Photos 1946 - 47

1946 to 1947

IF YOU HAVE SOME PHOTOS YOU WOULD LIKE PUT ON THIS WEBSITE PLEASE SEND THE ORIGINALS TO CLIFF EAST AND HE WILL SCAN THEM AND SEND THEM ON TO ME FOR INSERTING IN THE RELEVENT PAGE. HIS ADDRESS IS:-

82 SILEBY ROAD, BARROW ON SOAR, LEICESTERSHIRE, LE12 8LR.

By E-mail:- cliffordeast@hotmail.com

Tel:- 01509414303

Or you can send them to me, Les Haines, Website Manager,

By Email:- leslieleshaines@aol.com

My address is:- 8 Northwoods, New Park, Bovey Tracey, Devon,

TQ13 9LP.

Tel:- 01626 833245.

If you have any comments please leave a message on our Guest Book.

www.forcesreunited.org.uk

Sent to me by Graham Lawson, via Cliff East.

October - December 1946.

Thanks to Cliff East, two of the people in the following photo, ('E'Sqdn. 19c flt. Hut 15c. JAN 1947), have been reunited after 58 years. Back row 2nd from right, Dennis King and 4th from right Les Haines.

This is E.Sqdn. Jan - April 1947.

Dennis King and Les Haines were in the same hut at West kirby and first met in January 1947, our extended stay was caused by the great freeze up. 58 years and 5 months later, Dennis and Les met, with their Wives, Iris & Barbara at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas Staffordshire. It was windy and cold, not the sun that was forecast, more like 1947 weather.

After coffee and then later lunch, Iris and Dennis came back to our Hotel in Lichfield, where we carried on talking and looking at photos.

First handshake at the British Berlin Airlift Memorial for 58 years, last time was on leaving West Kirby and going our separate ways.

Above 4 sent to me via Cliff East.

Above two, sent to me by Eric Edwards, via Terry Barry.

Eric is sitting next to the Cpl.DI., on his left.

Sent in by Mike Arron, Via Cliff East, March to May 1947,

Some signatures below.

Above two photos sent by Alan Wood, via Cliff East, April / June 1947.

Above photo and signatures sent to me Via Cliff East.

Any names? and when?

The answer is below sent to Cliff by Bob Blake(5020624)

who was at W/K June/July 1956, 7 Flt. Churchill Sqdn.

(Bob and his 3 mates are on the 1954-1957 page)

The following refers to the Sgt in the middle, seated.

Extract from book:

WEST KIRBY AND BEYOND

by Dennis Tomlinson. Page 57.

Knock-out blows.

3502590 SGT VERNON ROGERS, DRILL INSTRUCTOR, arrived at West Kirby as a corporal DI in June 1947 and left as a sergeant DI in July 1952.

'A few thousand recruits passed through my hands, the most famous being Percy Lewis, the British Empire flyweight boxer and Brian Harper (son of the boxer Jack London). Brian became famous as boxer Brian London. At Padgate, Brian, identity unknown was entered in a novices' competition and knocked out three opponents in a total of 1½ minutes. This prompted RAF Padgate to suggest they hoped Joe Louis (world heavyweight champion) never arrived at West Kirby as he would be entered in novice's competition!

Alex Murphy, the Great Britain Rugby League player and coach at St Helens Rugby club, was an officers' mess batman. I knew him well as he passed my billet on A squadron regularly on his way to work. I met Alex in Manchester in 2000 and we recognised each other - after almost 50 years. I captained the station soccer first team for over three years, playing at right back.'