BEDFORD WAR DIARY
1935
1937
Sept
Feb
27
11
1938
July
Sept/
Oct
Aug
Sept
-
1939
9
1-2
3
Oct
6
23
30
1
16
19
1940
1941
Feb
April
27
9
8
21
8
-
April
19
April
May
16
June
1
July
Oct
-
Nov
8
Nov
Nov
9
14
Feb
Feb
Feb
4
1-7
22
June
June
26
Nov
Jan
1
Bedford Borough Civil Defence Committee met for the first time
Bedford chosen by the Home Office to carry out experiments with lighting
restrictions: RAF plane flew over to observe the black-out
Major A C E Caiger appointed full-time County ARP officer
Issue of respirators after the Munich crisis
Black-out exercise at Bedford
17,000 evacuees allotted to the Borough arrive as well as several thousand
more allotted to the villages
War declared. Town cinemas and the Royal County Theatre in Midland
Road (now the Apostolic Church) closed; soon to re-open
Bedford’s first air-raid warning, at 7.29am
Petrol rationing was finally enforced; before that garages were besieged
Identity cards began to issued under the Government Registration scheme
First National Day of Prayer service at St Paul’s church. Colours of
Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment lodged there until War over
Bedfordshire's Chief Constable, Sir Frank Stevens killed in a shooting
accident at Southill
Flood in Bedford and outlying villages; river level had fallen 3-4 feet by
following day
20-22yr old men registered for National Service
Archibald Braggins elected Mayor for the second year
Forces Club and Canteen opened at the Corn Exchange
ARP services engaged on a practice air-raid
Talbot House, the Toc H social centre, Bromham Rd, opened by Mayor
Major General N J G Cameron, Chief air-raid warden of Bedford since May
1938, resigned. Bedford Gas Co began converting their vans to run on gas
instead of petrol.
Visit by the Minister of Health, Walter Elliott, who came to inspect the
Town’s efforts on the Home Front
Visit of Sir Henry Wood and the London Symphony Orchestra
Police Station inundated by volunteers for the new National Defence Force,
later called the Home Guard
Parade of the Bedfordshire Women’s Land Army at Bedford. The 85
volunteers of 1939 had swelled to over 1,000 by 1944
Another 2,000 evacuees arrive, this time from towns on the south coast
Bus strike on two consecutive nights when crews refused to go on late
journeys without late duty payment
Visit of Professor John Hilton to study how evacuation worked in the
Borough
Albert Maurice Dudeney elected Mayor
First air raid within boundaries of town. Two parachute mines dropped; one
exploded on waste ground at Queen’s Park, the other on allotments
opposite Kempston Barracks. 1,500 premises in Bedford and Kempston
damaged to some extent; few casualties, although one old lady in
Kempston subsequently died of shock
Fire-watching of Bedford Business premises became compulsory
War Weapons Week. Target £250,000; over £459,000 raised
Salvation Army Red Shield Club, under the arch at Bedford Midland
Station, was officially opened by the Lord Lt (Lord Luke) and the Mayor.
Leading Bedford citizens broadcast greetings to the USA
Newly formed Bedford Symphony Orchestra gave its first concert at the
Corn Exchange
N Lutt, Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service
May 2006
BEDFORD WAR DIARY
July
-
July
end
Sept
-
Sept
Sept
Sept
18
end
Oct
12
Oct
19
1941
Dec
early
1942
Feb
21-28
March
18
March
23
March
& April
-
June
7
June
July
14
23
July
30
Sept
5
Sept
Jan
6
9
Jan
Mar
20
2
1943
2
Mayor of Bedford’s appeal to local residents to sacrifice their iron gates and
railings for the war effort
A train from Bristol brought the BBC Music Dept, staff and engineers to the
town
St Paul’s Church bells removed for safe-keeping and stored in a corner of
the churchyard.
British Restaurant in Gwyn Street opened
BBC gave first of their concerts at the Corn Exchange
Talk by Professor J B S Haldane, arranged by Bedford Branch of the
Communist League, on Russia
Wing Commander E J Hodsoll, Inspector-General of Civil Defence
inspected local personnel. Queen Marie of Yugoslavia, accompanied by
her son King Peter, presented a mobile canteen to the WVS
Crash of single-seater plane, Greyfriars walk. Pilot Officer Peter Hewitt,
who had left Bedford School the previous year, killed
Another visit of Queen Marie of Yugoslavia; she spent some time at the
Forces Canteen in the Corn Exchange
Bedford’s Warship Week. Rushden and district aimed for £250,000 to pay
for the destroyer Quorn while Bedford aimed for £425,000 for the
submarine Thorn. The town raised £610,000
The Borough Director of Education, Dr E C Walker, outlined at the Town
Council meeting the organisation necessary to provide accommodation and
meals for the homeless after air attack. Food and Rest Centres,
Emergency Feeding Centres, British Restaurants and places for feeding of
school children were organised. 19 centres and one central depot
organised in the Borough.
