Date                Time   Location         Damage

01/07/1944    19.55  Rochford       An American Mustang No. 2106688 from

Bottisham Station Cambs. Crashed on waste land at junction of King Henry Drive and Sutton Court Drive and was completely destroyed.  Pilot uninjured.

03/07/1944    09.07  South             1 – ‘Fly’ exploded on marshes 500 yards W of

Fambridge     Norpits Farm and 300 yards S of sea wall.  Slight damage to farmhouse.  N.C.

03/07/1944    09.30  Thundersley 1 – Ux.A.A. Shell fell in field adj. Daws Heath

                                                            Road.  N.D.C.

04/07/1944    16.35  Rochford       1 – 500 lb Ux.H.E. fell from an Allied aircraft into a

sandpit 35 yards W of the W end of Doggett’s Close.  N.D.C.

05/07/1944    00.28  Paglesham    1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in corn field 200 yards NW of

Stannett’s and 600 yards SW of South Hall.  Slight damage to property and crops.    N.C.

05/07/1944    16.00  Canvey          A Naval kite balloon grounded at Northwick Farm. 

                                    Island             N.D.C.

07/07/1944    21.28  Little Warley  1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in field adjoining Codham Hall

                                                            Lane.  2 slight casualties and damage to property.

08/07/1944    03.30  Mountnessing          1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in Thoby Wood.  N.D.C.

08/07/1944    04.15  Billericay        1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in grounds of New Lodge Tye

Common Road 12 slight casualties and extensive damage to property.  Superficial damage was caused to Billericay Police Station.

09/07/1944    12.46  Doddinghurst1 – ‘Fly’ exploded near Gowe’s Farmhouse causing

3 slight casualties and extensive damage to farmhouse and nearby cottages.  Part found bearing stencilled figures 747390.

10/07/1944    02.30  Hadleigh1 – A.A. Shell exploded on roof of ‘Salterns’ Arcadian

                                                            Gardens, causing slight damage.  N.C.

11/07/1944    Unknown  Wickford Richard Casholt, aged 9, of 12 Elm Road Wickford

found a ‘Thunderflash’ on river bank at Wickford and took it home and ignited it.  He sustained injuries to forehead, right arm and leg – treated by local Doctor.

12/07/1944    07.23  Shenfield       1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in field on Hogarth Estate.  Slight

                                                            damage to approx. 50 houses.  N.C.

13/07/1944    17.20  Vange            As a result of a heavy explosion in the Thames

area SW of Vange, Patricia Barling, aged 7, of ‘Narkunda’ Rashleigh Drive Vange received facial injuries through a window falling down on her head at her home.  She was conveyed to Billericay Hospital and detained.  Cause of explosion unknown.

15/07/1944    12.00  Great              A torn and deflated rubber balloon (British) with

Wakering       tinfoil kite attached was found on marshes, nr Halfway House.  Date and time of falling unknown.

17/07/1944    12.20  Hullbridge     An empty auxiliary petrol tank fell from a ‘P.38’ or

‘P.47’ into the back garden of an unoccupied bungalow ‘Willena’ Elm Grove Hullbridge.  N.D.C.

20/07/1944    00.10  Great              The roofs of 2 houses in High Street were

                                    Wakering       damaged by shrapnel.  N.C.

22/07/1944    03.15  Billericay        1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in Springfield Road Perry Street,

causing 1 serious female casualty 2 slight female casualties and 1 male slight.  3 houses demolished and others severely damaged.  10 homeless.

22/07/1944    03.28  Hockley          1 – ‘Fly’ exploded at Northlands Farm Main Road,

causing 1 serious female casualty, 3 female and 1 male slight casualties.  Northlands Farm partially demolished and superficial damage caused to several other houses.  9 homeless.  Figures 250167 stencilled in white.

22/07/1944    03.34  Little                1 – ‘Fly’ exploded on grass land 400 yards NE of Lt

Stambridge    Stambridge Hall.  Superficial damage to Lt Stambridge Hall and 2 farm cottages and buildings.  N.C.

22/07/1944    11.30  Canvey          1 – ‘Fly’ exploded at Deep Water Road causing 3

Island             fatal male casualties, 8 serious (2m, 6f) and 19 slight casualties (6m, 13f).  3 bungalows demolished, 62 bungalows extensively damaged, 98 bungalows slightly damaged and also 12 shops and 1 church.

24/07/1944    00.20  Great              1 – Ux.A.A. Shell fell on Gt Wakering Recreation

Wakering       Ground, 1/4 mile E of Lt Wakering Road junction.  N.D.C.

24/07/1944    00.30  Canewdon    1 – ‘Fly’ exploded 130 yards NE of Lion Wharf on

marshland.  Superficial damage to 6 properties.  Landmines in vicinity detonated by explosion.  N.C.   Number on ‘Fly’ 250194.

24/07/1944    04.45  Shenfield       1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in cornfield between Priests Lane

and Friars Avenue.  6 slight cas. and superficial damage to a large number of houses and shops.  Number on’ Fly’ 250008.

24/07/1944    06.30  Foulness       1 – Yellow oxygen cylinder (Type “D.2”) was found

                                    Point               on the Saltings.  Date and time of falling unknown.

25/07/1944    23.42  Nevendon     1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in field E of ‘Cricketers’ P.H.

Arterial Road causing damage as follows;  Cat. ‘B’ – 2 : Cat. ‘C’ – 4 : Cat. ‘D’ – 30.  Including slight damage to 2 Police houses.  N.C.  8 persons rendered homeless.

