#WW2, B-17 Bombing Missions in Color: "The Memphis Belle" 1944 US Army Air For...

Am writing a short story on  a bomber crew, whilst doing some research I found this excellent propaganda film from the war. I never realised the King & Queen met the crew of the Memphis Belle.

#ww2 Rationing In The Second World War In Great Britain

Image found at http://images.esellerpro.com/2486/I/313/8/coaster-ration-book.jpg

In Great Britain rationing food was essential to the country's survival. As soon as hostilities began on September 3rd 1939, Great Britain was effectively under siege,and from June 1940 she was on her own. Due to being an island, food had to be rationed other wise the country would run out of food. Without imports from U.S.A, Canada and the Commonwealth life would have been impossible. The war in the Atlantic also took its toll on imports,reaching a peak in 1943. From the outset, the population of Great Britain had to grin and bear it before any bombs had fallen.

Image found at: http://www.rhiw.com/y_mor/hugh_roberts/atlantic/shipsbuiltandsunk.gif

 

WW2 Food Rations.

This is the ration for one adult per week.

BACON and HAM ……… 4ozs ( 100g )
MEAT …………………… to the value of 1s.2d ( 6p today ). Sausages were not rationed but difficult to obtain : offal was originally unrationed but sometimes formed part of the meat ration.
BUTTER ………………… 2ozs ( 50g )
CHEESE ………………… 2ozs ( 50g ) sometimes it rose to 4ozs ( 100g ) and even up to 8ozs ( 225g )
MARGARINE ……………… 4ozs ( 100g )
COOKING FAT …………… 4ozs ( 100g ) often dropping to 2ozs ( 50g )
MILK …………………… 3 pints ( 1800ml ) sometimes dropping to 2 pints ( 1200ml ). Household ( skimmed, dried ) milk was available. This was I packet each 4 weeks.
SUGAR …………………… 8ozs ( 225g )
PRESERVES ……………… 1lb ( 450g ) every 2 months
TEA ……………………… 2ozs ( 50g )
EGGS …………………… 1 shell egg a week if available but at times dropping to 1 every two weeks. Dried eggs ----- 1 packet each 4 weeks.
SWEETS …………………… 12 ozs ( 350g ) each 4 weeks.

In addition, there was a monthly points system.
As an example of how these could be spent, with the 16 points that you were allocated you were allowed to buy one can of fish or meat or 2lb ( 900g ) of dried fruit or 8lb ( 3.6kg ) of split peas.

Babies and younger children, expectant and nursing mothers had concentrated orange juice and cod liver oil from Welfare Clinics together with priority milk.
This milk was also available to invalids.

School meals were started in the war because mothers were working extremely long hours to help the war effort.

Information from:http://www.memorylanehf.oddquine.co.uk/food.htm

#WW2 Blackout in Britain September 1st 1939

Image found at:http://www.homesweethomefront.co.uk/images/jpeg/hshf_img_lady.jpg

The blackout in Great Britain began on September 1st 1939, two days before the outbreak of war. It was to prevent enemy aircraft finding their targets at night.The rules were very strict, no chinks of lights, no see through curtains, no glowing cigarette ends. Car headlights were dimmed as were street lights. As a result the immediate effects were more pedestrian accidents, and more crimes committed.

One of the most important jobs of the Air Raid Warden was to patrol his area and make sure there were no tell tale lights.  

Child drawing curtains ww2, image found at: http://blog.blinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/ww2_drawing_curtains.jpg

Even dairy cows had to be hi viz in #ww2, image found at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/images/2005/03/01/hu36167_blackout_bull_450x350.jpg

Air Raid Sirens In The Second World War

Probably the first thing most people heard after Chamberlain's famous speech on the outbreak of war in September 1939 was the air raid siren. This was an essential piece of kit used to warn both the military and civilians of the threat of enemy aircraft and bombing.Two tones were used; Red Alert which meant imminent attack and the All Clear which meant it was safe to leave your shelter (if you were lucky enough to have one/find one).

