Contents FROM THE CHAIRMAN From the Chairman 1 All Civic Society activities are on hold. We wish all members well Events and Promotions and hope we can overcome this 2 upheaval.

If there are any members who are Civic Society News – self-isolating and require groceries Newsletter Editor Required -5 or medication to be delivered to Outlaw King – the background - 6 their doorstep then they can access the local aid network by contacting either. Recent Talks – WW2 Arctic Convoys - 8 Cllr Anne Forbes - 07827 294221 Role of NCC - 8 Cllr Georgina Hill - 07753749755 Mediaeval Medicine - 10 Update on Barracks Project - 11 Pre this situation, Berwick had embarked on a new phase of

developments. Construction was Other Items – underway for the new jetty at End of an Era at Tweedmouth -13 Berwick Port and the new Leisure New Hotel for Berwick -13 Centre, plans submitted for the long-awaited new Hospital and a Women’s Rights - 14 major funding bid through the Covid 19 & Global Warming - 15 Borderlands Growth Initiative for a In Search of my Father’s Story - 17 new theatre, cinema and Sandra’s Berwick Puzzle – 24 conference centre for the Town.

We can hope that this progress Office Bearers can be continued, and construction 24 work resumed but, as with so many things, we will have to wait and see. The long-term impacts on the national economy cannot be 1 fully gauged. We cannot know yet War l in 2018, they could not have how this will impact public sector been more wrong. The event in regeneration spending and private 2019 was extremely well supported sector confidence which has been with great generosity. evident in the town recently with housing and other private sector We held our own Main Guard developments such as the recently service on Monday, 11th opened new Premier Inn and the November. As has become Retail Park which was another customary, the Scouts and Cubs construction site about to pop up. led by Paul Marshall and Mayor, Anne Forbes, had placed 651 Ian Dods crosses to commemorate the fallen of Berwick, Tweedmouth and Spittal. Chairman, Ian Dods, was EVENTS AND joined by the Reverend Canon Alan Hughes who conducted the PROMOTIONS service. Major Lance Thornton, KOSB, who read the Exhortation The AGM on the 8th April has had and Piper, Andrew Smith. to be postponed so the present Office-Bearers and Executive As always, we were delighted to Members will stay in place until welcome Longridge Towers Junior such time as they can be re- School and pupil cornet player, elected with perhaps some William Allis gave his best ever additions. Our Vice-Chairman, rendition of the Last Post and John Webster has already Reveille. A poppy wreath was laid indicated that he will retire after the on behalf of the School which was AGM. Great thanks are due to a touching gesture. John for the excellent way he has compiled the bi-annual Afterwards refreshments were Newsletters, managed the website provided in The Main Guard which and set up the Membership was organised by Catherine system. Seymour, Anne Humphrey and Julia Butler to whom we accord To cover the last six months; If thanks. anyone thought there would be a natural dip in interest in Remembrance Sunday after the Centenary of the ending of World 2

Durham or Newcastle University. We hope she will achieve this with the current uncertainty of how exam grades will exactly be awarded. Also, in attendance at the ceremony were teacher co- ordinator, Richard Johnson and Scouts & Cubs Placing Crosses Deputy Head, Steven Gibson.

The Christmas Party, which was The Society has sponsored one of also General Election Day !, took the U3A Nature Trail Line Boards. place at Tweedsyde, Castle Unfortunately, the launch party had Terrace. John Meachem and his to be cancelled but they did daughter, Tiffany, had very kindly formally open the Trail which can agreed to hold the event in their be accessed online, and residents lovely, newly refurbished home. can walk through as part of their Everything was arranged one daily exercise, keeping to the beautifully, and torches were lit on current social distancing rules. the outside courtyard. John and This can be accessed via the Tiffany had also provided website; www.tweedandcoast.org. musicians which added to the festive atmosphere. Forty-six attended with a few absences due to illness. The much-enjoyed buffet and wine had been organised by the Dryden family.

On 27th February, Ian Dods and Zoreen Hill visited Berwick Academy to present our annual Society Sponsored Nature Board award. The recipient this year was Caitlin Todd who is a very Also included is a photograph of a impressive student who has seat placed on Berwick Pier in carried out a large amount of memory of Alan Faragher who died charitable work, taken part in local on 14th April 2019. musical events as a drummer and represented the county in Sport. Husband of Ann, he was a She is hoping to attend either prominent Berwick personality, a successful businessman, stalwart 3 of the Lifeboat and an active Festivals. The subject of trees is participant in many Civic Society very topical, and Max Adams activities in the past. stressed the vital importance of them for the Global environment and the soil, not just the trees themselves. He writes about the subject in his latest book; "Trees of Life" published by Head of Zeus on 14th November 2019.