26/07/1944    03.25  Pilgrims          1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in open field 1/2 mile S of

Hatch             Ashwell’s Farm Ashwell Road, causing Cat. ‘D’ damage to 19 houses.  N.C.

26/07/1944    15.00  Ramsden       A meteorological balloon kite was found in a

Heath                  field 200 yards from Searchlight site, Dowsetts Lane.  Date and time of falling unknown.

26/07/1944    18.15  Rochford       A barrage balloon drifting over Shopland was shot

down in flames by an RAF ‘plane.  As it descended it startled a horse harnessed to a rake on Butlers Farm.  James Rippongal of 3 Slated Row Shopland a farmworker, who was riding on the rake was thrown off and sustained slight injuries.  No other casualties or damage.

27/07/1944    00.04  Ashingdon    1 ‘Fly’ exploded in field 200 yards N of Moon’s

Cottages and 200 yards E of Moon’s Farm causing superficial damage to a number of dwellings.  N.C.

27/07/1944    02.25  Great Warley 1 ‘Fly’ exploded in field adjoining Bird Lane

causing 1 fatal and 4 slight casualties and the following damage: Cat.’A’ – 1 : Cat. ‘B’ – 2 : Cat. ‘C’ – 13 : Cat. ‘D’ – 15 : Total – 31.

27/07/1944    19.35  Billericay        1 ‘Fly’ exploded in oatfield 800 yards W of Great

Blunt’s farmhouse causing slight damage to property and crops.  N.C.

28/07/1944    00.03  Great              1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in wheatfield 400 yards N of

Burstead        Barleylands Farm.  1 slight casualty and slight damage to property.

29/07/1944    14.20  Billericay        1 – ‘C.C. Fly’ exploded 150 yards S of Blunt’s Wall

Cottages Blunt’s Wall Farm.  2 slight casualties and extensive damage to farmhouse and 2 cottages.

29/07/1944    18.40  Mountnessing 1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in field 80 yards from

Woodlands Farm Blackmore Road causing extensive damage to farmhouse and buildings and slight damage to another farmhouse.  N.C.

29/07/1944     20.00  Childerditch  Anthony Mitchell aged 16, of Home Farm

Childerditch in company with his brother, aged 15, was experimenting with some explosive believed to be Potassium Chlorate – at Childerditch Brickfield.  He placed some explosive in a piece of 1/2″ iron tubing and 4″ long and ignited it, thereby sustaining serious injury to his right hand necessitating his removal to hospital.

29/07/1944    23.10  Hutton            1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in field 150 yards from Sewell’s

woodyard Hanging Hill Lane causing damage to 2 cottages.  N.C.

29/07/1944    23.57  South Weald 1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in field 400 yards S of L.N.E.

railway bridge, Nags Head Lane causing damage to property and telephone wires.  N.C.

30/07/1944    13.44  Canvey          1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in the River Thames 1000 yards

                                    Island             S of Hole Haven.  N.D.C.

31/07/1944    23.30  Canewdon    1 – ‘Fly’ exploded near Lambourne Hall causing

                                                            damage to property.  N.C.

31/07/1944    23.35  Ramsden       1 – ‘C.C.Fly’ exploded in field 200 yards SE of

Bellhouse      Willows Farm causing 1 slight casualty and damage to property.

31/07/1944    23.45  Rochford       1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field 100 yards W of

                                                            railway line Hainault Avenue.  N.D.C.

Notebook 13 July – 29 Aug 1944

Notebook supplied for the Public Service.

13 July

During morning John Morris and I took a Jeep and had a ‘look see’ round the places ‘liberated’ during last weeks battle – our route was Villiers Les Buissons – Buron – Caipiquet Village – Anfield – Verson – Haut du Versons and back West of R Mue through Thaon and Basly.  All these villages were mere mounds of rubble and stank something awful – round Haut du Verson there were dead cows lying about everywhere and the odd body not yet buried.  After this trip we went down to Luc Sur Mer where we had a couple of Grenadines each & so back for lunch.  40 winks after lunch and so on duty at 4.15.  No mail again today – v disappointed.  After dinner started letter to A but masses of bumph came in at 10.30 so didn’t get very far.  Left office at 0030 and so to bed.

From                           To

Nil                                    A.

14 July

Feeling rather homesick today and none to fit – very restless – in am wrote A and had super wash.  For hour before lunch read, smoked, thought alternately.  Saw family of Frenchmen carry bouquets of red white and blue flowers and place them on the two graves just by C Mess where 3 Sappers are buried – v touching.  After lunch slept, read & thought til 4 then on duty.  Letters from A, L and Dorothy made my longing to be at home the more.  Off duty at 11 pm & so to bed by light of captured Boche nightlight.

Letters from                           To

         A L Dorothy                             A

15 July

On ‘information room’ today – nothing happening on all fronts – read at intervals and wrote A during morning – sent note to Bill Maughn – hope to see him some time.  No mail today – again felt far from fit, lazy, sans pep and not enjoying life much, paid Mess Bill 440 frs Bed at 11 ocl.

Letters from               To

Nil                               A

16 July

Information Room all day, very tiring answering bloody stupid questions most of the time.  Felt depressed all day.  Weather and this and that – only letter was from Aunt Dolly – Wrote A and read ‘I will maintain’.

