It
was lovely to see so many join us for the evening. Thank you.
It was confirmed that we will put up our WW1 and WW2
display in the church for the commemoration of the 100 years since the end of
WW1 over the weekend of 11th Nov. 2018. We would like to follow the
service with a coffee morning or on the Saturday, this will depend on what the
Church would like us to do.
Progress is being made with
replacement of the boundary stone. I have submitted the quote from A. Real to
Feniton PC, we await news of the DCC funding application. It is not permitted to replace the stone on the
actual boundary line. It will be put by the FPC Oak Tree and plaque between
Tool Gate Corner and Campfield Gate. I will investigate obtaining a QR code to
be put on the stone, this will enable folk with smart phones to scan the code,
this will take them to a website where the history of the boundary can be set
out and read. I will also ask if the history file can be put up on the FPC
website.
Something
that slipped my mind at the meeting, the plans to hold a “Heritage Weekend”
following the publishing of the idea on Facebook and in the parish magazine,
sadly, not one response has been received, very disappointing. We may get some
interest at the next meeting, I hope.
Brenda
related about the Payhembury mole catcher, he was called “Gas Lamp”, this came
about as he had a carbide lamp on his
bike!!Someone remembers putting carbide in the inkwells on the school desk!! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbide_lamp.
The
village have taken part in the filming of the 1549 battle for a production
company, the producer Stefano has been
working the villagers, led by Jenny. Jenny brought along the still photos from
the filming day, our villagers seem to all enjoy a good fight, hanging and
drawing and quartering!! There were
murders behind the trees, the banner was magnificent, cutting of throats and a charge
to the rout. Filming took place in
Ottery church in the lady chapel.
Terry
told us about WW1 bomb factory explosion at Attenborough. This link gives more detail: http://www.attenboroughchurch.org.uk/explosion.html
Sam
is working on the archaeology of Fingle Bridge Mill. The dig has
found the working floor. The mill was burnt
down. The mill stones are of a rough ugly stone from France.
The NT website: https://finglewoods.org.uk/2018/02/21/fingle-mill-revealed/
Geoff
is working on a model of the farm mentioned in Flora Thompson’s book, “Larkrise
to Candleford”. He is looking to find a set of steam ploughing engines at work.
The next ploughing match I know of where steam ploughing will take place is the
National Ploughing Match
Peter
then rounded the evening of with his memories of life during the Second World
War.
His
full name is Ernest Wilhelm Peters, but his Mother called him Peter. He was born in Stettin in East Germany, now
Szczecin in Poland. He arrived in the UK as a prisoner of war in 1946 from
Belgium.
Peter
tells us he had a good childhood with street fights, he enjoyed the parades and marched after the band. When Hitter
came to power the school teachers disappeared, they were Jewish.
His father was a red, Peter brought
up to be a socialist, Germany was wonderful with the new changes. He was 12
years old when the Kristallnacht and the Progrom against the Jews, the Synagogue
was burnt. Children were part of the Hitler Youth with indoctrination of laws
and crafts, tree identification, military skills etc. aged 14 Peter moved on to
youth branch of the air sea signals motor branch, he was riding a BMW motorbike.
When
in 1939 war was declared the children were sent home to hear Hitler talk on radio for a 2 hour
program on the invasion of Poland. Peter
was placed in the Engineering School for sea submarine be a teacher. He wore a
uniform.
He
was with the Battery of air craft guns, the teachers had to assemble the guns.
He taught how to use search light on the
battery.
Volunteer
for the forces were called up to labour service. Peter was told to report t to the
infantry gunner, he arrived late and was sent up to the sergeant major. The training
was hard, he also had to help control
riots and shootings in his own town.
He
was with the army at the River Elbe. Soviet and American troops met here, near
Torgau in Germany. In a prank Peter stole some chocolate, but it turned out to
be shaving soap!!
There
were four zones in Germany, Peter made it back to Cologne and became a switch board
operator. He was then posted as a medical orderly. Fuel was very scarce. He was then
sent back to POW camp for discharge on
to a Belgium war camp, no work, no food, then sent to Scotland. The camp had no
wire good time playing football. Peter went to see “White Horse Inn “ the men chased after the “girl” actors, only to find
them to be men!! Following this he was sent out to work on local farms.
Thank
you all for a very interesting evening, I hope my notes are a good copy!!
