tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57564903908187237572024-02-02T19:48:09.988+00:00Slice of LifeIn 2008 I left my regular job, returned to my roots in Cornwall and began a new life as a writer. I use this blog as a jotter, to have a think about the world around me. Wry smiles, enraged outbursts, laughter and tears: the gang’s all here ...Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.comBlogger406125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-9042634562873686312014-12-29T09:43:00.004+00:002015-04-17T18:19:26.154+01:00Cornwall in the First World War<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRNAZD_SoErSnfyCvRMJ87WCZdVPJ0MwvkwIvPHOnkxdebXkaIm8TTFt8YDtGumJ0V0_wQteubGy1K8d54NmNsQrPXqjPuRRkeVGT2UFIMWwO1QpJnfyMmEXesDB2OhvJVhGugMwVCKyo/s1600/DSCF7970+v6+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRNAZD_SoErSnfyCvRMJ87WCZdVPJ0MwvkwIvPHOnkxdebXkaIm8TTFt8YDtGumJ0V0_wQteubGy1K8d54NmNsQrPXqjPuRRkeVGT2UFIMWwO1QpJnfyMmEXesDB2OhvJVhGugMwVCKyo/s1600/DSCF7970+v6+low+res.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It’s impossible for us to imagine the innermost
thoughts of people who lived and fought during the First World War. But perhaps
a word of reflection on those four shattering years can be left to Private Harry
Patch.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Harry was Britain’s last surviving soldier who’d served in
the trenches, and lived until his 112th year. The Duke of Cornwall’s Light
Infantryman was conscripted in 1916 and fought at Passchendaele’s dreadful
battle; nearly a hundred years later, his medals are displayed at the DCLI
Museum. Today Harry’s thoughts ring out: "When the war ended, I don't know if I
was more relieved that we'd won or that I didn't have to go back. All those lives lost, for a war finished over
a table. Now what’s the sense in that?"</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Across Cornwall's towns and villages, after the war memorials were erected to the fallen. Above is Truro's, topped by a triumphal representation of a Cornish soldier. Beneath the figure are commemorated the dead.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is my final post on Cornwall's First World War. I'm grateful for readers' interest, and for the guest posts generously provided by contributors.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100
images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a class="bitmark-shortlink" href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm"><span class="protocol">http://</span>amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span><br />
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Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-30226326666137075292014-12-27T07:37:00.004+00:002014-12-27T07:37:37.330+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YKAgYJUK3i7XOoVXl1EenMZvmHBfl9_jgSIsIU3KM2tNgIvKotXZ2giJG42Cvc37iQzDEeL4M0cyZA7C05YfFkqnWo-38e_YXaOpDiLWdAbcHwFh4dYoOCsFHwmhaGGI2lDQOQG84AHH/s1600/73.1+Cornwall+Volunteer+Training+Corps+Cap+Badge+as+sent+to+Ivan+-+Copy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YKAgYJUK3i7XOoVXl1EenMZvmHBfl9_jgSIsIU3KM2tNgIvKotXZ2giJG42Cvc37iQzDEeL4M0cyZA7C05YfFkqnWo-38e_YXaOpDiLWdAbcHwFh4dYoOCsFHwmhaGGI2lDQOQG84AHH/s320/73.1+Cornwall+Volunteer+Training+Corps+Cap+Badge+as+sent+to+Ivan+-+Copy.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For </span>much of the war, Cornwall had its own
defence force: the Volunteer Training Corps. Here’s a relic from those times, a cap badge from a Cornish
VTC officer’s uniform.</span></span><span></span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Duchy’s long coastline, mostly isolated and dotted
with small bays, was felt vulnerable to possible enemy incursion. To help
protect exposed and sensitive areas, by mid-1915 VTC contingents had formed in
many Cornish towns and villages. Generally its men were ineligible for
front-line service: old soldiers, essential war workers, members of the clergy.
Among other duties they helped protect national treasures, including precious
state papers which had arrived for safe keeping at Bodmin
Gaol.</span></span>
<span></span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Corps was a national body, the forerunner of the Second
World War Home Guard, and given similar tasks. Its members wore a red brassard emblazoned
with the initials GR (Georgius Rex), which led to unkind nicknames: God’s Rejects,</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Gorgeous
Wrecks, </span> Grandpa's Regiment.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial;">But for Cornwall</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">’s VTC men, </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">guarding
military centres and </span>protecting key resources
such as the railway network was deadly serious. They worked as orderlies at the Duchy's Red Cross hospitals, provided
sentries for the explosives factories at Hayle and Perranporth, and <span class="searchlite">volunteer</span>ed with local fire brigades. </span></span><br />
<span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100
images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a class="bitmark-shortlink" href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm"><span class="protocol">http://</span>amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-74134103737121473472014-12-23T07:19:00.000+00:002014-12-23T07:19:37.966+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAMHpzUBO3VQ_dpNc_QTZEieGecFi9Gc48VIbJUnjKDSQFmdTgxqJRpSY1AJBJdJkZXn0bRGMmSblbnzo6e5hdevakaXjRrCxWQaCMmyIs0Vs8RHIuC4OWFQBEOSLvdwZDur6-497tf1T/s1600/50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAMHpzUBO3VQ_dpNc_QTZEieGecFi9Gc48VIbJUnjKDSQFmdTgxqJRpSY1AJBJdJkZXn0bRGMmSblbnzo6e5hdevakaXjRrCxWQaCMmyIs0Vs8RHIuC4OWFQBEOSLvdwZDur6-497tf1T/s1600/50.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></span>At the mouth of the River
Lynher, Cornwall’s naval station HMS <i>Defiance
</i>served throughout the war.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">The base was built at Wearde
Quay near Saltash, using two wooden hulks moored off the river’s
northern bank: D<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">efiance</i>, an old 2nd rater
after which the station was named, and the smaller sloop <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perseus</i>. During 1905 a railway line was added, its station named
Defiance Halt, connecting the sailors with Great Western’s route to the diverse
attractions of Plymouth waterfront.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Between them the vessels
provided quarters for officers and ratings on main and lower decks
respectively, as well as a galley, gymnasium, and also lecture rooms, for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Defiance </i>was a training station. Its deadly
courses taught wholesale maritime destruction, using some of the most lethal
weapons of their day: torpedoes and enormous sea-mines.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Defiance</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;">
operated various craft, including the gunboat <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scourge</i> fitted with an 18-inch aluminium torpedo tube; a steam
pinnace, numerous torpedo boats and a destroyer also served. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The main hulk itself was
fitted with training torpedo-tubes, pointed toward the mud flats across the river.
