World War 2 Eighty Years On - December 1940

Bomb Damage at Upper School - image courtesy of Eton Collage

Wednesday December 4th.

At about 8 pm. bombs fell on the G.W.R. goods yard at Windsor. Damage to coal wagons scattered timber, coal and trucks over a wide area. One wagon thrown into the air was propelled with its contents onto the roofs of the neighbouring buildings. Shops in the Goswells and Bridgewater Terrace, Windsor were damaged, also windows in Thames street were shattered by the blast. Two bombs fell on Eton College buildings, one on Savile House in Westons Yard, the home of the College Music and Choirmaster Dr. Henry Ley. The other bomb fell just outside the entrance to the Headmaster’s room. This bomb was of delayed action, its presence not being discovered until several hours later. The first bomb exploded on impact causing severe damage to Savile House, one of the finest college buildings. It was fortunate that Dr. Ley had been detained on some minor business which had delayed him going to dinner as the dining room was completely destroyed.  

Two residents of Eton Wick, Eva Bond, and Mr Cox were at the college during the evening. Frank Bond describing the bombing said his sister Eva was employed by Dr. Ley as a servant and was working at Savile House that evening. Several bombs had dropped around the district but on hearing of the Savile House bomb I cycled furiously to Eton only to be forbidden to venture past college corner. Unable to get any information as whether there were casualties, I return home to Eton Wick. Long after my returned Eva, covered in filthy brick and plaster dust with matted hair came home in a very disturbed state. Also in the house was a young girl evacuee who, fifty years on, wrote to Eva recalling memories of the night of near disaster (Frank Bond)

Reporting later on the bombing of Eton College said that a high explosive bomb had fallen in the front garden of Savile house, residence of Dr. Henry Ley, the College Presenter. Adjoining property was damaged and windows were broken in in the buildings in Westons Yard. Fire also broke out in Savile house. Sometime later a time bomb was discovered by Mr E. Bendell, the school clerk, outside his office in the colonnade. After the alarm was raised, staff salvaged many valuable papers, books, and important records. Everyone in the vicinity were evacuated. Later when the bomb exploded stained glass windows in the chapel were broken or damaged. Damage was also sustained to the school office, the roof, and an outside wall of Upper School. Upper School built in the reign of Charles II by Christopher Wren had the names of many Etonians carved on its walls and efforts were made to collect as many pieces as possible with the view to restoration later.

Mr Cox was doing fire watch duty that evening at Walpole House, where he witnessed the following incident involving a boy who had gone for extra tutoring to another house. Returning late from this tutorial after lock up, he found his House Master, H.K. Marsden, waiting in the boys’ entrance as he entered. Within Mr Cox's hearing, the boy was given a severe dressing down. He was covered in dust but just replied “I have just had a very bad shock, Sir”, which was putting it mildly for he was on his way back and just passing the Memorial Hall when the bomb fell in Westons Yard demolishing part of the Music Master’s house and school office near the Chapel. Needless to say that once it was realized what the boy had been through he was taken care of. Mr Cox said how much he admired the young boy for the way he handled his ordeal. (Daphne Cox.)

Chapel. Needless to say that once it was realized what the boy had been through he was taken care of; Mr Cox said how much he admired the young boy for the way he handled his ordeal. (Daphne Cox) 

Evacuated to Eton Wick, George White remembered vividly the night Eton College was bombed. "I was cycling home in the dark from the cinema at Slough; suddenly, when about a half a mile from Eton, the air raid siren sounded and within a very short space of time huge high explosive bombs fell in the direction of Eton. I threw myself into a ditch at the side of the road and after possibly a minute I looked around me and saw dozens, maybe hundreds, of incendiary fires from incendiary bombs all across the fields and in the roads etc. (George White) 

December 5th. 

