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 Myddle, Broughton & Harmer Hill 
E-Newsletter for 8th May 2020
VE Day Anniversary Edition
including  Alderton, Balderton, Bilmarsh, Brandwood, Houlston, Marton, Myddlewood, Newton, Sleap, Yorton, and Yorton Heath


Victory in Europe 75th Anniversary 
 

A proposed timetable of events are below.
11.00am 2 minute silence on your doorstep
3.00pm Churchill speech on BBC then grab your picnic blankets or garden table and head to your front garden for:-
4.00pm Tea and Scones (or Coffee and Cake)
6.00pm Dinner and raise your glass to your neighbours
9.00pm Queen's Address to the Nation, followed by a Sing-A-Long to "We'll Meet Again" with the Royal British Legion.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO FOLLOW THE SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES



VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY
After Adolf Hitler committed suicide on 30th April 1945 his successor, Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz, set about negotiating an end to the war in Europe.  On 4th May at Lüneburg Heath near Hamburg Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of German forces in the Netherlands, northwest Germany and Denmark. On 7th May at Reims in France General Eisenhower accepted the unconditional surrender of all German forces.

The scene at Lüneburg Heath on 4th May

Not far from the dramatic events at Lüneburg Heath, Ernest Griffiths from this parish was serving with the Royal Army Service Corps.  He later recalled (on page 27 of his memories) that there was great relief after the surrender and it was nice not to have to have his rifle, steel helmet and gas mask constantly ready for use.  However, the workload for his company increased as they now needed to transport more food because the army needed to feed thousands of Latvians and Estonians who had been brought to Germany as forced labour to assist the German war effort. You can read more about Ernest’s experiences both as a soldier and as a farmer here
The end of hostilities in Europe was announced on BBC radio on the evening of 7th May.  Later that evening scheduled programming was interrupted with the news that 8th May 1945 would be a national holiday. 
The following day newspaper headlines carried the long-awaited announcement.  This example is the Daily Herald which was published up to 1964 when it was relaunched as the Sun.  Note the cover price of one penny.  That is an old pre-decimal penny worth 0.4167p in today’s currency.


Various events were organised to mark the occasion, including parades, thanksgiving services and street parties. One parish resident whose ancestors are mentioned in Richard Gough’s work recalls that his father was the Duke of Buccleuch’s Land Agent at Boughton House near Kettering.  He remembers an enormous bonfire being built to celebrate VE Day but by the time it was lit he was fast asleep … like a well behaved five year-old.
There was certainly cause for celebration.  Wartime restrictions began to be lifted although food rationing did not finally end until 1954.  So the transition to peacetime conditions was gradual but for many the primary cause for celebration was that loved ones away from home serving in the armed forces or engaged upon other work to help the war effort might soon return home.  The celebrations were also tinged with sadness remembering those who would not be returning home.  John Lloyd and Grenville Cholmondeley, whose names appear on the parish war memorial, were among those who did not return home.  You can read their stories here
Those that did return home received a certificate from the County Council thanking them for their service. The certificate awarded to John Ebury for his service with 190 Squadron RAF is here and his photograph appeared in the newspaper, although it was wrongly captioned as G Ebury, here  Members of the Women’s Land Army and the Women’s Timber Corps had to wait until 2008 when Gordon Brown sent them a certificate like the one here awarded to Joan Ebury for her work as a kiln operator at Isherwoods wood factory in Wem.
Shrewsbury seems to have been ready to celebrate VE Day as this photograph shows


Mardol on VE Day
It is not known whether anyone from Myddle managed to join the VE Day celebrations in Shrewsbury.  At that time the Birmingham & Midland Motor Omnibus Co Ltd were responsible for the bus service between Myddle and Shrewsbury but they provided a service only on market days, Wednesdays and Saturdays.  So for anyone living in the parish reaching the celebrations in Shrewsbury on Tuesday 8th May 1945 would not have been straight forward.
A former resident of the parish who was 12 years old and living at Broughton Farm in 1945 remembers the announcement on the wireless (as the radio was called in those days) and the smiles on the faces of her family coupled with a sense of relief.  She recalls writing in her diary in large letters across the page THE WAR HAS ENDED   YIPPEE!  On the farm there was not much opportunity for celebration as the cows needed to be milked and the animals fed.  
Another resident living in the parish then remembers going out on her bicycle with her mother on 8th May 1945.  Her mother had thought that they might meet people out celebrating but they saw no one.  There is evidence of some celebrations in the parish as another resident remembers a barrel of beer being put up on the mounting block at the Red Lion. In times past the mounting block would have been used by patrons of Red Lion to mount their horses at the end of an evening’s entertainment, but in 1945 it played a central role in the entertainment itself!
VE Day was not the end of the war; Japan did not surrender until 2nd September. But Prime Minister Winston Churchill told the nation that they may allow themselves a brief period of rejoicing before the toils ahead. 
If you are planning to join in the national rendition of "We’ll Meet Again" straight after the Queen's Address to the Nation at 9.00 pm on 8th May 2020 you will find the words of "We’ll Meet Again" below
 
We asked children to get engaged with projects on a VE Day theme. 