Using the other vessels live exercises were regularly carried out in Plymouth
Sound, a torpedo-range cleared of traffic apart from moored tender HMS <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Falcon</i>, which spotted and marked the
students’ efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Mine-laying practice and
recovery drills were generally performed in Whitsand and Cawsand Bays. In today’s
image the sailors are putting in some hauling practice with sea mines; these
mines are dummies, but the base conducted many live exercises off the Cornish
coast. Live <span style="font-size: small;">mine and torpedo firings even took place on the Lynher itself. Cornish
people would gather to watch the explosions, as colossal gouts of water were
flung high into the air.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100
images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a class="bitmark-shortlink" href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm"><span class="protocol">http://</span>amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></div>
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Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-12938183123942200372014-12-22T07:39:00.000+00:002014-12-22T07:41:26.457+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMLCJt8kQ4iMlQ2lRb2lY18hZmbdcCa1cejlSJxkROMhDqEw9pz3T7i8dapNZJcgSLAV2nApJHvag1KqDhof9WDa16HqMsRMOGP5M2szTrXRP7eRYMB7iPxjjUX8g-YwUl3ZrKQ1Q2O6o/s1600/newlyn2.1+low+res.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMLCJt8kQ4iMlQ2lRb2lY18hZmbdcCa1cejlSJxkROMhDqEw9pz3T7i8dapNZJcgSLAV2nApJHvag1KqDhof9WDa16HqMsRMOGP5M2szTrXRP7eRYMB7iPxjjUX8g-YwUl3ZrKQ1Q2O6o/s1600/newlyn2.1+low+res.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here it's 1918, just south of Newlyn on the western side of Mount's Bay. </span></span>Resting
on its launching rails
down to the water at Royal Naval Air Station Newlyn is a Short 184
seaplane. Between the floats of the aircraft are mounted a depth charge
and a bomb. Three more bombs, used by the station's seaplanes on
anti-submarine patrols</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, sit on a concrete plinth</span>. </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the background is a canvas hangar, standard issue of the day</span>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Newlyn
was one of four Cornish centres of aero activity during the First World
War; the others were at Bude, Mullion and Padstow. An air base was also
built at Tresco on the Isles of Scilly.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100
images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a class="bitmark-shortlink" href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm"><span class="protocol">http://</span>amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div>
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Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-3538426364769843252014-12-21T06:23:00.004+00:002014-12-21T06:23:38.953+00:00Christmas Charades<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLYAZ_Mo1pW1AFnNG5_5Bqzo58ry0SME4qMt-DPKTMk6qBzI3ZcqiyIADHsYHbNhTBYJ0UR9uQj0JBcJRhfLX1NIWn3RWvTsr1mbd4DEky7dIM4HhUOTisAQcDRrW7Yi9mvqPZnoEooja/s1600/tumblr_mexbqmCAiN1qhdfvyo1_500+v2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLYAZ_Mo1pW1AFnNG5_5Bqzo58ry0SME4qMt-DPKTMk6qBzI3ZcqiyIADHsYHbNhTBYJ0UR9uQj0JBcJRhfLX1NIWn3RWvTsr1mbd4DEky7dIM4HhUOTisAQcDRrW7Yi9mvqPZnoEooja/s320/tumblr_mexbqmCAiN1qhdfvyo1_500+v2.jpg" width="279" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This Christmas, why not enjoy some traditional festive games of charades:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">‘Putting Up With Relatives I Detest’ charade </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">‘Enduring Old People’ charade</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">‘Believing in Jesus’ charade</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">‘It’ll Be Worth It To See The Children’s Faces’ charade</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">‘The Year’s Most Enjoyable Meal’ charade </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">‘Visiting Loathsome Neighbours’ charade</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Have a jolly and peaceful Yuletide; may your accompanying long-term debt crisis not break your spirits entirely.</span><br />
<br />
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-30023460216652413742014-12-20T06:48:00.000+00:002014-12-20T21:09:58.367+00:00Old People At Christmas<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b1T1rg2wkgjWyVMtSziFJxLtTHIUTq12iTjZ8mmhpOPU56mWi_h6QlQECXysPqG3pHPoSV1TDM3aV8ETofO-3u-Z5MYZi3m65fjqsHADXUpRuc0qbvf70r_g4HjtOWk8OuBV1iKYIWNc/s1600/mean-old-lady.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b1T1rg2wkgjWyVMtSziFJxLtTHIUTq12iTjZ8mmhpOPU56mWi_h6QlQECXysPqG3pHPoSV1TDM3aV8ETofO-3u-Z5MYZi3m65fjqsHADXUpRuc0qbvf70r_g4HjtOWk8OuBV1iKYIWNc/s320/mean-old-lady.jpg" height="320" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">"I'm 84, they never come ..."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">500,000 elderly folk in Britain will spend Christmas alone, a recent survey shows. Commissioned by the charity <i>Hello Old PEople, </i>the study examines attitudes