On January 22nd, Director of Planning at Northumberland County Council, Rob Murfin gave a Alan Faragher Seat well-received talk on planning from a strategic, policy and personal The meeting programme with viewpoint. guest speakers has been extremely interesting, varied and The speaker on the 12th February, well attended. On the 9th October, Sandra Gann, an engaging and we held our combined meeting accomplished speaker, gave a talk with The Berwick History Society on; "Myths, Magic and Mediaeval when Leona J Thomas gave a talk Medicine". Then on 11th March, on The Russian Arctic Convoys in Sir Philip Mawer assisted by 1942 which was told in her father's Barracks Site Manager, Sophie memoirs. The report of this talk Howard, gave an eagerly awaited was written by James Bruce, update on The Berwick Barracks Chairman of The History Society Project. who is himself very knowledgeable about Russia. Reports on these meetings appear later in this newsletter. For the 13th November meeting, we were very pleased that Max An interesting calendar of Events Adams, the charismatic, acclaimed for the 2020/2021 season was in biographer, archaeologist and the process of being compiled expert on woodland and tree before the Coronavirus crisis. We histories gave a talk entitled; "What hope that the programme can be shall we do with all the Trees?". rescheduled soon. He has been a popular contributor to two of The Berwick Literary Zoreen Hill 4

CIVIC SOCIETY NEWS

NEW NEWSLETTER interesting task in support of the Society. So, what does the job EDITOR REQUIRED! involve?

Just to say that I will not be Two newsletters are produced standing for re-election to the annually: in spring and autumn. Executive Committee at the AGM The content, you will know as a as I have taken on new reader, includes reports from the commitments with two Chairman and Treasurer plus organisations in Edinburgh that I summaries of monthly meetings, have been involved with for some plus articles of general interest time. entirely of the Editor’s choosing. I have enjoyed input from Michael Apart from that, as many may be Cullen over the years, who, I am aware, I am only an occasional sure, will continue to contribute weekender in Berwick and so interesting items. rarely can attend the monthly talks, and even the Executive Committee No special technical expertise is meetings often require me to make required other than a familiarity special trips down for the day. with Microsoft Word or similar software package and a I have produced the newsletter and knowledge of how to paste looked after the website for about photographs into the body of the five years now and took these jobs text. The document is in A5 page on to help, as the newsletter editor size with two columns per page had just left the area when I joined although the overall layout is the Society. I think it is now time to entirely up to the Editor. I normally hand over to a full-time resident convert the newsletter to PDF who has better local knowledge format for emailing to the printer. and contacts. I shall of course help during So, this Spring newsletter will be handover to a new person by my last, but it does allow a good explaining any issues of concern. six months for a member to come forward and take on what is an John Webster 5

OUTLAW KING marquees for catering and costumes and make up.

THE BACKGROUND All the hotels ,B&Bs and holiday STORY lets were filled with actors and crew members the star of the film playing was and his personal chef, Jamie Kemp stayed with Ian and I for three nights in our B&B The Anchorage in Woolmarket.

On the first day of filming I was at the Tweedmouth side of the Old Bridge with my sister Shirley and friend Joanne to watch the action a In January 2019 I was invited to a lot of beautiful horses with actors in meeting at the Main Guard, chainmail were cantering across together with some regular the bridge. It was amazing to see stewards and committee members, all the cameras filming shots from to discuss ideas for that year's different angles, and to realise how exhibition. I suggested putting many times they had to refilm the together a display about the filming various shots. of The Outlaw King when from Glasgow came to town On the second day ,I went to in October 2018 and it was agreed. Sandgate at 9am, when I looked down Chris Pine was sitting on a A crew descended on Berwick a horse and next to him was my week before filming to prepare our favourite Scottish actor Tony Old Bridge which stood in as Curran. I spent most of the day London Bridge. The Quayside was watching as much of the action as I transformed into a medieval could ,though occasionally we had marketplace. A tax office set was to be moved by security, so built at the end of the tunnel camera angles were kept clear. leading through to the Youth Hostel. The dock became the At about 6.45 pm we heard a shout production hub for wagons, of “It's a Wrap” and a cheer went equipment and crew, with up from the Quayside. The extras came up the ramp on to the bridge 6 to go to the dock to get changed exhibition as the only reference to out of their costumes. Among them her in Berwick is a road called some locals and our Mayor Gregah Countess of Buchan Way. Roughead who was dressed as a medieval merchant. With the help of Louise Dryden, who sent E-mails for me to the film company and , we managed to obtain film props and screenshots. I was asked not to put much text on the information boards just enough to say what went on during filming, a lot of locals let me use their photos which was a big help.