From                           To

Aunt Dolly                  A

17 July

Nothing much today – on duty from 0800 – 1600 hrs – much warmer in afternoon with brilliant sunshine ½ hrs face tanning before tea – ditto after tea, then early dinner and wrote A and L.  Optimistic chat and glass of whisky with David Carey and then early to bed.  Nearly finished ‘I will maintain’ – first class – What of the morrow it should prove to be one of the greatest ever?

From                           To

L (14^th)                       A

B (14^th)                       L

B

18 July

Up at 5.45 am and saw most amazing sight yet – 1100 Lancs followed by many 100s medium bombers and 1500 Forts and Liberators – Big Day – H hour 8.20 and barrage put down by 880 guns excl 3 Destroyers and a 15 in Monitor!  Magnificent start with ammn through to Bouquetus by lunch-time – tank battle now in progress (5.30 pm).  Armd Divs taking part are 11^th, 7^th (Desert Rats) and Guards Armd – 3 Br on left, 3 Cdn on right – Quiet morning – ½ hr kip after lunch then up to PW cage at Eazelle with Ken Hurell.  About 60 there with 5-600 on way.  Very young and filthy most of them – lousy – much pornographic stuff on them.  One very typical young Nazi officer.  Pottered after tea dinner early after which I wrote A, listened to the news and then on duty at 11 pm.  GREAT DAY.

To A                            From A

19 July

Uneventful day – consolidation and good work on right by 2 Cdn Corps – 9 Br not in TROARN.  New G1 arrived.  Was on duty from 2300-0800.  Egg for breakfast and sleep, no lunch, til 3.30 when on duty again.  At 2300 hrs off duty and went along to John Morris farewell brawl – flat out – bed at 12 ocl midnight – Ruski news first class also fall of Arena & Leghorn

From                                       To

G                                             (letter to A posted am)

(written part today)

20 July Duty 0800-1600.

Heavenly day up to 1600 when it fair poured with rain – still is (now 7.20 pm.  chess with Ken Rigg after tea during terrific thunderstorm.  Warning order we move to BIEVILLE tomorrow. ? Attempt on Hitler’s life announced.  Battle a bit static today – total PW East of ORNE since 18^th – 2200.  Not too dingy by half.  Mucked about after dinner with only one object in view namely to meet the post – nothing arrived so to bed at 10.30 – David C brought mail down at 10.35 – great show – super letter from A and long jaunty one from Aunt Clara

From                                       To A – lettercard

A                                                  A – letter

Aunt Clara

ECS of 14^th

21 July On duty 1600-2300.  Absolutely torrent of rain this morning – after resuming my bed had game of chess with Ken Rigg – won.  News of a rival Govt formed by Generals in Germany? Truth – Nazi trying to say only small clique but must be something in it – nothing much while I was on duty.  Unpleasant bite by ? mosquito.  Slept high and dry – Ken moved into some blgs – rain practically whole day.

Illustration

To A                From – no letters today for anyone

22 July Duty 0800 – 1600 – no move of Corps HQ today – not so much rain but v wet and boggy everywhere.  Nothing much in news line.  At 1810 hrs I was just getting things organised in my tent when a “buzz bomb” flew over – going North to South – very low – under 2000 ft cloud ceiling –

Illustration.

Intended after dinner to go out and visit Ian but no vehicle – long chat with new G1 (Butler) found he knew Tom Thomas well & many old N African haunts.  Bed earlyish but disturbed night owing to very heavy AA fire.

Mail

To – A                                    From No mail in

L

23 July not called til 7.30 – infm room at 0815 then b’fast after.  Dullish morning though I did a lot of map marking made time go fairly fast.  Nothing at all exciting from Germany – revolt has probably fizzled out – I wonder.   After tea attended evening Service.   I was only one there – 2 came in half way through.  Nothing exciting to report today – no rain thank goodness.  Our move to BIEVILLE postponed to (earliest) 27^th – Super letter from A.  not feeling so hot after dinner.

To – B                                    From A

24 July

Bloody awful night – very sick.  Up at 7.30 and in infm room at 8.15 feeling like death warmed up – tea and biscuits for b’fast.  News from Russia first class – say German Army in central sector has disintegrated & hope to be in WARSAW in 24 hrs.  Only 50 m to go by lunch time.  Saw Dr at 12.30 & after a light lunch & castor oil slept from 1.30 – 6.30 pm.  light dinner, wrote A after and bed v early with more medicine.

From L                                   To – A

J.B.

25 July (Tuesday)

Attack at 0300 hrs by 2 & 3 Cdn Divs with in Sp Gds Armd & 7 Armd.  Attack by 2115 (now) not too good, progress made though but slow, armour not first in.  Wrote a few letters in am.  After lunch to Delivrande fixing hall etc for conference tomorrow pm, then to rear HQ (cashed cheque for £4) and on to have a chat with Francis.  Back for tea and afterwards in search of Ian and John Higson – found neither but run out was good fun – area round Epron & Galmanche has awful last war look about it.  Still not feeling too fit and very tired – duty at 2300 hrs.  short drink (lemon squash) with David Carey before ‘short’ dinner.  After dinner listened to news and wrote letters.

To G                                                   From   A

AJA                                                                L

Aunt Clara                                                     B

26 July Off duty, nothing much but no sleep, at 8 ocl.  Bed from 0930 – 1 ocl when got up, lunch and then down to La Mairie, Delivrande taking minutes of conference.  Bill H there.  On duty on return (5.30 pm) until 11 pm – feeling v tired.  Spent most of evening writing up minutes 4½ sheets foolscap.  Super parcels from A & L, ackd by letter card.  No war news of note.