of the young toward senior citizens during the festive season.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The
survey revealed most young people wouldn’t be inviting elderly
relatives to their Christmas meals or parties, and would rather befriend
animals than older citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many didn’t have time to visit an old person, especially at Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others said they couldn’t be bothered, or had a feeling elderly folk already received enough visits.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The chief reasons for older people being abandoned, say the youngsters, are their unappealing habits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rudeness and tutting; mania for quizzes on flags of the world; a belief their anecdotes are worthy of film rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s claimed many old folk endlessly bemoan the decline of 'common sense' in modern times, and </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">expect reverence simply because of their age</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But some young people did make visits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A handful were religious, others doing their Duke of Edinburgh Award.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The survey also revealed well-off elderly people, especially those in bad health, received frequent calls from the young. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Enduring Old People charade is a well-known Christmas game, and can be lucrative.</span><br />
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Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-45277256094573480332014-12-19T07:21:00.001+00:002014-12-19T07:22:02.407+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnj-D4My0siOW3zmn_UhEavckEQ-ZKYFyMKQvht8bk3dpvJ5PZdMIXqUkYDbCk8RumXI7yPWmAn7YeCn4pgh9ZrFR9oAX4Jljene2BYOJxn8ZGViQ7WbRlXjr-OBRCTgm8jD0RLlffUFZP/s1600/IMG_4474+v2+low+res+v2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnj-D4My0siOW3zmn_UhEavckEQ-ZKYFyMKQvht8bk3dpvJ5PZdMIXqUkYDbCk8RumXI7yPWmAn7YeCn4pgh9ZrFR9oAX4Jljene2BYOJxn8ZGViQ7WbRlXjr-OBRCTgm8jD0RLlffUFZP/s1600/IMG_4474+v2+low+res+v2.jpg" height="272" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's Castle Class armed trawler <i>John Kidd</i>,
Admiralty Number 3508, seen in Mount's Bay. Built on the Tees at
Smith's Dock Company, Middlesborough, she was launched in February 1917
and completed three months later. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>John Kidd</i> served as a minesweeper; u</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">sually she had a crew of 15. </span></span>She
was armed with a 12-pounder gun amidships, and stern-mounted
depth-charges used to attack U-boats. As we can see from all her
elaborate aerials, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to help co-ordinate her activities </span></span>she was fitted with wireless.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Happily <i>John Kidd </i>survived the war, and was renamed <i>Rotherslade</i>. She went on to serve in the Second World War. Any further information on her would be much appreciated.</span></span><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100
images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a class="bitmark-shortlink" href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm"><span class="protocol">http://</span>amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-69367806080148224632014-12-18T07:03:00.002+00:002014-12-18T07:06:33.760+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdNnc5hYx5_zkXHiUwhHiWHduUy1pE52G_axLgi5YjyFflY3KmkvQ3XjyQEdhyaLwPspI1x8v72wlUZNef85pogoUzVLi53hefDUAsemR89LNKGPqx4_T9lzVfNAtmebiWUh9n314pe6n/s1600/IMG_4464+v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdNnc5hYx5_zkXHiUwhHiWHduUy1pE52G_axLgi5YjyFflY3KmkvQ3XjyQEdhyaLwPspI1x8v72wlUZNef85pogoUzVLi53hefDUAsemR89LNKGPqx4_T9lzVfNAtmebiWUh9n314pe6n/s1600/IMG_4464+v2.jpg" height="224" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This photo dates from December 1914. To our left stands Lieutenant Cuthbert Lloyd Fox of Glendurgan House near Falmouth. His men have been working on the construction of Trevethan army camp, which continued its training work throughout the war.<span class="userContent"> Behind the troops are some of the camp's accommodation huts. Today the site is marked out by Falmouth's Highfield, Mayfield and Fairfield Roads.</span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cuthbert Fox later served
with the Royal Engineers on the Western Front; he was promoted to Major and awarded the Military Cross. In 1946 he was appointed High Sheriff
of Cornwall. Cuthbert died in 1972.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-27251711691865588272014-12-17T07:13:00.000+00:002014-12-17T07:14:16.531+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUIdgsifUzz1RxjwDTdIXHcGN6UIn9e073UiL1gc2A5RxuiK5wV5HyqCMN5FCQwj9soaerPpIPUWT15X_h5kuB19pl3e3CHv8Sj_tfs8uupX9Rs0EmZEyujesY6qocpmwmehGbJcYJpFo/s1600/April+1939+Falmouth+dismantling+of+1WW+U-boat+wreck+v2+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUIdgsifUzz1RxjwDTdIXHcGN6UIn9e073UiL1gc2A5RxuiK5wV5HyqCMN5FCQwj9soaerPpIPUWT15X_h5kuB19pl3e3CHv8Sj_tfs8uupX9Rs0EmZEyujesY6qocpmwmehGbJcYJpFo/s1600/April+1939+Falmouth+dismantling+of+1WW+U-boat+wreck+v2+low+res.jpg" height="292" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"></span>In 1921 eight surrendered