Some were hand cranked:

Image found at: http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/9i1QAtET0ok/hqdefault.jpg

Others were electric and obviously a lot louder:

Image found at:http://www.sutton-coldfield.net/ww2/air%20raid%20siren.jpg

The only information about who manufactured them is on this page about the blitz in Liverpool: Liverpool Blitz - the sound of the air raid siren. It says that Gents of Leicestershire made the sirens that were used in Britain throughout the war. Below is an excellent extract from a 1939 film, The Warning, courtesy of BFI.

Joy Division (2006)

Joy Division - not the band, or a film about the band, is an excellent film about a young German boy in the last days of Nazi Germany. It is very watchable, graphic in places and follows the trials and tribulations of a young Thomas from fighting the Red Army, his flight from the advancing troops to his capture and love of a neighbour called Melanie. Then it aspires that Thomas is living in the Soviet Union and becomes a spy for the KGB.  What is original is that it does not run chronologically but more in a Pulp Fiction style which I enjoyed. It is very dark in places, showing the brutality of Soviet troops, but one can't help but feel admiration for the main character as he never gives up on whatever tasks lie ahead, he keeps going  no matter what.

Remember The Liverpool Blitz January 9th 1941

Lord St, Liverpool, found at:http://liverpoolblitz70.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/lord-street-blitz-1.jpg

One gets the impression that people are unaware that Germany bombed other towns and cities as well as our beloved capital - London. Liverpool in World War 2 was an importnat port as that was where most imports from the North American continent arrived, hence it became a target. Have a look at this link re. the Liverpool Blitz, http://liverpoolremembrance.weebly.com/bombings-1941.html .

Freedom Of Speech & Je Suis Charlie

Freedom of speech. Is this going to be a thing of the past? What is wrong with putting opinions onto paper and distributing them?

Ithink there is nothing wrong with this as long as the material is decent and not obscene. You will always upset someone. Keep writing. Tell it how it is. Print the truth. We have a decent society where freedom of speech is allowed and not suppressed.  Above all, remember:

JE SUIS CHARLIE

1st Royal Norfolks

Image found at: http://lowres-picturecabinet.com.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/162/main/1/727233.jpg accessed 18/11/14.

I thought it was about time I changed my main picture of the Olde Curiosity Blog so Ichose the 1st Royal Norfolks to have pride of place. The picture of them is while they were pausing during an advance in Holland in November 1944.

The Hawker Typhoon

The Hawker Typhoon was an aicraft that was designed primarily for attacking ground forces with rockets, bombs and machine gun fire. The Jet Age Museum has aquired a hawker Typhoon cockpit and it is going to be renovated, enjoy the YouTube video.

 It was massive,the specifications were as follows:

Image found at: http://www.hyperscale.com/features/2001/images/typhoonir_1.JPG

Hawker Typhoon - Specifications:

General

• Length: 31 ft., 11.5 in.
• Wingspan: 41 ft., 7 in.
• Height: 15 ft., 4 in.
• Wing Area: 279 sq. ft.
• Empty Weight: 8,840 lbs.
• Loaded Weight: 11,400 lbs.
• Maximum Takeoff Weight: 13,250 lbs.
• Crew: 1

Performance

• Maximum Speed: 412 mph
• Range: 510 miles
• Rate of Climb: 2,740 ft./min.
• Service Ceiling: 35,200 ft.
• Power Plant: Napier Sabre IIA, IIB or IIC liquid-cooled H-24 piston engine each​

Armament

• 4 × 20 mm Hispano M2 cannon
• 8 × RP-3 unguided air-to-ground rockets
• 2 × 500 lb. or 2 × 1,000 lb. bo

Information found at: http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/WorldWarIIFighters/p/World-War-Ii-Hawker-Typhoon.htm ,  accessed 15/11/14. 

For more information click on this link: Hawker Typhoon, Military History Site

1st Vale of Pickering Scout Archives: War weekend 2014

1st Vale of Pickering Scout Archives: War weekend 2014: Well that's another War Weekend gone and lots of very interesting scouting chin wags, many nostalgic memories shared. A big thanks to th...