Last year, many people came to Shirley and I and another friend see the exhibition, there are lots of Joyce went into Barrels Ale House lovely comments in the guest book and sitting at the bar was Tony including one from a friend of the Curran, I had a quick word with director David McKenzie. Ian and I him, telling him how much I went to Edinburgh to see Outlaw admired his performance as King in a cinema The Old Bridge Vincent Van Gogh in Doctor Who. looked amazing with CGI medieval Then Chris Pine walked in, a London in the background and Hollywood A – Lister, who played a even better the Quayside with CGI young Captain Kirk in the newer Tweedmouth Moor in the distance, Star Trek films, he was joined by and Berwick named on the screen. my guest Jamie and Tony I could I loved every second of it. not believe two of my favourite Sandra Dods actors were in Barrels and they were lovely.

My historical heroine is Isabella The Countess of Buchan who crowned Robert The Bruce King of and as a result was imprisoned in a cage in Berwick castle by Edward the first. I really wanted her story to be told in the 7

RECENT TALKS

ARCTIC CONVOYS June 1942, the merchant ships were left to fend for themselves in DURING WWII a disastrously unequal struggle with U-Boats and the Luftwaffe. In October it was Berwick Civic Society’s turn to host our annual Among a wealth of other joint meeting, in which we gained a fascinating details, we also gained terrific insight into the experience a proper understanding that the of those who braved the Arctic western allies didn’t have solely Convoys in World War II. These altruistic motives. The USSR paid notoriously perilous missions from for the cargoes it received in large Loch Ewe were a vital lifeline to the quantities of gold and silver bullion Soviet war effort, ferrying tanks, – some of which apparently ended armoured cars, weapons and other up at the bottom of the Clyde! supplies. James Bruce Leona J. Thomas’s father Leonard worked in the engine room of HMS Ulster Queen, and kept a detailed THE ROLE OF NCC IN diary, on which he based his URBAN DESIGN memoirs. The Civic Society heard a talk from It was not least interesting to learn Rob Murfin, the Director of about the significance of the Planning at Northumberland Tirpitz, the flagship of Germany’s County Council, on Wednesday, 22nd January at the Parish Baltic fleet and the heaviest Centre. battleship ever built by a European Navy. Rob Murfin, who joined NCC in February last year, had previously Just the threat of the Tirpitz been the Senior Planning Officer at emerging from its Norwegian lair Sheffield City Council and, before that, Head of Planning Services at was enough to scatter an entire Derbyshire County Council. convoy. When this happened in 8

he would always defend, for example, replacing windows in conservation areas; “like for like”.

Rob also spoke of issues particular to the Berwick area. He said that Berwick was rich in historic and other assets which are both historic and marketable. He talked of the delicate balance needed to ensure that development and progress here did not undermine these assets which he referred to,

comparing to other places as; “a He gave an overview on various dream to have”. issues around planning policy and shared his views on how to secure; He spoke of how Berwick has “thoughtful design”. typical urban design challenges, as

faced elsewhere, flagging up the He said that lower cost housing common problem of the provision developments should not of adequate car parking for both necessary mean compromising on residents and visitors. quality, saying that; “good and thoughtful design need not cost In terms of current Berwick {relatively large amounts of} projects, he mentioned the money. Northumberland County Council

bid for major funding for the Rob spoke of the importance of Maltings through the Borderlands local input when it comes to s101 growth deal, adding that we should agreements, which is when never underestimate the role arts developers provide money for, or can play in regeneration and directly provide, some local economic development. benefit, as part of their planning agreement. He explained his Rob spoke of the need for a previous work at other local considered, focussed approach to authorities to ensure that local projects in the town and initiatives were supported in this mentioned, in particular, proposals way. being currently developed around

the future of the Quayside. He He covered a range of topics added that, as with every other including neighbour planning and place he has been, there are the impact of climate change and criticisms in equal measure of both emphasised the need for “evidence the planning system being too based” planning. He also said that restrictive and that permissions are 9 granted too readily. He said that, on the four humours linked to the as a planner, if these criticisms are four elements and the need to around 50/50 it is probably an maintain balance for good health. indication that you are doing something right and planners should not fear being unpopular.

