Air activity during September increased the frequency of daytime alerts for the district followed by an increased number of high explosive bombs being dropped.
Parents were concerned for the safety of their children and
complained bitterly to the Eton UDC about the provision of shelters for the
school. The Council made another strong
appeal to the Bucks Education authority, also to the Secretary for
Education to remedy the situation. Both authorities replied that it was
impossible to provide shelters for Eton Wick schools at this time, but it would
be done as soon as possible. With the view to erecting air raid shelters an
architect surveyed the school building but months were to elapse before
shelters in the Wick were sanctioned and completed.
A canvas of Eton Wick householders resulted in 57
applications for Anderson or Morrison shelters. Eventually the Surveyor
reported that sanction had been obtained from the Ministry for the erection of
48 and 24-person communal shelters at the following sites.
Sheepcote Road one
for 24 persons
The Walk one
for 48 persons, one for 24 persons
Common Road one
for 48 persons
Leeson Gardens one
for 24 persons
Alma Road four
for 24 persons
Northfield Road two
for 24 persons
Air raid shelters for Eton were located at:-
The College Arms public house 80 persons
Barnes Pool 100
persons
Eton College Boat House 75
persons
Newlands, High Street, Eton. 25
persons
Arches of the railway viaduct 50 persons
The railway viaduct, a half mile from Eton Wick, was not
thought to be practicable and was never used by the village school. One hundred
and seventeen applications were received by the Eton UDC for help with domestic
air raid precautions. Materials were supplied in 58 cases and work was carried
out in another 23. At Broken Furlong and Vaughan Gardens it was advised to use
the archways through the houses as a communal shelter in each block.
A substantial
underground shelter was constructed at Bell Farm, Eton Wick.
About 4.30 p.m. a German twin engine bomber dived out of the
clouds near the Slough Trading Estate and machined-gunned the town in several
places. Light ack-ack (40mm Bofors) batteries opened fire as the enemy flying
through driving rain South of the Bath Road, passed unharmed through the
Balloon Barrage to drop several bombs causing damage to property. There had
been several small raids during the day to bomb airfields in Southern England
and the intended target was possibly the Hawker Aircraft factory at Langley.
A clear moonlight night after the fog and rain of the weekend
brought 400 German aircraft to bomb London. Enemy aircraft passing over the village drew fire from the surrounding
anti-aircraft batteries lasting into the early hours. At 8.30am the sirens
again sounded the alert, the all clear sounding at 9.25 am.
During the evening several bombs
fell on Windsor in the vicinity of Peascod Street and the back of W.H. Smith in
Thames Street. Later a single bomb fell outside the Princess Christians Nursing
Home, Clarence Road causing some damage.
Others fell in the Castle grounds, damaging the Golf course and Cricket ground
but no casualties were reported. Manning the guns in defence of the Castle from
low flying attack was 121 Independent light ack - ack (LAA) equipped with 40mm
Bofors guns. A few of these were mounted on forty-foot-high concrete towers,
one of which was located on the Brocas, at Eton. This site quickly saw night
action proceeding to shoot down enemy flares dropping over Windsor Castle. The noise and vibrations from this quick
firing gun sent people scurrying to their air raid shelters or under the
stairs. Gunner Witt serving on the Brocas site recalled the plight of an
elderly lady living close by in Brocas Street, who being very ill, had taken to
her bed. The family was virtually waiting for the sad end of the dear lady's
life but gunners of 121 battery
apparently applied a better means for a cure than the doctor. The family was virtually waiting for the sad end of the dear lady's life
but gunners of 121 battery apparently applied a better means for a cure than
the doctor. On hearing the rapid fire
and the commotion that shook the house, the dear lady jumped from her bed and
grabbing a bottle of gin, took herself to shelter under the stairs. A miraculous recovery followed much to the
distress of some of her family who evidently found the aged person a trial.
The last days of the
month brought less enemy activity over the area due to cloud, rain and fog.
Under the cover of bad weather, a lone raider dropped bombs on Dennis Way,
Cippenham killing two people, also on the private polo ground of Dedworth Manor
killing a pony. Warnings of enemy activity disrupted the Eton Wick school day
on nine occasions during October which made the teachers anxious for the safety
of the children. There had been no sign of work commencing on shelters so the
children stilled practiced the usual precaution of taking shelter under their
desk.
The official end of the Battle of Britain, which lasted 114
days, cost the German losses of 1,733 planes and 3,893 men with RAF Losses of
828 planes and 1007 men. The end of the battle did not solve the social
difficulties of the evacuated families; sharing a home with strangers whilst
one’s children were billeted elsewhere was a problem. To help with the situation a centre was set up at the Church
Hall, Eton, to give evacuated families somewhere to meet and also give
householders a chance to have their home to themselves for a short time. Those
who were able, helped with knitting comforts for evacuee and service personnel.
Wool was purchased with the money earned from the sale of salvage. The salvage
of waste, conducted by Mr Chew with the help of young volunteers, around the
village had gone well with the sale of scrap iron, paper, rags and any other
commodity worth salvaging realizing a handsome profit. A suggestion of Mrs Chew
to use this money to buy wool with which to knit garments for men and women
from the village serving in the forces was readily adopted. A display of posters in the village shops
asking for volunteer knitters was organized by Mrs Mead. Forty-five volunteers including three Eton Boys signed up to whom
£15 was initially allocated to purchase wool. Once a week the Methodist Hall
jumped from her bed and grabbing a bottle of gin, took herself to shelter under
the stairs. A miraculous recovery followed much to the distress of some of her
family who evidently found the aged person a trial. was loaned free of charge
for the issue of wool and collection of finished articles. Within the first few
months many knitted items were produced and about 100 items, such as scarves,
mittens and socks sent to over fifty servicemen in the first few months.
To raise money for war weapons, great publicity was given to
National Savings, a campaign vigorously supported by Eton Wick. The school had
a flourishing savings group run by the Head Teacher, Miss Plumridge, which was
well supported by the mothers. The Women’s Institute also had a group amongst
its members but their committee felt more could be done in the village, so
every house was canvassed. Two groups were formed, one run by the Methodist
Church and the other by the Women’s Institute.
A third group made up of the school and supported by the evacuated
L.C.C. School gave total enrolment of over 300 savers. Volunteer collectors, braving the winter
weather and blackout, called on savers each week with saving stamps, their
combined collection averaging of £28 each week.
The school, encouraging pupils and parents to save, collected £10 in the
first week and £30 during the following six weeks. Many schemes would
materialize to raise money before the conflict was over such as "Wings for
Victory" and "War Weapons Week". Introduction of a purchase tax
on household goods and clothes at the end of October made little difference to
the goods sold by village traders. Other shortages however did effect village
trade, namely an acute shortage of coal. The increasing demands of factories for
power produced a shortage of supplies to the householder which became evident
during the winter months of 1940-41. To help overcome the fuel crisis, men
conscripted for military service, were selected by ballot, and sent to work in
the coal mines. They became known as Bevin Boys. Coal merchants Albert Dear,
Brocas Street, Eton, - William Parrot. 1 Clifton Cottages and Albert Hood,
Tilstone Avenue, Eton Wick had difficulty in obtaining supplies and rationed
their customers accordingly. When Albert, who went into the army his business
was acquired by R. Bond and Sons.
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