U-boats from Germany's First World War fleet appeared at Falmouth, brought by the Royal Navy for trials. Six moored at Gyllyngvase,
but during a winter storm five were driven onto the Pendennis rocks. Abandoned,
they became something of a tourist hit. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The submarines stayed until the Second World War,
when they were partly dismantled during Britain’s push for
scrap-metal. The photo shows two men from Falmouth docks surveying one of the vessels just prior to the exercise, its conning tower slanting up and to the right. Today the bare bones of the U-boats are still there. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">M</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">y book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-47381010825283659472014-12-16T05:55:00.001+00:002014-12-16T06:33:07.726+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0D5Zu9REbkbkYZemmyIc1zHaeLCWZWy1y6ay4GzpN2Z51PQhSfzMdeFNuVtlne6dlhyphenhyphenpM1h0s3T0YXxZCarjj0m1IOV-1MSzEAIQCvQgpbpcD4loKP9ufAKUitwS5SH0idmV3G7uA0EBO/s1600/Coaster+Lake+Harris+Longrock+Pz+Nov+1918+lo+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0D5Zu9REbkbkYZemmyIc1zHaeLCWZWy1y6ay4GzpN2Z51PQhSfzMdeFNuVtlne6dlhyphenhyphenpM1h0s3T0YXxZCarjj0m1IOV-1MSzEAIQCvQgpbpcD4loKP9ufAKUitwS5SH0idmV3G7uA0EBO/s1600/Coaster+Lake+Harris+Longrock+Pz+Nov+1918+lo+res.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's a photo from November 1918, just before the war's end. Camouflaged American coaster <i>Lake Harris</i> has come to grief on the beach at Longrock, east of Penzance. Local people have turned out to view the vessel; a few days later </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><i>Lake Harris </i></span></span>was successfully refloated. The American flag flies from her stern, and on the poop is mounted a small defensive gun.</span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
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Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-33324771315784295522014-12-15T13:49:00.000+00:002014-12-15T13:49:00.624+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAinBGLGsxSjGNipdNvWaONJGkPyksIczs71R6e50CVTIFa_UN0bY5YWWGVo4Qu5WSqepMpwcp4mmEf2Mq3Um4HCC0QzmTuX_5RjQLoFgwgpQ8h1cGozz4xLnBD2851VxFoWbHEm7bifZj/s1600/001+lo+res+v2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAinBGLGsxSjGNipdNvWaONJGkPyksIczs71R6e50CVTIFa_UN0bY5YWWGVo4Qu5WSqepMpwcp4mmEf2Mq3Um4HCC0QzmTuX_5RjQLoFgwgpQ8h1cGozz4xLnBD2851VxFoWbHEm7bifZj/s1600/001+lo+res+v2.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'll be posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's
a photo from the summer of 1918. The location is Royal Naval Air
Station Padstow, a small airfield just outside the town at the hamlet of
Crugmeer. We don't know the identity of the RAF officer resting on his
cane, but the aircraft behind is a de Havilland DH.6 biplane.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Padstow’s DH.6's were as much a
burden as a fighting force. The DH.6 was
a depressing aeroplane, its engine puny and reticent; many examples also
suffered from structural problems. Carrying bombs was a great burden but a load of 100 lb was just about
manageable, provided the pilot flew alone. Sometimes DH.6s patrolled merely as unarmed signalling aircraft, the
observer using an Aldis lamp to commune with those below.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Patrols off Cornwall's north coast usually lasted around two hours, back
and forth over an inshore area say 40 miles across. To help spot the enemy, flights were low-level;
in any case the DH.6’s ability to climb while lugging bombs was feeble. If aircraft returned to Padstow still
carrying their bombload, often they couldn’t make enough height to clear the
cliffs and reach the landing-ground. That
meant a turbulent flight along the nearby valley south of Gunver Head, followed
by a drop onto the airfield. Numerous airmen
flying from RNAS stations across Britain had previously suffered war injuries
deeming them unfit for service overseas, but Padstow’s DH.6 patrols would have
taxed those in sparkling health.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span><br />
<br />
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-36765306652059333042014-12-12T00:15:00.005+00:002014-12-12T00:30:24.554+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihygkQm5KvzrdmqJIPm7xniZ2w3XMt22mTAi6vH42IRIDm11vljmNl09RgcCSBfxWmZoIeq_d78jw19GznLhaD8U2t8HBymH-9QdD_cVs59WXcviHdc_asNw-PQkP2aqfQQrbST0dLE6qD/s1600/St+Austell+Teacher+v2+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihygkQm5KvzrdmqJIPm7xniZ2w3XMt22mTAi6vH42IRIDm11vljmNl09RgcCSBfxWmZoIeq_d78jw19GznLhaD8U2t8HBymH-9QdD_cVs59WXcviHdc_asNw-PQkP2aqfQQrbST0dLE6qD/s1600/St+Austell+Teacher+v2+low+res.jpg" height="320" width="257" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">During this month, each
weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Today's guest post is
kindly provided by @PoltairHistory, the History Department at Poltair School in St
Austell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">How did Cornish people know how the war was progressing? Television and radio were still a long way off and few
people were sufficiently literate to read newspapers. Therefore it was the
responsibility of the educated to spread the news. In St Austell, </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> headmaster
of the County School </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Arthur Jenkinson </span></span>led the way. On 11th December 1914 in the Public Rooms on
Truro Road, he gave a lecture entitled “The War”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">From the school magazine of the time we
learn that, with slides and diagrams, he explained the significance of the
Battles of Mons and the Marne before examining the stalemate caused by “modern
methods of warfare, entrenchments, dug outs etc”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then illustrated the progress that the
Russians were making on the Eastern Front. Next he analysed the naval campaign,
describing the loss of HMS <i>Amphion </i>before talking about the sinking of four
German cruisers in the Atlantic. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Learned and well-read,
Jenkinson had a thorough grasp of the situation and one that would favourably
compare to a modern textbook. Feeling better informed, the audience ended the
evening by singing of “God Save the King” and a making a collection for the Red
Cross and St John’s Ambulance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">A week later Arthur Jenkinson volunteered for
the Royal Fusiliers as a private soldier. Later he held a commission in the
Royal Army Ordnance Corps, from which he was discharged in March 1919 with the
rank of Major.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112
pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also
available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span><br />
<br /></div>
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Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-86868626431226746302014-12-11T06:03:00.001+00:002014-12-11T06:06:42.970+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pGFkerXeRXB94OjFKQ1Yay6lk9iNDiTSl0gwIAjpKnTiCt2_MFsY1OGMpDboJB1zWq6XA6k4QUFE2Q6QvHhwkYNQRGarhH4cr3WVINusGMTJOFfmWfovAIWsi0dKpObJhKECkpXIuWji/s1600/Dreel+Castle+painting+by+George+Wade+v4+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pGFkerXeRXB94OjFKQ1Yay6lk9iNDiTSl0gwIAjpKnTiCt2_MFsY1OGMpDboJB1zWq6XA6k4QUFE2Q6QvHhwkYNQRGarhH4cr3WVINusGMTJOFfmWfovAIWsi0dKpObJhKECkpXIuWji/s1600/Dreel+Castle+painting+by+George+Wade+v4+low+res.jpg" height="258" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From 1916 the Royal Navy posted armed motor launches at Falmouth and Mount's Bay, tasked with hunting German submarines in the waters off Cornwalll's long coastline. To keep them supplied, the Navy co-opted
the <i>Dreel Castle</i>, an drifter of
97 tons originally registered at Kirkcaldy. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Converted into a depot vessel and
based at Falmouth, <i>Dreel Castle</i>
plodded a monotonous route to Penzance and the small naval outpost at St Mary’s,
ensuring the launches and naval auxiliary craft were replenished with fuel, arms,
equipment and rations. Here's a painting of the unsung </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">boat by the sculptor George Wade, who was also a self-taught artist.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span>Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-76025609712515292692014-12-10T06:20:00.001+00:002014-12-10T07:01:05.521+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4uPpJSnH_q9SfDe-gZm5WbEcY24Uv5yDchftS5xztHGnibuTDAm4_hPC_MqeCR1s7LWVHy-Fb4DcSIzA2ZFwhUSd7PDMJbPmG0yh_JUXosBe7XjuzpjrWufMAHXVC3p8rCh47CwSjFft/s1600/IMG_4469+v2+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4uPpJSnH_q9SfDe-gZm5WbEcY24Uv5yDchftS5xztHGnibuTDAm4_hPC_MqeCR1s7LWVHy-Fb4DcSIzA2ZFwhUSd7PDMJbPmG0yh_JUXosBe7XjuzpjrWufMAHXVC3p8rCh47CwSjFft/s1600/IMG_4469+v2+low+res.jpg" height="302" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<![endif]--></span>In August 1914, just as war
broke out and with deeply unlucky timing, two German liners sailing for America put in at Falmouth. The Hamburg America vessel <i>Prince Adalbert
</i>(Captain Schonfeldt) arrived on 4 August, closely followed by <i>Kronprinzessin
Cecilie</i>, seen above anchored off Falmouth. Their crews and several hundred
passengers were transferred to Custom House Quay by Falmouth’s tug <i>Victor</i> and detained, some briefly held in
stinking quayside fish-houses.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Both vessels were seized by the Admiralty;
the aliens, harmless and by no means all Germans (some were Americans), were taken
under armed guard to the workhouses at Falmouth, Helston, Penzance, Redruth, St
Columb Major and Truro. American citizen
Theodore Cuyler Patterson of Philadelphia protested loudly, claiming he was a personal
