8th May 2020 WORLD WAR TWO 75 years ago they SURREY FREEMASONS rejoiced

T was a time of celebration, it was a time to sigh or police carried out their duties admirably. Many with relief that five long years of war had finally Surrey Lodges arranged funds to help victims of air Icome to end. On the 8th May, 1945, after his radio raids, or helped to buy Spitfire aeroplanes and other broadcast, the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill armaments. spoke to the jubilant crowds at Whitehall, “God bless These storyboards tell of some of the stories of men you all! This is your victory! It is the victory of the and women who served our country. They were not all cause of freedom in every land. In all our long history heroes, many were just ordinary people who put their we have never seen a greater day than this. Everyone, country before themselves and were united for the man or woman, had done their best. Everyone has common good. Values that are so entwined in tried. Neither the long years, nor the dangers, nor the Freemasonry. Whatever their contribution, we owe a fierce attacks of the enemy, have in any way weakened debt of gratitude to them. We hope you can appreciate the independent resolve of the British nation . . .” all that was done by them so that we can now enjoy our And so Britain and her Empire celebrated. Although lives in a peaceful democracy. there were no official plans for a celebration, As a mark of respect for those who fell in the Great nonetheless VE-Day was a time of rejoicing by the War, Second World War, and other theatres of war, we masses of people who had gathered outside are supporting and donating to the Commonwealth Buckingham Palace and along the Mall to voice their War Graves Commission so that they may be able to appreciation to their king and his family who had continue the good work they do in tending the graves stood firm and endured with the rest of his subjects and memorials to those who made the supreme anxiety, and desperation. Those who could, tried to sacrifice. forget how it had been for nearly six years. Those who We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the author and could, mourned their family or friends who were dead, driving force behind the production of these display wounded, missing or were in POW camps. But this day boards – W.Bro. Peter Cartwright. He has spent many was a time for hope and thanksgiving and to remember many hours researching and compiling the fascinating those that had fought for a better Britain and a better information contained here. These boards are a fitting world. testimony to the courage and dedication of the people of this country, especially those who were Freemasons In our own Province of Surrey, Freemasons and their in Surrey and south London. In addition, I must also families too faced daunting times. Many younger men thank W.Bro. Nick Gras, who has led this project and in Lodges either volunteered or were conscripted into ensured as many people as possible across Surrey have the forces. Those older men also “did their bit” by the opportunity of enjoying this display. becoming Air Raid Wardens, Auxiliary Firemen, Special Constables, or worked in the Civil Defence Ian Chandler organisations. Others already in the fire service Provincial Grand Master The Indomitable spirit of Britain’s greatest generation ORLD WAR II produced a generation of people who some call ‘Our Greatest WGeneration’. They lived admidst a time of great uncertainty. They were children of the Great Depression, some who had lost fathers in the Great War of 1914-1918. Their families found even everyday living was a challenge. Yet they overcame huge adversity, and went on to establish our modern world. Can you imagine how difficult it could have been if their resolve had weakened with Britain facing invasion once our army had withdrawn from the beaches of Dunkirk? That indomitable spirit which eventually transformed their darkest hour into their finest, became a defining moment in world history. The early years of the war was a time when the whole population of the country, regardless of class or advantage, came together in a sense of shared purpose to oppose the extreme menace facing them. It would prove to be the biggest test of their lives.

This photograph shows exhausted AFS firemen in the foreground resting after a night of carnage, whilst their colleagues erect a union flag, typifying the spirit of defiance by our greatest generation.

To them, our eternal thanks for giving us the freedom to live our lives in a peaceful democracy.

1 SURREY FREEMASONS SURREY FREEMASONS supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION Surrey Freemasons played their part in the Forces, Civil Defence and Home Guard HE MASONIC PROVINCE OF SURREY is proud to have amongst them Freemasons Tand their wives of the generation that served in the armed forces during World War II, or who ‘did their bit’ on important war work. The members of Masonic Lodges did whatever they could to ease the burden of serving soldiers, sailors or airmen. Funds were set up to buy aircraft, armaments, and provide assistance to those whose homes had been destroyed or damaged. Many of their members served in the forces in Europe, Africa and Asia. Some were Prisoners of War, others suffered at the hands of the Japanese in Burma. Those at home volunteered and became members of the Home Guard manning ack-ack guns, officiating at air-raid shelters, acting as Wardens, Firewatchers, helping in many Civil Defence duties, becoming members of the Special Constabulary, or manning the pumps as Auxiliary Firemen during the Blitz. During the war many Masons who were serving in the Civil Defence or Home Guard started new Lodges to replicate the camaraderie they were experiencing. Many of these Lodges survive today and their current members are still, but in a different way, serving their local communities. Just as important to the defence of our homeland were people living in the towns and countryside, particularly women who worked in the factories making armaments and essential supplies or those who volunteered for the Land Army assisting our farmers to produce food. Young women whose invaluable service in the These storyboards RAF, some working at Bletchley Park helping to eavesdrop on the enemy or tracking hostile highlight some aircraft on plotter boards at RAF stations. of those people – of Many people whether in the forces, working in the factories, or caring for their families, faced heroism, of suffering, and great hardships. The war was to prove a valuable test of their character. finally of joy. Children – ‘The Forgotten Generation’ – the evacuees, young children and others a little older, who were sent away from London and the industrialised cities and towns to escape the bombings. Some of their tales are quite harrowing – of nights without their parents in strange unfamiliar places. They too showed courage and determination. We cannot cover all their stories on these storyboards, but we are at least acknowledging the part they all played in giving our nation victory over our enemies.

2 SURREY FREEMASONS SURREY FREEMASONS supporting and donating to THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION The wartime story of Don Pirt

ON PIRT, 95 years old, is a member of the Cherchefelle DLodge that meets at the Nutfield Masonic Centre, Redhill. During the early part of the war years when Don was only 15 years of age, he worked as a telegraph boy, a job he didn’t enjoy as he often had to deliver bad news by telegram. When he reached 16 Don meets the years of age, he joined the Dorking Home Guard where he was the Countess of Wessex youngest member with the oldest being 75 years of age. He says the BBC TV production of Dad’s Army brought home many memories. On his 18th birthday in 1944, he received his ‘call-up papers’ reporting to a barracks in Canterbury where he underwent physical training before being posted to Suffolk where he learnt how to use Forced to eat grass! a bren gun. It was back to Canterbury for the last part of his training including doing a 40 mile-and-back route march. HARRY WINTER, Manor of Bensham Lodge No.7114. He was eventually posted overseas to Belgium to join the Black Now aged 98. Harry still attends Masonic meetings in Watch Regiment. He remembers Christmas morning when transport Surrey. arrived to take them to the Ardennes to link up with the Americans During World War 2, Bro. Harry was a Flight Radio who had been fighting the Germans as they pushed through the Operator Sergeant in the Royal Air Force – Bomber Ardennes Forest in what was known as the ‘Battle of the Bulge’. Command. He flew mostly in Sometime later, he was given a 3-day pass to Brussels after resting Halifax Bombers and would in Mook, Holland. On returning the allies opened up with heavy sometimes act as a relief pilot artillery and he was ordered to march behind tanks into the when aircraft needed to be flown Reichwold Forest. They stayed in the forest for a few days during over friendly territory. which time they captured some German prisoners before moving to His Halifax of Lion Squadron Hassel, a large railway junction. It was there that a large number of was daubed on the fuselage with German prisoners were captured. His unit was ordered to prepare to the name of a well-known singer. cross the River Rhine. Moving further they met up with a mine- His plane was shot down on clearing unit. Don stepped on a mine, but luckily the mine was a mission over Hamelin (German: primed for heavy vehicles so it did not explode. Hamein) a town near the River His unit moved into a farm only for The first time you go into action you Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany “ a L/Cpl to spot an enemy patrol. They in October 1943. don’t know what to expect, but after needed to contact ‘B’ company, so Don that you are scared and shocked to see The pilot of the aircraft and two other crew members ran through an orchard to deliver the the damage and bodies that are left were killed by enemy fire, but Harry only sustained a flesh behind. You soon forget about the message. But, in his words: “All hell wound. Both the gunners of the aircraft was also killed, one carnage and only think of looking out to broke loose” when a German put a gun taking a shot to his head. “That memory is indelibly preserve yourself and your mates to his head as he was attempting to engraved on my mind as I can still picture the traumatic ” get through barbed wire. scene”, said Harry. Luckily, he managed to parachute out He was taken away for interrogation during which time a German of the burning aircraft and broke a femur on landing. officer wearing a monocle threatened him several times. He Harry’s luck continued when he was picked up by a eventually joined other prisoners including a British Warrant Officer German medical orderly who had saved Harry from being and two American airmen who had both been shot down. shot by an armed German private. A Sergeant intervened They eventually arrived at a place where there were hundreds of and Harry was taken prisoner. British paras stretching down a narrow road for about a mile guarded The broken femur was repaired by the insertion of a by German soldiers [probably from the failed Pegasus Operation at plate which they then removed when the bone had healed. Arnhem Bridge]. After a short while they were loaded into cattle He said that the medical treatment he was given was trucks for the journey to Fallingbostel Stalag IIb PoW camp. superb and he couldn’t speak highly enough of the surgeon On arrival they were given identification numbers and taken to (who spoke fluent English). huts which were already full. There was supposed to be 50 to a hut, On his recovery, he was moved to a PoW camp in but when they arrived there were 250 to a hut. There was no cutlery Poland. This proved to be far less comfortable than the or crockery and he had to find a tin on the rubbish dump which he hospital. There was a general shortage of rations. cleaned off the rust with sand. They slept in their clothes and boots As the Russians advanced from the east in 1945, the otherwise they would have been stolen. Over the next few days there Germans made the PoWs march to the perimeters of Berlin were plenty of questions from those who had been there a few years. in what is known as the ‘Long March’ or more accurately Reveille was at 6am and then they were counted. Breakfast at 6.30am the ‘Death March’. Hundreds of Allied PoWs died from the where he got his tin filled with Erzatz coffee which we thought had lack of food and drink. He remembers stopping near a farm been made of acorns. It was a pretty horrible place as the toilets were when a sympathetic woman offered some food only for completely unhealthy and some chaps got dysentry. there to be a mad rush which caused severe injury to the Luckily, Don and the camp were liberated by British General woman. The Russians liberated the Allied PoWs but could Montgomery’s advancing army, and after a week Don was flown not repatriate them immediately as they were being used home. He landed at Northolt aerodrome and was taken to a place as a bargaining chip to secure the release of Russian near High Wycombe where he had a shave and deloused. He said he prisoners in other sectors. Harry saw an opportunity to remembers how lovely it was to have a shower and be given a new leave the misery and walked, crossing the River Elbe and uniform. A little later he was given a pass for a 3-month leave. into the custody of the Americans. Don’s war was not over yet though, as he was later posted to Germany and became a Military Policeman in the army of FACT: The Long March, or so-called occupation. He stayed there for some time as the allies had divided Death March started with 1,500 Berlin into sectors – British, American, French and Russian. It was prisoners, but only 800 survived. There his job to help keep the peace between the citizens of Berlin and the was nothing to eat except grass at the side of the road, and it was very cold occupying forces. with temperatures at -35 degrees. Don finally became a ‘civvie’after he returned to the UK in 1946. Right British PoWs