From Parcels A]                   To           A]  letter cards

    L] SS                                              L]

Letter A

27 July  

David Carey left today, was very sorry to say goodbye to him.  Came off duty at 4 ocl.  After tea wrote to A and L then pottered til dinner time.  Went out after dinner to see John Hig who I found in excellent form but in a bad way, physical & mental.  His ‘mucking’ about – quite unreasonably sacking from Cmd – etc etc made me feel very humble.  Got back at 10.30 then straight to bed.

From A                                   To A]

ECS                                             L] letters

28 July quiet morning letter writing.  Met John Hig at 12.45 and ‘cracked’ my bottle of beer with him and had long chat after lunch – he’s had a thoroughly raw deal.  Snooze before tea.  After tea wrote A and generally lazed around.  Walk with Stephen Garrett before going on duty at 10 pm.  Yanks doing well.

From L                                               To A

     Aunt Beatrix

     Mrs C

     Mrs Samson

29 July

Yanks going great guns still – keep it up.  Had good night about 4 hrs sleep in the KRAAL thanks to ‘Colombelles’ – Slept during morning and read after lunch ‘til 4 when I went on duty.  Super dinner – meat, cauliflower, sauté potatoes.  Off at 10 pm, drink with a G3 (L) (Major) on the G1!  Mine was a double!  Wrote short pencil letter to A in V1

From A (2)                                         To A

30 July

Better day today – sunny & warm.  Cerrick, who I used to know well at Uppingham, came in to see me this morning – he is G3 (L) 49 Div.  Knocked off work at 4 pm and had half hours sunbathing in my vest (and trews!) before a *** tea.  After tea letters and went with Charles Woodford to LUC SUR MER to see “Song of Bernadette” – Excellent.  Dinner at 9.45 pm.  30 Corps battle going slowly but surely.  Flies too much in evidence – feeling v confident of an early D day today.

To Barclays Bank (Statement) From – Nil

A

L

31 July

Not much gen in today from 8, 30 Corps or Yanks but things going OK – In inform room – Hay, in charge of stealing, iniquitous came up to see me from 16 Bty and had dinner – good game of soccer for offrs v Sgts won 6-4 great game but shall feel v stiff – must have 5/- with Mrs Blackett before I play any serious game again.  No mail again today – knocked off 10.15 & wrote in V1

To A                                        From – Nil

1 – 12 July 1944                         

Notebook supplied for the Public Service.

1 July – No mail today.

Again day of probing by Hun a day which has cost him about 30 tks and hvy inf cas.  Most attacks in Banneville, Ramay, Vendes, Le Valtin area.  Nothing from our part of the world.  Came off duty at 1600 hrs after slack day – kip ‘til 1830!  Then finished letter to A.  Listened to news at 9 ocl with John Morris and back, in pouring rain to tent – read, of all things, manage service and so to bed.  Several v tgts fired this evening – odd shells landing nearby at this moment? 88s

To                                                   From

A                                                     –

2 July duty 0800 – 1600 hrs.

Nothing of great interest on the war form – pretty unsuitable wet day.  In evening went along with John Morris to a concert – Biff Bynton and His Boys!  Quite good.  Early to bed.

To                                                   From

A                                                     A 27 Jun

L                                                      L 27Jun

                                                        ECS 23 Jun

3 July

Not on duty at all today – very idle.  In morning took an airborne push bike and went over to Rear HQ (a) to give them the latest ‘gen’ (b) to cash a cheque (£6).  Got simply covered in mud – returned and had good wash and change of clothes.  Read ‘Doomsday’ by Warwick Deeping before lunch.  After lunch tried to sleep but couldn’t – read on bed til tea time.  Read again after tea.  At 7 ocl Martin Bunch & I went over to Barville where we had an excellent dinner with 16 Bty who were in great form.  Back at 10 pm and wrote to A in Vic I – On duty midnight.  Eileen a Sergeant.  Great Work.

From A – 28                                  To A

         Bill – 28

4 July

Attack on Carpiquet airfield started at 0500 hrs – v hectic from 0500 – 0800 when I came off duty.  B’fast then to bed.  Slept excellent from 0915 – 1600 hrs.  Good tea – biscuits – farm yard butter – cream cheese – jam.  Now sitting in my tent about to write A and Gerald.

Packed up parcel having come by some brown paper at last.  Attack fairly successful though not yet complete.  So far has been a lovely day but it’s just beginning to rain – same of A’s ‘lambedrats’ eating my camouflage!

To A                                               From –

Gerald

5 July

Off duty at 0800 – amazing how light and airy one feels coming off duty (hectic night) with the prospect of a good breakfast and a spot of bed.  In bed at 9.15 – ** at 12.30 and woke unaided at 4.15.  To my great delight found letters from A, L and Brian waiting for me.  Shave, wash, tea at 5.15.  After tea wrote A and then dinner.  Wrote L after dinner – on bed 10 ocl but as usual merely dozed.  Lovely day sunny and warm.  Relieved Stephan at midnight.  Also wrote Martin RAF & Ranceby – they seem to have been very good to A – Very relieving thought.  Full moon, what wouldn’t I give to be seeing it with A.  Big things tied up for Saturday.