friend of President Wilson; it made no difference. With neutrals weeded out and released though, by
the autumn’s end the German nationals had been interned up-country. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span><br />
<br />Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-52886838539075511712014-12-09T06:42:00.002+00:002014-12-09T06:43:04.384+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AToDAA12reEn5BM7K6nrvlItOZp6aoa0uhyphenhyphenqo_QWJIWyL0XBfztOtQ_wcLjt2h0OvDBpdk6E3o94ld5ZoPQr8x4X-HpcPFqPRqdl7wrHJQQo4I7T_mlMOpM_uz6JR2obG1mfI1ZlAl7r/s1600/IMG_4460+v2+low+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AToDAA12reEn5BM7K6nrvlItOZp6aoa0uhyphenhyphenqo_QWJIWyL0XBfztOtQ_wcLjt2h0OvDBpdk6E3o94ld5ZoPQr8x4X-HpcPFqPRqdl7wrHJQQo4I7T_mlMOpM_uz6JR2obG1mfI1ZlAl7r/s1600/IMG_4460+v2+low+res.JPG" height="220" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here is General Sam Hughes, Canadian War Minister, inspecting a guard of Royal Fusliiers of the Falmouth Garrison during his visit in March 1916. The men were from the 16th (Reserve) Battalion which had formed at Falmouth in October 1914.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span><br />
<br />Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-62407663595432779802014-12-08T09:33:00.001+00:002014-12-08T18:04:43.525+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTAav5PvSJ1N-4VDRu_qnYr0uoLDhwqbmvSg7Abg_Vupfa9gF7l2roxq5CUno-AEI-vPd2qAt6Ku5RSp1Y3lpbgpwqPPqCRqZ5ictk_LZyP_26zuqwgqTx0w9xo-0bh18aGCEngPU8FAA/s1600/Holman+1WW+Women+1+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTAav5PvSJ1N-4VDRu_qnYr0uoLDhwqbmvSg7Abg_Vupfa9gF7l2roxq5CUno-AEI-vPd2qAt6Ku5RSp1Y3lpbgpwqPPqCRqZ5ictk_LZyP_26zuqwgqTx0w9xo-0bh18aGCEngPU8FAA/s1600/Holman+1WW+Women+1+low+res.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is a section of female employees who worked for the famous old Camborne firm of Holman Brothers Ltd. Before the war Holmans made mining machinery for use worldwide, but during hostilities turned to munitions manufacture. These ladies are 'shell-girls', sometimes known as munitionettes, who produced 18-pounder ammunition and high-explosive howitzer bombs for the British Army and Navy. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The women worked round the clock in three shifts; above is Section 1. Holman's rather patronising post-war literature records: "We are proud to say that these girls tackled unfamiliar tasks with willingness and enthusiasm ... girl labour proved excellent in every way." </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span><br />
<br />Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-24444629071116035682014-12-05T07:03:00.000+00:002014-12-05T07:18:34.810+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OKL6xUfUfyaeX0LHZFslWDx2rAfha4FPzawl_A0xi8vnlWQxZQXJ5Ke2vDiWybTaVsVMYTXYptQz3ufpyeiOxKSqSmpxKyTJBKZ-yPWWSHnePK25Xr3p7umg9vIWVocSQgWVc6cFL_3n/s1600/DSCF9639+v2+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OKL6xUfUfyaeX0LHZFslWDx2rAfha4FPzawl_A0xi8vnlWQxZQXJ5Ke2vDiWybTaVsVMYTXYptQz3ufpyeiOxKSqSmpxKyTJBKZ-yPWWSHnePK25Xr3p7umg9vIWVocSQgWVc6cFL_3n/s1600/DSCF9639+v2+low+res.jpg" height="400" width="251" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here is Corporal William Harmer, who served with the 10th (Service) Battalion (Cornwall Pioneers), Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="st">The 10th Battalion was raised at Truro in March 1915 by the Mayor and the City, and trained at Penzance before moving to Hayle in October. In June 1916 they landed at Le Havre, fighting on the Western Front until the end of the war. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We don't know a great deal about William but he came from the Penryn area. During the conflict he was awarded the Military Medal.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-73328814185677835452014-12-04T06:33:00.000+00:002014-12-04T06:34:51.192+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UltzcIutlwhaBYcax95lDibuXRg5XZ6dOviNjQ9ALz0p40J3j2NlSMsxJLZVtAj0CJPEH690dEJMQ9gxuUFxurYPcJii-ePyanKKKOc-Fd-v-xoA8faq9ux23aZ-lHqtLNt6II9kqj21/s1600/IMG_4450+v2+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UltzcIutlwhaBYcax95lDibuXRg5XZ6dOviNjQ9ALz0p40J3j2NlSMsxJLZVtAj0CJPEH690dEJMQ9gxuUFxurYPcJii-ePyanKKKOc-Fd-v-xoA8faq9ux23aZ-lHqtLNt6II9kqj21/s1600/IMG_4450+v2+low+res.jpg" height="266" width="400" /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In 1914 these men were mobilised to Falmouth. They're gunners from the Royal Artillery, posing proudly </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> on Pendennis Head </span></span>with their 6 inch field gun. Many gunners trained there in the use of such weapons, before being sent to the Western Front.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-7768292766679924332014-12-03T07:31:00.001+00:002014-12-03T07:31:11.417+00:00Cornwall In The First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RzPq6Ip_omnVgof6Cg3VP42um0HMpH-e7E7YvYBGhYuyxWGfC-JgB8QDw0PNHRsp4Mzt4m5Chyphenhyphen67ukoFVzXHead9_GoOEC7JWa7r7DyzyCW0kQSIJphwwS_dEys3C81FLchB_MqFH2el/s1600/Helston+1914+low+res.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RzPq6Ip_omnVgof6Cg3VP42um0HMpH-e7E7YvYBGhYuyxWGfC-JgB8QDw0PNHRsp4Mzt4m5Chyphenhyphen67ukoFVzXHead9_GoOEC7JWa7r7DyzyCW0kQSIJphwwS_dEys3C81FLchB_MqFH2el/s1600/Helston+1914+low+res.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a different
