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The news this week...
100 years ago
A SUFFERING man with kidney trouble from Berkhamsted sent across a letter to the Gazette regarding “Doan's pills”.
The Gazette reported: “Here is a message of good hope from Great Berkhamsted to Hemel Hempstead,” Mr. Edward Potter senior said, “For a long time I suffered with pains in my back. I knew they were the result of my kidneys being out of order, for there were urinary disorders. I was very depressed, and seemed to lose all confidence in myself,” he carried on, “Now, however, I am quite well again, thanks to Doan's pills. My back is strong and free from pain; the urinary troubles are gone, and I feel better in every way. I have already spoken to my friends about the pills, and shall continue to recommend them whenever I get an opportunity.”
THE HEMEL Hempstead public would have been pleased to know that the final harvest thanksgiving service on the previous Sunday was a terrific success.
The report read: “Rarely has this Church looked so beautiful from a decorative point of view. On the previous day an abundance of flowers, corn, fruit, etc., had been sent by a large number of parishioners, and the decorators, who consisted of ladies of the parish, arranged the contributions in an exceedingly tasteful manner,” the article continued, “there was only one thing that could make a harvest festival a real success, and that was a thankful heart.”
1956 50 years ago
TWO men were sent to jail and another fined for stealing lead from the roof of Great Gaddesden Church.
The trio were all punished at Hemel Hempstead Magistrates Court for taking the lead, totalling a value of £125. The Gazette reported: “All three defendants pleaded “guilty” to stealing one and a quarter tons of lead, the property of the Great Gaddesden Parochial Church Council.
Early on Wednesday morning, a Church Cottages resident looked out of an upstairs bedroom window and saw two vans parked outside the adjoining Parish Church. One was being loaded with something heavy.” In a statement to the police, one defendant said, “It was on the spur of the moment that we decided to do the job.”
A SERIOUS education problem in the area was stressed at a Dacorum Divisional meeting this week.
There were a “peak” number of children wishing to attend school in the Hemel Hempstead District and this was expected to continue for many years ahead. The Gazette wrote: “It was agreed that there should be special reference to the Minister for priority orders to ensure the building of both primary and secondary schools to meet the need. This had special reference to the Chaulden and Warners End schools where there has been considerable delay in starting the new schools which are urgently required.”
MOTORISTS and other holiday makers who returned disappointed from a rain-soaked break 50 years ago were thinking of a change in 1957.
The Gazette reported: “They may like to consider the idea of hiring a towable caravan, as opposed to one that is on site. The smallest of caravans costs 70s-a-week from a typical letting firm, while luxury outfits can be had for eight guineas.”
1981 25 years ago
A MAN in Potten End who built his dream home, this week lost the latest round in his fight to save the building from demolition.
Mr. John Andrews, known to the Gazette as, “The Bungalow Rebel”, had his desired house built without obtaining planning permission beforehand.
The Gazette's article read: “Mr. Andrews was dealt a second blow this week, when he learned that the district council had decided to go ahead with a High Court hearing in a bid to get an injunction, forcing Mr. Andrews to pull down his recently built home.”
THE CONTROVERSIAL Bovingdon Prison project was prolonged once again - almost a decade to the day since it was first announced in 1971.
An article read: “The Home Office has submitted plans to Dacorum District Council, stating work will start in 1984, and will be in working order in October 1987.”
The announcement brought varied responses from local residents. Carole Hudson of The Bourne felt strongly about the scheme. She said, “A village like Bovingdon should not have a prison. There are already problems with the sewerage system here.”
The report continued: “A spokesman for local estate agents R. J. Aitchison said the sale of a house in The Bourne recently fell through because of the threatened prison project.”
FOUR Maylands Infants' School pupils celebrated the Harvest Festival on Wednesday.
The Gazette reported: “Truc Huynh, Jason Mancey-Jones, Stephen Gibbins and Sean Barry, were among those who entertained a capacity audience with short plays. Around £12 was raised for the disabled section of Help the Aged and the following day harvest donations were distributed to old folk of nearby Southernwood Close and Adeyfield Lodge.”
Heritage Special Feature
Amazing tales of prisoners of war
by Pete Bennett
pete.bennett@ccnltd.com
A HEMEL Hempstead writer has produced a fascinating book on the forgotten men of the Second World War - the prisoners of war.
Adrian Gilbert, aged 51, of Horsecroft Road, has just released his new book POW Allied Prisoners in Europe 1939-1945 which tells some of the incredible stories of the 300,000 allied service men who were captured in Europe and North Africa during the war.
Mr Gilbert said: “The idea for the book came about when I was writing about the war in North Africa for another book and started to read about the stories of the soldiers who were taken prisoner. I found out there was a lot more to POW life than what we have grown up with in the old escape movies and that got me interested.”
Mr Gilbert spent many hours in the Imperial War Museum, National Archives and British Library carrying out research and also interviewed and corresponded with many ex-POWs.
He said: “I discovered that there were so many strange things that I'd never heard of that took place in the camps. There was such a variety of cultural, artistic and educational activities.
“For example I had no idea that people took English courses that had been organised at Oxford University and brought in to the camps through the Red Cross parcels. They had classes and exams and 17,000 took the courses with around 78 per cent passing. They were then able to use the results when they got back home so their time wasn't wasted.”
One of the main problems of POW life was avoiding boredom and although some people did try and escape they were in the minority.
Mr Gilbert said: “There weren't a lot of escapes and a lot of people realised that there was only a slim chance of success. Maybe five per cent of the camp were dedicated escapers but of course everyone has heard about them.”
There was also a large number of cultural events organised with musical instruments being brought in via the Red Cross and YMCA parcels.
Some of the bigger camps might even have had enough to put together a symphony orchestra and dance bands.
Mr Gilbert said: “At the Eichstatt camp an officer named Richard Wood, who was a professional musician, commissioned Benjamin Britten to write a choral piece for him and via the Red Cross it was brought to the camp and given its world premiere. That really bowled me over.”
However although many troops were able to keep themselves entertained and even educated during their internment, there was of course a darker side to being a prisoner.
Mr Gilbert said: “The harshest treatment suffered by prisoners of the Germans and Italians tended to be at the beginning and end of the war. Around 50,000 troops were captured in North Africa and were shipped over to Italy in terrible conditions without food or water and with the risk of being torpedoed by British subs which several were.
“Another grim time was towards the end of the war when POWs in the camps of Eastern Germany were marched west away from the approaching Red Army. Some were shot by Germans while others got dysentery.”
He added that one of the most interesting things that comes out of the book was the strange way in which British and American troops tried to create a sense of home while military prisoners in a foreign country.
He said: “It was a bizarre world, surreal even. They were trying to make the best of it. A lot of times they
were trying to bring a bit
of home into the environment, but that made it
even more surreal.”
POW is out this week published by Murray priced £20.
Adrian Gilbert will be signing copies of POW at Waterstones in Hemel Hempstead on Thursday, October 19 between 7pm and 8pm. |