Rob answered a range of questions and listened to feedback from the audience. He was asked about the recent damning audit report into NCC’s planning department, before his time, over the Lugano application for the Dissington Garden Village project near Ponteland.

He said that he had joined NCC following these problems and emphasised his commitment to ensuring that these issues were put behind NCC and that the public She described various practices could have confidence in the local ranging from bloodletting to the planning system. importance of plants in mediaeval medicine. Most people could not The meeting was chaired by Civic afford the few doctors who were Society Chairman, Ian Dods and trained at this time the more was well attended. common practitioners being

Zoreen Hill apothecaries, alchemists and the widely used 'cunning folk', usually women, with an accrued MEDIAEVAL MEDICINE knowledge of folk lore using plants and superstitious rituals. All AND CARE practitioners, whether professional or amateur, needed a good At our February Meeting Sandra knowledge of astrology as the Gann gave an illustrated talk on position of the planets played an mediaeval medicine and care. important part in both diagnosis and remedy. She described the practice of medicine in the Middle Ages being rooted in the Greek tradition based 10

Sandra also described the After reminding members of the monastery hospitals and smaller recent history of the project, Philip Maison Dieu that offered care for identified the changes in the the needy and travellers, often context in which it is being those suffering from leprosy. We undertaken. Tightened financial had examples of hospitals ranging circumstances meant that a from St Bartholomew's in the City persuasive vision and business of London to the Church of the case for the redevelopment of the Holy Trinity at Soutra near Lauder Barracks would be even more and the four wonderful examples of essential if the significant capital medieval hospitals here in needed (previously estimated at Berwick. some £15.0 million) was to be raised. The Barracks site was large In the 13th century they were very and complex, with Grade 1 listed clear the soul was more important buildings, many do not open to the than the body, but the care and public, requiring constant attention given to patients of these maintenance and several different hospitals would have been a partner organisations undertaking welcome relief from the worries of activities there. So the team fire, famine or fever in the working on the project had looked community. carefully at other large heritage sites being redeveloped to see if Sandra Gann there were lessons to be learned which could help Berwick achieve success.

UPDATE ON THE Sophie described the research she BARRACKS PROJECT had undertaken into sites including Chatham Historic Dockyard, New A well-attended meeting of the Lanark, Saltaire and Somerset Civic Society on Wednesday, 11 House. Several conclusions could March heard Philip Mawer and be drawn from the experience of Sophie Howard (English Heritage’s sites where regeneration had been manager in Berwick) provide an successful. These included the update on the project to rejuvenate importance of developing a clear, Berwick’s Grade 1 listed Barracks. shared vision for each site’s future; rigorous attention to ensuring a site remained financially sustainable

11 into the future; a mix of the site would need to be managed complementary activities on each imaginatively and as a whole, site which together highlighted its rather than as a collection of unique nature; strong governance; separate activities. Whilst this and creating supportive links with would inevitably involve the local community. compromises, all the partners in the project were committed at a Philip said that, with the help of senior level to achieving a funding from the National Lottery successful outcome. Heritage Fund and from English Heritage, the Project Group – which During a lively discussion session, included Northumberland County Civic Society members explored Council as well as the partners on some of the issues and options the site – was working hard to being considered. The speakers develop a convincing plan for a concluded by thanking the Society sustainable future for the Barracks. for its consistent support of the This included looking carefully at search for an outcome which the historic collections held on the would both serve the interests of site and by Berwick Record Office; Berwick and the Eastern Borders weighing up what were the limits of and do justice to the Barracks acceptable change for the themselves, which would next year buildings on the site, given their celebrate their 300th anniversary. listed status; and assessing the funding and governance options to Georgie Hill secure the site’s long term future.

A report drawing all these strands together was expected to be published before the summer holidays. While it was impossible to predict at this stage what it would say, it seemed likely to point towards a phased redevelopment of the site, using a mix of public and private funding, with a substantial cultural, heritage and archival presence on the site alongside other activities. It was also clear that, to be successful, 12

OTHER ITEMS

newspaper and other items during THE END OF AN ERA their visit. AT TWEEDMOUTH It does reinforce the message that if we want to retain our small independent traders then we have to use them and not get everything at the supermarket.

