Buckinghamshire Reflects

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...

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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,...

BUCKS’ VC NAVAL HERO

Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts was born at the family home in Chiltern Road, Chesham Bois in July 1917. After leaving school in 1935 he joined the Royal Navy and in 1936 was posted to HMS…

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…

The RAFs Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) operates from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. Their mission is: "to maintain the priceless artefacts of our national heritage in airworthy condition in order to commemorate those who have fallen in the service of this...