World War 2 Eighty Years On - September / October 1943.

The troop from 371 Bty. of 117 Regt. stationed at Dorney   Camp (SM7) was relieved by B troop from 564(M)HAA Battery. Formed and trained at Blandford, Dorset, 564 Bty. went to Bude for firing practice before moving into Emmbrook camp, Wokingham, near Reading as heavy rain had made Emmbrook very muddy, making the move to Windsor most welcomed.    

Enemy air activity was no longer of mass attack or Blitzkrieg on London, but small raids were still taking place which required the Battery at site SM7 Dorney Common and other sites in the district to be on the alert as Height taker and Plotter, Corporal Bratt remembers.

‘Many broken night's sleep were endured as often the alarm bells would go two or three times a night. Then it was a case of out of bed, into your boots, grab your greatcoat and steel helmet and "Run like Hell" as it was a distance from the A.T.S. huts to the Command Post. An Ack-Ack (anti-aircraft) site in the middle of a bad winter night was not a funny place to be.  

Whilst stationed at Dorney 564 Bty. bagged its first German Raider which crashed at High Wycombe. Corporal Bratt of C Section was on the height finder that night and witnessed the hit in the telescopic sights. On being stood down after the action, Major Haines Bty. Commander, ordered the NAAFI to be opened up and a celebration took place.  Excited with their success, an armed guard of an Officer and six gunners went to the crash and stood guard overnight. It was 564's victim and they wanted no one pinching their glory. Although life on Ack-Ack site was hard, especially during the winter months when Nissen huts could be cold and damp, being with a battery for a long period was like being with the family, more so when one had joined at seventeen and a half years.  When the guns went into action it was advisable for the village residents to take shelter.  On one occasion the aircraft trackers mis-aimed and shot off the chimney pots of buildings in Alma Road.   L/Sergeant Whitaker of ‘D Section’ also a Height/Range finder recalls that a propeller off the plane, which crashed in the High Wycombe area, was given to the Battery to mark their first victory. Major Haines, had it mounted with a suitably inscribed brass plaque’.  This was the action of February 22/23 1944 - see chapter 6.

Fire Watching

 In the fight to reduce the effect of firebomb attacks regulations were introduced calling on every man working less than sixty hours a week and every woman working less than forty-five hours to do forty-eight hours fire watching a month.

Their equipment comprised of sand buckets, sand scoop and stirrup pump. 

A distinctive grey Fire Watcher's tin hat was supplied. The estimated available number of firewatchers in 1943 was put at six million.

Note Fire Watchers were part of Air Raid Precautions. The ARP was renamed Civil Defence in 1941

 

 

 

Tough Assignment - A TESTIMONIAL

Dr. Sangster used to say that Margate was a nice place to pass through. I thought the same about Eton Wick when I came to live at Windsor and took my first bicycle ride to Burnham Beeches. When the old Eton Bridge was open to traffic, I could cycle from Windsor to Eton Wick in eight minutes.

Through coming on to the Methodist preaching plan I found I had to terminate my journey at Eton Wick. It was wartime. Most of the young men were away. I was too young, though I eventually joined the Home Guard and two ARP's!

At that time there was a group of teenage youngsters at Eton Wick. There was also a lady called Sylvia Chew, who I considered to be very gracious, and who called the kids together on a Friday night. It was called a fellowship, though most of the attenders were girls. Today I suppose you would call it a House Group. For some reason I attached myself to this group. There was something rather unique about it, and one could learn so much about the Christian faith in so short a time.

Most people will know that Eton Wick is a favourite port of call for local preachers. In earlier times the pulpit was conveniently centralised so that one could see the whole congregation. Now one operates from the corner, sometimes using the raised platform, sometimes not. But there is still that "specialness" about your Church. Its people are not reluctant to pray, and the atmosphere remains warm and friendly. Harry Carter, another local preacher, used to say: "You'll have a good time at Eton Wick." I didn't like the phrase, but I knew what he meant. The loving attention and attitude of the congregation always assisted the preacher so much.

My first preaching appointment at Eton Wick was on January 30^th 1944. Your membership has doubled since that date. May you continue to grow in strength and into the avenue of God's Kingdom and may this anniversary year give you good heart for the great times still to come. And may you never lose that special warmth which makes a visit so pleasurable.

PETER WRIGHT

The Eton Wick History Group is most grateful for the kind permission given by the Eton Wick Methodist Chapel to republish this history, Tough Assignment on this website.

