Lewisham – SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR)

Early on Friday morning, 28 July 1944, a passenger on the 89 bus on Belmont Hill watched as a V1 flying bomb fell to earth behind the Lewisham Clock Tower.

UK: Lewisham WWII Nazi German “VI Bomb” Plaque to be Replaced! (30.7.2026)

30/07/2026 Adrian (釋大道)

My mother’s family were bombed-out of Lewisham in the Nazi German blanket-bombing of Lewisham in September, 1940. Tens of thousands had to fircibly relocate to the Chislehurst Caves (then situated in Kent). They went on foot – walking miles to gain safety as the UK government had nowhere to put them. Eventually, the owner of the caves agreed to this – and the government assisted the people to establish an underground town which lasted until 1948 – when the Labour Party finished building new Council Houses. As for my mother’s family – they were relocated to Oxford on the grounds that one of their relatives already lived there (I think a cousin had moved there at some point before this). Obviously, Lewisham still possessed a working-class population – as the plaque discussed in this article commemorates the 51 people killed when a VI hit the Market Area during 1944. By this time, my family had established themselves in Oxford (the men joining the military) – and a large part of the Lewisham population was now living in the Chislehurst Caves.

Surrey: WWII Anderson Shelter – Rural Life Living Museum! (29.5.2026)

29/05/2026 Adrian (釋大道)

The fact that thousands of working-class people in London took to the Tube tunnels for safety demonstrates just how few people possessed these shelters. My mother’s family – which lived in Lewisham – did possess one of these “Anderson Shelters” – and it saved their lives when Hitler’s bombers finally came! During September, 1941, Hitler targetted the working-class areas of London with the intention of either wiping-out the working-class (and preventing them joining the British Armed Forces) or scaring them so much that they would not volunteer to fight Hitler. Hitler destroyed large parts of Lewisham – which included my mother’s family home. They had took cover in the shelter and as my grandfather was piling-up the sand-bags around the door – when the bombs fell that destotyed their house and street!

BMA-UK: Solidarity with Migrants – Explained! (23.1.2025)

23/01/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

When they arrived, nobody wanted to help. They had to walk the streets for two-days in the Oxford area until a Police Constable directed them to a local school. Here, they were given food and a bed on the floor of a school hall. Eventually, a local family let them live in a small cottage – where they slowly developed a new life. My grandfather joined the Royal Navy Patrol Service (RNPS) and fought in the North Atlantic fighting in-part alongside the USSR. My grand-uncle joined the Coldstream Guards and guard Buckingham Palace for a time. At the beginning, local Oxford people did not like the Cockney accents of my family – but they soon got use to it. My family eventually got jobs in the local area, joined Unions, and integrated into the local community. This is why I was born in Oxford. I am the product of displacement due to war – albeit within my own country. Today, the bourgeoisie loves to make international “war” as a business option that generates billions of dollars each year.

Main Street - Forest Hill (Oxford) - OX33 1EB

Oxford: John Milton’s “Mounting Stone” – Forest Hill! (29.8.2024)

29/08/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

As to “why” Oxford Council resorted to this tactic is a matter of conjecture considering how overgrown the bank and stone is – and how difficult it is to actually locate the stone (there is virtually no signage). Perhaps a flat stone was becoming easily obscured by dirt, leaves and over debris – and an upright position rendered it better protected. John Milton (1608-1674) was a literary genius and esteemed poet who lived across the road from this stone and was a supporter of Parliament (and Oliver Cromwell) during the English Republic (1649-1660). His thinking was both progressive and Revolutionary! He (and his wife) were wealthy landowners in the area of the stone – owning property either side of St Nicholas Church in Forest Hill.

My Shakespeare “Complete Works” Editions! (10.3.2024)

10/03/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

The first was in 1992 – purchased from a local WH Smiths in a place called ‘Tiverton’ in East Devon (I believe during the time that my Irish grandmother – Gladys Kilmurray – was very ill and when her British daughter and American grandchildren were visiting the UK from Seattle, US) – whilst the second was acquired from The Works in Torquay High Street in 2007 (five-years after my family had uprooted and migrated to the South Coast). Both are superb editions with the first being easy to carry around whilst the latter is a very large, impressive and “Grand” Limited Library Edition – designed as a “Reference” copy only NOT to be borrowed or moved about (it is far too heavy for that)! The first is compact – whilst the second is lavishly illustrated and easy to read.

Richard Hunn’s Portable Buddha-Statue! (2.3.2024)

02/03/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

As it stands, Oxford University is the pinnacle of Bourgeois opulence, class distinction, grace and favour! Indeed, my mother’s family used to live in Lewisham (the East End of London) – before Hitler’s Luftwaffe bombed the area during September, 1941! Thousands of our bombed-out neighbours were moved into the Chislehurst Caves – where they created an underground City for the duration of War (in fact, until the incumbent Labour Party had finished building thousands of decent Council Houses in 1947) – whilst my family (the ‘Gibson’ Clan) were given a Train Pass and relocated to Oxford – where some of our relatives had been sent for work during an earlier bombing.

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