By Phil Allen and Pat Parkinson, Brigg Amateur Social Historians
The 7th September 2010 BASH meeting, at Brigg & District Servicemen’s, Club
was “RAF Elsham Wold 1943–1944” – an illustrated talk by Ken Duddell. Over
100 people attended this event.
Ken explained how he had qualified as an engineer on Lancasters and spent
time at various aerodromes before ending up at Elsham Wold. He showed slides
of the crew he was with during some of the raids. He also showed slides of
many different flight paths taken - which were designed to confuse the enemy
about the real target. Ken described what it was like to be on a raid, and
he told how the crewmembers did not speak to each other on the flights
unless the mission required it. His plane only got hit by enemy fighters
once, but Elsham Wold lost 1200 people between 1943 and 1945. Ken rounded
off the presentation with an enthusiastic question and answer session.
The next BASH meeting, on 5th October 2010 at 8pm at the Brigg &
District Servicemen’s Club, will be “Edward and Mrs Simpson” – an
illustrated talk by Marilyn Roberts.
The photograph, supplied by BASH, shows (left to right): Chris Witty (BASH committee), Ken Duddell (Speaker), Robin Lingard (Curator, Elsham Wold Air Museum).
1 comment:
During the talk, Ken briefly mentioned that before moving to Barnetby, 18 months ago, he was a guide at the RAF Cosford Aircraft Museum.
This musuem is well worth a visit
- just off the A5, NW of Wolverhampton.
For those interested in history - a few miles down the road is the new town of Telford - the older part which includes Coalbrookdale - the cradle of the Industrial Revolution. Here one has extremely interesting museums - from Coalbrookdale Iron Works, thro' Blists Hill Musuem (on open air Victorian experience)..and down the River Servern a couple of miles, the Coalport China Works. On can't help tripping over the iconic Ironbridge - built in 1779 - the first bridge made from iron.
The whole area is dripping with history....for example, near Cosford, there's Tong Church and a town of Newport - each of which has a connection with Charlie Dickens.
The area even has a connection with Charles I and the Boscobel Oak - the tree he hid in after the Battle of Worcester - and is a few miles from Cosford.
To do the area justice, one really needs a long weekend, or longer to visit the various sites. Those willing to spend a longer time in the area, one can add the Roman Site at Wroxeter - just up the R. Severn from Coalbrookdale; Much Wenlock - a mediaeval town; Church Stretton & the Long Myndd...and of course, the Severn Valley Railway at Bridgnorth...an not forgetting Ludlow Castle.
All these places are within easy driving distance from each other.
ps 1.'Capt' Webb the first guy to swim the English Channel came from the area. He was killed going over the Nigagra Falls in a barrel.
2. If you ever visit the Ironbridge - check its joints. Being the first iron (cast) bridge, no-one knew about welding and high tensile bolting - so they used methods they knew - namely woodwork joints - ie wedges and mortice and tennon joints
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