This is the final excerpt from Tough Assignment. The original published price when it was published in 1986 was £1.95. 

Eton Wick Newsletter - Issue 47 - August 2023

 

View the August 2023 edition of 

the Eton Wick Newsletter on Issuu.

The Eton Wick Newsletter is published here with the kind permission of the Eton Wick Village Hall Management Committee

Old Days of Eton Parish - APPENDIX II. - ORNAMENTS IN THE PARISH CHURCH.

THE following particulars of the various ornaments in the Parish Church may be of interest, especially to strangers.

In 1864 the north-west window was filled with stained glass, representing St. John in old age, and St. John writing the Book of Revelation.

About the same time subscriptions were collected to fill the great east window in memory of the Prince Consort, who had died in 1862.

This was carried out by Mr. O'Connor in 1865. The principal subjects of the window are our Lord's appearances after the Resurrection to Mary Magdalene, to the Disciples by the lake, and to the women in the garden. In the lower panels are represented the Bearing of the Cross, the Crucifixion and Burial, and in upper tracery our Lord in glory.

In the same year the south-west window was inserted. This represents St. Peter and St. John at the Beautiful Gate, and the confirmation of the Disciples at Samaria.

The window in the chancel aisle, put in by Bishop Chapman in 1866 in memory of his daughter, depicts the raising of Jairus' daughter and the meeting of Martha after the death of Lazarus.

The other windows on the south side represent, 1st, the call of the sons of Zebedee (in memory of T. and A. Ingalton), 2nd, ' the surnaming them Boanerges,' 3rd (in memory of the eldest son of Thomas and Ann Ingalton), 'the raising of the widow of Nain's son.' On the north side nearest the tower the window represents 'St. John at the Cross receiving the charge of the Lord's mother.' It was given by Rev. N. L. Shuldham, formerly Conduct of Eton.

All the above windows were executed by Mr. O'Connor.

The other windows are the work of Buriison and Gryll. The one in the sanctuary represents our Lord as the Great High Priest and Melchisidek ; the panels beneath, the Institution of the Eucharist and Melchisidek meeting Abraham.

The second is Mary and Martha, with works of mercy below. This latter was executed in memory of Mrs. Forbes, wife of Colonel Forbes of Willowbrook, who for many years was an active and generous worker among the poor of Eton.

The brass near is in memory of a son of theirs, a young officer killed in the Afghan campaign.

In the nave, north aisle, are windows presented by Mr. Ingalton Drake : Christ walking on the water, and Christ as the Good Shepherd.

The reredos in alabaster was designed by Mr. Woodyer and executed in 1868. The sanctuary wall was decorated and the arcade work carried out in 1875.

In the same year the tenor bell was hung in memory of John Wilkinson, cast by Messrs. Warner, weighing 9 cwt., and the organ was built by Messrs. Hill with swell and pedal at the cost of ‘549. A second manual was added ten years later.

The oak chancel screen was designed by Mr. A. Y. Nutt and erected in 1883 at the cost of £121.

The funds for the brass eagle lectern executed by Barkentin and Kraal, Regent Street, were collected by a member of the St. John's Communicant Guild.

The altar candlesticks were given by the Rev. John Wilder.

The altar cross was presented in 1890.

The colouring of the nave pillars and walls, carried out by Burlison and Gryll, was done by degrees 1892-1897.

The lowering of the nave roof and removal of the clerestory windows took place in 1893. In the same year a handsome brass alms dish was given.

In 1895 a silver-gilt chalice and paten of beautiful work and set in jewels, executed by Barkentin and Kraal, was presented by Mrs. Layard and Rev. E. B. Layard in memory of Mrs. Shephard.

In 1896 the corona was given by the parishioners in memory of the same lady. It was designed by Mr. T. B. Carter. The niches contain the figures of the Twelve Apostles, carved in Italy, St. Paul taking the place of Judas Iscariot.

The litany desk was given also in 1896 in memory of the Rev. Thomas Dalton.

The chancel was repaved in black and white marble by Farmer and Brindley. Stalls for the choir were also provided in 1897.

In 1899 the organ loft and an approach to it was arranged by Messrs. Wheeler, and the organ was reconstructed and enlarged.

The clergy stalls were also given, and the altar rails were replaced by altar kneelers. In 1903 a sanctuary carpet was presented by the Guild, and in 1904 an oak pulpit was placed in its original position at the chancel arch.