John Webster AND HOTEL HERALDS NEW ERA FOR BERWICK I was disappointed in early February to cross by the old bridge to Tweedmouth and to see that Hopes, the small newsagent near the docks, had a closing down sign in the window. I went in past, as I often did, and spoke to the shop keeper.

In fact, the shop was closing finally a couple of days later, after 125 years of trading by the same family, this being the fifth The long-awaited Premier Inn generation to run the shop. opened its door to the public on Apparently, about twenty years 17th February and I think a good ago the shop was so busy that job has been made in blending a three people were employed modern building into the during the morning period. surrounding area with a series of Interestingly, one of the main blows to trade was the arrival of steep-pitched roofs that reflect the mobile phone which resulted in those on The Quays. younger people getting their news online and no longer buying a I spoke with the hotel’s Deputy Manager, Kirsty McLeod, who 13 explained that they offer a total of WOMEN’S RIGHTS 60 rooms; 16 double, 20 triple and 21 family, and 3 accessible rooms, In 1876 Miss Lydia Becker wrote to which are all priced the same. The the Town Council inviting it to family rooms hold a maximum of petition Parliament for women’s two adults and two children. suffrage. That caused the Town Breakfast is not included but is Council some amusement. Later, a available for £9.50 per person, with rather more robust response was up to 2 children under 16 eating thought by some to be fitting. free. There is also an ‘all you can When Sir Edward Grey, Foreign eat’ continental breakfast available Secretary, the Borough M.P., and for £7.50 per person. President of Berwick Rangers Kirsty explained that they did not Football Club, began to speak at include a large restaurant in view the start of its fund-raising bazaar, of the fact that there are many he was heckled by two ladies nearby but there is a café bar, thought to have come from open 24/7 for residents, that sells a Newcastle. One had a gag stuffed range of drinks, including tea, in her mouth and both were coffee, a range of beers and bundled out, a reporter present spirits, and of course wines. A being taken aback at their ruffianly limited menu is also available treatment. consisting of simple bowl foods Suffragettes made a local and a range of pizzas, which are appearance with Miss Adela available to residents at any time Pankhurst and Miss Fawcett and non-residents until 11pm. speaking for women’s rights and I imagine the hotel will be popular setting up a suffrage stall in the in view of its convenient location High Street in 1909 and with an within the ramparts and near the Edinburgh-London march passing waterfront and its proximity to the through Berwick in 1912. excellent range of shops in Elsewhere, a plan to debag Marygate, Hide Hill, West Street Asquith on a golf course came to and Bridge Street, and other nothing but stones broke panes in nearby streets. Number 10’s windows, the signal for widespread smashing in John Webster London Streets.

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A significant local milestone which Happening to miss the bus one generated great excitement was morning, she arrived three hours the election of the country’s third late, and was promptly dismissed. lady M.P., Mabel Philipson in In the case later brought by her 1923. Controversary of various father it turned out she worked kinds continued though. Objection from 7.00am to 9.30pm, with no was taken to the growing practice half-holiday. The judge found her of women wearing trousers. ‘How conduct ‘not altogether would it be if I started going around satisfactory’ but her conditions in a low-cut dress?’ asked a ‘almost slavery’ reporter in 1933. Then not everyone accepted that cycling Some girls were in any case voting was a proper female activity. Miss with their feet as there were Dickinson recalled being chased reports of a nursemaid famine’ out of Eyemouth. Michael Cullen Work too sometimes proved contentious. In 1937 a nineteen- COVID 19 & GLOBAL year-old bus conductress, working WARMING for the United Bus Company, was on duty when ‘the bus door swung In the Newsletter for Autumn 2019 open and Miss Davidson fell into I included an article under the title the roadway. When she was “Should we Worry about Global picked up she was dead.’ One Warming?” and argued that we correspondent to the Berwick should, and needed to do Advertiser subsequently asserted something to reduce our that bus conducting was no fit role greenhouse gas emissions for a woman. Another thoroughly otherwise we would encounter a disagree, arguing that a girl was perfect storm of outcomes such as perfectly capable of bus flooding and other events. conducting while remaining ‘fit and healthy’ and was far better off than Little did I imagine that only a in domestic service. couple of months later parts of England and Wales would A court case that same year experience rainfall of an intensity seemed to support his argument. A and duration not seen before and sixteen-year-old girl, Gladys leading to terrible flooding along Simms, got a job working in a the Severn and other areas. Bamburgh Guest House. 15