To A                                                    From A, 30/1 July

Martin, RAF Hosp +                         L 30^th

L                                                          Brian 30^th

Brian                                                   Jack B

Jack B

6 July.

Nothing much happened during night – came off duty 8 ocl and went to bed after b’fast getting up just in time for tea and the reception of a wizard letter from A which had only taken 2 days to get here.  Read most of evening and finished Robert E*** ‘The Journey’ which really was excellent and well worth reading.  Thunder storm in evening just to add to the general tone of things!  Otherwise nothing much to report.

From A (4 Jul)                              To A

7 July.

Off duty at 8 ocl – one or two shells fell closeish (about 500^x!) away during night – everyone thought it a hell of a show!  Didn’t sleep in morning but had a super bath, hair wash etc – in trop shirt, sleeves up, for rest of day.  Slept from 1.30 pm – 7 ocl then after dinner went up and relieved Stephen G at 10 ocl.  At 9.50 prompt 450 Lancs went over at 4-5000 ft and bombed area just N of CAEN – incredible sight – (no Oerlekon shell bullets all but hit yours truly whilst standing mouth open, watching the attack).  Quietish evening though slight flap in preparation for tomorrow’s big battle.  Wrote A after dinner.  Sent 25/- to Brian to buy odd things – A book, A, L and Dorothy flowers

From L                                           To A

         G                                           Brian

8 July

D day for capture of CAEN.  On duty from 10 last night until 3.15 then to bed.  Up at 7.15 then breakfast.  Had a good wash and shave and then back again on duty until 6 ocl when I sloped off and wrote to A – after dinner Ken and I took a walk up to PW cage and saw about 350 of the swine, a thoroughly moth eaten looking lot, cruel and very young – nearly all 12 SS Div.  Wrote in Vic 1 to Lois bed at midnight.

From                                              To

Brian                                              A

Eric Brough                                   Lois

9 July

Longish day – should have been up at 7.30 but was rather prematurely aroused at 5.45!  On duty all day until 7.30.  Battle went very well indeed. Caen (up to line river-canal was cleared by 1.30 pm.  No real excitements during day – last night Hun bombers were very busy dropping flares over the beaches but heard no bombs drop.  After dinner wrote A and then walked up to PW cage with David Carly on return we had a drop of whisky and then to bed boy shall I sleep like a log – yessir.

From                                              To

Nil                                                   A

10 July

Up in the morning early – called at 7 ocl with good cup of char.  Relieved Stephen at 8 and was on duty until lunch-time after which I slept like a log until 5 ocl when I got up for tea – second mail-less day running.  I then cleaned my ‘office case’ thoroughly and wrote to A – after dinner slept until 10.30 when Ken Rigg woke me up but fell asleep again waking with a start at 0020 hrs – and was a bit late on parade.

From Nil                                          A

11 July

On duty at midnight – only item of interest during the night was an attack by 51 (H) Div on the Columbelles Factory area – not a success and by lunch-time they were back where they started.  Came off duty at 0800 hrs and after breakfast (and a good egg) and shave bedded down and slept til 4 ocl.  Tea then up to office to see if the postman has ‘played the game by me today’ – he has and letters from A, L and G.  Very relieved to hear A’s leave OK and safely arrived in C.  Wrote A there.  At 6.45 met John Morris and went to concert in DOUVRES with him.  Excellent show – OC was one of those who came up with an ENSA party to Scotland.  Back at 9.30 after dinner went along to Vic 1 where I finished off my letter to A and wrote L – on duty 2355 hrs – jolly good show!

From                                              To

A – 7^th (posted 9^th)                       A

L – 7&8 (1 letter)                           L

G – 9^th

12 July

Slightly improved weather today – Came off at 8 ocl after very boring and cold night – breakfast – S, S & S! then to bed at 10 ocl – bread for b’fast (2 slices retained for dinner) – slept til 1 ocl then from 2-3-45 pm.  On duty at 4 ocl very little happening – we have now lost 3 Cdn Div who have gone to 2 Corps (Cdn).  Not a bad dinner – soup, hash peas & spuds – bread and cheese, coffee.  No letters today.  Feeling very tired tonight and completely pep-less.  Sheet on bed today.  Weather improved slightly this pm – sunny and quite warm.  Russians only 60 miles from East Prussia – bash on the Ruskis.

From                                              To A

ECS of 7Jul                                      G

End of this notebook.

July 1944

(Britain)

Canvey Island Councillor Ray Howard MBE was only a 2 year old child when a V-1 Flying bomb destroyed his home. As reprisals for the Allied invasion of Normandy, German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler ordered the launching of V-1 Flying Bombs on the primary target, London. Over 9,500 V-1’s were launched from sites in France beginning on the 13^th July 1944 until October 1944. The V-1 Flying bomb had a sheet steel fuselage with plywood wings and a simple Pulse-Jet engine mounted on the top. Inside the fuselage was a gyroscope guidance system, fuel for the engine and explosive impact fuses which were activated when landing. On the 22^nd July 1944 anti-aircraft guns, mounted along the river, aimed and hit one V-1 during its flight over the Thames estuary. The shell hit the V-1 on one side causing it to deviate from its course. Once the Pulse-Jet engine cut-out it crash landed and exploded in Deepwater Road, Canvey Island. The V-1 actually fell on Ped Scott’s property and he must have died instantly as he was home at the time. The Howard family lived next door and the blast destroyed their home. Two Howard children died, Eric aged 7 and Peter aged 5. Betty Brace, who was a cousin of the Howard children, was another victim of the blast. Betty was a young girl delivering newspapers. Ray Howard, 2 years old, was trapped in the rubble alongside his sister Doris and their mother. The three were rescued by Nurse Andrews when she pulled Ray, Doris and their mother from the wreckage. Mother, son and daughter survived, but Ray’s injuries were so bad he spent over six months in hospital. Upon leaving hospital, on a weekly basis up to the age of nine, Ray had to have pieces of glass removed surgically. Many buildings including the “Red Cow” public house were either damaged or destroyed. Ray survived the war and went on to become a passionate councillor for Canvey Island. On the 23^rd November 2017 Ray was awarded the MBE in recognition of his long service for the welfare of Canvey Island and district.       

