Comments for May Hill’s WWII Diaries – Seventy Years On

Comment on Wed Feb 4 8 oc. PM [1942] # HEAVIEST SNOWFALL OF WINTER # CARS SKID OFF TREACHEROUS ROADS # SKEGNESS BOMBING WITNESSED # MALAYA-SINGAPORE LINK SACRIFICED # RUG-MAKING PROGRESS by TomA

TomA — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:49:52 +0000

Our grandfather, Will, certainly was a real hero, setting off in all weathers including taking ‘local preachers’ to their Sunday destinations on the Methodist Circuit.

Comment on Wed Feb 4 8 oc. PM [1942] # HEAVIEST SNOWFALL OF WINTER # CARS SKID OFF TREACHEROUS ROADS # SKEGNESS BOMBING WITNESSED # MALAYA-SINGAPORE LINK SACRIFICED # RUG-MAKING PROGRESS by Peter Hayes

Peter Hayes — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:30:59 +0000

Well here we are on 5th February 2012 in Burgh le Marsh some 8 miles from Chapel St Leonards and I have spent over an hour clearing my drive-way of snow. We may be 70 years on from the diary but a heavy snowfall can still cause problems which can prevent modern cars from travelling into town, goodness only knows how it must have been in my grandfather’s time.

Comment on Sun Jan 25 4.30 p.m. [1942] # RON (RAF) HOME FOR DAY # RON’S RAF CHUM JEFF POSTED ABROAD #‘FATHER’ SAFELY HOME ON TREACHEROUS ROAD # MUCH LETTER WRITING by Paddy Coote, Nottingham

Paddy Coote, Nottingham — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:11:51 +0000

Rode the same journey this afternoon, from Chapel Point to Alford, conditions much better than 70 years ago. I went past Sunny Side, May’s abode at one time and of course mine. It is boarded up and in a terrible state of repair, makes me feel depressed when I think of the good boyhood days I spent in Chapel. So many memories are being triggered reading the diaries.

Comment on Sun Jan. 18/42 7.10 pm# BIRDSONG HINTS OF EARLY SPRING # START OF DIARY RECALLED # SHED ERECTED # BETTER WAR NEWS IN LIBYA AREA # YOUNGSTERS’ ICE SKATING BUMPS by TomA

TomA — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:14:23 +0000

Great to hear your memories Paddy. Sunny Side was of course where May lived until just before the first year of the war, when she moved to Lenton Lodge.

Comment on Sun Jan. 18/42 7.10 pm# BIRDSONG HINTS OF EARLY SPRING # START OF DIARY RECALLED # SHED ERECTED # BETTER WAR NEWS IN LIBYA AREA # YOUNGSTERS’ ICE SKATING BUMPS by Paddy Coote

Paddy Coote — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:23:32 +0000

The delves where we used to skate and catch newts was between the house May used to live in (Sunny Side)and was close to the sand hills known to us locals as Mt Sinai as it was the highest sand hills anywhere along the coast. The field belonged to the Dako Nottingham boys brigade, and had a windmill in the field. During the winter the skating on there was very good and during the summer we used to make rafts and wade into the water. The Crested Newts were magnificent, and the toads and frogs had a whale of a time there. It was quite eerie listening to them. Memories.

Comment on Tuesday October 14 7 pm [1941] # GRADUALLY RECOVERING FROM ILLNESS # SKEGNESS BATHING POOL BOMBED # NEW CONTINGENT IN NEARBY ARMY BILLETS by TomA

TomA — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:41:15 +0000

Stows’ Stores mentioned in the Diaries was a grocery shop in the village centre, near the Pullover, in Chapel St Leonards.

Comment on Tuesday October 14 7 pm [1941] # GRADUALLY RECOVERING FROM ILLNESS # SKEGNESS BATHING POOL BOMBED # NEW CONTINGENT IN NEARBY ARMY BILLETS by Neil Brooks

Neil Brooks — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 22:37:55 +0000

Would anybody know whether the Stows mentioned was the butchers shop situated on Roman Bank Skegness?

Comment on July 31 Thursday 9.30 am [1941] # WARTIME SKEGNESS SEEMS DEPRESSING by Sheryl

Sheryl — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:29:21 +0000

Thanks for sharing. I just discovered this blog and am enjoying it. It is really interesting to read what a woman was doing during the war.

Comment on Tue Jan 28 8.30 am [1941] # SUMMONED FOR HELP AFTER SUDDEN BIRTH by TomA

TomA — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:01:54 +0000

Thanks for keeping in touch Paddy. Expect more on this in the next post.

Comment on Tue Jan 28 8.30 am [1941] # SUMMONED FOR HELP AFTER SUDDEN BIRTH by Paddy Coote, Nottingham

Paddy Coote, Nottingham — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:43:19 +0000

Nothing changes. He still walks well but sad about those teeth. The birth of my brother was something I was aware of but the diaries have informed me of dates and how the sad event took place. Thanks.