3 SURREY FREEMASONS SURREY FREEMASONS supporting and donating to THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION From Private to Major – the story of Harold Pettinger

AROLD PETTINGER MC, formerly of Bushey Park Lodge No.2381 H(Middlesex). This abridged account sent in by his son, W.Bro. Andrew Pettinger of Woking Park Lodge No.6264 (Surrey). In September 1940, Harold Pettinger was instructed to report to the barracks in Canterbury, home of the ‘Buffs’ (Royal West Kent Regiment) where he became Private Pettinger. After medical examinations, inoculations and the issue of a uniform, basic training followed including drill, rife range firing, bayonet practice and route marches. After arriving at Canterbury, Harold was sent to the War Office Selection Board which consisted of an interview and a written examination, and a little later he was advised that he had been selected for Officer training. On completing his Officer training, Harold was Commissioned to the York and Lancaster Regiment in Pontefract, Yorkshire. He was now a 2nd Lieutenant and gained the services of a Batman. A Commanding Officer ‘volunteered’ him for services overseas and along with six other officers, he was posted to Egypt. On arrival at Port Suez which had seen heavy bombing the regiment disembarked for the infantry base at Ismalia, close to the Suez Canal. It was here that Harold was taken ill with tonsillitis and evacuated to Palestine spending a week recovering. His regiment had moved to Tobruk to relieve Australian troops. He managed to get aboard a convoy ship that could only sail when there was no moon so that he and troops could land in the darkness but German Stukas were a constant menace as they sank one of the escort ships which meant he was delayed. He was appointed ‘Officer commanding troops’ aboard a Royal Navy destroyer which managed to reach Tobruk. Eventually he reported to the Battalion Adjutant and was posted to a defensive concrete barrier known as ‘Dalby Square’. An artillery barrage had started, and assisted by the Brother Harold Royal Tank Regt. they went ‘over the top’ and advanced towards the German/Italian lines. They started to take heavy Pettinger served in casualties, but luckily Harold and his troops kept behind a Egypt, Palestine, tank until he saw an anti-tank gun emplacement near to their objective. He ordered four of his men to follow him where India and Burma. they shot two gunners. They managed to fight their way

The Military Cross through to the trenches and captured thirty Italian prisoners. Awarded the Harold’s Corporal said “You are wounded Sir” as there was blood on his back. He had sustained a shrapnel wound, and on inspection a bullet Military Cross. hole was found in his respirator – luckily the bullet had missed his body. The unit held ‘Dalby Square’ until they were told to withdraw back to occupy positions Promoted to astride the El Adem road. Later Harold’s Brigade were posted back to Egypt where he learned that he had been awarded an immediate Military Cross for the defence Lieutenant, Captain of ‘Dalby Square’. and finally to Major.

Tobruk The full wartime story of Major Harold Pettinger, and many others can be found in the publication war stories published by W.Bro. Peter Cartwright, a Surrey Freemason, and is on sale nearby at £10 per copy. All proceeds from this book will be donated to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 4 SURREY FREEMASONS Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION Jim never told his family until years after, that he had been awarded the Military Medal

JIM PAINE, M.M. in London, training Home Guard personnel, and Old England Lodge No.1790, teaching soldiers to drive. Surrey. Jim’s love was mechanised armour, and he It was many years after the became a Squadron Sergeant in many different types ending of the Second World War of tanks: the Crusader, the Churchill and the when Jim Paine’s story was told. Sherman. It was when Jim and some of his When the British and Americans had broken out from family went to Normandy, France to Normandy, Jim’s unit followed the army which liberated Paris. see where he had landed in his tank They drove onwards passing the ports of Calais and Boulogne at Gold Beach on D-Day on 6th June which were later captured, and into Belgium and Holland. The 1944, that his secret was exposed. He Germans gallianty tried to push the allies back, known as the had been entitled to a medal from the “Battle of the Bulge” in the Ardennes, but were unsuccessful. French Government for being at the During this time a German shell passed through his tank and landings that helped liberate France. the tank became alight. He quickly took hold of the machine gun To receive this medal, he had to register at a nearby centre and fired it at the German forces allowing two of his crew to requiring him to give his rank, army number and other details escape. The other two crew had been killed. Jim suffered an injury including his award of the Military Medal. It was then that his to his back and was nursed secretly by a Dutch couple who he family finally found out about this military award that he had kept remained friends with for many years. It was month’s later that he secret for so long. heard the news that he had been awarded the Military Medal and Jim had been conscripted into the army in October, 1939 and later promoted to Squadron Sergeant Major. with many other young men left Paddington Station on a train to Jim had not wanted to tell his family about the award because Plymouth. It was here that they were trained in the discipline of Jim just didn’t want to make a big fuss. He thought more of his the British army. He remembers the Regimental Sergeant Major mates than of a medal, but if it hadn’t been for a family member, booming: “You may break your mother’s heart, but you’re not his story would never have been told. going to break mine”, but before too long, Jim had been promoted Jim’s full story appears in War Stories available nearby. to Lance Corporal and was in charge of a Bren Gun carrier. He was posted to Scotland to undergo specialist training and at times did “Their youth they gave, other duties including helping to rebuild war-damaged buildings so others may enjoy theirs”.

KEN BARTON. St. John’s Lodge. Operation Market Garden Ken was born in 1923. He left school aged 16 to become articled to a company in Wigan, Lancs. The war brought his apprenticeship to an end as he volunteered to join the Army in 1940, aged 17. He was in the thick of the war being forward on the front line where he became a ‘spotter’. He landed at Gold Beach on D-Day, 6th June and went on to serve in Belgium and eventually was part of ‘Operation Market Garden’ in the north of Holland. Towards the end of the hostilities he was severely wounded by shrapnel which he carried in his body until the day he died in 2015.

FACT Operation Market Garden was a failed operation by the allies to capture the bridges over the river Rhine, one at Arnhem, Holland, thereby enabling a bridgehead for the allies to extend into Germany. The operation was undertaken by the First Allied Airborne Army. Although the operation failed, it did liberate the towns of Nijmegan and Eindhoven.

5 SURREY FREEMASONS SURREY FREEMASONS supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION D-Day, 6th June 1944

JAMES HUMPHRIES. Egyptian Lodge No.27. A resident of Shannon Court, Royal Masonic Benevolent Home, Surrey. Jim received the Legion d’Honneur from the French Government for his service in the Normandy Campaign. Jim joined the Royal Army Medical Corp Reserve and was called up to the regular army in September 1939. As preparations for the invasion of Normandy were made, Jim became a medical orderly in Field Surgical Unit 37 and landed in Normandy on D-Day as part of the 2nd wave at Lion-sur-Mer. His unit advanced through France, Belgium and Holland. The unit attended wounded French, British, as well as Germans and civilians. FACT The largest sea-borne invasion in history saw the allies launch an DOUGLAS WINTER. A Surrey Freemason. attack on the beaches of Normandy, France. The Americans landed Douglas recalls as a 20 year old dashing up the beaches in on beaches codenamed, Omaha and Utah while the British and Normandy on D-Day. He later served in Burma and Java. Canadians assaulted the beaches codenamed Gold, Juno and Sword. The Americans at first struggled to establish a foothold DERRICK EDWARDS. Malden Lodge No.2875, Surrey. while the British and Canadians gradually moved inland. The Derrick served in Palestine after being posted to France the operation was by no means easy as the German defences were day after D-Day serving in the Welsh Guards Armoured (Tank tough to crack. However, by 12th July major gains had been Division). He was finally demobbed in 1946. secured and the armies moved further into northern France. JOHN NICHOLS. A resident of James Terry Court, the Royal Masonic Benevolent Home in South Croydon. John’s son Andrew, a Surrey The miracle that was Freemason of The Lodge of Resolve No.7177, supplied this account of his father’s experience during Dunkirk D-Day. John Nichols was born in May 1925 in Greenwich. He joined the Royal Navy two weeks before his 17th birthday and served on HMS Argonaut on D- Day as a gunner and helped destroy German on-shore gun batteries. As a driver of a landing craft he delivered troops and supplies from ship-to-shore. He remembers being told of the invasion plan with just four hours to go and arriving in France to see, “all hell break loose”. He said: “I looked at the troops as they were going in and thought: how many of them are going to come back?” John lost 65% of his hearing from the noise of explosions during the battle. He reflected: “I’ve come out of it with just half of my hearing gone, but those poor devils, they lost their lives. I think of them all the time.” The government of France awarded John the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur for his service in helping to liberate France on the 6th June, 1944.

Top picture left column: Troops landing on a Normandy beach on D-Day. Bottom: Pleasure boat helping to FACT transport troops away from the beach The Dunkirk evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo, is also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk. The of Dunkirk. British Expeditionary Force along with the French and Belgian army were surrounded by the German army This column: The Legion d’Honneur, in northern France between 26th May and 4th June, 1940. Chevalier Medal. Facing a potential disaster of evacuating hundreds of thousands of troops constantly menaced by Bottom: John Nichols. German aircraft, Prime Minister Winston Churchill called for the British Navy to mobilise many civilian small craft in the south coast ports. These small boats proved an immense help as they were able to get into shallow water and pick up the troops to either transport them to the larger ships or ferried them across the channel to English ports with some craft bravely making return trips. Over a period of 8 days, 338,226 British, French and Belgian troops had been evacuated from the beach.

6 SURREY FREEMASONS SURREY FREEMASONS supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION The war at sea . . .

ROY MILLER. Stoneleigh Coronation Lodge No.5699. Roy served with the Royal Navy in South-East Asia from 1944. He said that VJ-Day [Victory over Japan] was always very emotional. “It was an arduous campaign and it should be remembered for ever more,” he said. Roy was a gunner on the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable, helping to see off a number of Kamikaze attacks by Japanese planes. “Kamikaze aircraft, we were warned about them. We were told we had to shoot them down or we’d lose the ship. We were attacked three or four times but we managed to fight them off, I believe we shot them down.” He spent three years fighting during the war and was onboard with one of the warships which took the surrender of the Japanese in Hong Kong.

Kamikaze attack on HMS Indomitable

KEITH BELL. Surrey Lodge No.9167, Surrey. Keith was a young sailor in the Royal Navy’s Arctic Convoy runs. Keith remembers his ship covered in 2 ft. of ice ploughing through icy storms to deliver needed arms and equipment to the Russians. He is a holder of the Arctic Star.

DENNIS SEIGNOT. Fernhamme Lodge No.9149, Surrey. Dennis received the Arctic Star and Ushakov Medal for the hazardous trips to help the Russians.

RAY FULLER. Bisley Lodge No.2317, Surrey. Ray served aboard HMS Illustrious, an aircraft carrier in the Far East from 1943 to 1945. Arctic Star Ushakov Medal

FACT One of the worst jobs in the Royal Navy or Merchant Navy was to be onboard a ship during the Arctic Convoy runs. These were ships destined for sea ports loaded with badly-needed armaments and supplies for our Russian allies. Very often the journeys took place in dangerous seas especially during the winter months when ice over 2 ft thick covered the decks. Around 1,400 merchant ships left British ports under the Soviet Union’s Lend- Lease programme. Eighty-five merchant vessels and sixteen Royal Navy warships were lost. Over 3,000 sailors lost their lives.

And in the air

E. HOOKINGS. H. A. Mann Lodge No.7493, Surrey. Bro. Hookings joined the RAF in 1940 at the age of 20. He became a Bomber Pilot in 1944 and was shot down and captured and spent the rest of the war in Stalagluft 4 PoW. camp.

TONY BRANDRETH. Tiffinians Lodge No.3530, Surrey. Tony was stationed in the RAF in France and was Commissioned as a Flight Lieutenant. He returned to civilian life in 1946.

LEN MAJOR. Waddon Lodge No.4162, Surrey. Len served in the RAF from 1942 to 1945. A Halifax Bomber

JOHN WADIA. Former resident of a Masonic RMBI Home. John was born in Bournemouth in 1920 and left school when he turned 15 years old. In 1942, he joined the RAF as a Flight Engineer for 578 Squadron. He primarily flew in a Halifax Bomber aeroplane which was nicknamed ‘Leeping Lena’. His role was to sit behind the pilot and keep all four engines running during the flight. His Squadron flew thirty-eight operations during the war. He then moved to 77 Squadron and towards the end of the war was flying back and forth across the Atlantic ferrying American VIP passengers and cargo. The most important was US President, Franklin D. Roosevelt who flew with him on a number of occasions. “He was a very down-to-earth and quite a nice person”, said John.

7 SURREY FREEMASONS SURREY FREEMASONS supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION The ‘forgotten generation’ Children who stayed atat homehome duringduring the the war war saw saw normal normal family family life life disrupted. disrupted. For For somesome children, those whowho werewere evacuated, evacuated, it it was, was, just just a agreat great adventure adventure – something– something theythey had to do becausebecause allall thethe grown-ups grown-ups said said they they had had to to do do it. it. They They weren’t weren’t all all frightenedfrightened oror fearfulfearful –– in in factfact for for many many of of them them it it was was a abit bit of of a holiday.a holiday. But But for for somesome it was a traumatic and horriblehorrible experience,experience, especiallyespecially when when being being lined lined up up in ina strangea strange school school hall hall and and ‘chosen’ ‘chosen’ like like they they were were a a piece piece of of second-hand second-hand baggage.baggage. HHereere are a fewfew storiesstories of of people people who who are are now now in intheir their mid-to-late mid-to-late eighties eighties and and nineties, but can still recall the impact it had on their young lives.

KEN COOK. A Surrey Freemason. Ken was just 6 years old in 1939, and recalls the Blitz and the heavy bombings. He says that before his family received the Morrison shelter, he slept in a cupboard under the stairs. One night he dashed out of bed and ran into his mum’s room and hid under the bedclothes. There was an almighty explosion. The next morning he went into his room to find a huge lump of masonry had landed on his pillow. Croydon, he said, was badly hit by V1 flying bombs. One morning at school a very solemn headmaster read out the names of children who had been killed the night before in Windmill Road, Croydon. “Later the advanced V2 rocket brought morale to a very low”, he said. ERIC ALLEN. Old Palace Lodge No.7173, Surrey. Eric who was born in “You will hear people from London talk about the six months ‘phoney war’, Portsmouth, was 6 years old in where nothing happened, but on the South Coast it was a different matter, 1941 when Portsmouth was hit being less than 50 miles from the German-occupied airfields in France. by its first blitz. Some 170 were The German fighters would regularly strafe along our coastline and bomb killed, over 400 suffered major the railway works. The only defence at that time was a group of soldiers with injuries and many streets were rifles firing from the Ice Cream Parlour” – An Evacuee. totally demolished on January 10th. There were over 300 MRS MAUREEN BLAKEY. The wife of W.Bro. George Blakey, Seaford Lodge No.2907. raiders dropping incendiaries She was one of the first schoolchildren over the age of five to be evacuated with their schools. The and high explosive bombs. under fives were evacuated with a parent and advised by the government to go as far away from Eric’s house was flattened, and London as they could manage, hopefully with family relations, or they would be found somewhere to he was trapped overnight and stay by order of the government. had to wait to be rescued. He Normally, the countryside is a safe haven, but even moving to an idyllic country village posed a was billeted along with others threat to the insecurity of young minds. in a school hall. “The Germans”, Some children had never seen a cow or horse or even chickens running freely. Everything to them he said, “were trying to destroy was strange and these children’s lives changed dramatically and were never to be the same again. our naval fleet in Portsmouth The evacuation, codenamed “Pied Piper” was not restricted to London and many other towns and dockyard”. ports also sent their children to safety. In all, some 3,500,000 young children were evacuated. At this stage of the war petrol was rationed and only CHARLES NELSON DENCH. Paxton Lodge No.1686. available with coupons. These Born in 1931, Charles aged 8, remembers on 3rd September, 1939 children and teachers from the were for important usage, Woodland Road School, Upper Norwood being put on a train at Gipsy Hill Station, to be evacuated. available through the war office. He says: Somehow my Uncle managed to “We were given, a gas mask, an apple, and orange, some sweets and a tin of Corned Beef. We also obtain the use of a lorry and had a card with our name on it, tied around our necks. As the train departed, we waved to our parents, moved what was left in the way perhaps never to be seen again, and in time arrived at Lancing Station in Sussex”. of furniture and our belongings. WILLIAM STERN. Thurlow Park Lodge No.5476, Surrey. As an evacuee, Bill Stern in the early part of the war joined the 1st Wokingham Scout Troop. Since then, Bill has been a member of the scout movement for over 70 years. The Scouts did a tremendous amount of voluntary work during the war years. They acted as stretcher bearers, helped in first aid, helped to repair buildings and did many other useful jobs for the community.

SURREY FREEMASONS SURREY FREEMASONS supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION “In Defence of the People” – Men of Kingston and Surbiton formed Masonic Lodges during the war to replicate the camaraderie they were experiencing whilst serving in the Civil Defence as Wardens, Firefighters, Special Policemen or members of the Home Guard.

A new Masonic Lodge was formed in July 1941 with a Lodge motto of Pro Civium Salute (In Defence of the People). One of the great changes that the War brought was the growth of communal interest and dependence; many who had previously been strangers to each other found themselves in close association and with a common interest. This was particularly so in the the Air Raid Precautionary Service. During the evening period, wardens patrolled the blacked-out streets, or on duty in the narrow confines of the Warden Posts, formed close friendships. Men, some of whom were Freemasons belonging to Lodges in the area, served at the Air Raid Warden’s Post known as K.16 which stood on what is now the garden of the junction of Ellerton and Ditton Roads, Surbiton. During period of quietness they began talking about how they could continue the camaraderie they had established outside their duties as Wardens. Those men who were not Masons began to realise that Freemasonry was a force for good and joined with their Mason colleagues in establishing a new Masonic Lodge. They had originally volunteered in the Civil Defence for the purpose of alleviating suffering and bringing relief and protection to their fellow men, echoing the principles so firmly entwined in Freemasonry. The first name of the Lodge suggested was Surbiton Civil Defence Lodge, but was later changed to Elmbridge Lodge being the name of the local telephone exchange. The Elmbridge Lodge came into being founded on their service to the defence of the people, and today, 79 years later, Elmbridge Lodge is still serving the local community. In the photo on the left is Bro. Simon Jakeman (centred), a local Firefighter and a member of Elmbridge Lodge who received the British Empire Medal.

SURREY FREEMASONS SURREY FREEMASONS supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION WORLD WAR TWO

Surrey Freemasons and SURREY FREEMASONS AEROPLANES

There’s a proud history in Surrey when it comes to aeroplanes as not only did we have the very first international airport in Croydon, but two of our Lodges had within their ranks outstanding aeronautical and design engineers. The most iconic of all aeroplanes is the Supermarine Spitfire, made Supermarine Spitfire famous with its sister fighter, the Hawker Hurricane being the aircraft that our airmen used to fight so galliantly in defeating the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. A Founder member of the Lodge of Harmony and Progress, W.Bro. George Nicholas was instrumental in helping to further the record-breaking Supermarine Spitfire. The credit for designing the aircraft rightly belongs to R. J. Mitchell, CBE, FRAeS (1895-1937) (pictured right), but George played an important part in the aircraft’s development. It was in 1931 when George started to work in the design office of Vickers Armstrong (Supermarine) Company, in fact his letter of appointment from R. J. Mitchell is now in the Museum of Aviation in Southampton. The aircraft had won the Schneider Trophy races in 1927, 1929, and 1931 and it was George’s job as a Stressman to test for pressure on the wings. During his employment George studied at University and gained a professional qualification for the Institute of Aeronautical Engineers. Whilst at home in Southampton, George and his wife Edith suffered bomb damage during the intensive Blitz on the Supermarine Design Office in September 1940. He said that a bomb had dropped onto the office but thankfully it didn’t explode and rolled along the office floor finishing up in the mud of the River Itchen below, but his home feared much worse. When the Supermarine office closed in 1957, George moved to the Vickers Armstrong’s Brooklands Works at Weybridge, Surrey, and in 1958 his family moved to West Byfleet. George continued with his Freemasonry, following in the footsteps of his father, and grandfather. George’s son Eric, is a Freemason in the same Lodge, continuing the family tradition.

THE KINGSTON AERO LODGE In 1918 a Masonic Lodge was formed from men who were working at the Sopwith Aviation Company. Pioneer aircraft developer and manufacturer, Tommy Sopwith and his partner Fred Silgrist, who was regarded as a brilliant aeronautical engineer, tested and built many types of aeroplane. The most famous of these was the Sopwith Camel which flew in the Great War of 1914–1918. Working from an old disused skating rink in Kingston- upon-Thames, Tommy and Fred went on to employ many thousands of people in their Canbury Road Works in Ham. Fred Silgrist became a member of the Kingston Aero Lodge whose members mainly worked in the aircraft industry around Kingston- upon-Thames. Although Tommy never became a member, he would often Hawker Hurricane join in the Lodge’s social functions such as Ladies’ Nights and was particularly genereous in donating sums of money to the Royal Naval Air Service Comfort Fund, a charity to which the Lodge was a contributor. The Lodge also attracted engineers from around Surrey like Harold Birdsall Bullingham, the inventor of the Zendik Cyclecar. The Ham factory (of 38 acres) was sold to Leyland Motors and the newly-formed H. G. Hawker Engineering Company which was a forerunner of the Hawker Siddeley Company, the developer and manufacturer of yet another WW2 fighter aircraft, the Hawker Hurricane. The greatest claim to fame in the Lodge though, must be Bro. Arthur Whitten Brown (later Sir) (1886–1948). He and pilot John Alcock were the first to fly across the Atlantic from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden Connemara, Ireland which took place on 14th June, 1919. During World War II, Sir Arthur Whitten Brown served in the Home Guard as a Lieutenant-Colonel before resigning his commission in July 1941, to rejoin the R.A.F. to train navigators. Sir Arthur Whitten Brown

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Surrey Freemasons and SURREY FREEMASONS FIRE ENGINES

Through late 1939 and into 1940, men of qualifying age were called-up to join the armed services. Some though were already serving in the National Fire Service. One such man who was a Freemason from a Lodge that met at the Camberwell Masonic Hall, south-east London, was Brother Albert Sams. At the age of 24, Albert 1940s followed his Uncle Fred’s advice, who was in the same FIREMEN Masonic Lodge, to join the National Fire Service. So in May 1940, Albert became a trainee Fireman at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. His training barely started when he was thrown into the front line of firefighting. The German Luftwaffe had 2020 FIRE ENGINE started bombing the London Docks and Albert, night after night, helped his colleagues extinguish fires and dealing with buildings that were in a state of collapse. The dangers he faced were very severe, not only from the terrible heat from the fires they were fighting, but from unexploded bombs and fractured gas mains. Many a good fireman lost his life or was badly injured. The camaraderie in the fire service was beyond praise as each fireman would do their utmost to help a colleague in times of distress, not unlike the principles we enjoy in Masonry. Albert’s Lodge donated sums of money to the Woolwich CONTINUING FROM THE LIFE- Fire Station to assist the wives of SAVING WORK IN 1940 TO fireman who had been badly injured or had died. Thankfully, Albert although LIFE-SAVING IN 2020 suffering from smoke inhalation which Recently Freemasons have donated £2.5 million to affected him for periods during his life, purchase two brand new fire engines. came through the war without serious This engine’s ladder platform reaches an incredible injury. In December 1945, he received 64m, making it the tallest in Europe. In addition to a letter (above) from the Royal the two units, Freemasons have funded six fast Arsenal Woolwich thanking him for response outlander vehicles and four bariatric his valuable service. stretchers. In 1951, Albert became the Worshipful Master of his Masonic Lodge.

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Quite a momentous day for this SURREY FREEMASONS Surrey Freemason

From the diary of W.Bro. H. Earle, Bookham Lodge, Leatherhead. Sunday, 15th September, 1940. “I was spending the day with my family at a famous beauty spot overlooking the weald of Surrey and Kent. I’d taken some well- earned rest from my duties as Secretary of my Masonic Lodge preparing for our next meeting, and in the civil defence where my duties involved spotting enemy aircraft. My wife had packed a picnic and my two boys had brought the cricket bat, ball and stumps, and we were all looking forward to an enjoyable day. The whole panorama of the beautiful Surrey countryside is before one, and it was here that we were about to partake of our lunch. But very shortly the enemy bombers were heard high up above in close-packed formation. Anti-aircraft batteries opened fire immediately, and the sky seemed full of fighter aircraft going up in pursuit. My family and I seated ourselves with our The Surrey countryside with a superimposed photograph of the backs to a large beech tree, as I thought this afforded vapour trails of aircraft during the Battle of Britain. the best protection under the circumstances. In a few seconds a large German bomber hurled out of that at any moment some splinters might descend upon us. After the sky like a falling leaf. The pilot managed to a very short interval we saw a formation of Spitfires bring down regain some control when near the earth and it two more bombers on the distant hills. seemed as if a safe landing might have been It was then that my wife pointed out to me one of our fighters possible, but he made a sudden dive, hitting the that was obviously in difficulties. He was spiralling towards earth ground, and the machine immediately burst into an and his destruction seemed imminent when, much to our relief inferno of flame and smoke. It was a terrible scene, and amazement, he realised that he was going to hit the ground. taking place just down below us in the valley in At the top of a vertical climb the parachute opened and the pilot broad daylight, This, by the way, was the only time fell our of the machine and landed safely. As he dropped, his my youngest son showed any sign of distress. Our machine fell to the ground like a stone. fighters were zooming in all directions and we could Then a group of German bombers, hotly pursued by our fighters, hear the rattle of machine-gun fire above us. were seen making their way, as best they could, to the coast. A big black German bomber planed right across I looked at my watch; the action had lasted thirty-five minutes. our vision about 300 ft from the earth, and with Our tense nerves relaxed. It was then we began to realise the engines off, obviously trying to land, when to our perilous position we had been in. What we had witnessed was amazement there was a burst of machine-gun fire as the Battle of Britain. We had seen with admiration the wonderful he scraped over the roof of a farmhouse very near to fighting quality of our fighter pilots. The Surrey countryside was a golf course. It was astonishing to us that the peaceful once again, and the only evidence of the battle was the occupants of the machine in such a perilous position smoking ruins of the German bombers in the fields below us. could still machine-gun a farmhouse as they passed over the roof and pancaked into a field half a mile After that we tucked into our lunch and played a game of cricket, further along apparently undamaged. We were told with my eldest son bowling me out for a duck. Just after six by someone who was near the field that the machine o’clock we arrived home, to find that a bomb had dropped six was a Dornier. While this was going on anti-aircraft doors away from our house, shattering many of our windows and batteries were sending up shells at a terrific rate. sending roof tiles flying in all directions. All-in-all, quite a Shells were bursting in a wood behind us, and we felt momentous day”.

3 SURREY FREEMASONS Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION Mason’s wife tells of her WORLD WAR TWO SURREY FREEMASONS time in the WAAF ‘plotting’

The story of Helen Mills, the wife of W.Bro. Geoffrey Mills of Old Wokians Lodge and Noel Money Lodge, Surrey.

“I was born in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey where I went to i.e. that’s if the plots were coming through fast, school and then to Wimbledon High School. concentration started to go. It was better to ask to be In my home town of Weybridge, I was a member of the relieved and let someone else take over than make a Women’s Junior Air Corp and was given lectures and drill mistake. In bad weather when there was no flying, so I by a former Sergeant-Major who served in the First World could take a rest and enjoy a cup of tea. No smoking was War. The Corp was the forerunner of the Air Transport allowed in the room, even for Winston Churchill. The Auxiliary whose members, although not allowed to do No.11 Bunker was 60 ft. down underground with 76 combat flying, ferried Lancaster, Spitfire and Mosquito concrete steps to climb and descend – there was no lift. aircraft from the factories to the R.A.F. airfields. After a night’s duty, it seemed a mountainous climb. I joined up in 1942 in Kingsway, The activities and movement of aircraft coming or leaving London as a volunteer in the an airfield such as Hornchurch had to be passed to the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force Operations Room and be recorded in notebooks usually by (WAAF) and was sent to an Officer. In the early days the plight of the aircrews were Bridgenorth for kitting-up. tannoyed to the Operations Room, but as it was thought to After three weeks training at be too harrowing, this was discontinued. When the V1s a rather damp Morecambe on started to invade our skies they were plotted and many the Lancashire coast in were blown apart in the air, but unfortunately V2s being August, I was posted to rockets were far too fast to be plotted. Hornchurch, a Fighter Accommodation for the WAAFs was in an old airman’s Command Airfield in Essex. married quarters with usually eight to a house. We had an As a volunteer, I chose old Baxi boiler which provided heat and we could make our Clerk (Special Duties) own tea and toast. Our beds where basic metal with a horse whose qualifications were hair mattress. to be mentally alert and On the 5th June, 1944 (the day before D-Day) I went on accurate. More important than high duty in the evening when Squadrons were starting their educational qualifications were intelligence, calmness and sortes for the big day. The Operations Room was marked quickness of uptake. out for the ‘Operation Overlord’ landings. All Allied forces When the station closed in 1943, I was posted to No.11 who had camped in the acres around Uxbridge Station Group Uxbridge as a ‘Plotter’ down a bunker. Plotting began to disappear over the channel to face the enemy at entailed putting arrows and indicators on an Operations the ‘Second Front”. Table which was a large map, in this instance of the south- Helen after being transferred to R.A.F. Records at east of England, the English Channel and the coasts of Gloucester, was demobbed in 1946. She later trained as a France, Belgium and Holland. Other Groups, 10, 12 and 13 teacher, got married and had children. covered the rest of the country. Information from Radar ‘blips’ all around the cost were sent to Bentley Priory, Stanmore, headquarters of Fighter Command where they wereTobruk translated into ‘plots’, i.e. arrows. In the Battle of Britain, plotters used wooden-type croupier sticks and pushed plastic arrows; a difficult task. I used magnetic sticks which placed the arrows until it was placed and then it retracted when the lever on the handle was released and the plot placed. The information regarding a raid was relayed on the tote board above the map. Timing of the plots was done at five minute intervals, measured by three colours, red, yellow and blue, so that as the aircraft were moving, the colour of the plot would indicate the timing. There were only ever two colours on at any one time, so that, as the next five minutes came, the coloured arrows of fifteen minutes previously were removed. There were four watches covering a 24 hour period, and the Operations Room was continually manned with only one plotter at the table at any one time. I spent an hour on plotting, but if there was a blitz on the plots,

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SURREY FREEMASONS

Superimposed picture showing German aircraft over Box Hill.

Bottom: Searchlight trails

This painting entitled A View of Box Hill, Surrey by George Lambert painted in 1733 is on display at the Tate Gallery, London. It typifies a part of Surrey regarded as an area of The Masons of Box Hill Lodge outstanding natural beauty. Two hundred and seven years later though in manned the ack-ack guns and 1940 it was to become a vital defence against a possible German invasion. The peaceful and tranquil setting was to house ack-ack guns, searchlights searchlights, concrete pill boxes, and tank traps. Throughout history the area around Box Hill, in Freemasons from Lodges in the Dorking and Reigate area, formed the valley of the River Mole known as the Mole the Box Hill Lodge in 1943. Some were also members of the local Gap Escarpment has been identified as a Home Guard Battalion and Civil Defence organisations. possible route for an invading army from the The photo here, shows the Lodge members proudly posing for a south coast on its way to London. If Adolf Founders photograph Hitler’s army had successfully raided our in 1943 with Box Hill shores, the front line would have been drawn in the distance. along the North Downs Escarpment. This last The bottom photo stop gap, called the General Headquarters Line shows men of a Surrey B, ran along the North Downs from Farnham Home Guard Battalion. via Guildford to Dorking, before following the Notice that some are river to Horley. It would have had the British wearing ribbons from army stubbonly defending the route to London. service in the Great If London had fallen the rest of the country War of 1914–1918. would have surely followed. Even in Victorian times the strategic position of Box Hill was recognised. A fort can still be seen on the summit. Box Hill was most probably used by the Romans and later in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I as a beacon signalling post. No doubt London would have been warned of the Spanish Armada by a chain of beacons from the south coast to London with Box Hill being one. Because of its elevation (735 ft./224 m) it is ideal for the placing of radio masts which adorn its summit, although out of view in the clump of trees. In 1940, it would have been ideal for the spotting of enemy aircraft approaching from the coast from airfields in France and the placement of anti-aircraft guns.

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SURREY FREEMASONS Dig for Britain

The Provincial Grand Master of Surrey Freemasons, Ian Chandler likes nothing better than to go digging around his allotment when he has finished with his duties of leading Surrey’s Freemasons. His allotment in Caterham which he regularly tends and cultivates, gives him a regular supply of potatoes, green vegetables and fruit. If he’d been living during WW2, he most certainly would have been producing food to help with the shortages caused by the war. “Digging for Britain” was the headline on posters produced by the Ministry of Food to encourage people to plant fruit and vegetables in their back gardens and in their allotments.

Early on in WW2, Britain faced a growing crisis. The German navy had been using surface raiders like the pocket battleship, Admiral Graf Spee and U-Boats to attack shipping in the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans. Hundreds of thousands of tons of ships had been sunk and many merchant sailors lost their lives. The British Admiralty which commanded the largest naval forces in the world was deeply worried on how to prevent the attacks. Air cover for ships was only useful if they were within flying distance of the mainland. When the German army marched into France, sea ports on the English Channel, and the Bay of Biscay facing the Atlantic Ocean became available for the building of submarine bases. With the implementation of these, the Dodge the doodlebugs whilst gathering the beans U-Boats could reach further out into the Atlantic and enter the Mediterranean to pluck off merchant ships coming from the Suez Canal. The Admiralty devise the “Convoy Strategy” by which British naval vessels escorted the merchantmen, but U-Boat attacks continued at an alarming rate. Meanwhile, food and commodity shortages were having a deep effect on civilian life. If we could not stop the daily loss of shipping, the prospect of Britain starving was a real threat. The Ministry of Food sought to educate people on how to save food including waste scraps which could be fed to farm animals. Poster after poster appeared on public buildings, in cinemas, and everywhere else where they could be hung. They advised on the best ways to cook food, how to use available ingredients better, and how to avoid waste. Leaflets were issued advising on the best way to grow food in back gardens or on allotments (see left). Farms and small holdings had a serious shortage of workers as traditional male farm workers had been conscripted into the forces. The Women’s Land Army did a stirring job in helping to keep up the supply of food. As the war progressed so did the amount of British people establishing allotments and by the time victory came in 1945 there were 1,300,000 allotments in the U.K. Allotments are as popular today, as they were in wartime, just ask RW.Bro. Ian Chandler on the benefits of having an allotment.

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I was annoyed when our SURREY FREEMASONS newsagent in Ewell didn’t deliver my comic! Surrey Freemason tells his story

As a young lad of 7, living in Ewell when war broke out in September 1939, my first thought was will I still be able to receive my favourite comics. Every week I used to wait for the newsagent’s delivery boy to pop through the letterbox a copy of The Hotspur. I used to love reading the Hotspur mainly because my uncle played a few times for Tottenham Hotspur the north London football club although the comic had nothing to do with football, but it was in fact full of exciting stories with some good illustrations. A lot of the stories were about schoolboys who had become soldiers in the First World War who’d won medals by doing brave deeds. Sometimes there were some crime mysteries where schoolboys solved the crime and caught the criminals, but above all it was just a damn good read. It was the only thing that kept me quiet, said my mum. One Thursday in March, 1941 I was annoyed that my comic hadn’t been delivered. I paced up and down and kept looking out of the window for the boy on his bicycle who normally had a large canvas bag hung around his neck with the words Sunday Despatch printed on the front, but there was no sign of him. Later my mum went to the shops to get some groceries and on her return she said that the newsagent’s shop had received a direct hit from a ‘doodlebug’ and that the newsagent Mr. Johns and his wife, had been killed. Very sad, poor old Mr. Johns, he always gave me a sweet when I came into the shop with my dad. I never really thought about who wrote the stories in my comics or where it was printed. All I knew was that 2d was taken out of my pocket money to pay for it. Dad insisted that I should learn about the value of money, and that it didn’t grow on trees. He made me do a ledger of how I spent my pocket money. Funnily enough it put me in good stead in later life when I trained to be an accountant, and then later when I became the Treasurer of my Masonic Lodge which met in Camberley. But in 1942, I began to question about the comic’s production. In our regular daily newspaper The Sketch, it reported on the loss of British shipping by enemy ships and submarines. I sort of cottoned-on when my mum said that much of our paper before the war had been imported from overseas from Canada, the U.S.A. and Sweden, and that it was now a valuable commodity when you consider just how many British seamen risked their lives daily to bring it to our ports. It made me think how lucky I was to be reading my comic, and I prayed to God to ask Him to protect our sailors. Many years later, and much older, I researched into the popularity of comics during the war years. Did you know that the owners of The Hotspur, D. C. Thomson & Co. sold 350,000 copies of the comic and a million copies together with sister its publications Red Circle School, The Gem and The Magnet? Altogether comics and similar publications sold over three million copies per week in the U.K. Comics were big business in those days, unlike today where children are mostly interested in computer games. In 1943, there were so many more stories about the war than earlier in 1939. You can see from the illustration of The Hotspur (above) or the Adventure (left) both from 1943, that boys could imagine what war was like by looking at the front cover of the comics. The writers of these comics did tend to glorify the stories they portrayed, understandably I suppose, because how could they tell the truth about British soldiers, sailors and airmen dying, of us losing battles at sea, in the desert of north Africa, or being treated inhumanly by the Japanese army in the jungles of Burma? No, it would not have sold the comics – who wants to read about doom and gloom? However, what it did portray to youngsters like myself was that going to war and wearing a uniform was an honourable thing to do, but comics did glorify the war. There was a great deal of propaganda during the war years and in particular in Germany. Dr Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda Minister, was a master of it. His manipulation of the German press and radio persuaded German citizens that Herr Hitler and his Nazi party were the saviours of Germany. He installed William Joyce, or commonly known by the British public as Lord Haw Haw, a British traitor, to broadcast daily to the British public that Britain and her Empire were losing the war in an effort to undermine the British people’s morale. Both sides used propaganda, and it played an important part in bolstering or destroying morale. Thankfully, truth always wins, but the comics did play their part in keeping up morale in the young – to instill in us a sense of pride, a love of our country, a will to win through, and to defeat tyranny.

7 SURREY FREEMASONS Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION Men from Cobham and Leatherhead WORLD WAR TWO SURREY FREEMASONS united in the defence of the nation

Many Masonic Lodges during the Second World War, in the Royal Engineers, they had a gunnery technician in allowed members to wear their uniforms if they could not the Pathfinder Corp, a corporal in the Army Catering Corp, wear their usual regalia at meetings. One Lodge – Coveham a private in the Royal Signals Corp, a lance-corporal Lodge which usually met at the Parish Rooms, Cobham had serving in the R.A.F., and even a clerk working behind a to move to the New Bull Hotel, Leatherhead at the start of desk at the war office. Uniforms varied from army khaki, the war as their building was to be used for civic functions the blue and white of the senior service, or the blue of the and as a rest centre for men in the Civil Defence R.A.F. Not forgetting the uniforms of some older men who organisations. had joined the Civil Defence units as Wardens or in the The Lodge Secretary never knew precisely who was going Civil Defence Rescue. Ironically, one member who was an to attend the Lodge meetings. Some of the members who Air-Raid Warden at a Civil Defence Post in Dorking, was were on active service did their best to attend if they were actually the Lodge’s Junior Warden. For those unfamiliar local, but some others had no chance of attending with Masonic Lodge Officers, the Worshipful Master of a meetings if they have been posted abroad. The Lodge had a Lodge is senior to the Senior Warden and Junior Warden. mixture of men serving in the forces, and some older men Another member, W.Bro. Brian Powell who had been were serving in the Home Guard or Civil Defence training pilots as an instructor was seconded to fly Lord organisations. Uniforms of one sort or another dominated Beaverbrook as his personal pilot. On a number of the Lodge room. occasions W.Bro. Powell flew with Winston Churchill. One Worshipful Brother, Ian Pearce was a Colour Sergeant It was a sad time when Bro. Philip Chase lost his wife and in the Parachute Regiment. Bro. Pearce missed several two children in a local air-raid, but members rallied round meetings as he was involved in the parachute landings near to support him in his grief. Such was the comradeship with Pegasus Bridge (portrayed in the film A Bridge Too Far). He all the members. Whenever or wherever possible, Lodge was also involved in the Normandy landings being in the members would help a Brother in times of distress – second wave. Other members were onboard ships, serving principles that are so entwined in Freemasonry.

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Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION WOKING FREEMASON DESCRIBES WORLD WAR TWO CONDITIONS ABOARD LONDON SURREY FREEMASONS LANDMARK HMS BELFAST ON THE CONVOY RUNS TO RUSSIA

BRO. HARRY FOXTON, a resident of Woking and a member of a Lodge meeting in Farnham joined the Royal Navy in 1942 and describes what life was like aboard a convoy ship. “Tough, bloody tough! I didn’t realise what life was like on board a ship until I stepped onto the gangplank of my first ship docked in Portsmouth, HMS Belfast –a Light Cruiser. At first it seemed okay. Most of the blokes were like me, a bit apprehensive of what to expect. We all knew from school about the glories of the Royal Navy – Nelson and Trafalgar and that sort of stuff, and the floggings aboard wooden warships. But this was different. This ship was all metal, a rather sickly grey colour going rusty in places, but a fine ship at that. She’d been recently repaired and underwent a refit after she struck a mine in 1939. After a time we got used to the routine and the Officers weren’t that bad. Sometimes they’d come down and share a joke, but it was the Petty Officers who were the scourge. You had to be on your toes when they were about. One of them came from Woking, so it made things a little easier when he and I were on duty together as he knew my cousin, but all the same he could dish it out when he wanted to. After a month cruising – no don’t get it wrong, this cruising was much, Ice on HMS Belfast much different to what I experienced on my 60th birthday cruising around the Caribbean in 1984. This cruising was bloody hard work, no stewards to bring you cocktails by the pool, no club sandwiches whilst placing a chip at the roulette wheel. This cruising was up the north west coast of Britain and around the Arctic Sea, south of Iceland, and consisted of practice for battle. If we fired our guns once, we fired them a hundred times and we had to be good at it too. My poor old ears really went through it. We sailed from Scapa Flow into the Atlantic and for a few days it seemed quite peaceful. But, the weather had started to turn and the ship started a heavy roll. I’d never thought it could be so bad, at one time the ship was 100 ft above the waves and in an instant we were 100 ft below. Even experienced sailors who had been aboard the ship for some time felt queezy. Hammocks just swayed from side to side – if it had been on a The north Atlantic convoy routes fairground it would have been fun. We never stopped thinking about U- Boats. Just suppose a torpedo hit us, what would we do? How would we get off the ship? I was told that if you went into the sea in the North Atlantic, you’d never get out of it alive as it was freezing cold. Many a good sailor perished in icy seas. Still, there was a job to do and after a time we all felt good about each other’s company. I made lots of friends, a couple of them were Masons like myself. We talked about our Lodges and the ritual. Sometime later we returned to Portsmouth and luckily we were given a few days leave. On return we sailed into the North Sea and joined a convoy of ships near the Orkneys heading for the Russian ports of Arkhangelsk (Archangel) or Murmansk. The Russians, so we were told, badly needed arms and equipment to continue the fight with the Germans. Churchill and Roosevelt had agreed to send in British and American ships to escort the merchantmen in a Lend-Lease Agreement. On the first run, it wasn’t too bad although we did encounter some German aircraft and one merchantship was sunk and a frigate was severly damaged. On the next run, it was completely different. The Germans had got wind of us approaching the west coast of Norway and sent in bombers, submarines and anything else they could throw at us – we lost quite a few ships. It was now extremely cold – freezing, and the deck was covered in ice over 2 ft thick. Too much ice on a ship can affect its bouyancy, so me and my mates regularly bashed and chipped away at the ice – it took me 4 hours to thaw out afterwards. I’d never shook so much in all my life with the cold. I never complain too much now if the weather in Britain gets cold, as it’s much bearable than winter in the Arctic Sea. Eventually, we arrived at the Russian port. Were they happy to see us? Well, I didn’t realise Vodka had so many flavours. The trip back in December 1943 was eventful. We’d heard that the German ship Scharnhorst was lurking around our neck of the woods. Action Stations was given to man the guns, and sure enough the German ship appeared on the horizon. Thankfully, other Royal Navy ships were present including the battleship, HMS Duke of York and an action took place off the Norwegian North Cape in which the German ship was sunk.” Fact: Around 1,400 merchant ships left British ports under the Soviet Union’s Lend-Lease programme, escorted by ships of the Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the US Navy. Eighty-five merchant vessels and sixteen Royal Navy warships were lost. Over 3,000 sailors and mariners lost their lives.

9 SURREY FREEMASONS Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION WORLD WAR TWO

Brave ‘Specials’ and SURREY FREEMASONS Met. Policemen During WW2, the Police were responsible for sounding the sirens (before and after a raid), evacuating areas close to unexploded bombs, controlling traffic away from incident sites as well as “maintaining law & order”. Shameless to say that occasionally looting was an issue following bombing raids. The pre-war ranks were added to by a Police Reserve (usually retired officers), the Special Constabulary who were given a period of approved training and a Police War Reserve. There was also a Women's Auxiliary Police Corps and the Police Auxiliary Messenger Service (the latter intended to keep lines of communication open). Many policemen whether in the regular service or in the ‘Specials’, carried out many courageous acts endangering their own lives in the process. One such ‘Special’ was Sergeant W.Bro. Hugo de Lacy, a Freemason from St. Leonard’s Streatham Lodge. On the night of 14th October, 1940 at 8.25pm, Bro. de Lacy who was stationed at Streatham Police station, received a call from Scotland Yard to attend at Balham underground station, where a bomb had exploded on the tube station. The station was nearly 3 miles away, but within a short time officers from the police station had arrived to see the carnage of a direct hit on the station. The bomb had exploded some 32 ft. down between a passage from the up and down lines, and a massive amount of debris had fallen into the tunnel. The rescue was obstructed by a No.88 bus on the surface that had plunged into the crater caused by the bomb. Every effort by firemen, police and the civil defence to locate and rescue people proved difficult and dangerous. Gas mains had been fractured along with sewage pipes and water had poured down into the underground tunnels below. Bro. de Lacy and fellow officers attempted to push away the rubble to affect an escape route for survivors to climb through. The smell of gas started to overcome the rescuers and several officers felt dizzy and unable to continue. The whole site could have seen even more casualties had the gas been ignited by a spark. The station had been designated a civilian air raid shelter. Thousands of local residents had descended down into the tube to A deep crater caused by the Luftwaffe’s bomb at Balham escape the Blitz. All along the Northern Line from the Elephant & Castle to Colliers Wood, people attempted to make a bed and were cheering themselves by singing popular songs when disaster struck. Sixty-six people including staff working in the tunnels and platforms were killed as a result of the bomb mostly from drowning as tons of water had filled the tunnels. Hugo de Lacy, exhausted after many hours of digging in dangerous conditions retired to the make-shift tea stall to refresh himself with a hot cup of tea. He then proceeded back to the site to carry on digging for survivors for another 5 hours before he was finally The public found the tube safe except at 8.02pm on the relieved. He had done his duty and had 14th October, 1940. faced injury or death. Many months after, he received a letter of commendation from the Chief Constable which he proudly hung framed in his home in Streatham. Memories of the disaster he would recall for many years after with sadness at the great loss of life.

10 SURREY FREEMASONS Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION Mrs Heather Laughland WORLD WAR TWO SURREY FREEMASONS Women’s Royal Naval Service

Heather Laughland (neé Robertson). Heather’s husband, Ian Laughland was a Surrey Freemason for over 60 years.

Heather, joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wrens) shortly after the beginning of World War Two. She always enjoyed doing crossword puzzles especially the ones with cryptic clues and was recruited to work at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, the secret home of the World War Two codebreakers. After extensive security checks and aptitude tests she was assigned to work as a Bombe Operator, part of a team which changed the cylinders (known as Bombes) on the machine designed by Alan Turing known as Colossus. This was most probably the very first electronic and mechanical computer and was used to work out the sequence of numbers to break the German Enigma Alan Turing code. A WW2 Wren

The Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS; popularly and officially known as the Wrens) was the women’s branch of the British Royal Navy. First formed in 1917 for the First World War, it was disbanded in 1919, then revived in German Enigma machine 1939 at the beginning of Heather never really the Second World War, spoke about her posting remaining active until to her family until integrated into the Royal Wren Bombe Operators Navy in 1993. WRNs around 1990, and even Heather’s certificate included cooks, clerks, then not much information was forthcoming, wireless telegraphists, but on a nostalgic visit to Bletchley Park radar plotters, weapons many years later, she happened to overhear analysts, range assessors, a man say that the hut that he had been electricians and air working in was his office. Heather remarked mechanics. that she had been working in the hut next door, but neither of them knew each other as they were not allowed to talk about their work. Nearly 10,000 people worked at the park and its surrounding area. Around 75 per cent were women, and of those six out of ten were uniformed personnel from the Women’s Services.

Left: The Colossus computer Below: Wrens on parade at Bletchley Park

11 SURREY FREEMASONS Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION WORLD WAR TWO

SURREY FREEMASONS “The calm and authoritative way of the good-natured Bobby did more to dispel panic than any amount of official propaganda”

When war broke out, men joined up or were conscripted into the armed In January 1851, the Surrey Constabulary services. Some already in the Police force and the National Fire Service chose began policing the county with a total of 70 to stay, but others readily became soldiers, sailors or airmen and many lost officers, the youngest of whom was 14 years their lives or sustained injuries during the war years. There were many men old. Originally Guildford, Reigate and from local Freemasons’ Lodges who joined the forces or became ‘Specials’. Godalming had separate borough police Those in the Surrey Constabulary were responsible for forces. The Reigate and Guildford forces were merged into Surrey’s in 1943. a whole range of tasks. It was the police who were normally the first of the uniform services at the scene of bombings, The Special Constabulary is a force of trained crashed aircraft with all those dangers, capturing downed volunteers who work with and support their airmen, rescuing trapped people in buildings. Added to local police. ‘Specials’, as special constables are this is the work and violence brought about by the large known, come from all walks of life – they were numbers of soldiers in the county, many Canadians, many teachers, taxi drivers, accountants and bored and frustrated and wanting to go home. secretaries, or any number of other careers – Never let anyone undermine the quality of the men of and they all volunteered to do a minimum of four hours a week to their local police force, the Surrey Constabulary and other forces during those forming a vital link between the regular dangerous times. They were committed, brave men (full-time) police and the local community. undertaking their often-lonely duty and were key to the safety of the Home Front. Here are just a very few of the incidents that they had to attend in 1940. There are many more reports through to 1945, but as space is limited, here are just a few: 1940, June 30th. First bomb fell on Surrey. From 30th June–31st December 1940, 5,668 high explosive bombs were dropped on the Surrey Constabulary area. 15th August. Over Redhill following a raid, two Hurricane pilots from two Squadrons chased a Messerschmitt bringing it down when it exploded on Redhill airfield killing one of the crew the other being taken prisoner. Police Report from PC52, E. Beeney “I was on enquiries at Nutfield when an air battle took place in a north-westerly direction. About 7pm I observed an aircraft apparently out of control come down in spirals from a height of approximately five thousand feet in the direction of Redhill Aerodrome. In the same section of sky a parachute was descending.” A PC went to the scene where he found the body of a German in the burnt out wreckage. The other crew member that baled out landed at Merstham where he was captured by Canadian soldiers the first prisoner of the war taken by the Canadians. PC Robert McBrien Surrey Constabulary awarded a BEM when at great personal risk he rescued a woman trapped under the ruins of a house demolished by an enemy bomb at Horsley. Special Constable William Flower Symonds Reigate Borough Police: Symonds was approaching 50 years of age and was told that he was Escorting German Luftwaffe PoWs far too old to re-enlist in the Army on active service, instead he joined the Reigate Police as a Special Constable, and served in that capacity throughout the war. PC Burbidge served in the Guildford Borough Police throughout the war as a uniform beat officer and station officer in North Street. He recalls that there were a great number of Canadian troops billeted nearby and they caused a great deal of trouble in Guildford as this was their nearest town for recreation. Fights were common and police often ended up with their backs to the wall with truncheons drawn. October 27th. A 1,000 lb bomb fell on 16 Emlyn Road, Earlswood, Reigate demolishing 5 houses and damaging 110. Six people were killed and 24 had to be rescued. October 29th. Dorking: A bomb hit the corner of Fraser Garden’s housing estate destroying two houses killing two sisters aged 12 and 20 when their home collapsed. Their parents and two brothers survive. A next- door neighbour is also killed. Box Hill had several large baskets of incendiaries giving what many considered to be a firework display! Dealing with an unexploded parachute bomb Information obtained from: The History of the Surrey Constabulary. With thanks to: Robert Bartlett.

12 SURREY FREEMASONS Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION WORLD WAR TWO

The War at SURREY FREEMASONS sea in the Far East

When Japanese aircraft carriers attacked Pearl Harbour, Hawaii on December 7th 1941, the United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt immediately declared war on Japan, and the Axis. The Japanese had won a strategic battle in disabling the U.S. Pacific fleet. Without warning aircraft carrying bombs and torpedos ruthlessly destroyed warships moored at harbour and many U.S. sailors and civilians were killed. It wasn’t long after that the Japanese launched attacks on British Colonial territories at Singapore, which was thought to be impregnable, Hong Kong and Malaya. The Japanese army attacked Singapore from the north of the peninsula surprising the British who surrendered in what was known as “The Fall of Singapore”. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called it “The worst disaster in British military history”. Many thousands of British and Australian men, women and children were imprisoned by the Japanese. A Kamaikaze is shot down on HMS Indomitable At sea, the Japanese fleet, bouyant after their attacks on Pearl Harbour encountered two British warships: the HMS Prince of Wales, a battleship and HMS Repulse, a battle cruiser plus four destroyers. It was more bad news as both warships were sunk by the Japanese. This allowed the Japanese army to over-run British, Dutch and French possessions in the Far East. The stage was now set for British and American forces to counter both on land and at sea, but it would take a couple of years before Allied strength could make an impact. It was in 1944, that Roy Miller, a Freemason who is a member of the Stoneleigh Coronation Lodge that meets at the Masonic Hall in Sutton, became a gunner on the Royal Navy’s HMS Indomitable, an aircraft carrier. Together with HMS Victorious and another carrier HMS Indefatigable began liberating territories under Japanese control. The warships faced countless attacks from Japanese Zero aeroplanes, their pilots known as Kamikaze pilots often had disregard for their own lives and committed suicide by flying their aircraft straight at the decks of British ships. Roy’s ship was hit several times but they managed to shoot down some Zeros before they could do any damage. He said “We were warned about Kamikaze aircraft, we were told to shoot them down otherwise we’d lose the ship”. Eventually, after the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, the Emperor of Japan’s forces surrendered and Roy was onboard HMCS Prince Robert to take the surrender in Hong Kong harbour. Today, Roy, a member of the British Legion attends Remembrance Day Services proudly supporting the part the Royal Navy played in the war in the Far East. He says, “It was an arduous campaign and it should be remembered for ever more”. Ray Fuller is a Freemason of Bisley Lodge that meets at the Masonic Hall, Godalming. Ray served aboard HMS Illustrious (right), an aircraft carrier in the Far East from 1943 to 1945 in a similar capacity to Roy above. Under attack by the Japanese (below).

13 SURREY FREEMASONS Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION Surrey Freemason proud WORLD WAR TWO of his Scouting heritage SURREY FREEMASONS

There has always been a strong “By midnight the Crew was found, and at 8:30 a.m. we were under link between Freemasonry and the weigh down river, refueling and taking on stores and water as we Scout Movement throughout the went. At 8 p.m. we reported to our destination and were given world, and in Surrey we are lucky further instructions to proceed to a south-east port. We made it at to have one Freemason who has 9 o’clock the next morning.” risen to a high position in the At Ramsgate two Naval ratings joined the crew of the Scout movement. W.Bro. Bill Stern of Thurlow Park Lodge who Minotaur and assisted with the loading of fuel and provisions. is the current County President of Greater London (South). They all received detailed operational instructions on the morning Bill’s involvement in Scouting started as a Wolf Cub in 1936. At of 31st May before making the crossing to Dunkirk and would have the start of WW2 in September 1939, he was evacuated to had little knowledge of what they would encounter. Berkshire where he joined the 1st Wokingham Scout Troop. His By 10:45 a.m. we were on our way. The crossing took five-and- long membership of the Scouting movement extends to this a-half to six hours, and was by no means uneventful. Destroyer day and has been recognised by the presentation of a "Silver after destroyer raced past, almost cutting the water from beneath Wolf", the highest award for exceptional service. us, and threatening to overturn us with their wash. We The Scouting Movement have a proud history of service to approached the beach with great caution at Dunkirk, because of king and country during the Second World War. If you delve the wrecks. We found things fairly quiet, and got on with our into their record (see The Scouts Heritage Service at allocated job of towing small open ships’ boats, laden with heritage.scouts.org.uk) you will see the invaluable assistance soldiers, to troop transports anchored in deep water, or off loading they gave to all sections of the armed and civil defence from the open boats and proceeding out to the transports. services, and a sad list of Scouts who had joined the armed Conditions did not remain quiet for long. We were working services who lost their lives. about a quarter of a mile away from six destroyers. Suddenly all During the Blitz Scouts supported civilian their anti-aircraft guns opened fire. At the same time we heard the organisations, and many joined the Air Raid roar of 25 Nazi planes overhead. Their objective was the crowded Warden’s Service, rescue, fire and ambulance beach and the destroyers. Salvo after salvo of bombs was dropped. services. They worked in dangerous Adding to the deafening din were air raid sirens sounding conditions as fire watchers, stretcher bearers, continuously on the shore. One ‘plane made persistent circles carrying messages, supporting evacuation of round us. Another Nazi ‘plane was brought down in flames, far hospitals during air raids and carrying out first aid. Scouts also too close for our liking! carried out a range of other jobs including supporting other After the raiders had passed, we shakily got on with the job. civilian services with provision like service cafés for those in Eventually our fuel ran low and the engine made ominous noises, the armed forces. The government started campaigns such as so were relieved. We took a final load to a trawler, returned to our the collection of East Coast base, re-fuelled and turned in for a few hours’ sleep. waste paper and We were then told to stand by, as fast boats were making the next scrap metal to raise crossing. We shipped aboard another motor boat as crew. We left funds to support the before it got dark under a convoy of a large sea-going tug. Our job war effort and the this time was to work from the mole at Dunkirk Harbour in Scouts were there at conjunction with the tug. The operation was supposed to be the front, never carried out under cover of darkness, but with the petrol and oil failing to do their tanks on fire it might have been daytime. Having loaded the tug we duty. Other came away barely in time. As we left the mole the Germans got its campaigns like “The range, and a shell demolished the end of it. Dig for Victory” was On the way back we Scouts transferred to a Naval cutter, full introduced to of troops, which was making the return journey. The officer in encourage people to charge had lost his charts. Knowing the course back we were able convert land for food to take over. After a nine-hours’ crossing we made our East Coast production to help base once more. German aircraft constantly followed all small increase the amount boats out to sea, gunning the crews and troops on board. Three of home produced more members of our Sea Scout Troop crewed other boats from Scouts on ambulance service food limiting the Chiswick which were short of men.” reliance on imported goods. Scouts helped maintain plots of With thanks to the Scout Heritage Service. land including war gardens set up in the grounds of hospitals. And when they were needed they were there. The following extract was written by the Group Scout Leader of the Mortlake Sea Scout Group which crewed the 45ft motor picket boat Minotaur during Operation Dynamo (the evacuation of Dunkirk), it appearing in The Scouter in July 1940. The Scout Leader is believed to be Mr Tom Towndrow and he received Admiralty orders on the night of 29th May to sail the Minotaur to a staging area in the Thames Estuary to wait further instructions by the Royal Navy:

14 SURREY FREEMASONS Sea Scout boat Minotaur which took part in Supporting and donating to the COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION Operation Dynamo COMMEMORATING THE FALLEN WORLD WAR TWO

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) honours the 1.7 million men and women of SURREY FREEMASONS the Commonwealth forces who died in the First and Second World Wars, and ensures they will never be forgotten. The CWGC has been responsible for the construction of 2,500 war cemeteries and plots, and they have erected headstones on more than a million burials at military and civil sites across the world. Individuals who have no known grave are commemorated by name on a Memorial to the Missing. The names and service details recorded in their archives were taken from official military sources where they were available. There were many men from Surrey, irrespective of whether they were Freemasons or not, who made the supreme sacrifice in both world wars. Surrey Freemasons are thankful that the CWGC organisation tends those graves and memorials of the fallen.

The CWCG’s historians have compiled stories from their archives and includes the remarkable account of Captain Eric McNair, a First World War hero from Surrey who was awarded the Victoria Cross aged 21. Educated at Charterhouse School in Surrey, Eric aged 19, applied for a Commission in the British Army. After training, Eric was sent to France as a Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment. Their first action was during the Battle of Loos in 1915, where the regiment suffered heavy losses against the Germans. In 1915, the young Lieutenant and his regiment were sent to Belgium. It was during Eric’s time in Belgium that he earnt the Victoria Cross for his remarkable gallantry. In February 1916, Eric and the regiment were holding the line in the Ypres Salient. In the early hours of 14th February, the Germans blew two mines under their trenches. For his actions following the detonation, Eric aged 21 was awarded the Victoria Cross. The London Gazette dated 28th March 1916 recorded: When the enemy exploded a mine, Lieutenant McNair and many men of two platoons were hoisted into the air, and many men were buried. But, though much shaken, he at once organised a party with a machine gun to man the near edge of the crater and opened rapid fire on a large party of the enemy, who were advancing. The enemy were driven back, leaving many dead. Lieutenant McNair then ran back for reinforcements, and sent to another unit for bombs, ammunition and tools to replace those buried. The communication trench being blocked he went across open ground under heavy fire and led up the reinforcements the same way. His prompt and plucky action and example undoubtedly saved the situation. In May 1916, he returned to England to receive his Victoria Cross, however he was soon back in France and in August he was badly wounded during The Battle of the Somme. Although not fully recovered, Eric volunteered for further service and in April 1918 was sent to Italy to work for the Commander of the British Forces there. Tragically, he soon fell ill and died of chronic dysentery in a hospital in Genoa. He was just 24. He was laid to rest in the CWCG Staglieno Cemetery in Genoa. Further information about the CWGC and all the work they do, can be found at www.cwgc.org

A 144 page booklet has been produced by W.Bro. Peter Cartwright about stories of individual Freemasons and their families in Surrey and South London during WW2. The proceeds of this book are to be donated to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Price £10 or by post + £2.50 pp. Order by email to: [email protected]

A C OLLEC TION O F INDI FROM VIDUA FREE L EXP BACs to: PGLOS-Events Ref: Book 30-92-45 A/c: 56455360. MASO ERIEN NS CE AND T S SURRE HEIR Y AND FAMIL SOUT IES IN H LON DON D WO URING RLD W Available at some Masonic centres payment by cash or cheque. AR II

W.BR O. PET ER J F CARTW RIGHT

All pro fits fro CO m this MMO book NWEA will be TLH W donat AR G ed to t RAVES he COMM Mark Smith Antiques Roadshow ISSION

“The history of the Second World War has always fascinated me. Stories told by my father, who was an Air Gunner with the Royal Air Force during the war, sparked in me a life-long passion for the history of the war. On the Antiques Roadshow when showing medals or objects from the war it is the human story of ordinary people who did extraordinary things that captures the public's interest. This display and the above book brings to life those dark days. How did people cope, the humour, the bravery, the dreadful loss of loved ones? This fascinating record, will become, I am sure, an important historical record of what it was like to have lived through the period when the whole world was at war”. Mark Smith MA, Military Historian

W.Bro. Mark Smith AGSwdB, ProvGOrat (Essex), is known to most as the Medals expert on 15 SURREY FREEMASONS BBC TV’s Antiques Roadshow.