Latest news with #WorldWarOne
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
The Faversham explosion that killed 108 and rocked the town
During World War One, Faversham in Kent was rocked by an enormous explosion which killed at least 108 men and boys and left a permanent mark on the Sunday 2 April, workers at a gunpowder site were loading shells when the explosion the cause of the explosion was never discovered, there were theories of a dropped cigarette, sparks from the boiler house hitting TNT sacks, and the sacks naturally combusting in the Tonge, one of the authors of Terrible Tudors in the Horrible Histories series, said: "The gunpowder still haunts Faversham, so it still lives in the history of the town." The site caught fire and there was an enormous explosion which was followed by other detonations as the flames reached other explosion was ruled to be accidental following an a worker later gave a testimony and said staff had become careless and stacked sacks of TNT outside without any consideration of what could happen to Tonge said: "That was the principle problem, is that they had to produce as much as possible for the Western Front to obviate this terrible scandal that was erupting about the shell shortage."Many of those who died were buried at Love Lane Cemetery in the town, and a memorial grave was placed there. Mr Tonge added: "The problem was when they tried to recover bodies, they were recovering parts of bodies, so some were never identified."Some boys as young as 12 were thought to have been working at the site."There are some really very poignant photographs of the parade [and] the funeral cortege through the town and it's attended by inevitably hundreds of people," Mr Tonge the war ended it was decided that the gunpowder business was vulnerable to attacks from Europe, so it was moved to Ayrshire in Scotland.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Arson arrest following fire at historic airfield
A person has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire engulfed a Grade II* listed World War One hangar. The blaze broke out in Hangar 3 of the Old Sarum Airfield in Wiltshire on 17 April, burning the historic structure to the ground and destroying an adjacent cafe. The inferno came just a week after developers were given the go-ahead to build up to 315 homes on the site following a long battle for permission. Wiltshire Police said the suspect, whose age has not been revealed, has been released on bail while investigations continue. The airfield lies within the setting of a Scheduled Monument, which means it is recognised as a nationally important archaeological site by the government. The airfield operators had been told to make repairs to Hangar 3 - which partially collapsed when Storm Isha struck in January 2024 - as a condition of planning approval. Witnesses at the time told the BBC how roaring flames and billowing plumes of black smoke could be spotted from miles away. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service warned those living nearby to stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut due to the risk of "unknown chemicals". Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Large blaze breaks out at World War One airfield Fresh appeal for footage of large fire at airfield Protecting airfield is about 'protecting heritage' Fire investigators to continue work at airfield Wiltshire Police
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
The Repair Shop approached to fix stolen Chatham WW1 memorial
A Kent priest says she has asked BBC programme The Repair Shop to help restore her church's damaged World War One Church Luton in Chatham reported to the police on Saturday that two plaques commemorating 163 people from the parish who died in the war were Police recovered both plaques from separate Essex scrapyards by Thursday but one is substantially in charge the Reverend Andrea Leonard told BBC Radio Kent she had "applied to The Repair Shop to see if they might be able to help" repair the damage. "We will definitely either have it mended or get a replacement at some point because that plaque can't just disappear forever, just because of someone's thoughtlessness," she 93kg (205lbs) plaques, which are 105 years old, are now back in possession of the church, but one has been partly cut up."It will be a jigsaw for someone and a bit of restoration work, but I'm sure it must be possible," Ms Leonard said. Eighth arrest made Kent Police arrested seven men aged between 22 and 51 from the Dartford and Medway areas in connection with the theft, who have since been bailed.A 38-year-old man from Chatham became the eight person arrested over the matter on have also seized a Range Rover, the force Alanya Spiller said Kent Police had been "really focused on recovering these two items" and work on "bringing those responsible for the theft to justice" was Leonard praised the efforts of said: "Some of them worked four hours beyond their shift to get that plaque."They rushed to a scrapyard and just stopped it from going on a shipment elsewhere."
