Category: World War Two

Who was Henry Peuleve

From “Rye’s Own” March 2006 Issue

By David Bourne

Part 2

Because of his upbringing Henry was thoroughly Anglo-French being able to pass as a Frenchman and as an Englishman. After being in the Army’s evacuation from France in 1940 he was recruited into the F (French ) Section of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Henry broke his leg attempting to return to France as an agent. He escaped, over the Pyrenees into Spain with Jaques Poirier, a young Frenchman. Continue reading Who was Henry Peuleve

Between the Zeppelin and the Doodle Bug

 By Arthur Woodgate

On 16 October 1917, I was taken to the Lion Street School and settled in a class taught by a Miss Jordon. Miss Longley was the Headmistress and with a long wooden corridor she could be heard coming with loud creaks all over our infant school. Continue reading Between the Zeppelin and the Doodle Bug

Woodchurch Warbirds

This account of the Woodchurch Warbirds is used by kind permission of Rob Davies & Bob Gaylor

One of the two most southerly ALGs in the grouping used by the USAAF west of Ashford, Woodchurch was originally planned to support light bombers and thereby would need a bomb store near the site. Continue reading Woodchurch Warbirds

Summers On the Home Front

By Beryl Dale

I was born in May 1938 on Romney Marsh near the Military Canal and when I think of the summers of my early childhood the sun seemed to have shone all the time. It is especially strange as those years were set against the back drop of war and all that entailed. We lived within walking distance of Rye, close to the Kent Continue reading Summers On the Home Front

Unknown Rye Hero

By Jim Hollands

When Arthur Woodgate, who at 100 years of age is the magazine’s oldest contributor, mentioned an ‘unknown Rye hero’ in his War & Peace article back in April it was a long shot to expect that after 74 years the identity of the people involved would come to light. Continue reading Unknown Rye Hero

Jimper’s War

I was born in World War Two so my own recollections of the times are limited but the vivid descriptions of incidents that were witnessed by my mum and dad and recited to me many times, remain indelible in my mind. Continue reading Jimper’s War

War and Peace

by Arthur Woodgate

The phrase “all but the kitchen sink” did not hold out when the Germans smashed Havelock Villas on the Strand for, large as life, there was the kitchen sink sitting on the top of one of the houses of “T square”. As it and the other contents of Havelock were blasted out, my dad working in his work shop, heard and saw a piece of rock drop through his roof and finish by his foot. The whole roof had to be replaced after the War. Continue reading War and Peace

Looking Back to 1940

Look out of your window and up at the sky. Imagine you have travelled back in time to 5 June 1940. The Dunkirk evacuation between the 24 May and 4 June was complete. Churchill later described the retreat as “A miracle of deliverance” Continue reading Looking Back to 1940

Nazi Invasion Between Hastings and Hythe

After the evacuation of Dunkirk, there was a period of intense activity to prepare defences against an immanently expected invasion of South East England. The Germans were massed on the French coast after their lightening victories in France and the Low Countries. Now Britain was firmly in their sights. It would only be a matter of time before they turned their attention to invading the land they could see just 22 miles away over the English Channel. Continue reading Nazi Invasion Between Hastings and Hythe

The Few Remembered at Rye

 

Former members of the Rye & Northiam RAFA commemorated Battle of Britain
Day on 15 September with a service at St Mary’s Church Rye led by
Rev Joy Davenport who worked the Battle of Britain into the Communion
Service. Continue reading The Few Remembered at Rye