image showing aspects of Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today I've selected a 'mystery photo'. It was taken </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">in the Helston area, possibly </span>during
1914. Beyond that, we know nothing about what's going on. A couple of
points: firstly the soldiers' trousers are of darker material than their
jackets, which is unusual. Secondly their cap badges are round, so we
can exclude them being Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">They
may be members of Cornwall's Volunteer Training Corps, but these
part-time soldiers usually wore identifying armbands displaying the
initials GR: no armbands here. It's more likely they're part of the
later Volunteer Force, but in that case the photo's date would be at
least summer 1916. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Any thoughts or information on these gentlemen would be most appreciated.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-42544955910495815282014-12-02T06:03:00.004+00:002014-12-04T07:35:35.996+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ck1uwj7gIqgYt3c-RdduQ2SwNXUm3p5jg4FJq72sBQv3h3WPvVjOxqYOda0vyut8U3XWir_G_T-fXE0JooGpTZu0JY_BaK5zPDjhEdXLJ2-icQZHvkaQID3sXrqnVmqleQQrutT1S3b6/s1600/CSL+3rd+DCLI+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ck1uwj7gIqgYt3c-RdduQ2SwNXUm3p5jg4FJq72sBQv3h3WPvVjOxqYOda0vyut8U3XWir_G_T-fXE0JooGpTZu0JY_BaK5zPDjhEdXLJ2-icQZHvkaQID3sXrqnVmqleQQrutT1S3b6/s1600/CSL+3rd+DCLI+low+res.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here is the 3rd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">a route march during 1917. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The soldiers are out of step and rifles are being carried on different shoulders, which suggests they've been travelling some distance.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-83918870629247567562014-12-01T10:11:00.001+00:002014-12-01T10:11:31.380+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoFwWYSCq5JIJW2E72YIk-p2saKQ3Kdl0q5F1RNLslLUFhNvUHdw1FVV3n9dQ0ebcre8vVqfG0BZK5EHO5hnSeVU9QF8G_y9F__sgxXbDPfYmI4CJSocvWsoM6_JAL_s1jabtAJi1vZOu/s1600/C2+gondola+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoFwWYSCq5JIJW2E72YIk-p2saKQ3Kdl0q5F1RNLslLUFhNvUHdw1FVV3n9dQ0ebcre8vVqfG0BZK5EHO5hnSeVU9QF8G_y9F__sgxXbDPfYmI4CJSocvWsoM6_JAL_s1jabtAJi1vZOu/s1600/C2+gondola+low+res.jpg" height="237" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's a close-up of Coastal Class airship C.2, which flew from Royal Naval Air Station Mullion. She's being walked across the flying field by her ground-crew, using trailing-ropes to manoeuvre her; her engines are stopped so perhaps she's just arrived home at the end of a patrol. Beneath her gondola we can make out bombs, used to attack German submarines on the rare occasions they were spotted.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100
images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a class="bitmark-shortlink" href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm"><span class="protocol">http://</span>amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-26214544905169008912014-11-28T07:28:00.003+00:002014-11-28T07:29:27.772+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7PdtfqgZTQfthmgGjkdgm1HHzYtZgXLdx24muODuinmTQK57I5fGSRYN8oK2Ei4w0cQh-Yrc2ZrmNHaX4UHDWKRSfnTgMsj6dyfrToK5SVYt1n1UmNErV8Ber9gdw1Yz4ERaHBYqQn5N/s1600/IMG_4477+v3.1+low+res.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7PdtfqgZTQfthmgGjkdgm1HHzYtZgXLdx24muODuinmTQK57I5fGSRYN8oK2Ei4w0cQh-Yrc2ZrmNHaX4UHDWKRSfnTgMsj6dyfrToK5SVYt1n1UmNErV8Ber9gdw1Yz4ERaHBYqQn5N/s1600/IMG_4477+v3.1+low+res.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On 18 April 1918 the British merchant steamer SS <i>Runswick</i>,
carrying coal, was torpedoed by German submarine UB-109, three miles
off Trevose Head near Padstow. She was beached and abandoned; all the
crew were saved. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span lang="EN-GB">
Today she lies against the Quies, the islands a mile or so off
Trevose Head.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100
images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a class="bitmark-shortlink" href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm"><span class="protocol">http://</span>amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-76631032996255250702014-11-27T09:12:00.002+00:002014-11-27T11:57:14.358+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcn0uy0_JRiJQr0v-O0o37WrSR_qZuLED5JPoADj9JZXzeCjw82GSSZ9c04p0GaB8rakLtvuMOTPDTjyIZvGjvCA_jqHMu7xHUGWsthk3PkSDYSHO32_Mv6Su9zt0j6wjfZIYbRGnwV1w/s1600/DSCF9570+v3+lo+res.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcn0uy0_JRiJQr0v-O0o37WrSR_qZuLED5JPoADj9JZXzeCjw82GSSZ9c04p0GaB8rakLtvuMOTPDTjyIZvGjvCA_jqHMu7xHUGWsthk3PkSDYSHO32_Mv6Su9zt0j6wjfZIYbRGnwV1w/s1600/DSCF9570+v3+lo+res.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here,
it's August 1914; war has just broken out. In Redruth a rush of
volunteers takes place as men step forward to join the fight.