The unexploded bomb (UBX) which fell in the College Colonnade caused several difficulties necessitating parts of College to be evacuated and the main road to Slough closed to traffic. Later in the evening the bomb exploded causing much damage to Upper School fortunately there were no casualties. Following the bombing of Eton a letter to A.A. Command from the College Provost expressed the view that the method of A.A. defence was unskilful. There was anxiety that College buildings would be destroyed by the Anti-aircraft guns firing at enemy raiders that were merely passing over head and he was sure that falling shrapnel would cause damage to the buildings as well as being dangerous. It was of no importance where the guns were positioned as long as they did not fire, as the firing of the guns could scare the German pilots into dropping bombs on Windsor and Eton. 

Throughout December the bombing onslaught continued on London and other towns and cities throughout Britain. Whenever enemy aircraft ventured over the district came within range the anti-aircraft guns at Datchet, Burnham, Windsor Great Park and Dorney went into action. The barrage of exploding shells and occasionally exploding bombs drove some household pets and farm animals wild. Mrs Miles recalled having to take her dog to the vet to get tranquilizers for him as he would tear madly around the house madly when the guns on the common were firing. Village residents had a fear of shrapnel from the exploding shells causing casualties as well as damage to their homes, but none were ever reported from this source. 

21st. December

During the evening of the 21st. December two high explosive (H.E.) and one delayed action bomb dropped on Kinross's farm in the Windsor road Eton, causing no damage or casualties. The bombs had dropped close to the College tennis courts, one of which exploded leaving a crater 22 yards across; this was filled in with rubble by Alf Cook and Amy Armstrong, the College carters also included from previous bomb damage, utensils from the boys bedrooms. The second H.E. bomb failed to detonate and was listed as an U.X.B. (unexploded bomb). This bomb became the subject of a request from the army to the farm foreman to pull it out with the tractor. His reply in no uncertain terms, told the Army what they might do with it, and for all that is known, it might be still be there - future golfers might get a surprise!. An incendiary device also burnt out the rick yard (Jim Kinross)

A legacy from the late Sir Sydney Herbert, an old Etonian, enabled Eton College to purchase Manor Farm at Eton Wick with all its buildings, including the rights of the Manor of Eton including the Manor and its lands. This completed the package of lands bought by the college in 1929 with the help of the Eton Land Fund. Lands of the farm are scattered over South Meadow, Athens fields near the river and land near to the railway arches. With the requirement of Manor farm and the ownership of the other lands there about, it was professed that the amenities of the surrounding district would be preserved the history of the Manorial Rights and Customs of Eton gives protection as to the use of the Little Common and the Large Common that stretches from Common Road to Eton Wick. A number of fields, including the Eton College playing fields of Mesopotamia, Racket Court Field and South Meadow are subject to Lammas Rights. This gives the right to those freeholders and tenants to graze their cattle on those fields from 1st. August to the 31st. October.

Under the emergency powers given to the County War Agricultural Committees some of the common and lammas lands were taken for arable crops. The demand for food production on the home front became urgent as an increasing number of merchant ships bringing food supplies were lost to attacks by German U-Boats. Conscription and membership of the Territorial Army had taken some farm labourers from the land before it became a reserved occupation. Land Army Girls, Prisoners of War, Service personnel, Eton College boys and other volunteers were employed or gave help on local farms and horticulture holdings in the drive to produce more home-grown food.

Towards the end of the year 262 Battery left Dorney Common to be replaced by another battery and the relieving troops were probably from the London Scottish Territorial A.A. Regiment as the skirl of Bagpipes through the early morning mist is a memory of Peter Morris whilst picking mushrooms on the common.

The pipers were a complete contrast to the Burglar of 262 battery whose reveille awoke those living near to the camp. The change to the so-called skirl of the pipes had Daphne Cox as a child, asking what the horrible noise was. On occasions a column of troops from the camp with the pipers in the lead would march through the village en route to Windsor.

