Ok you lot, what are you doing on the day of days.
I’ve just found out that unlike the past few years, it’s going to be held at the village war memorial for a change and for those of you who don’t know what the beautiful setting of our war memorial is like, check out Finchingfield on the net.
For years we paraded the Scouts and the old Boys down there, no hardship, we had bagpipe players and buglers and it always seems to be a lovely day, but a change of vicar decided it would be better in the church with the central heating on. After once putting up with a thunderous sermon in the church, I’ve spent the last few years alone at the real site, b##### me those poor sods at Ypres and during the Battle of the Bulge didn’t have central heating, but we’ve had a change of vicar, who obviously wants to get real.
Don’t get me wrong, if we had an overwhelming number of old boys who were incapacitated, fair enough, but the really old boy we have here is Sir John Ruggles Brise who’s brother was killed in Normandy in 1944, he may be 97 but he’s a compus mentis good old stick who will be there.
A small village but many names on the memorial, I remember last year, I stood alone on the green and 2 young, keen type cyclists went passed and both of them dipped their heads in salute, I was very impressed, it was interesting to compare their attitude to the wandering tourists of relevant age who couldn’t seem to give a damn.
Unfortunately the war memorial was vandalised in September, a drunken youth climbed to the top and broke off the cross, it was probably loose anyway after 80 years.
In his defence, he has admitted the guilt, shown extreme remorse, raised several hundred pounds for it’s reinstatement and his father, a stone mason, is going to put things right, ok kids can be gits, but I think that his actions show that some can think about the significance of what they have done, can’t find out who it is though.
Just for AG, the designer of the Finchingfield war memorial was Arthur Legge, a well known local artist, should you be lurking round this area, he lived in the cottage next to the entrance to the churchyard by the school entrance, he is in fact buried next to this entrance and his cottage, the grave being marked by a timber tombstone with a little roof over it.
How sad, after 20 years, this will be my last appearance at our local memorial, however, I shall think of my old man, his 2nd missed remembrance day.
By: stuart gowans - 9th November 2006 at 16:49
You will all be pleased to know that the remorsefull youth who climbed the war memorial and broke off the cross has organised for it to be repaired in quick time and the work was completed this week, ( and featured on Anglia News ), good for him, wev’e all done silly things in our miss-spent youth, I suspect that he prevented an accident waiting to happen, a loose cross falling on a group of wreath laying Cubs could have been a disaster.
As AG mentioned, the incident of the German pilot breaking his leg on the war memorial beggars believe.
A Heinkel attacking Bocking Courtaulds factory was shot down by a Hurricane, though this pilot was also shot down and killed by return fire.
The Heinkel crew bailed out and landed in a string across Finchingfield Green, the pilot hitting the war memorial and breaking his leg.
The crew surrended without any trouble and were arrested by the local copper, who took them to a house nearby, now the Swan Gallery, which was inhabited by a Danish female spy, the only person in the village who could speak German.
After a bit of medical treatment and a cup of tea, they were taken off to Dunmow by their military garrison, the mysterious Danish spies son was consequently given quite a bit of stick at the local school after the event.
I know that she was parachuted into Denmark later and was responsible for a succesful guerrilla campaign, I would love to know whether any of these people, German or Danish, still survive.
See you Sunday AG, yes I will be wearing the A-2, some of my other old uniforms may be considered unsuitable, pint in the Fox afterwards perhaps, except it’s Greene bloody King.
Is it possible the damage to the war memorial was caused by the German airman colliding with it in 1940? I presume that it pre dates that encounter.
A cautionary tale (if one was needed),involved a chap I new at school, he decided to climb up a rather large monumental angel in a local churchyard, it fell on top of him, and that was that; he’s been “pushing up the daisies” for about 25 years now.
By: adrian_gray - 9th November 2006 at 16:16
Pullman was my girlfriend’s English teacher – mind you, he taught it to half of Oxford as it was a big school!
Adrian
By: Pete Truman - 9th November 2006 at 16:11
Sorry Pete, I will be in Oxford! Definitely at a memorial for the Act of Remembrance though.
Adrian
We are never destined to meet, however are you aware of ‘The Dark Materials Trilogy’ currently being filmed at Oxford, my mates son is involved with the sound production, screenplay by Tom Stoppard, if you’ve never read the Books by Philip Pullman, please do, no insult meant to J K Rowling, as Potter is a well written story, but these are something else, but if you’ve never read them, get in there, the films I’ve been waiting for, for a long time, b~~~~r the Dam Busters.
By: adrian_gray - 9th November 2006 at 15:49
Sorry Pete, I will be in Oxford! Definitely at a memorial for the Act of Remembrance though.
Adrian
By: Pete Truman - 9th November 2006 at 15:31
You will all be pleased to know that the remorsefull youth who climbed the war memorial and broke off the cross has organised for it to be repaired in quick time and the work was completed this week, ( and featured on Anglia News ), good for him, wev’e all done silly things in our miss-spent youth, I suspect that he prevented an accident waiting to happen, a loose cross falling on a group of wreath laying Cubs could have been a disaster.
As AG mentioned, the incident of the German pilot breaking his leg on the war memorial beggars believe.