—————————————————————

……,,

Telephone No. GERRARD 9234

Extn 3800.

AIR MINISTRY,

73-77 OXFORD STREET

LONDON,

W.1.

20^th July 1944.

P.415526/4/44/P.4.Cas.B.4.

Madam,

            I am directed to refer to the letter dated 26^th May 1944 from the Department, and to inform you that the German Authorities have now established the identity of one of the two unknown members of this Halifax aircraft as Sergeant E.M. Keep.

I am to add an expression of the Department’s sympathy with you in your anxiety, and to assure you that you will be informed of any further news received.

I am, Madam,

Your obedient Servant,

Signature unreadable

for Director of Personal Services.

Mrs. E. Wilkinson,

1068 Bury Road,

Breightmet,

Bolton,

Lancashire.

Telephone No. Worcester 3411.

AIR MINISTRY,

WHITTINGTON ROAD,

WORCESTER.

12^th July 1944.

WILKINSON 2211339/7k

Madam,

2211339 Sergeant E. Wilkinson

            With reference to this Department’s letter dated 31^st May, 1944, you will no doubt be aware from the “Notes for guidance” which have been sent to you that although your husband is still unfortunately officially regarded as missing, the regulations do not provide for the payment of temporary allowance to be continued at family allowance rate for more than a period of 26 weeks, and that any subsequent payments must be based on the rate of pension which would be payable had your husband been officially reported as a fatal casualty.

In these circumstances I am to inform you that unless further information is received regarding your husband, the temporary allowance at present in issue will continue up to week number 30 (order due for payment on 28^th September,1944) after which the allowance will be reduced to 23s. 4d. a week, but if further information is received, it may be necessary to reduce your allowance from an earlier date.  In this event you would be notified accordingly.

A further communication regarding an exchange of allowance books will be addressed to you in due course.

The certificates submitted by you are returned herewith and the receipt Form 157A enclosed should be completed and returned to this Department.

I am to add, with reference to the medical certificate, that your eligibility to the higher rate of pension has been carefully considered but as it is evident that you are able to do part time work, it is regretted that you cannot be regarded as incapacitated from self support for the purpose of an award at the higher rate.

I am, Madam,

Your obedient Servant,

Signature unreadable

for Director of Accounts.

Mrs. E. Wilkinson,

1068 Bury Road,

Breightmet,

Bolton,

Lancashire.

G Branch

HQ I Corps

B.W.E.F.

5 July 44

My dearest Maz,

So very many thanks for your long and sweet letter of the 20^th which I received at tea-time today.  Yes, I knew you wouldn’t write about Eileen until you had heard from me that she had told me – I am so very grateful for all the many many things you have done for her and she writes so often to say how sweet you’ve been to her.  By the time this reaches you she should be home and I hope you have some jolly times together – the platitude uttered at most weddings ‘we’ve not lost a son but gained a daughter’ has been very true, hasn’t it, and that thought, besides relieving my anxieties gives me untold pleasure.  You have all been so very good to Eileen and to me and I shall be eternally grateful.  Yes one takes a lot of comfort from the knowledge that all is set fair for the production of a family in due course – as you know there were doubts at one time, now all those doubts are dispelled.  Many thanks for forwarding Jack’s letter on to me – I had, oddly enough, written to him about a week ago.  A couple of days ago I started working at nights for a week – midnight ‘til 8 am so I now sleep during the day.  The weather, which has been more like April than July this last week, has now taken a turn for the good and today, on what little I’ve seen of the day, has been warm and sunny.  I had a very nice letter from Bill the other day and was so glad to hear from you that Dorothy had received my letter.  The news from Russia is most encouraging isn’t it?  Yes, I’m still extremely optimistic about our bet.  Maz dear I think it would be advisable to keep my present until we meet again, though on second thoughts how about changing it (if it was a cheque) into something material – the things I am most in need of are baccy, writing paper and envelopes and Ever Ready Razor blades.  Also I should be most grateful if you could let me have a few magazine type books – World Digest, Readers Digest etc.  otherwise I have everything I need – if you could let me have a cake it would be too good for words and I could send the tin back with a cheese or two in it!  on looking this through I seem to want an awful lot.

The day before yesterday I went over and had dinner with Robin Dunn and Co and found them in excellent form, they have, touching wood, been extremely lucky so far and were in great heart, otherwise by way of news from here I have very little to offer.  Please thank Elli very much for his long and interesting letter to which I hope to reply tomorrow evening.  Yes, you might just about now to have been coming up to Uppingham, they were good days, days which one only lives once.  I can honestly say that my younger days must have been as happy as anyone could have had, made so entirely by the fact that you and Pari did so very much for me – but the thing which I shall remember always was the encouragement you gave me in the small things I did and the interest you showed, and then the way you took to Eileen – she is one in a million and I marvel sometimes at my great good fortune at so early an age.  Maz dear I must close.  I do so hope all goes well with you and live only for the day when I see Jumbo and the Town Hall from the carriage window.  Much love – God bless you.