The tented troop accommodation of the Dorney Camp was being replaced with more permanent buildings in the form of Nissen Huts enabling the resident battery to invite the village children to a grand Christmas party. This was due to the kindness of the Commanding Officer, Major Highton, and Captain Sawyer. The party was organised with military precision, each child having a label attached to their coat and arm. The battery chefs laid on a tremendous feast. One child on seeing all the good things to eat declared to the Major, "Sir, I can hardly wait". The N.C.O.s, Officers’ wives and other lady helpers became the waiters for the feast that had been laid out on two large tables. A decorated Christmas tree, Punch and Judy Show and singing with musical accompaniment entertained the young guest. To the sound of Bugles everyone left the hut to greet Father Christmas who arrived by army lorry accompanied by the blackest clown playing a banjo and the children all received a present and a silver coin from Father Christmas.     

Air raids on British cities culminated in a heavy incendiary attack on London on December 29th. 1940 and these fires in the City area lit the sky with a red glow that was visible from Slough. The damage wrought to the buildings by the firebombs during this raid brought a Defence Order for men of 16 to 60 years to register for fire watching amounting to forty-eight hours a month. All factories, shops and offices were to station firewatchers to combat the serious threat from incendiary bombs. Men from the village working on the Trading estate were expected to do fire watching at their place of employment. Firewatchers and plane spotters were also stationed on the roof of factories to ensure that as little interference to production as possible occurred during air raid alerts. Warning to take shelter being given to those working when danger seemed imminent. Married men often entices the young single men to do their turn of night fire watching with an inducement of three shillings (15p).

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

The history of Eton Wick School: 1939 - 1945

Eton Wick School 1939 - 1945

Initially the Eton Wick School and the evacuated London County Council (L.C.C.) children shared Eton Wick’s School premises, which resulted in overcrowding of available classrooms. A trial of sharing the day with Eton Wick children attending morning class and the L.C.C. attending afternoon class was put in place as a short term measure. This curtailment of education was found unsatisfactory and use of the Village Hall by the L.C.C. was the solution for return to all-day schooling. The Village Hall ceased to be used for schooling in July 1943.

April 14th 1941
Fortunately the local schools were on holiday as bombs and incendiaries fell in the district. Two incendiary bombs fell on Eton Wick school, one falling on the roof whilst the other fell through into the infants room where a cupboard was set on fire, doing slight damage.

“A number of incendiaries had dropped across the allotments below the school in Sheepcote Road. Searchlights were sweeping the sky in search of the enemy planes whose dull drone seemed to be continual. I rushed about the allotments piling soil on the burning bombs. Within minutes the flames would burn through the soil and the operation was repeated.

"It was on this night my father became Eton Wick's only air raid casualty. The school like most public buildings had a wall of sand bags about six feet high along the old buildings main wall. My father, an Air Raid Warden, was on duty near the school and could see the incendiaries burning inside the building. Realising that the blaze had to be tackled immediately he climbed onto the protective wall of sandbags and using one of the bags broke the window to gain entry. He then climbed through to extinguish the fires. On getting through the broken glass he cut his hand.

"After the fire was extinguished it was pointed out to him that all his effort to effect the entry was really unnecessary as the school door was always left unlocked for just such an emergency." (Frank Bond’s memories)

May 8/9th 1945 - Victory in Europe. The School closed for the two day National Holiday.

Wartime memories - the Evacuees

During the war many children were sent away from cities like London to live in "safer" areas. The experiences of some of those evacuees, and the families with whom they were billeted, are remembered here.

Foster mothers playing Ring o' Roses with the evacuees after their arrival in Eton Wick
- picture courtesy of the Windsor Express

Eight hundred evacuated children from London were scheduled for Eton and Eton Wick but only 578 arrived. On arriving at Eton Wick the evacuees assembled at the village hall where potential foster parents were waiting. Some children were distraught when they realized they were to stay with a strange family and because the potential foster parents were allowed to choose which child they took.

Difficulties sometimes arose as families, brothers and sisters and sometimes mothers and children were split up but most children quickly settled into their new homes. Some fostering families viewed the situation with trepidation as they remembered stories of the East End slums and wondered how they would cope.

As no early air raids took place on London some of the evacuees returned home after a few weeks, but others stayed for the duration of the war whilst a few stayed married and now live in Eton wick.