Most of these additions or alterations were affected by free-will offerings, and without any appeal to the public.

OLD DAYS OF ETON PARISH by The Rev. John Shephard, M.A. was published in 1908 by Spottiswoode and Co Ltd. The text has been copied from the original book that is now out of copyright.

This is the final chapter from the Rev. Shephard's book. The complete book can be found by following this link.

Eton Wick Youth Football Team 1962-63

 

Back row left to right

Jas Alder, N Johnson, A Harrison, W Welford, S Durban, Les Emery (Captain)

Front Row left to right

Barry Eaglestone, D Price, John Alder (Goalkeeper), F Ormond, F Hatch

Eton Wick History thanks Alan Harrison for his kind permission to publish this photograph.  Alan Harrison was a team member and is in the back row third from the left.

Photographic History of Eton Wick and Eton - Eton Girl Guides Camp

The summer camp was run by Mrs Grizel Hartley, wife of Eton College master, with Miss Margery Mead. Photo taken about 1937. Left to right: Betty Devonshire, Betty Morris, Hilda Irvin, Edith Weeks, Gwen Allen (on running board), three unknowns, Winnie Thorn, Lilian Branwhite, Eileen Horsgood, Everlyn Irvin and Jean Morris. 

This article was first published in A Pictorial History of Eton Wick & Eton.

Tough Assignment - Steward's Epilogue

I see Thee not, I hear Thee not

Yet art Thou oft with me

And Earth has ne'er so dear a spot

As where I meet with Thee

These words, written for the Methodist Hymn Book one hundred years ago, express the feelings of one man for the church he loved and for the place where he had learnt his trust in God. They echo the determination of our society at Eton Wick to survive beyond a century with a chapel that has become, for us, a powerhouse of prayer and a springboard of service and mission.

The Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in 1886 as an act of faith by dedicated souls believing that many would come to hear the Word of God preached and take the love of God into their hearts. It was the direct result of a great groundswell of the movement of the Holy Spirit in that generation which produced many such Bethels throughout the land. They brought Christ nearer to the people, nearer to their lives and nearer to their ways of thinking. They brought challenge and response to young and old.

The story starts with one woman and her vision which was transmitted to others. The simple fellowship of Sunday School, House Meetings and Camp Meetings created the demand for a chapel and so the vision became a reality. Always since its birth the chapel has struggled to thrive and grow with the village and its 'New Town' image. Always the chapel met demand and opportunity - expanding, consolidating, re-equipping, and re-presenting itself to every generation until the present day one hundred years on.

Although this booklet is about the history of a building it is really about the lives of people associated with it. As such, many events must remain untold, but the story cannot end without reference to one hidden thread that binds our heritage. It can be found in the simple list of Ministers, allotted for brief spans of their time to shepherd the flock at Eton Wick. They above all others have welded the fabric to the fellowship and provided the impetus for our enterprise and the focus for our acts of worship. They have listened and advised, served and led through happy times and sad. Their glory is unsung, but their presence is felt within these pages. The ministers together with the never-failing band of local preachers have formed a corner stone in building up spiritual life and nurturing the continuity of faith. Without these evangelists our story would be about a struggling organisation instead of flourishing church.

We the Stewards and Officers of Eton Wick Methodist Chapel have raised this document as a remembrance and a memorial to the century that has passed - for all the life that has been dedicated here, for the worship in hymn and prayer, for the word that has been continually preached, for all the love and the care shown, for the teaching given and the guidance received. All this work has been accomplished in the name of Jesus Christ. The assignment has sometimes been difficult, but the reward has been in knowing that this place has always been a haven of blessing to many.

The achievement of any church is not measured merely in the size and quality of its building, or the number and popularity of its membership, but by the influence which its congregation has upon the surrounding area and in the lives of others. We hand on to the next hundred years, with its fresh faces, new ideas and rapidly changing lifestyle, the same tough assignment, and the same challenge for outreach. Whatever circumstances may arise and whatever the fashion or mood of the times, we pray that this chapel will meet the need and answer the call.

Once more we look to the future with a vision of hope. God bless us all.

Who puts his trust

In God most just

Has built his house

He who relies

On Jesus Christ

Heaven shall be his securely most surely

The Eton Wick History Group is most grateful for the kind permission given by the Eton Wick Methodist Chapel to republish this history, Tough Assignment on this website.