On Sunday 3rd September 3rd 1939 war was declared on Germany.
1940: At a time when invasion was expected the ringing of Church Bells was forbidden.
This order issued 13th June 1940.
Bells to be rung as a warning of threatened invasion only.
Owslebury bells were so rung, this, as it turned out, the warning was issued by mistake - on Saturday 7th September 1940.
Bells first allowed to be rung again on Sunday 15th November 1942 after a victory at El Alamein.
The Church suffered no damage from air attacks.
A small number of bombs were dropped in the district - Morestead, Marwell (a land mine), Baybridge Down.
One V I (flying) bomb fell in the Parish early on Wednesday 12th July 1944, close to Longwood House (then occupied by American troops).
During this one week in July, a good many flying bombs were seen and fell in the surrounding districts.
Before D Day (Tues 6th June 1944) when an attack on Normandy was launched, the woods were packed with our troops, and there was much activity on the roads, with convoys passing to the coast.
On the night of Monday and Tuesday 5th-6th June, thousands of gliders, drawn by transport planes, passed overhead with navigation lights on.
The whole picture presented was unforgettable.
On the following evening also, from 7.30 - 8.30 there was another airborne force in the sky above the village, heading S E out to sea.
A special service held on Tuesday evening 6th June, was attended by over 500 people, the notice had been very short.
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Left To Right: Doris Harfield, Peggy Derrick, Lil Guy (Marsh), Carrie Thatcher |
In 1943 -1944, a Victory Garden Show and Fete was
held on August Bank Holiday, in aid of the Red Cross
and St Johns’ Ambulance (Agricultural fund).
This was run by a Committee chaired by E W J Stern.
In addition to the show, there were sports and
sideshows and sale of produce.
A dance was held at the Parish Hall.
Other events were held during the week.
A sum of £152 18s 3d (£153.91p) and £16 22s 2d (£162.11p) was sent to the Red Cross as a result of this effort.
During the war years, the village received many evacuees from Southampton Portsmouth and London.
Acton County High (boys) took over Morestead House in November 1940, remaining until August 1943.
The Field behind Morestead House now called the Allotment Field was used by the school for vegetables etc.
When Morestead House was sold in 1971 the old schools desks were still in the house.
The air raid shelter used in the war is still there today.
The Rev W Sargeant offered the vicarage as a hostel for the school and in the autumn of 1940 it was requisitioned by the RDC, the rental being fixed at £80 p.a; plus the rates.
Rev Sargeant removed first to Yew Tree Cottage, Baybridge and later to a house next to the stores at Hilly Close.
The Rev F E Barker resided at the cottage known as Old Wells Cottage until, on the return of the school to Acton, the Vicarage was de-requisitioned on 12th Sept 1943.
The rental was £90 p.a. Mr George Thompson, Headmaster of the evacuated portion of the school and Mrs Thompson were in charge at the Vicarage, which, at times has as many as 25 occupants.
The (old) school was heated by two big 'tortoise' stoves, and oil lamps hung from the ceilings - this was the only form of lighting available.
Toilets, as with most other rural schools, were still just earth closets.
'Real' milk was delivered to the door, in churns, by the local Farmer, he would ladle the number of pints required straight into your jug.
During the warm weather the housewife always 'scalded' the milk, to prevent it from going sour.
On the school ceasing to occupy the Vicarage, the vicar received (Feb 1944) £33 2s 9p in respect of compensation for damage.
Baybridge House was also used as a hostel for Acton County High. From Sept 1943 to Nov 1944 Morestead House was occupied by Portsmouth Northern Secondary Girls School, who used the house merely as a hostel, being conveyed by bus to Winchester daily.
City children, - used to all 'mod cons' of the day - were brought here as evacuees, - almost every house in the village boasted at least one.
Village life - with no running water in the houses - no gas - no electricity, must have seemed very strange to these "townies".
One still regularly visits her 'stand-in' Mum of those war time years, others, passing through the village, have paused in their journey to 'stand and stare' at the old school, and in conversation with residents, reveal that "I went to school here during the war".
A village drama club was formed in September 1944, under leadership of the Vicar.
Many troops were stationed in the Parish during the war.
The East Surreys at Marwell, in the earlier part of the war, the RASC at Longwood.
Afterwards, other units at Longwood - British troops up to the end of 1943, then U.S. troops, coloured U.S. troops arriving there just before Christmas 1943.
In the summer of 1944, white U.S. troops followed them, until the early part of 1945.
One U.S. solder married in Owslebury Church but not to a local girl.
The small airfield at Marwell was used as an emergency landing ground, and the hangers were turned into workshops (Cunliffe Owen, Southampton).
The through road (coming out close to Deeps Cottage) was closed to traffic in June 1942, a private road being made by Hurst Cottages and coming out opposite Marwell Manor.
The private road followed an old bridle path in part, on the Parish's boundary.
The public were not allowed to use this private road, except by "pass" and there was a great deal of feeling on this account.
This private road was thrown open to all traffic in the winter of 1944-5, but by the summer of 1945 the original road had still not been restored to use.
During the latter part of 1942, the Vicar regularly took services for a half company of Dorsets who were acting as Police at Marwell, before the arrival of the Royal Air Force regiment.
The Home Guard (formed in 1940) held a few church parades at Owslebury Church, the first on Palm Sunday (which was a National Day of prayer).
On V E day, May 8th 1945, a special thanksgiving service was well attended and the Church flag was flown from the tower, the first time for several years.
On 9th May, Sports, Whist Drive and a Dance were held. |