2020 has been a very different kind of Remembrance, but our problems pale by comparison with the way people must have felt during the Remembrance of Armistice Day in November 1939.
When Flight Lieutenant John Trull's engine failed over Lille on 20th February, 1944, he must have wondered if he would live to see another day, let alone marry his sweetheart...
On 7th January 1937, would-be aircraft designer, Richard Taylor, lost his life at Hamsey Green aerodrome when the wing of ...
We are indebted to Martyn J. Wheeldon, for sharing his memories of his Father, 1989603 Sapper Ernest Arthur Wheeldon.
At a time when everyone faced mortal danger, the vital task of dealing with unexploded bombs stands out as one of outstanding risk and danger. Sadly, the exploits of those brave men were sometimes left unrecorded, and this seems to be the case for a terrible tragedy that took place in Whyteleafe.
On 8th December, 1940, Sgt. Bronislaw Malinowski, crashed in Hurricane Mk.I, (R4101, SD-I), at Wye, near Ashford, through illness - he had fainted, but was only slightly injured in the crash.
No.46 squadron lost Sgt. Fred Charles William Rogers, when he crashed his Gloster Gauntlet II, (K7795), into a hill at Pepperscombe Farm, Steyning, in Sussex.
Sheila used to fill in for Douglas Bader's secretary when he was away and got to know Bader quite well. The staff used to refer to the management by their initials and Bader was known as "B."
Many thanks to Simon Grant at Monogram Fine Artists for creating our wonderful event poster!
Here is a map detailing the location of the bus stops that will be used for the free Shuttlebus service which will run in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions on a loop from Whyteleafe station to Salmons Lane (Victor Beamish) and to Caterham station.
Here are details of the timetable for our free shuttlebus service which will be running throughout the day to the event and local train stations.
On 1st September, 1940, Sonia Carlile-Straw, a 19-year-old secretary from Caterham, manned an ARP post alone and took care of shocked and wounded casualties for 13 hours un-aided.
