World War 2 Eighty Years On - August 1944

August.

After the very late spring frost of April and the beautiful summer weather of the Whitsun and August Bank Holiday’s brought an influx of visitors to Windsor and Eton. The holiday encouraged the day trippers to take to the river for boating and swimming and before the day was out the pubs were finding that the beer supplies were inadequate. 

Isolated V1's continued to fly over the district and in late August a missile fell in an orchard at Cippenham. The blast wrecked houses and brought the ceilings down at White Heather Garage, Dorney, the home of Mrs Quarterman. 

"As a Radar operator serving with 608 at Dorney, I remember this period after ‘D-Day’ as being very busy. Little sleep was had with the threat of the flying bombs, and it was difficult to know what was happening in the first few days. It called for constant vigil by the battery which was crowned with success when we managed to shoot down one of these bombs”. (Mrs. B. McCade) 

For the months of June, July and August, Windsor and Slough district had 202 alerts with a few bombs falling around the neighbourhood. The maximum number of alerts in any one day for this period was nine. Twenty-one Buzz Bombs fell in the area, three of which were in the Windsor Borough and one at Cippenham (Slough). 

V1 Doodle Bug

A fear of more air raids and V1 attacks brought an enquiry from Councillor Mr. Harding asking whether seats could be installed in the shelters at Eton Wick for the older people. This was not sanctioned as the use of the necessary materials was not warranted at that stage of the war. Reporting that the supply, fixing and waterproofing of Anderson shelters to those who had applied had been completed in Eton Wick and Somerville Road and the Surveyor replied that nothing more would be done. 

V2 Rocket

A reported case of Scarlet Fever also gave concern for the cleanliness of communal shelters and the spread of infectious deceases. 

Many public libraries in towns and cities suffered damage by air raids. To replace the destroyed books a national book drive was launched in which the village school took part. A magnificent effort by the children gave a total collection of 2,934 books and two children, who had collected over 250 books each, received a Field Marshall badge as recognition of their endeavour.

This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick: 1939 - 1945. The book was researched, written and published in 2001 by John Denham. 

World War 2 Eighty Years On - June 6th. 1944 - D-Day

D-Day Map

The invasion of Europe created a great amount of activity by the Allied Air Forces which were heard and seen locally as part of this massive force flew to their designated targets. The following memories probably refer to the reinforcement supply flights that took place, the main assault by airborne forces having taken place in the early hours of darkness. During the afternoon some of the 256 glider combinations used in the second assault were to be seen passing over the district. 

John Powell’s memory of that day is of hundreds of planes flying his place of employment at Burnham on D-Day 1944 all towing Horsa Gliders or Adrian (U.S.A.) gliders, a sight never to be forgotten. “Wave after wave of them all flying at very low level altitude, all heading towards France. My thoughts were of the thousands of poor souls never to return”. 

John Bye has memories of the sky filled with aircraft when he was on his way to school at Maidenhead. The planes were flying North to South, probably about 400 aircraft, with some towing gliders. This armada took about twenty minutes to pass. 

Sylvia Collier recalled ”I was at work at W.H. Smith & Son, Windsor on the morning of ‘D-Day’ when the Jewish gentleman from the public house next door rushed into the shop very excited with a radio under his arm, shouting in his guttural voice, "They landed, they landed, plug it in". Two of the assistants ran to the staff room in tears remembering how their sons had held them close on returning from their last home leave. One had a son in the army and the other a son in the navy”. 

This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick: 1939 - 1945. The book was researched, written and published in 2001 by John Denham. 

Note as part of the dispersal of troop in the run up to D-Day a convoy of Army trucks used Alma Road and Bell Lane for one night towards the end of May.

World War 2 Eighty Years On - May 1944 - Shortage of House

The acute shortage of housing in the district had the Council considering what could be done to refurbish any derelict houses.  One such premise available was No.2 Bell Cottage in Eton Wick which had been taken over as a salvage depot in 1940 and was in poor condition having been vandalized by children. The council accepted a quote from Burfoots of Eton Wick of £163 for refurbishment including connection to the sewer but the acute shortage of material delayed the work for a year.

D-Day Preparations

As the assault on Normandy as drawing closer preparations increased across the South of England. Men, equipment and other war supplies needed to be in the correct order to reach the invasion forces at the right time. Eton Wick was one of the stop over points as remembered by resident Joan Neighbour.

“During one night, towards the end of May, a convoy of Army trucks arrived in Alma Road  and into Bell Lane. Daylight showed that sentries had been posted and the soldiers confined to the trucks. A dispatch rider took any orders from the men wanting cigarettes etc. and the women from the road made tea for the boys who seemed to be just waiting. I think it must have been part of the dispersal of troops and equipment in the build up to ‘D-Day’.  After a few days the convoy moved out with a farewell comment from the boys of "If we get through we'll be back to see you".  

This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick: 1939 - 1945. The book was researched, written and published in 2001 by John Denham.