ROYAL AIR FORCE MUSEUM COSFORD EVENT 2015 - RE-ENACTORS REQUIRED !

WWII re-enactors are wanted for RAF Cosford Air Show on Sunday June 14th 2015.  Also vehicles are required for the1940s event taking place at the Victory Village.
Camping facilities are available on Saturday 13th June and there is a marquee for displays that need to be under cover. You can contact them via the website at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk. Their address is Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, Shiftnal, Shropshire TF11 8IP and there's also information about this event at Rods 1940s events calendar at www.40s-events.co.uk

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR READERS

FROM THE 1940s PICTURE POST

Christmas Shopping at Walsall Leather Museum's Vintage and Retro Fair.

If you're still shopping for some last minute Christmas presents, why not visit some of the many vintage and craft fairs at this time of year.  There's lots of bargains to be found. Located in the West Midlands, Walsall Leather Museum's Retro Christmas Fair brought the opportunity to find unusual gifts, vintage clothes and accessories including 1940s goodies!  There was also the opportunity to make your own individual presents.

Stall holders Vintage Duo were there with some novel gifts, and they also organise Vintage and Handmade Fairs. You can contact them at vintage.duo@hotmail.co.uk or you can find them at Vintage Duo's Vintage Fairs on Facebook.

This event also included Second to None who specialise in period clothing, from Edwardian costume through to the 1980's, including 1940s clothes and accessories. You can visit them at 226 Stafford  Street, or email them at second2none226@yahoo.co.uk.

There was of course lots more to see.  For nearly two hundred years Walsall has been making its mark on the world and with nearly 90 businesses still manufacturing leather goods, it still has a thriving industry. Walsall Leather Museum, its restored Victorian factory and friendly staff are well worth a visit!

The 1940s Picture Post and the story of the Home Front in WWII

The story of the Home Front during World War Two was about how to turn a democratic and freedom loving people into a formidable war machine! A booklet, published by the Ministry of Labour in 1944, describes the mobilisation of the British people and how the nation was prepared for war.

Legislation was passed to ensure that the nation's workforce was available for the war effort, and the Trade Unions co-operated. Some people were required to leave their jobs and retrain. Skilled workers considered absolutely necessary for the war effort became reserved occupation. The governments compulsory powers extended to rich and poor alike.

 For example, hundreds of young women left their homes and families in Scotland, travelling to stay in hostels in Birmingham and work in the factories. Tanks, guns, aircraft and munitions were needed and the nation's women volunteered. The miners, dockers and railway workers and the Merchant Navy were now also considered to be essential to the war effort and food production had to be increased.

In 1940, during a hot summer, determined factory engineers worked themselves to a standstill. This was considered to be not good at all, either for health or productivity, so more planning was introduced. Despite this, many full-time workers also became part-time air raid wardens and fire wardens or helped in other ways. Everyone contributed to the war effort, by doing whatever they could.

Britain also had to ensure it could defend itself against the threat of invasion and that despite continual air raids that essential services and basic living standards were maintained.

Motivating speeches were supplied by the nation's leaders via radio and the press, and The Picture Post published moving pictures of ordinary people at war.

The mobilisation of the nation required a  phenomenal effort. Even our allies thought it couldn't be done. WWII had demanded and received an extraordinary response from the British people.  "We could never have survived at all if we had not mobilised our manpower......if the people had not been willing."

Source:  Manpower - The Story of Britain's Mobilisation For War
Prepared for the Ministry of Labour and National Service by the Ministry of Information. (First published 1944)

The Picture Post Album by Robert Kee

1940s PICTURE POST AT THE SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY

There's something special about a visit to the Severn Valley Steam Railway! The sights and sounds we experience allow us to travel back in time to the 1940's. It is now how it was then.  Add the re-enactors and the past is re-created and re-visited.

Attracting tourists from all over the world the Severn Valley Railway is also a highly popular venue for 1940s re-enactments. Usually their WWII Weekends feature vintage military vehicles, plenty of music and entertainment, battle re-enactments, re-enactors in civilian dress and uniform, exhibitions and displays at every station and flypast from a World War II spitfire!

Shoppers can enjoy plenty of bargains on sale at the many stalls and there's also vintage clothes, shoes, hats and lots of memorabilia and bric a brac.

During WWII the trains carried troops, military vehicles, resources and weapons across the country and evacuees away from the cities, providing ambulance and armoured support alongside the track. Often a frequent target of enemy attacks, the railways and their workers played a vital role in WWII.

CHURCHILL's SECRET ARMY - THE BRITISH RESISTANCE WWII

Churchill's hidden army was kept top secret.  The existence of the British Resistance and Auxillary Units and also the Special Duties Section remained covert until the 1990's. Then, a book and a film by Owen Sheers revealed the contingency proposals for Britain's secret army.

 In 1940 following Dunkirk and the occupation of Europe, plans for the British Resistance Organisation to defend the Homefront were put into action. Underground Operational Bases were created and patrols were trained in combat, intelligence and the use of weapons and sabotage. 

 Little is still known about Britain's Resistance and mostly the families were never informed. In occupied Britain the life expectancy of the members of the Resistance would have been only two weeks!

However, more details have emerged about the underground soldiers and spies in Wales. In September 2014 at Bantock House Museum in Wolverhampton, there was an exhibition about the work of the Resistance in Wales displaying the type of weaponry   issued to "The Scallywags" or GHQ Auxillary Units. These were to be used in the event of the invasion of Britain.

This is a fascinating and little known story and if you want to know more about The British Resistance and the Auxillary Units you can visit the www.auxunit.org.uk  Other links include www.coleshillhouse.com and www.abergavennymuseum.co.uk

A Grand Tea Dance

We all stepped back in time at this costumed WWII themed event! The Grand Tea Dance was the venue for Susan's 65th birthday party and the location was Aston Wood Golf Club, Little Aston in the West Midlands.

 There was Hollywood glamour and top hats and white ties, with some officers wearing their dress uniforms and of course the Homefront and the Army, Navy and Air Force were also represented. Wartime rations were provided for us and there was lots of music and dancing 1940's style. Holly Hewitt sang for us and sparkled in a beautiful red sequinned dress and later everyone joined in a jolly community sing song.

The re-enactors set the scene making us feel we had travelled back in time  to 1939. We all listened to speeches from Field Marshall Montgomery and Prime Minister Winston Churchill who both recreated the mood of the time.  Fire wardens were on hand to ensure everyone survived a dramatic "air raid" and the noise of the Blitz, and the drama continued with the arrest, by the Home Guard, of a spiv trying to peddle black market goods to the guests!

The Grand Tea Dance was an enjoyable and entertaining event and as the guests and re-enactors left I heard someone say,"can't we do this again next year?" Exactly! Thank you Susan.    

WWII Day at Jones of Shropshire

Visitors to the first World War Two themed event by Jones of Shropshire, Bridgenorth, enjoyed hot chocolate and homemade brownies while watching "The Dam Busters" in "The Mess" and other vintage film.
 

This Aladdin's cave of antique and vintage goodies re-created the atmosphere of the 1940's with costumes and music and a raffle raising funds for Help for Heroes. Hand knitted poppies were also on on sale to support the Royal British Legion. 

 Visiting re-enactors and enthusiastic members of the public helped to make this day a fun and memorable occasion. You can find Jones of Shropshire at Rudge Heath Nurseries, Bridgnorth Road WV6 7EE, they're also on Facebook and there are more photo's on the Jones of Shropshire page.