One of the first to arrive was this from George MacKay (14).
 

And you can find more here
 
There are still opportunities for school age children to get involved with a VE Day project by entering Dan Snow’s challenge. You can find details here. You could re-use the project you sent in for this newsletter or start a new one.

Thanks to all those who have provided reminisces and material for inclusion in this newsletter and the web site link.

The official version of We'll Meet again for the sing-a-long on Friday after the Queen's address to the nation

We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again 
Some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
'Till the blue skies chase
Those dark clouds far away
And I will just say hello
To the folks that you know
Tell them you won't be long
They'll be happy to know
That, as I saw you go
You were singing this song
We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again
Some sunny day
And I will just say hello
To the folks that you know
Tell them you won't be long
They'll be happy to know
That, as I saw you go
You were singing this song
We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again
Some sunny day
 

Newsletter Information

Local shops with delivery service currently as of 7th May 2020

The Spar Shop Baschurch - deliver to over 70s, customers with disability/special needs, customers with long term health problems and single parents isolating with children - 01939 261187. Phone between 7.00 am and lunch time to place your order for the next day. Payment by card over the phone. This is the current procedure but may be subject to change. 
Rowlands Vegetables fruit and veg - 01743 462244. Will deliver veg boxes most days to Myddle and Harmer Hill
Shrewsbury Handy Veg - 01743 461307 - deliver to Myddle
Moor Farm Shop - Email shop@moorfarmshop.co.uk or phone 01939 262632
J. Hartshorn Dairy and Fresh Produce - 01691 657629 - deliver to Myddle on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 
Oaklgate Nursery & Garden Centre free local delivery available Call 01939 250428
Neil France - Quality Fruit & Vegetables delivers to Myddle. Contact on 07870800512 or through Facebook messenger .

Please send your recommendations which you think might be helpful for readers for local shops and services to contact@myddle.net

Supermarket Delivery and Click and Collect.
Information for Carers.
If a Carer is thinking of going shopping with someone who they are caring for they will find that they cannot enter the store with them. Entry will only be given if they have an ID Card or letter stating that this is the case. It doesn’t matter what the condition is without ID or letter they will not get entry.
Along with other supermarkets MORRISON'S in Shrewsbury have implemented a one shopper only rule. Please note this has a serious impact on anyone who tries to go shopping as a carer or with a carer. The carers are not being allowed in at the same time. 
 Click on the link for shopping at TESCO handy tip if you are trying to get a Tesco delivery, log on at 23.55. They release the slots at midnight. Also try for a delivery slot that week at 07.00 am. Put something in the basket, pay for it with your credit card. You can change and add to the order up to 24 hours before you get the delivery or do Click and Collect.
 Click on the link for shopping at ASDA 
 Click on the link for shopping at SAINSBURYS  Delivery to most vulnerable and a click and collect service
 Click on the link for shopping at ICELAND Delivery slots but you enter a queuing system. Just stay on line in the queue.

Clive Surgery. Open bank holiday Friday 8th May for GP and Nurse telephone appointments.
The Procedure for ordering your prescriptions is unchanged, phone in the repeat prescription request or use the on line reordering at the Patient Access web site. Telephone the repeat prescription number (220532). Nothing is being picked up from the box. To pick up your prescription, go to the outer door of the surgery, ring the bell, you do not need go in, give your name.The staff will then bring the prescription to you outside. It would help the staff if you could arrange to pick up other peoples prescriptions for them, especially those who are self isolating due to age or serious health issues Patients may ask someone to collect their prescriptions but they will need the name of the person, address and date of birth.

Prescott Surgery Open Friday 8th May for GP and Nurse telephone appointments.
Message from Prescott Surgery.....
To alleviate the pressure on NHS 111 and the Shropdoc out of hours services, Prescott Surgery will be open on Bank Holiday Friday 8th May for GP and Nurse telephone appointments. You will also be able to collect medication but we will not be able to carry out routine doorstep deliveries.
Many Thanks
People can collect their prescriptions from the surgery as long as they do not have symptoms of Coronvirus. Patients may ask someone to collect their prescriptions but they will need the name of the person, address and date of birth.

A request from villagers and a reminder that all dogs should be on leads when walking in the villages. 

Fun Spot
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