Shepherding the recruits are two regular soldiers. The new men wait on
the town's station platform; they're travelling up-country to begin
military training. For many, this will be the last memory of where
they'd grown up.</span><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span>Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-91876618718005936672014-11-26T09:54:00.002+00:002014-11-26T09:57:18.583+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJXEsj5VABbNGNNjDZLES9lkpxEIJYEO9neulCUWVdvhC-Eq9POD_YvHQx8NreX0mk1FUL1BPi-LWznlcj-FRJgeeiEte0M51mYIa2ol5dxlbfzQ09xbpk59uqQ7hdeMoChA1DnrFV7mT/s1600/Henry+Chapman+(small)%2Blow%2Bres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJXEsj5VABbNGNNjDZLES9lkpxEIJYEO9neulCUWVdvhC-Eq9POD_YvHQx8NreX0mk1FUL1BPi-LWznlcj-FRJgeeiEte0M51mYIa2ol5dxlbfzQ09xbpk59uqQ7hdeMoChA1DnrFV7mT/s1600/Henry+Chapman+(small)%2Blow%2Bres.jpg" height="293" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Today I’m pleased
to feature a guest post written by Anne Chapman, who lives in Gorran Haven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many thanks for the piece, Anne.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"> </span>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">In Memory
of Henry Chapman</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">On 26<sup>th</sup>
November 1914 the UK suffered its second worst loss of life due to an
explosion at sea, when HMS <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bulwark </i>was
destroyed off the coast of Kent. The final death toll was 738 men, and this is
the story of one of them ... my Great Grandfather Henry Chapman. He’s pictured
above, with his wife Elizabeth.</span>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Henry was born on
6<sup>th</sup> October 1869 in Higham, Strood, Kent, the son of Charles and
Mahala Chapman. He had at least eight brothers and sisters. His family had been
farmers in Kent and Sussex for many years, but Henry chose another path.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">He became a coastguard
and this profession led him to Gorran, Cornwall, where in 1896 he married
Elizabeth Ann Lewarn Liddicoat. The Liddicoats are an old Gorran family; their
roots there go back at least 200 years.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Henry’s career
took the couple from Gorran to Kingswear, Devon, then to Charmouth in Dorset
and finally to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. In each place they lived in
coastguard cottages, some of which remain standing today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they moved around the country, the family
grew. Henry and Elizabeth had eight children; Florence Eleanor, Mary Mahala,
Ruby Audrey, George Henry, William Charles, Elsie May, Percy John and Charles
Leslie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary and Ruby sadly died young.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">When war was
declared in August 1914 Henry joined the Navy as a Petty Officer Stoker
(Coastguard), number 147160, and embarked in HMS <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bulwark</i> along with many reservists from the Portsmouth area. His
family left the Isle of Wight and moved back to Cornwall, where they lived at
2, Ledrah Villas, Ledrah Road, St Austell. Henry was 45 when he died and his
youngest child was only two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Elizabeth
remained in St Austell and raised her family there alone, under what was
undoubtedly great hardship. They lived on St Austell’s west side, initially in
Ledrah Road and later in the Gover Valley. Henry and Elizabeth’s surviving
children prospered and many of their descendants can be found in the St Austell
area today. Surnames of family members include Chapman, Giltjes-Vincent,
Giltjes, Raymond, Bennett, Williams, Casson, Wellington, Webb, Evely, Kingdom,
Laville, and Arrowsmith.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">HMS <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bulwark</i> had a short career. One of three
“London” class battleships, built in Devonport in 1902, amongst others she was
commanded by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, who later explored the
Antarctic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the outbreak of War she
joined the Channel Fleet, and early in November 1914 became the location for
the court martial of a senior Naval Officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">On the morning of
the disaster <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bulwark</i> was moored off
Sheerness in the River Medway estuary and most of the crew were below decks at
breakfast, hence the large loss of life. The huge explosion was felt in
buildings on the Essex coast, and the sailors’ personal effects were later
found scattered across the Kent countryside. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">That afternoon
the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, said in the House of
Commons: “I regret to say that I have some bad news for the House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bulwark</i>
battleship, which was lying in Sheerness this morning, blew up at 7.53 am. The
Vice and Rear Admirals who were present have reported their conviction that it
was an internal magazine explosion, which rent the ship asunder. The ship had
entirely disappeared when the smoke cleared away.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">“The loss of the
ship does not sensibly affect the military position, but I regret to say that
the loss of life is very severe. Only twelve men were saved, and all the
officers and rest of the crew, which, I suppose amounted to between 700 and 800
persons, have perished. I think the House would wish me to express on its
behalf the deep sympathy and sorrow with which the House heard the news, and
the sympathy it feels with those who have lost their relatives and friends.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">The subsequent
enquiry found the explosion had been caused by the overheating of charges,
which then set off the ammunition stored in the ship’s passageways. Despite the
Coroner’s best efforts, the blast was so severe that many of the recovered
bodies remained unidentified; they were buried under full military honours in
the Naval Section of the Gillingham Cemetery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sadly, most of the crew were not recovered for burial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Today, the men
who died are remembered at Chatham’s Naval Memorial and the Portsmouth Naval
Memorial. The disaster’s centenary will be marked by remembrance services and
events in Gillingham and Chatham. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">As Henry spent so
few years in Cornwall he is not remembered on any local memorials, but his
legacy is alive in Cornwall today in the form of his many descendants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is not forgotten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5756490390818723757.post-35962655805910988492014-11-25T06:20:00.000+00:002014-11-25T14:22:28.384+00:00Cornwall in the First World War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4tUOBT4kxSWuEy7i-Q8lWzLWyh4VwuUHM1PygxTNMlhHVxrZ1iXtGPNbftJLpsAD28904gygXCfhmGYmSBwN5AR404fh942R0GIC50uyeWHGASVnHvbkhc59mXUVkJD6bsUJVx6iuNyz/s1600/SSZ42+Mullion++ian+stratford+v3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4tUOBT4kxSWuEy7i-Q8lWzLWyh4VwuUHM1PygxTNMlhHVxrZ1iXtGPNbftJLpsAD28904gygXCfhmGYmSBwN5AR404fh942R0GIC50uyeWHGASVnHvbkhc59mXUVkJD6bsUJVx6iuNyz/s1600/SSZ42+Mullion++ian+stratford+v3.jpg" height="290" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here is </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sea Scout Zero airship SSZ.42 seen at Royal Naval Air Station Bude, the lonely outpost on Cornwall's north coast established outside the town in 1918. Beneath, her ground-handling crew are holding the airship's trail ropes, to help manoeuvre her across the field to a mooring position. Today, one of Bude's old concrete mooring points, a huge ball into which was sunk a metal loop, survives in private hands.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by
Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the
Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/19JbtZm">http://amzn.to/19JbtZm</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />Pete Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460298113891566649noreply@blogger.com0