> farm, I >> >| recall the POW's coming to work on the farm, no guards as I >> recall, they >> >| seemed happy to be out of the war, it could not be far as they >> marched >> >| each day I think. Do you have any knowledge of the POW camp? Now >> >| another incident if I may bother you, memories of their swapping us >> >| fresh bananas (??????) for the banana powder that we were 'issued'. >> >| Seems that they were making ice cream and using the banana powder >> as a >> >| taste treat. ICE CREAM for the POW's??? Did the civilian >> population >> >| have such treats? Amazing how one query leads to more and more! >> >| >> >| May I send you a copy of my self published book "The Flying P Ships" >> >| being a history of the sailing era of the Laeisz Shipping Company of >> >| Hamburg, as a thanks for your excellent help? If you care to >> share your >> >| address, I have no commercial connections! Peter >> >| >> >| >> >| James Flemington wrote: >> >| >> >| >May I add a bit more? >> >| > >> >| >Logie would have been a very easy bike ride, about three miles, >> from >> >Forres >> >| >airfield which had no perimeter fence and therefore children >> could get >> >| >access to aircraft being serviced. Although the airfield >> remained Ir >> >| >ministry property for a long time after the war its use as an >> airfield >> >fell >> >| >off in 1944, presumably as training needs changed. The huts >> used by the >> >RAF >> >| >ground crew were handed over to the army and were used to >> accommodate >> >Poles >> >| >who had been conscripted into the German army and were captured >> in France >> >by >> >| >the British army. Here they were screened and then drafted into >> the Free >> >| >Polish army which served with great distinction in France and >> Italy; we >> >| >remember their gallantry and sacrifice at Monte Cassino. >> >| > >> >| > >> >| >Jim >> >| > >> >| > >> >| >-----Original Message----- >> >| >From: Forrest Anderson [mailto:listmail@military-researcher.com] >> >| >Sent: 02 April 2006 19:04 >> >| >To: WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com >> >| >Subject: Re: [WORLD WAR II] RAF AIRFIELDS IN SCOTLAND >> >| > >> >| >On Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:52:30 -0500, Peter Monks <arethusa@shaw.ca> >> >| >wrote: >> >| > >> >| > >> >| > >> >| >>We lived on a >> >| >>farm property with buildings adjacent to the main farm >> house/farm sheds, >> >| >>this would have been around 1943 to 1945/6... >> >| >> >> >| >> >> >| > >> >| > >> >| > >> >| >>Around 1974 I... found the actual farm.... Now I cannot remember >> >| >>the name and address, but it might have been near Dava at the >> junction >> >| >>of A939 or was it B9007 and near Logie and A940?? >> >| >> >> >| >> >> >| > >> >| > >> >| > >> >| >>In my fathers service records he is >> >| >>listed as >> >| >>605 Sqdn 13/9/42 >> >| >>11 S. of TT 3 Feb 43 >> >| >>19 OTU 8/4/43 >> >| >>56 Base 4/11/44 >> >| >>19 OTU 26/4/45 >> >| >>6 (c) OTU 18/7/45 >> >| >>102 PDC Released 27/11/45 >> >| >> >> >| >> >> >| > >> >| > >> >| > >> >| >>As a child I recall being taken to see the aircraft... The >> aircraft was >> >an >> >| >>Anson I believe. Though I have dim memories of Lancasters, but >> where >> >| >>and when.....?? >> >| >> >> >| >> >> >| > >> >| >Having his Service Record is a major help! No 19 Operational >> Training >> >| >Unit, which was formed to train night bomber crews, was based at >> >| >Kinloss from the unit's formation in May 1940 to its disbandment >> on 26 >> >| >Jun 1945. 19 OTU also used the airfield at Forres as a satellite >> from >> >| >1940 or 1941 up to 22 Oct 1944. During its existence, 19 OTU was >> >| >equipped with quite a large variety of aircraft, including Ansons. >> >| > >> >| >After the departure of 19 OTU, 6 (Coastal) Operational Training >> Unit >> >| >moved to Kinloss on 18 July 1945, and was equipped with >> Beaufighters >> >| >and Mosquitos. >> >| > >> >| >Given that the airfield at Forres was less than 5 miles from the >> >| >junction at Logie, it rather looks as though he was based at Forres >> >| >and Kinloss airfields. >> >| > >> >| >Forrest >> >| > >> >| > >> >| > >> >| >> >| >> >| ==== WORLDWAR2 Mailing List ==== >> >| Please do not send virus warnings to the list. If you have >> concerns about >> >a virus, contact your list admin or join >> VIRUS-DISCUSSIONS-L@rootsweb.com >> >subscribe in the subject line. We are an international list. Please >> >remember to tell us what country your ancestor was from and what >> country you >> >are in now if different. This helps us help you. If you give dates >> please >> >help us understand the date you are referring to. For example: 4 >> Nov 1944 >> >or Nov 4, 1944. >> >| >> >| ============================== >> >| Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added >> in the >> >| last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: >> >http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx >> >| >> > >> > >> > >> >==== WORLDWAR2 Mailing List ==== >> >To post queries/answers to the list, send an email to: >> WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com We are an international list. Please >> remember to tell us what country your ancestor was from and what >> country you are in now if different. This helps us help you. If you >> give dates please help us understand the date you are referring to. >> For example: 4 Nov 1944 or Nov 4, 1944. >> > >> >============================== >> >Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and >> the >> >areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. >> >Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >> >> ==== WORLDWAR2 Mailing List ==== >> http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Military/WORLDWAR2.html >> This is the link to our archives. You may search or browse. Also, >> subscribe or unsubscribe and contact admin. We are an international >> list. Please remember to tell us what country your ancestor was from >> and what country you are in now if different. This helps us help >> you. If you give dates please help us understand the date you are >> referring to. For example: 4 Nov 1944 or Nov 4, 1944. >> >> ============================== >> View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find >> marriage announcements and more. Learn more: >> http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx >> >> ______________________________ > > > > > ==== WORLDWAR2 Mailing List ==== > To post queries/answers to the list, send an email to: > WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com We are an international list. Please > remember to tell us what country your ancestor was from and what > country you are in now if different. This helps us help you. If you > give dates please help us understand the date you are referring to. > For example: 4 Nov 1944 or Nov 4, 1944. > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > >