Local History – Reading in WW2 Timeline Follow the instructions to build your own accordion timeline book and complete the pages with the correct images.

Reading at War 1939-1945

Timeline

Local History – Reading in WW2 Timeline Follow the instructions to build your own accordion timeline book and complete the pages with the correct images.

Instructions to make your own concertina timeline-booklet

1. Print timeline template-pages and picture page.

timeline template page

picture page

timeline template page

2. Cut out the timeline template-pages as below

Event -card

Ti meline sections title page

3. You will have 4 timeline sections divided into event-cards numbered 1 to 12 and a title-page. Your timeline starts at number 1.

4. Fold all timeline sections concertina style according to the event-cards numbers

9 5 7 11 1 3 8 10 2 4 6 12

Local History – Reading in WW2 Timeline Follow the instructions to build your own accordion timeline book and complete the pages with the correct images.

5. Glue the timeline-sections together following the instructions

6. Close up the booklet. The back of event-card 1 is the cover of the booklet. Glue the title page onto it.

7. To complete the timeline cut out the images from the image page and glue the right image to each event-card using their captions as clues.

Have fun!

Timeline template-page 1

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May 1938 1 September 1939 September 1939 November 1940

Lady Reading forms the Evacuees arrive from London. First air-raid warning War Weapons Week Women’s Voluntary Service At first Reading was designated as “a On the morning of 6 September 1939, 'War Weapons Week' in Reading was The Women's Voluntary Service (WVS) safe town” by the government and Reading experienced its first air raid filled with parades, exhibitions and was set up as a way of supporting the around 12,500 schoolchildren were warning. The alarms went off at 7.32 other war paraphernalia aimed at Air Raid Precautions during the Second evacuated to Reading. Some evacuees am and the all clear was sounded at keeping morale high and the faith in World War. arrived at Reading station and from 9.02 am. The work of volunteers during the government strong during such a The WVS was founded by Lady Reading here they were taken to schools and the warning was highly praised after difficult period. Reading's 'War (the wife of former Reading MP Rufus transferred to the families they would the event. Weapons Week' raised over £851,000 Isaacs, later Lord Reading) in May be staying with. which was almost double the original 1938. target

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August 1941 March 1942 May 1942

Women’s War Work Week Warship Week ‘Battle of ’ Reading Women's War Work Week Reading Museum gave over two An exercise was staged in Tilehurst on opened with a parade where the Mayor galleries to exhibitions in support of Sunday 3 May 1942, that was meant to took the salute at the Town Hall as Reading's Warship Week. The smaller simulate an invasion by enemy troops. women in uniform and from Reading's gallery was used by members of the The Home Guard in steel helmets factories marched past. Factory workers Royal Naval Old Comrades' Association. defended against enemy troops in were grouped into five sections: In the larger gallery there was a forage caps, played by regular troops. aircraft, marine engineering, ordnance, collection of model ships and paintings Machine gun posts were set in local bomb, and finally food section which of naval scenes by schoolchildren. residents’ gardens. included Huntley & Palmers.

Timeline template-page 2

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10 February 1943 June 1943 June 1943

Reading is bombed Wings for Victory Week American Troops at Brock Barracks In the afternoon a single German fighter 'Wings for Victory' was a national event The barracks, which were named after plane bombed and machine-gunned introduced by the government to help Major-General Sir Isaac Brock, were Reading town centre .41 people died raise money for the RAF during WW2. used as depot for British military forces. and over 100 were injured. Casualties There was music, dancing, parades, During the WW2 USA troops were based might have been higher had it not been exhibitions and Spitfire shows. at the barracks in preparation for the a Wednesday afternoon, which was Reading's celebrations featured the Normandy landings. During that time early-day closing, so the town centre R.A.F. exhibition at the Town Hall on the barracks also held an exhibition of was less busy than normal. Blagrave Street. amateur American boxing.

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June 1944 8 May 1945

Salute the Soldier Week VE Day 'Salute the Soldier' week in Reading VE Day marked the end of WW2 in began with a military display at Hill's Europe. Upon hearing the news that Cut Cut Meadow where Mayor Lovell offered the war was over, the people of along th along encouragement to Sergeant Veal who Reading celebrated on mass with was representing the British Soldiers, street parties. Almost every street e red line followed by processions through the had made its own bonfire, around Timeline town with salute outside the bomb- which local residents danced and sang damaged St Laurence’s . or merely watched.

Picture page

Reading Town Celebrations on Children Hall after the the streets watching bombing. mobile cinema showing war weapons

RAF Parade Voluntary Women on women learn parade in from from a of Reading mechanic Town Hall

American Children arrive Reading Navy Boxing at Reading League exhibition Station Cadets’ demonstration at Reading Museum

Salute outside Reading scene War exercice in St Laurence’s after the first the streets of Church. alarm. Tilehurst