Then to add insult to injury, a What about coronavirus, or Covid- couple of months after that, we 19 to be more precise? were struck by the coronavirus Unfortunately, it is likely that pandemic that has effectively habitat and biodiversity loss destroyed much of the economic globally may lead to more such growth experienced since the pandemics. Outbreaks of animal- Second World War and caused borne and other infectious chaos to the lives and aspirations diseases such as Sars, Ebola, bird of millions of people on a global flu and Covid-19 seem to be on the basis. increase. Pathogens are crossing from animals to humans and seem Perversely, the destruction to be linked in some cases to the wrought globally with the destruction of previously pristine grounding of aircraft, a vast forest and jungle areas bringing reduction in the use of private people into contact with some vehicles, and a slimmed-down animal species for the first time, public transport offering, has led to and that allows viruses to be a drop in greenhouse and other transmitted more easily. atmospheric pollutants. This has led to significant improvements in This may read like a prophecy of the quality of the air breathed by doom as regards global warming residents in several major cities, and disease but there is hope and thus improving the quality of life for it is very clearly enunciated by the many. much derided 17 year old, Greta Thunberg, who puts it quite Sadly, it is unlikely that we will succinctly – “don’t listen to the learn from these recent events and politicians and business leaders, adopt a more sustainable mode of listen to the scientists and experts” living with a move away from fossil fuels that will leave coal and oil in That’s where things have gone the ground. This is where it rightly wrong in recent decades with belongs because it was the misinformation being deliberately removal of carbon dioxide from the spread for the purpose of atmosphere over millions of years, confusing the public and by being trapped as coal and oil, preventing a global coordinated that led to the conditions suitable response. for human to flourish. John Webster

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IN SEARCH OF MY FATHER’S WW2 STORY A PILGRIMAGE OF SORTS

Thanks to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, I find that the newsletter is short of its normal content due to cancelled meetings, resulting in fewer reports. That, and the fact that this is my last newsletter, made me think I should indulge in the luxury of relating a personal story that started in my twenties with me asking about the circumstances of my father’s death in 1945 and ended in 2015 by my attending commemoration service at his burial place in The Netherlands. The strange chain of circumstances that led to this event will, I hope to make for an interesting read.

John Webster

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downstream from Nijmegen, while serving in the Royal Engineers. His body was recovered from the River Waal at the village of Druten some weeks later because the winter was severe, and the river frozen in places. He was buried in the village graveyard at Druten and the photo above shows the simple wooden cross erected at the time.

My mother never talked much about his death to my sister and me, other than saying an officer visited her at one stage and told her that he and five others had been laying a boom across the river when they came under fire 1945 photo of John’s father’s grave from a German aircraft. I grew up with little knowledge of the My father was killed in action on circumstances and frankly didn’t the 1st January 1945, a few miles think much about it until I was in