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

            Illustration (that’s what I long to see again!)

In envelope headed ‘On Active Service’ addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 439 dated 6 JY 44.  Passed by censor No 15487 and signed P.C. Benham Capt.

On front of envelope Written July 5^th 1944 rec July 18^th1944. (16)

July 1944

(France – Normandy)

Having secured all five beaches on the Normandy coastline, the Allied invasion on D-Day (6^th June 1944) had not reached the planned objectives at the day’s end. Stubborn resistance by the German defenders slowed down the Allied advance inland from the beaches. Both sides took heavy casualties. In the early hours of the 9^th July 1944 British and Canadian patrols entered the city of Caen, following the evacuation of the Germans. By noon the city was liberated and French civilians came out of their homes to celebrate with the troops bringing with them glasses and bottles of wine. U.S. troops consolidated and began the advance to Saint-Lo, in the Carentan region of north-west Normandy but ran into resistance which turned into the “Battle of the Hedgerows” in the Bocage. During the planning stages of D-Day the Allied intelligence had not properly evaluated the area. They faced narrow roads and fields surrounded by hedgerows plus the fact the German defenders flooded the area by opening up the sea defences. By the 18^th July 1944 Saint-Lo, an important rail complex, was overrun. The final destination was the deep-water Port of Cherbourg. The out-numbered German defenders surrendered and the port was liberated on the 29^th July 1944.

German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, Supreme Commander of the German Atlantic wall, was at home celebrating his wife’s 50^th Birthday when the Allied forces landed in Normandy on D-Day. He was immediately recalled and returned to his headquarters. In a meeting with Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, Rommel was rebuffed and told to focus on military operations, when he requested re-enforcements for the defence of Normandy. By mid-July 1944 the German defensive positions were crumbling. On the 17^th July 1944, returning from a visit to the headquarters of the 1^st SS Panzer Corps, the car he was travelling in was strafed by an RAF fighter plane near Sainte-Foy-de-Montgomery. The driver of the staff car speeded up but was wounded and the car veered off the road and hit some trees. Rommel was badly injured with glass wounds to the left side of his face and skull fractures. He was hospitalised and never involved in anymore military operations again until his possible involvement in the 20 July Plot to assassinate Hitler.

(Germany)

A Group of mainly Wehmacht Officers plotted to assassinate Hitler, overthrow the Nazi regime and make peace with the Allies. On the 20^th July 1944 the bomb hidden in a briefcase was moved behind the large heavy legs of a table so that the force of the explosion missed Hitler and he was injured. The plot failed and 7,000 suspects were arrested, Claus von Stauffenburg, as leader of the plot together with 4,980 were executed.

The Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter entered service in the Nazi Luftwaffe on the 18^th July 1944 The Me262 was considerably faster than the conventional British piston-engine fighter. They were also more heavily armed, but because of the greater speed, only short bursts of machine-gun fire was available for each attack run. The first aerial engagement was with an unarmed British de Havilland Mosquito over Germany on the 26^th July 1944. Flying on a reconnaissance mission over Munich, the Mosquito evaded the three attempts by the Me262 to shoot it down. Although the Mosquito sustained some damage, the pilot successfully landed safely at Fermo in Italy.

The Messerschmitt Co designed, tested and produced the Me163B Komet rocket fighter, and was an addition to the to the more famous Me262 jet fighter. Me163B was the only rocket powered fighter aircraft in history and in addition, the first aircraft to exceed 620 mph (1,000 km/hr). Because of its high speed the Me162B only had a short time in which to attack the enemy, it took several runs to achieve any chance of success. On the 28^th July 1944 the first aerial combat between one Me162B and two USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress bombers occurred. The B-17s were flying on one of over 6,000 raids on the Leuna Synthetic Fuel Facilities in Saxony, Germany.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            No records can be found of the outcome, despite the fact the engagement occurred.

(Eastern Front)

On the Eastern Front in July 1944 Germanys’ impetus had finally been halted. The Soviet Union’s Red Army began a large scale counter-attack. On a front from the north coast of Estonia, located in the Gulf of Finland, stretching south to Ukraine, located by the Black Sea the counter-attack began. The city of Minsk was captured on the 4^th July 1944. By the 26^th July 1944 the Red Army had captured the besieged city of Leningrad and on the 28^th July 1944 the Soviet troops had defeated the Germans at Brest- Litovsk. Nazi Germany continued to retreat until the end of the war in May 1945.

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Whilst the Red Army were sustaining losses and starvation on the battlefields, the civilian population of the Soviet Union also suffered the privations of war. One prime example was that of Tanya Savicheva, a 14 year old girl who basically died of starvation in besieged Leningrad. On the 1^st July 1944 Tanya succumbed to intestinal tuberculosis. Tanya was born in January 1930, to a baker father and seamstress mother, the youngest of five children. When she was six years old her father died leaving his widow with three girls and two boys. In an attempt to wipe Leningrad “off the map” the Germans began the bombardment of the city, cutting off supplies and the siege of Leningrad began in 1941. The bombardment destroyed all the stored supplies for the city. The family had originally decided to stay in Leningrad rather than leave for the countryside. Instead the family were trapped, unable to leave. With exception of one brother, who had joined the partisans, the whole family worked to support the Army. At 11 years old, Tanya worked at digging trenches and helped by extinguishing firebombs. About this time she began keeping diaries and recording daily events, but eventually these diaries were burnt in order to help to keep the family warm in the harshest of winter weather. Whatever could be eaten was eaten, as food was not getting through to the civilians. Her sister Nina disappeared during a bombardment on Leningrad and her family assumed she had died. Nina had a notebook for her work commitment which included alphabetical pages left blank. Only nine entries went into the diary, the first on the 28^th December 1941

Zhenya died on 28^th Dec at 12.00 PM 1941.

