A local
ARP hand bell used to alert people to a likely aerial attack.
A local ARP hat |
Erected in 1920 by
public subscription the war memorial records the deaths of all 19
parishioners who gave their lives. Of the two plaques
in the church, one records the deaths with dates of the original
16 and the other records the names of the 45 Parishioners
who offered their lives for their country, but were not required
to lay them down. The woman who died was Helen Taylor, she
served as a nurse and was the married daughter of Henry Hilton
Green.
Whilst
serving in Flanders, Ernest Rust was badly wounded in the
stomach and lost consciousness. He was brought to Portsmouth
hospital still unconscious, he survived and lived a hale
and hearty [life] and the father of a family; a
wonderful living testimony to the efficiency of our Medical
and Transport Services during the Great War.
The
Second World War - 1939 to 1945
See
Heroes of the Second World War |
The War Memorial
"Lest we forget" |
The Second World War left its mark on all communities,
large or small. However, in terms of damage to property,
Felmersham escaped with only superficial damage. The windows in
Felmersham church were damaged by explosions from disposal
dumps, a flying fortress crash near the village and a bomb was
dropped in a field near Carlton Road. |
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East
Anglia was the base for the largest fighting force
ever assembled (500,000 men and women of Bomber
Command) and the logistics of the support
operation would have impacted upon the parish. For
instance the Nature Reserve was the result of
excavating sand for Thurleigh airfield. With
airfields in very close proximity to the parish
and with Felmersham and Radwell on the Thurleigh
flight path, the skies would have been very active
with low flying American bombers.
The local community played its part in the war effort and one
family paid dearly for the call to duty. Sir Richard and Lady
Wells lost three sons in enemy action. Their deaths are
recorded on a plaque in the church and the
east window is
glazed to their memory. As a further tribute to their three
sons the Wells family also paid for the addition of
three new
bells and a bell frame in the church tower.
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Ken
Shrimpton carrying a gas mask during
the Second World War, accompanied by
Shirley Stevens a wartime evacuee. |
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There was an ARP (Air Raid
Precautions) unit and an active Home Guard in the parish with
its HQ in the stables, opposite the Grange. A trench and look
out post in what is now Marriotts Close provided a clear view
of the bridge and an air raid shelter was built at the Grange.
It was said to be capable of protecting the whole village!
During the winter, in order to conform with the blackout
regulations and to conserve fuel, church evensong services
were held at the Grange. |
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HMS Felmersham
Ham Class inshore
mine sweeper M2627.
Built by: Camper and
Nicholson.
Completed: 11 May 1954,
Gross Weight: 159
tons
Length: 106 ft, Beam: 21 ft
Crew: 15 (22 in wartime)
Speed: 14 knots max, 9knots when mine sweeping
Power: 2 x Paxman Diesels: 550bhp each
Info and
photo: Mark Teadham
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Lion Head Stand Pipe |
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Made in Kilmarnock,
Scotland and installed circa 1935-6 as part of the
Bedford Rural District Council's scheme to provide
water to all parishes not connected to the mains
supply.
There are five stand pipes in Felmersham, two in Radwell.
Left - A stand
pipe outside St Mary's church, Felmersham. |
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The Lych-Gate |
Above
- Lych Gate Below - Bus
Shelter
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New
gates and a lamp were erected at the entrance to the
churchyard in 1894 and these were replaced in
1917-18 by a lych-gate as a gift of the family of
the late H Hilton Green. Lych gates are designed to
provide cover for the funeral cortège at the
entrance to the churchyard.
St Mary’s lych-gate was
used as a model for the design of the bus shelter,
which was erected circa 1938 to the memory of
Christopher James and Jessie Maltby, the parents of
Lady Wells. |
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