Sylvia Collier who stayed recalls that weekend in September 1939:

"Mum had put our names down for evacuation and was told that we were to be ready to go if the war became more imminent. For a fortnight we had practiced getting to the school early with our belongings and forming into our respective groups. Our school, near to Wormwood Scrubs, had forty classes so took most of the children in the area where with we lived. On the morning of September 1st we assembled and made our way to East Acton Station to board the train for our unknown destination. My brother and I thought we were going for a fortnight, so unconcerned, waved goodbye to Mum as the train pulled away taking us to Wiltshire. Our mother, with my five year old brother, had stayed behind to care for her elderly father but was told on the Sunday morning to be ready to go, as it was advisable to get all children out of London. Her destination was the Willows, Windsor. Later we were able to join Mum at the Willows".

One evacuee still remembered is eight year old Roy Langdon who was billeted at 'Perseverance Place' with Mr and Mrs Harding. His school had evacuated from Hammersmith which, with a school from Stepney, made up the allocation to Eton Wick.

" He arrived complete with cardboard suitcase, gas mask, a tin of corned beef and a tin of Libbys milk. The revealing thing about Roy was his East London accent. One day during a discussion on the impending sugar ration, Roy chipped in with "My dad's got a sack of sugar, he knocked it off darn the docks'"

Within a week Roy's parents were down to see him. Air raids on London had not materialized so Roy only stayed a few weeks before being taken home by his parents.

The different home life of the evacuee to that of the foster parent at that time brought about difficult and amusing situations such as Mrs Cook's experience with her two billeted girls, Iris Birch and Betty Garcia.

"The first week one of the girls refused her Sunday dinner and when I asked what was wrong said, "I want my Sunday dinner". Questioned as to what her Sunday dinner usually comprised, the answer came, `"Tatters, Ham and Beer!''. On another occasion the girl came running into the house exclaiming "Quick missus, Go and jaw that women next door she's calling you names".What was calling turned out to be a Cuckoo bird, the call of which she had never heard before."

Evacuees found village life very different from that of London, to them, the new growing crops of cereal looked the same as other meadow land, so having been caught playing in a field of oats, they failed to understand why they would damage the crop which to them looked like grass.

Other schools evacuated to Eton and Eton wick included The Hamlet of Ratcliffe Central School, White Horse Lane, Stepney. From there came George White who found his wartime home with Mr and Mrs Cox, staying until he joined the army in 1943. Before enlisting he had made his mark with others, as a musician entertaining the troops stationed on the Dorney common camp. A small number of pupils also came to the village from the Green Coat School which had evacuated from Mile End but the majority of these were billeted in Eton.

Not all homes were suitable to take evacuees, and among those that were suitable the Billeting Officers at times met with householder objection. Initially there was choice as to whether or which child was taken, but eventually the Government took powers to enforce the acceptance of an evacuee if room was available in the home. A weekly billeting allowance of ten shillings for the first child of school age and eight shillings and sixpence for each additional child with three shillings and sixpence available for laundry if a child was bed wetting was paid by the Government.

Some evacuee children were perturbed by their new surroundings, finding it hard to adapt from city to village life, and difficulties did arise between foster parents, evacuee and the Billeting Officer. Often health problems, discipline within the home and the extra work involved for the housewife was the cause which put a strain on the family relationships. Difficulties arose within one village family where the health of the wife suffered so much that it became necessary to place the two evacuees in other accommodation. After a suitable period of time the billeting officer tried to place other children with this family. This was unacceptable to the husband whose refusal to take further evacuated children resulted in a Summons being issued to him by the Eton U.D.C. under the War Emergency Acts. The husband’s appearance before the court resulted in a fine of eight shillings.

The precaution of evacuating not only applied to children, some essential services also left London, such as food distribution establishments which brought the Billingsgate Wholesale Fish Market to Datchet.

This memory was recorded as part of  the Eton Wick History Group's Recall 60 years on project to celebrate the 60th anniversary  of the ending of World War 2.