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Incredible story of Chelsea's first ballboy - War hero, POW & 120-year-old photo
Amazing find as historians identify Chelsea's first ever ball boy from 1905. His grandaughter says he will be cheering them on in the European Conference final "in heaven" As Chelsea prepare for their big European cup final against Real Betis historians have astonishingly tracked down the identity of their first ever ball boy photographed back in 1905. James Ridley was pictured standing behind the team line-up as a young 13-year-old schoolboy. Now James's family have finally been tracked down and they described his lifelong love for Chelsea. And they even revealed how he went onto become a World War One hero and held as a Prisoner of War. His grand-daughter Sylvia Jensen is now living in Canada and said James died back in 1975 but always had an extraordinary passion for Chelsea. Mirror Sport spoke to Sylvia about her grandad who she recalled with great affection. Sylvia said: "Grandad was actually given the Chelsea 1905 team photo by the Club after they had it taken, as a memento for being their very first ball boy. You can see him standing on the right behind the player called Moran. He kept this photo safe all through his life in his special keepsake box. "These first Chelsea football players became his heroes and they treated him very well. I have very vivid memories of my grandparents, having adored them as a child." She added: "My Grandad Jim would be overjoyed if he knew the Daily Mirror was writing a story about him so many years later. You can bet he is cheering on Chelsea this week from his seat in heaven." Sylvia went on to reveal the extraordinary bravery of her Grandad in World War One. He ended up being held as a German Prisoner of War. She said: "When WW1 broke out he saw a poster and wasted no time in acting upon it He loved his team so much, that once the call out for recruiting men to fight in World War One came. "Grandad saw the poster displayed on the fencing at Stamford Bridge. It was blue, in Chelsea colours, and asked the fans: 'Do You Want To Be A Chelsea Die-Hard?' If so, join the 17th Battalion Middlesex Regt. and follow the lead given by your favourite football players" "I have a copy of that poster that I made into a picture that hangs on my wall in my home above Grandad's army photos and his 1905 Chelsea Eleven photo I had enlarged and framed. Grandad knew his team had a 'Pals Battalion, 1st Footballers', and wanted to join them and fight alongside his heroes. "Grandad said that he played football with some of the best football players in the country whilst he served alongside them over in France, on their rest periods. He absolutely enjoyed that experience and treasured those memories, often telling his sons his stories. "He was wounded by gunshot in July 1916 and sent back home to recover, heal, and then retrain for battle conditions. During this time he met my Nannie Annie. He was a bit naughty whilst courting her as his military records show he got disciplined and fined three times for being late back to camp, but he was totally in love." James was later awarded these medals: 1914-15 Star, received 22 March 1921, British War Medal 14-18, received 4 October 1921. Victory Medal, received 4 October, 1921. He was demobilised and discharged on 21 March 1919. After he returned from War he continued his support of Chelsea. Sylvia said: "Grandad often said that, once home from the war, the games kept him going, helping with his morale and the horrible memories he carried. "In those days post traumatic stress was not recognised like it is today, and it was his love of his team, going to see them play when at home, and playing piano for them, that greatly helped him get through and carry on." Sylvia added: "My Dad was born in 1931 and Grandad would take him over to Eel Brook Common to play a bit of football together. As a boy, he would sneak into see Chelsea play at home by getting through at the Shed End. He and his friends did this as they didn't have any money to pay to get in. My Dad was a Chelsea fan all his life, too." Historian and Chelsea fan Andrew Rowley said: "A few years ago a WW1 historical website ran an article on Chelsea's involvement with the 17th Football Battalion of the Middlesex. "Not only had our amateur captain, Vivian Woodward joined, it also mentioned James Ridley as well. He was a 13-year-old living opposite Stamford Bridge he had volunteered as a ball-boy, back in 1905 and sneaked into the first Chelsea team photograph so he could be seen with his idols. "I was reminded of this recently by Andy Jackson - who is one of our followers at Chelsea Graves Society. I decided to see if he had any living relatives. Incredibly I managed to find Sylvia and she was so delighted her grandad was still being remembered after all this time. "It's lovely that on the eve of this final against Real Betis that someone who was photographed in our very first photo has been identified and the story of his real love of Chelsea told in full." Nathan Whitehouse of the Chelsea Graves Society said: 'It was great work by the team - especially Andrew Rowley. It's fantastic that these great Chelsea characters are remembered properly.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Worcester man to cycle to Belgium to honour great-grandfather in WW1
A man is to take on a 320-mile cycle ride from Worcester to Belgium in honour of his great-grandfather, who fought in a pivotal World War One Walker will be supported by about 20 other cyclists as he goes to the Belgian village of Gheluvelt, which is today marked on maps as Geluveld, which was the scene of a clash won by 300 people from Worcestershire in 1914. Men from the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment saved the city of Ypres in Belgium from Walker, from Worcester, whose great-grandfather, Sgt Joseph Garner, was involved, will begin the four-day journey at Gheluvelt Park in the city, which was named after the battle, on 26 June. More than 300 men charged through open fields during the Battle in Gheluvelt on 31 October 1914 before the Germans Worcestershire Regiment was the last available reserve of the British defence and fought against the Germans alone, leaving 187 men from the county wounded or Walker said: "When I look at the footage... it's quite unbelievable, and the sacrifice they made and what they went through as soldiers, I don't think we can comprehend fully."But it makes me extremely proud that he was one of those soldiers, and I'm here today for that reason." He will embark on the ride to honour his great-grandfather and the men from the 2nd Mercian Regiment Museum collects and displays artefacts and documents relating to the Worcestershire Regiment, its antecedents and its why the park has the same name as the village, the museum's Lt Col Mark Jackson said: "At the end of the First World War, when many other people were building memorials across Flanders and other places the British Army went to, the people of Worcestershire said, 'No, we'd like to build our memorial in our city'. "So Gheluvelt Park is Worcester's war memorial and it's used every day." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
