Feniton History Group held the 92nd meeting in the Nog Inn


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.



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!!