St Mary's Church

WWII: Did Duddington Possess a Home Guard Platoon? (19.10.2023)

I keep a website dedicated to my paternal (‘Wyles’) family name – centred on the Northants village of Duddington – where my family lived for at least the last 500 years (and perhaps longer). Although my last direct relative left around 1906 – and that I live in South Greater London – we have visited Duddington around ten-times for research field trips since March 14th, 2009, and have amassed a large dossier of historical data! This can all be accessed at the above link. I am still researching whether Duddington possessed a Home Guard Platoon during WWII – and as of yet – this puzzle has NOT been solved!

Kent: Chislehurst Caves! (7.10.2023)

As something of a hobby that its becoming ever more prominent and important as I get older – I have penned an article about the local Home Guard Unit (the 54th Kent Battalion) which operated in the area – that will be published shortly on a dedicated historical website. This Home Guard Unit had the unexpected duty of ‘Policing’ the exterior of the caves and ensuring that law and order was maintained by the thousands of evacuees who turned-up. There was also the issue of ensuring that there was no trouble between the locals and the newly arrived – as Britain is rife with regional conflicts! A positive gained from this influx meant that there was plenty of men and women available to join and assist the Home Guard – making this area one of the best manned of the Civil Defence Authorities! Remember – the Home Guard was premised upon Socialist principles!

WWII: My Tribute to the Excellent British ‘Home Guard’ (LDVF) and Some of My Published Work! (6.10.2023)

My maternal (‘Gibson’) family used to live in Lewisham, East London – until they were bombed-out by Hitler during the Blitz of September 1940 (the Blitz would go on to kill 70,000 British people between 1940-1941 – with 40,000 deaths in London alone). The Gibson family were then evacuated to the ‘Forest Hill’ area of Oxfordshire – due to them having a ‘nephew’ living in the area. In 1983, a book focusing on local history was commissioned entitled ‘Forest Hill with Shotover – A Portrait (1983)’. This was published by the ‘Forest Hill Women’s Association’. The Story of my grandfather – Arthur Gibson – and his family arriving in the area is recorded on Pages 28-29

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