Grandma died on 25^th Jan. 3 PM 1942.

Leka died on 17^th March at 5 AM 1942.                                                                                                                     

Uncle Vasya died on 13^th Apr. at 2 o’clock after midnight 1942.

Uncle Leshla on 10^th May at 7.30 AM 1942.

Mum on 13^th May at 7.39 AM 1942.

Savichevs died.

Everyone died.

Only Tanya is left.

As one of approximately 140 orphaned children she was taken to a village outside Leningrad in August 1942 by a specialist nursing brigade. Although most of the children survived, Tanya was too ill and sent to hospital. For two years she hung on but finally died of intestinal tuberculosis on the 1^st July 1944, aged 14. However, Tanya’s sister, Nina and brother, Mikhail survived the war. Nina returned to the family home in Leningrad and found the notebook with Tanya’s little diary inside. She gave the diary to a journalist and it is now on display in the Museum of Leningrad History in St. Petersburg.  

—                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

(Eastern Front – Poland)

The resistance movement of the Polish Home Army underground forces began an uprising against Nazi German occupation of the city of Lviv on the 23^rd July 1944. Operation Tempest was the codename for the secret plan by the Soviet Union to advance on the Eastern Front. The Red Army had advanced into Poland in late 1943 and the German forces in the occupied city of Lviv was targeted. The uprising in the district of Lwow lasted from the 23^rd-27^th July 1944 by Polish troops and the underground movement. The Red Army assisted by the gradually increasing Soviet 10^th Tank Corps. Upon the capture of the city the Red Army disarmed all Polish troops. The officers were arrested by the Soviet NKVD. The ordinary Polish soldiers were either arrested, conscripted in the Red Army or sent to Gulag camps. The German occupation of the city was replaced by the Soviet occupation.

On the outskirts of the city of Lublin, in central Poland, the Nazi operated Majdanek concentration camp was liberated by Soviet troops on the 24^th July 1944. The rapid advance of the Red Army during 0peration Bagration prevented the German SS guards from destroying the infrastructure. Majdanek was one of the largest Nazi concentration camps, consisting of seven gas chambers, two wooden gallows and 227 structural building. To house Polish slave labour, Majdanek was originally intended to be a labour camp rather than an extermination camp. However, from October 1941, the German plan was to murder Polish Jews on an industrial scale. When the Soviet troops captured the city, Majdanek was virtually intact and the Nazi SS guards had failed to remove the most incriminating evidence of war crimes. The site was from then on protected by the Soviet Union. The intact gas chambers and crematorium ovens were turned into a museum whilst the war was still ongoing. By turning the site into a museum, it served as some of the examples of the genocidal policy of Nazi Germany.          

(Pacific)

In the Pacific the fortunes of war had turned against the Japanese. During the Battle of Saipan, on the 7^th July 1944, the largest banzai charge took place against the American 105^th Infantry Regiment. The banzai charge is considered by the Japanese to be an “honourable suicide attack” rather than be captured by the enemy. Almost 4,300 Japanese troops, walking wounded and unarmed civilians were ordered to carry out the charge. The 15 hour pitched battle was ultimately repulsed and almost all of the Japanese were killed. On the 8^th July 1944 Saipan was declared secure but the Americans had lost almost 2,000 men to achieve the victory. With Saipan secured and the recently introduced Boeing B-29 Superfortress Strategic bombers flying out of newly built airfields Tokyo was in range as a target.  On the 10^th July 1944, B-29 bombers attacked the city for the first time since the Doolittle Raids in April 1942. Incendiary bombs were dropped on the city as they were effective against wood and paper buildings.  On the island of Papua New Guinea the Japanese were still resisting. On the 18^th July 1944 Hideki Tojo resigned as Japanese chief minister of government. He had that position during the glory days of Japan and was fully supported by Emperor Hirohito. Following the fall of Saipan he had lost the support of the Emperor and forced to resign. The Second Battle of Guam began on the 21^st July 1944 when U.S Marines landed on the island in readiness to recapturing the island. During the First Battle of Guam the Japanese captured the U.S. territory in the Mariana Islands in 1941. U.S. Marines invaded Tinian Island on the 24^th July 1944. The island had formed part of the Japanese line of communications and its location is too close to Saipan to allow it to be bypassed. The island was secured on the 1^st August 1944 and joined Saipan and Guam as a base for the B-29 bombers.

(Other Areas)

Franklin D. Roosevelt announced he would run for a fourth term as President of the United States of America on the 11^th July 1944, despite his declining health. Apparently he later told a confidant that he might resign from the presidency following the end of the war. His first term as President began in March 1943 during the worst depression in its history. A quarter of the workforce were unemployed and over two million people were homeless. His policies of “relief, recovery and reform” was successful which enabled the U.S. to become a powerful nation. When the European War began in 1939, America was supplying the Allies on a “Lease-lend” basis.  American involvement in the Second World War was when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour in December 1941.

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