Retail Delivery Rationalisation Scheme enforced; no more retail deliveries
to be made to private houses, not even by bicycle
News of the men of the 5th Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment and
others taken prisoner by the Japanese on the fall of Singapore in Feb filters
through
Start of week of events in aid of the Yugoslav Relief Society. King Peter
and Queen Marie came visiting.
United Nations Day celebrated
A Dornier bomber attacked Bedford at 8.47am and dropped 4 high
explosive bombs. One bomb partly demolished the Grafton Assembly
Rooms next to the Royal County Theatre on the Midland/Grafton Road
corner. The site was not re-built until 1952. Another bomb demolished half
of the Grosvenor Hotel at 5-7 Ashburnham Road, injuring 14 people. The
two remaining bombs fell on railway property, leaving large craters.
The heaviest raid on the town during the war left 11 dead and caused
considerable damage. Ten others seriously injured and 100 slightly
wounded. Showers of incendiary bombs with the explosive nose fell on the
town at about 1.40am causing damage to houses in Foster Street,
Wendover Drive, Risborough Road, Barkers Lane, 227-244 Goldington
Road, Philpotts Avenue and properties in the Castle Road area. 4 HE
bombs fell on houses in Kimbolton Road and Putnoe Lane.
All-American base-ball match, played by two service teams at Bedford
Rugby ground. Bedfordians bemused
Mock-invasion training exercise at Bedford
Dame Beryl Oliver, head of British Red Cross London HQ visited Beds over
two days beginning with an inspection of the Bedford HQ
V G Ezechiel resigned as Chief Warden; W A Moller appointed
Complaining letters in the Bedford Record re. Duke of Bedford’s ‘defeatist
N Lutt, Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service
May 2006
BEDFORD WAR DIARY
Mar
-
Mar
Last
week
-
April
Mid
June
July
23
1944
Jan
31
Feb
8
Feb
15
Feb
Mar
29
28
June
June
July
9
20
9
-
Aug
Sept
Sept
1945
1946
11
Sept
Oct
Dec
Dec
11
11 to
c30
17
4
3
8
April
May
June
Aug
Feb
22
8
21
8?
14
March
June
June
8
28
3
attitude’
Zoning of milk deliveries began; milkmen could only serve houses on their
direct journeys
China Week to raise funds for the country
Scrap metal and salvage campaign
Bedford’s Wings for Victory Week raised £661,000; followed by church
services
Italian POW ran amok, killed guard, & was killed himself after a chase.
John Shelton, 18yr old Home Guard commended
Queen (the late Queen Mother) visits the US Red Cross Club in Bromham
Rd and US Red Cross Officers’ Club, Goldington Rod
US Red Cross Officers’ Club opened at corner of Kimbolton Ave and
Goldington Rd. Round the clock service
Bedford’s Home Flash; broadcast of local news to service personnel in
Middle East and North Africa
Duke & Duchess of Gloucester visit Beds, including St Peter’s Hospital
and the Red Cross detachment in Bedford School hall
New Toc H Club for members of the Women’s services
Tank crashed through wall at Cow Bridge on to Bedford Bletchley railway
line, blocking it for 8 hours
Bedford’s Salute The Soldier fundraising events for a week
Visit of Duchess of Kent to open Handicraft Exhibition
Glenn Miller performs at the Corn Exchange forces canteen
More evacuees arrive from London, prompted by the use of the terror
weapons, V1 and V2 rockets
Female police employed for the first time by the Borough force
First public performance of Glenn Miller and US Army Band at the Corn
Exchange. Jewish Youth Centre in Woburn Rd opened on same day by
Mayor Ald. F A Rickard.
Princess Royal inspected Bedford ATS units
Book Drive; 100,000 books and magazines for servicemen and blitzed
libraries
Black-out modified to a dim-out
Stand-down dinner of local Home Guard, ‘F’ Coy, 1st Battalion
Stand-down parade of Home Guard
Departure of evacuees who arrived from Rye Grammar School in July
1940; mostly billeted in Kimbolton Rd area; other evacuees came from
Eastbourne and Hastings
All lighting restrictions removed
VE Day celebrated
Bedford’s Civil Defence stand-down party at Castle Close
VJ Day celebrated
Princess Elizabeth (now QEII) visited Bedford to open an exhibition on
agricultural work and handicrafts staged by the Beds Women’s Land Army
First post-war delivery of bananas to Bedford
Victory Day
Field Marshall Montgomery a guest at Bedford School Speech Day
N Lutt, Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service
May 2006