HISTORIC LIST SHOWS EVERY PERSON FROM BRIGG WHO SERVED IN WW2 - NAME, RANK & NUMBER

 

Seeing the Remembrance Poppies on The Buttercross is a timely reminder of the Brigg WW2 Welcome Home Fund which was set up in the town in 1944-45 to raise money to provide a gift to every member of the Armed Services from the town on their return from the war, writes local man James Phillips.
The file containing the papers and correspondence relating to the various fund-raising efforts and the accounts etc., are on loan and on display in the Brigg Heritage Centre in the Angel.
Most interesting is the complete list it contains which details the Name, Rank, Service Number and home address of each and every person from Brigg who served in the war – evidently painstakingly prepared to ensure no one was missed off.
This is certainly a fascinating, unique record and an important part of the history of the town.
The correspondence at the time gives a bit of an insight into the commendable work of the Committee and the generosity of those involved and the townspeople who supported the efforts.
It includes amusing letters from the local Bank Manager, who was the Treasurer, advising the Secretary of the Fund (Miss Glentworth, a secretary at Spring & Company) that he hoped to attend the next meeting as long as it was not too foggy and provided he had not been invited to a day’s shooting!
Kay Rothery, of the Brigg Heritage Centre, was instrumental in arranging for the file to be available for visitors to appreciate and maybe find a relative included as many of the names are still familiar in the town.

N.F ADDS: The Chairman of the Fund, R. M. Phillips, was James's Grandfather; his Father, R. O. Phillips, joined the Committee on his return from Burma in 1945. James also thinks the presentation made from the fund included some form of certificate acknowledging their war service. If so, he wonders if any families still have them.

PICTURED: Top left - The result of the town's war-time fundraising in aid of the RAF Pilots and Crews Fund being presented; top right - Cliff Turner, from Brigg, who served with the Navy during WW2. A few years ago, Cliff shared vivid memories of the day in 1941 when he left the town for Naval service. He took the same train as George Hewson, who was rejoining the Navy as a reservist. View Cliff's article here...  George later became a long-serving councillor and Mayor. The Hewson House offices, on Station Road, were named after him in the 1990s. 

BRIGG BLOG HAS POSTED THIS PIECE ON THE ELEVENTH HOUR OF THE ELEVENTH DAY OF THE ELEVENTH MONTH. THAT WAS WHEN THE GUNS FELL SILENT IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR, KNOWN AS ARMISTICE DAY.