Buckinghamshire Reflects

The Women’s Land Army (WLA) was originally formed during World War I and was re-established shortly before the outbreak of WWII to provide extra agricultural labour whilst the men were serving away at war. By 1943 there were 80,000 women working for the WLA, nicknamed...

THE BIG FRIENDLY GIANT OF THE RAF

Roald Dahl was born in Wales in 1916. After finishing school in 1934, Roald joined Shell Petroleum and after completing his training in the UK was transferred to Africa. His role in Tanganyika (now…

Buried deep in the secret archives of the Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ), was a map that shows a different perspective of the Bletchley Park story to those reported and dramatised in books, films and documentaries. The map shows cycle and foot routes,...

THE STORY OF MARIE-FRANCE MacCARTHY 

Marie-France MacCarthy was brought up in the most rarefied French circles, becoming a fine singer; yet it was in action during the Second World War that she especially distinguished herself. Her ex…

GCHQ HISTORIAN TONY COMER ON BLETCHLEY PARK’S LEGACY

Sat on the top floor of the Bletchley Park mansion, in the room next to where MI6 set up Station X at the start of World War II, we met with Tony Comer from GCHQ (Government Communication Headquart…

On 9th May 1941, the German submarine U-110 was captured by the Royal Navy after becoming seriously damaged by attacks from HMS Aubretia, HMS Broadway and HMS Bulldog. A boarding party from HMS Bulldog, featuring Buckinghamshire resident Arnold Hargreaves*, was able...

JEAN CEIRIOG JONES’ TIME IN THE WOMEN’S LAND ARMY

Jean Ceiriog Jones was 15 years old when war broke out in 1939. She experienced many aspects of wartime life in Buckinghamshire and kindly shared her memories with us. Jean was still at school at t…

THE SECRET MAPMAKERS OF RAF BOMBER COMMAND

To most Buckinghamshire inhabitants, Hughenden Manor will usually invoke the link with its most famous incumbent, the Victorian Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. With passing generations, the house…

THE HISTORY OF HURRICANES BUILT IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Buckinghamshire can be proud of its contribution to the WWII effort in so many ways: food and military equipment production, the secret war waged at some of Buckinghamshire’s stately homes, militar…

A PROUD DAY IN THE OX & BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY’S HISTORY

At 02:30 on the 24th March 1945 the men of the 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Ox and Bucks Light Infantry were roused from their beds. They were given a breakfast of fried eggs, bacon
and beans. At 0…