Commemorative

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

There were large congregations at the Methodist Sunday School anniversary services on May 6th.

The Rev A Evens Clarke conducted. Special and regular singing was good throughout, Mr Christmas being the organist. Norman Colwill and Arthur Beer read lessons and with other scholars made the collections.

Sports were held on the Tuesday following, the Rev A E Clarke and Messrs Ern Short and Arthur Thorne being in charge. Tea was served by Mesdames Colwill, Headon, E Heard, M Heard, Wesley Heard, H James, H Jeffery, Misses E Colwill, K Colwill, E Heywood, I Jeffery, Johnson, Ruby Rowe. Evening services, recitations, etc. were postponed a week.

VE Day 11am service at the Methodist Church was conducted by Rev A E Clarke. A large and appreciative congregation contributed over £4 to the Methodist Rebuilding Fund for the blitzed areas and Protestant churches on the Continent.

Hartland’s bells rang for two hours on the afternoon of VE Day. At 7pm the Home Guards, Cadets, Air Raid Precautions, Home Guard Women, Women’s Voluntary Service, Women’s Institute, First Aid and public assembled at the school, and led by the band (under Mr Snow) marched the the abundantly beflagged streets to the Square, which had been marked out for respective positions, and kept clear of cars by Special Constables on point duty at cross roads.

The Vicar (Preb I L Gregory) spoke on the greatness of the day and the need of thanksgiving, sobered by the thoughts that victory meant sacrifice of multitudes and that a cruel foe had yet to bite the dust. Rev A Evens Clarke took the prayers and read the lesson.

Fireworks followed for a long time. A dance in the Hall raised £34 for the Parish Council Welcome Home Fund.

Gazette article dated 15 May 1945

Thanks For Our Bread

Sir –

May I take up a little of your valuable space with a letter of thanks to the bakers in Bideford and district.

As Bread Officer it has been my duty to arrange the supply of bread. This could not have been done without the fine cooperation of all the bakers. As I am now leaving the district, I am taking this opportunity to place on record the difficult task these bakers have carried out. Labour has been scarce, yet with it all, I am proud to say, the public have had a good loaf of bread. I wonder how many people have realised how difficult it has been to carry on. To the bakers, masters and operatives, I say on behalf of the Ministry of Food, ‘Thank you. You have done a good job.’

James W Morrison, Bread Officer, Bideford and District

Gazette letter day 15 May 1945

Bideford’s Thanksgiving Parade

United Church Service Relayed To Chapel

Official Stand Down Of Civil Defence Units

Impressive indication of the general spirit of thanksgiving and of the combine war effort of the Fighting Services and Civil Defence units (for whom it was the official stand-down parade), was given at Bideford on Sunday when nearly 2,000 accompanied the Mayor (Ald H W Fulford) and Corporation to a united thanksgiving service held at the Parish Church and which was relayed to an overflow congregation at the Bridge Street Methodist Church.

The Rector of Bideford (Preb W N Manning) was assisted in the service by the Rev R E Clarke, the Mayor’s Chaplain, and Rev T R Gibby. Bideford Parish Church was filled to overflowing, and a portion of the parade, together with a large number of the public, filled the Methodist Chapel, while hundreds of people waited on the Quayside for the march past and parade after the service.

At the Parish Church Mr R Harper was at the organ and Mr W Westacott at the tympani.

The collection was for Christian Reconstruction in Europe.

Excellent arrangements had been made for the parade which was formed up in New Road in two sections, fighting service and civil defence units under the direction of the Marshalls, Messrs F A Pearson and P J V Fulford.

The fighting services, led by the combined Home Guard and Town Band, entered by one entrance, and the civic procession and civil defence units by another.

The Mayor of Bideford was accompanied in procession by the Town Clerk (Mr F C Backway), his chaplain, the Rector, Rear-Admiral H G C Franklin, magistrates, aldermen and councillors, together with public officials, including representatives of Ministries of Food, Fuel, and the National Savings Committee, the Police and Special Constables.

The full Gazette article is dated 15 May 1945