17 my twenties and married. One day been there. He promised to visit we asked my father’s sister, my the grave and to take photographs Aunt Sarah, and to my surprise for her to see. This he did but also she became very emotional, which told her what happened when was unusual for women of her era, looking for the grave in the and could only say that he had lots churchyard. They could not find the of friends and was still deeply war grave, and this led to what I loved and missed, and that was shall call: that. She did, however, tell one story that I will classify as: Remarkable Coincidence No. 2 While looking around, a lady Remarkable Coincidence No. 1 passing by asked if she could help. About ten years after the war, Aunt When they told her they were Sarah was at the small looking for the grave of a soldier Congregationalist church in named John Webster she said she Aberdeen when they had a visit knew exactly where it was because from a vicar from an English she had found the body while church. He told a story of having working on the family farm by the been a padre during the war and river side in 1945. when travelling through the war The reason they could not find the zone in early 1945, was stopped body was that it had been buried by a local person who told him that outside the main graveyard they were burying a British soldier because my father’s papers gave that day so he attended the burial. his religion as ‘Congregationalist’, My Aunt spoke to him at the end of which was regarded with suspicion his service and asked if he in the strongly Catholic area of the remembered the name of the time. The war grave is now located village. It was of course Druten and in an annexe to the main my Aunt told the vicar that it was graveyard along with more recent her brother he had helped to bury. burials of local people, and entered by a separate gate, hidden by a high wall In 1980 my aunt met a neighbour who told her he was going to My first visit to Druten was almost Holland with British Legion friends accidental and took place in 1987 to visit the graves of former during a visit to Dutch friends who comrades, so she told him of her had been neighbours of ours in brother’s grave and the fact that no Edinburgh and had then returned member of the family had ever home to the north of Holland. One 18 evening the question arose as to where another of those strange whether my father was still alive events took place: and when I said that he was buried in The Netherlands at a place Remarkable Coincidence No. 3 called Druten our friend said, “you We went into the shop and must go and visit because my introduced ourselves and the lady sister lives near Druten and you said "what a pity my husband did can stay with her for a couple of not know about your visit because days”. he would have loved to meet you but he works in Arnhem" We were So, the next day I made the sitting there talking with her when journey to Druten along with my the door of the shop opened and in wife and our 11-year-old son, and walked her husband. She looked at eventually found the cemetery and us and said, "I can’t believe it, he the grave, which was quite an rarely comes into the shop when emotional occasion for me. he is at work" She explained who we were and her husband said "I Then we had one of those mad was just passing by after visiting a ideas that you do when young. We client and I felt I should come in wondered if there was an old lady past". It was a strange co- living in the street next to the incidence that he did come in cemetery, perhaps the one who during the 30 minutes or so that we met up with the British Legion were there. group some years earlier. So, we knocked at a door and met a Well, that might have been the end delightful old lady, Joanna van of the story, but some ten years Beem. Needless to say, Mrs. van later, in 1998, I received a letter Beem knew nothing of the finding from Joanna van Beem's daughter, of my father’s body but took our Marjan, to say that her mother had address and promised to ask asked her to send some photos of around. She did however suggest the graveyard at the church, which we visit a dress shop near the had recently been renovated. church because the woman who Then, in 2012, I had a letter from worked there was married to the Joanna van Beem's grandson, man who looked after my father's Raymond, to tell me that articles grave for the church. had appeared in the local newspaper "De Waalkanter" We thanked Mrs van Beem then asking if any of the older residents went to the shop in the village 19 of Druten knew anything about the circumstances surrounding the finding of my father's body.

I asked him to keep in touch and let me know of any developments then in September 2013 I went over to meet Raymond, who took me on a tour of the area and the Martien, John & Raymond meet 2013 various battle locations. When I got back home I decided to He also took me one evening to do some serious investigation and meet Martien Pardoel, of the 4th paid for a researcher at the May (Liberation Day in The National Archives to check if my Netherlands) Committee. father’s company diaries had survived from the period, which Nothing had come from the they had, and learned more than newspaper appeals and Martien any of my family had until that said they should have made the time. appeal ten years earlier when more people from the time were He was in the army from 1940 alive. onwards with the Royal Engineers and the records show that his This visit did teach me just how Company, the 91st, was trained in much respect the Dutch people still chemical warfare at one stage. I have for the allied soldiers who also learned from his army records liberated their country. that he embarked from England on I discovered that the residents of 5th June 1944 and disembarked in Druten had visited my father’s Western Europe on June 6th, in grave on Liberation Day every year other words he took part in the since the end of the war and Normandy Landings. looked after the grave and planted It appears that his regiment saw flowers. action in France then in Belgium at Antwerp, then arrived nor far from Nijmegen at the end of 1944 with the British Forces on this side of the River Waal and the Germans on the other. 20

There was an interesting entry for last such event. We gladly Xmas Day 1944, which reads accepted the invitation.

“Enemy airborne landings One entertaining result of this expected and Coy is allotted a invitation was relayed to me by Raymond van Beem. The local certain area of the town in which to newspapers made great play of the organise the defence of other fact that “John Webster Jnr.” was units. C.R.E is responsible for the going to attend. defence of the whole of the NIJMEGEN area”

On the 1st of January 1945 my father and five others set out in a small boat onto the river at Deest and, according to the Company Dairies, were killed in an accident. The entry simply records that