A Heinkel attacking Bocking Courtaulds factory was shot down by a Hurricane, though this pilot was also shot down and killed by return fire.
The Heinkel crew bailed out and landed in a string across Finchingfield Green, the pilot hitting the war memorial and breaking his leg.
The crew surrended without any trouble and were arrested by the local copper, who took them to a house nearby, now the Swan Gallery, which was inhabited by a Danish female spy, the only person in the village who could speak German.
After a bit of medical treatment and a cup of tea, they were taken off to Dunmow by their military garrison, the mysterious Danish spies son was consequently given quite a bit of stick at the local school after the event.
I know that she was parachuted into Denmark later and was responsible for a succesful guerrilla campaign, I would love to know whether any of these people, German or Danish, still survive.
See you Sunday AG, yes I will be wearing the A-2, some of my other old uniforms may be considered unsuitable, pint in the Fox afterwards perhaps, except it’s Greene bloody King.
By: adrian_gray - 3rd November 2006 at 16:22
Sorry Pete, we were probably too busy watching for said speeding bikers to spot you!
By the way folks, he is not kidding about the German airman landing on the War Memorial – it really happened. I guess given the projecting top he was lucky only to have broken his leg!
Adrian
By: Pete Truman - 3rd November 2006 at 15:19
[QUOTE=adrian_gray]And I shall be ringing half-muffled at my local church*. Interestingly I don’t recall ever parading to the War Memorial in Finchingfield as a Cub Scout – IIRC we always marched in Braintree instead.
Yes, it’s a cracking setting for a memorial – and having the service there is great. I think it was two years ago I was last at Finchingfield for Remembrance Sunday and it was standing room only – and it’s no small church! So should be an interesting gathering.
I hope you noticed the defiant, lonely figure wearing an A-2 flying jacket, standing alone in front of the memorial as you drove up to the church.
Problem is, the tourists are so rude and inconsiderate, I well expect the Suzuki brigade to come roaring in during the 2 minutes silence, the Harley mob, however, will probably be already standing with humble respect outside the Fox with their cups of coffee and mint tea held in salute.
Having been doing this at the War Memorial for the last 20 years, my greatest wish has been for a Spitty to come roaring over the church tower and doing a victory roll over the Green at the appropriate moment, should I win the Lottery this week, I will throw wads at whoever would be prepared to do it.
Any offers without the financial guarantee.
Incidentally anyone know what happened to the German aircrew who landed on the memorial and Green in 1940, getting one of those back would be an interesting exercise.
By: Moggy C - 3rd November 2006 at 12:17
The service at the memorial at Feltwell for me.
Watching the USAFE proving that they can’t march to save their lives but have very smart uniforms.
Remembering the pilots, crew and ground-pounders from Feltwell and Methwold.
Meanwhile, in the little war graves cemetery behind my house there will be the customary wooden poppy-cross that I will have lettered
Pvt Frank Goodwin
KIA 30 / 7 / 1916
Guillemont – The Somme
RIP Uncle Frank, and all the rest of you.
Moggy
By: Arm Waver - 3rd November 2006 at 11:47
I will be attending my local service on the 11th – I didn’t manage it last year so it will be interesting as the village is an old airfield village – and on the 29th I will be paying my respects, as I did last year, to Flt Sgt Middleton VC. I will drive over as much of the original airfield at Lakenheath as I can and after work go to his graveside and spend some time reflecting.
By: Pen Pusher - 3rd November 2006 at 11:03
If the weather is OK, I ride a motorbike, I will be at Duxford.
Brian
By: adrian_gray - 3rd November 2006 at 10:02
And I shall be ringing half-muffled at my local church*. Interestingly I don’t recall ever parading to the War Memorial in Finchingfield as a Cub Scout – IIRC we always marched in Braintree instead.
Yes, it’s a cracking setting for a memorial – and having the service there is great. I think it was two years ago I was last at Finchingfield for Remembrance Sunday and it was standing room only – and it’s no small church! So should be an interesting gathering.
Adrian
* Meaning that the bells have a muffle on one side of the clapper – so they ring out on every other blow rather than on every blow. Creates a very ghostly echo, and commonly used for funerals and commemorative ringing. A way of spreading the message to a whole community, I guess.
By: Drem - 2nd November 2006 at 20:34
I shall be at the crash site of JU88A-14 3E+HM in The Pentland Hills just outside Edinburgh placing 4 memorial crosses in memory of the men who died there.
By: Denis - 2nd November 2006 at 18:05
Our small group will divide to lay wreaths at Hunsdon and Sawbridgeworth airfield memorials. We will have one or two RAFA members along as well to say the words.
By: Manston Airport - 2nd November 2006 at 17:37
I be with me Grandad as normal (he was in the war he was a Tank driver)So just spent the moring at a service then off home to watch war films with his war freinds:D.
James
By: Arabella-Cox - 2nd November 2006 at 17:33
For the first time ever i will be at Duxford for rememberance Sunday.
I usually go to the peace pagoda in nearby MK.
curlyboy
By: WP840 - 2nd November 2006 at 16:58
I shall be working in the Sergeants Mess at AAC Middle Wallop after attending service in station chapel/church.
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November 2, 2006 at 4:22 pm