“Six men of 3 Pl were drowned while casting anchors from a Monday, May 4th, 2015, was the barge.” day of the official celebrations and this was quite an amazing day. We This got me thinking that the story were collected from our hotel at of the aircraft attack told to my about 5pm and went to the church in Druten just in front of the mother by the visiting officer was to graveyard where my father is maybe glamorise the death rather buried. In the church a combined than saying he was killed in an choir of 170 singers from The accident during a war! Netherlands, England and Germany were practising then at Well, that might have been the end about 6pm we all gathered outside of the story, but early 2015 I the church where we met the received an email from Martien Mayor of Druten and others. Pardoel's daughter, Veronique, on behalf of the 4th May A procession then headed off, led Commemoration Committee at by a drummer beating out the pace Druten asking if we would like to along the side streets where lots of attend the 70th anniversary people had gathered and where celebrations as guests. This was flags had been hung from several going to be a major event given houses. Once we reached the that few residents of the time were cemetery there were speeches, still alive, and this might well be the then my wife, Kath, and I laid a 21 wreath on my father's grave, happened, which I shall describe followed by the Mayor who laid as: another. There were some songs by the choir and more speeches Remarkable Coincidence No. 4 before we made our way back to An old man came down to speak to the front of the church and from me along with his son to translate. there headed to the War memorial His name was Jo Jannsen and he of Druten where there were more said he witnessed the finding of my speeches, wreath laying and father's body in the River Waal singing accompanied by trumpets. near his farm. He had been working with his father when they Finally, back to the packed church saw people heading to the river of about 600 residents for the main with a cart. They went to find out ceremony, which included me what was going on and saw it was having to give a speech about my a British soldier. My father was father’s early life, then music buried in the graveyard the next performed by the choirs. day he recalled. Amazing to meet someone all these years later to hear this story. The fact that he was still alive, was at the ceremony and the fact that I was there by a series of coincidences made the meeting all the more remarkable.

Again, this might have been the end of the story but not quite! In August 2019 I received an email from a young Dutch researcher of WW2 events in the Arnhem area to say that he had seen an article in the local newspaper about my attendance at the 70th anniversary event and asked if I could send information about my father because this was an incident he was researching, In return he sent me what he had learned about the action. The fact that the information that follows came to John speaking at the Commemoration me by such a circuitous route leads me to call this: After the ceremony, there were drinks and snacks in the church hall and then an amazing thing 22

Remarkable Coincidence No. 5 You may wonder why my father On Monday, January 1, 1945, an has become the centre of so much incident occurred on the Waal attention. The simple answer is opposite Deest. It was clear that he is the only allied soldier weather that morning and it had buried in the village and so frozen a lot. On that morning, one became the focus of the of the last major German air raids commemoration ceremonies held started. The 'Operation there every 4th May, and in many Bodenplatte' as this attack was towns and villages throughout The called, was directed against the Netherlands. allied air forces stationed at various airports in southern Well, this is the end of my Netherlands and Belgium. “pilgrimage of sorts” and the Hundreds of German planes took reason I relate it here is that off from airports in the still friends have said to me that it is occupied Netherlands at around 8 worth telling because, as one said, am and flew to the south at a the coincidences described are “so height of ± 200 meters to surprise spooky”. the Allies on that first January. On the river Waal near Deest, an Another, of a more religious frame inspection took place of the floating of mind said to me “you can’t really barrier at the shipyard across the believe all these things happened Waal for the protection of the by chance; they would defy bridges near Nijmegen. This is to statistics. There must have been a prevent the Germans boats and guiding hand at work” the like from attacking the bridges from the West. …… I leave it for you to decide.

Those of you who have not fallen John Webster asleep reading this story may notice a remarkable similarity in this account to the story related by my mother, where aircraft were involved, yet the Company Record records an ‘accident’ and makes no mention of Operation Bodenplatte, which must surely have been a significant event at the time. Conspiracy theorists may wonder why. Was it an embarrassing episode best left unrecorded or what?

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SANDRA’S

“DO YOU KNOW BERWICK” PUZZLE The Berwick Civic Society

is a Registered Charity (No. 508953)

Website: www.berwickcivicsociety.org.uk

Office Bearers 2019-2020

Chairman...... Ian Dods Vice-Chairman…………. John Webster Hon. Treasurer ……….. Michael Gallico An old door in Berwick-upon- Hon. Secretary……….. Anne Humphrey Tweed, which you may have Newsletter/Website.. John Webster passed many times over the years.

However, can you say where it is? Please feel free to email any Officer of the Society using: The answer will be given by Sandra in the next Civic Society [email protected] newsletter, whenever that may be. Considering the current global Membership application can be made lockdown. from the website using the ‘Join Us’ link Sandra Dods

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