From the Folkestone Herald Published 20 July 2000
Bert Ellse pictured in a North St party photograph in last week’s
Memories holding the cakes was soon to have a special celebration of his
own. His wife was about to give birth to daughter Irene, now wife of Geoff
Bell, of Radnor Park Road!
WHEN Germany capitulated in the Second World War the UK celebrated peace
with V.E. (Victory in Europe) street parties. But for a while afterwards,
the Allied Forces fought the Japanese in the Far East. This picture is of a
Tyson Road party shown to local historian Alan Taylor by his Aunt Maisie
Taylor. Her late husband Jim is behind their son Michael who is in the
centre seventh from right.
Brave pilot.
THE BRAVERY of Pilot Officer Peter Dexter of 603 (City of Edinburgh)
Squadron and a colleague he tried to rescue, PO ‘Pip’ Cardell, impressed two
Folkestone men who watched their exploits in the Battle of Britain.
The incident was referred to briefly in the Folkestone Herald, on July 6 in
a special feature on the anniversary of the famous battle fought in the
skies over East Kent and the Channel in 1940. The RAF’s formidable task was
to stop the German Luftwaffe gaining control in the sky.
Had the Germans won it the UK was threatened with invasion by the
power crazy Adolf Hitler, the
German Fuhrer.
Writing from Hull, in Yorkshire,
Alec McGarry, an ‘exiled’ Folkestonian said he read our feature and he
revealed that he had a special reason to remember PO Peter Dexter although
at the time, because of security, he did not know his name.
“How well I remember that day,” he says. “Ted Andrews and I were the two men
that rowed out the rowing boat commandeered by PO Peter Dexter,” he says.
Readers of the Herald feature may remember that PO Dexter made a valiant bid
to save his comrade. He force-landed his own Spitfire fighter on the beach
at Folkestone and commandeered the boat in a bid to reach PO Cardell, who,
it was reported, had baled out, wounded, over the sea. Alec says:
“The battle was at its height. We were building a shelter between the old
Victoria Pier and the harbour when, all of a sudden two planes came into
view.
One plane was alight, fire coming from the cockpit. The pilot we now
know was PO Pip Cardell did NOT bale out of his plane as stated.
“It looked to us as though he was trying to miss the pavilion building at
the end of Victoria Pier. He was well alight and seemed to be struggling to
avoid the pier. His plane just missed it and he crashed into the sea at the
end of Victoria Pier.
“The other plane swept over and the
pilot we now
know was PO Peter Dexter forced landed on the beach between the harbour and pier. He was
lucky that the
beach stones helped his plane come to a sudden halt.
“Ted Andrews and I were starting to get the boat into the water when Pilot Dexter came running up the
beach. He gave us a hand to get the boat into the water and jumped in.
“He took off his trousers and tunic and when we were over the place where PO
Cardell’s plane sank we dug the boat oars into the sea and found it.
“Dexter dived into the sea and came up with the parachute belonging to
PO Cardell. He stated the pilot was that badly burnt he had no chance of
survival.
Heroes.
“Of all my memories this is one of the bravest things I have ever seen.
“Ted Andrews and I did our best to help, but this was nothing to what these
brave men did to save this great country of ours.”
And Alec McGarry added this postscript: “Sadly Ted Andrews has since died.”
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Alec McGarry left, at 82, who had a narrow shave with death building
gun site shelters on the coast in the war in his younger days. That's
him right at the age of 24. |
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But he added, “Perhaps Mr B. Houghton is still alive to confirm what
happened.”
Old pals can contact Alec at 52 Newstead Street, Hull, Yorks HU5 3NQ.
Incidentally another Spitfire crash-landed on the beach at Deal or Walmer
and I am told by another Memories reader the pilot went on to become Air
Vice Marshal Lyle.
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1900
Never absent never late in 9 years girl gets medal.
THE FOLKESTONE Herald a century ago was reporting a
heatwave, that the public Library was going from strength to strength,
with the borrowing of books at its highest ever. In the past year the
total issued was 57.350. well over 4.300 up on the previous year.
Tontine Street post office was set to move to other premises occupied by
Dr Dove. Tribute was paid to the late George Wilks. 64. town clerk of
Hythe 33 years and magistrates' clerk, under whose skillful guidance it
was said the town had prospered and its rights over the seashore
maintained despite claims on it by the Government. Out of his work in
connection with the Cinque Ports and legal action over the seashore, had
come the writing of an interesting book. The Barons of the Cinque Ports.
Most shops and businesses in Hythe closed as a mark of respect. At his
funeral High street was packed with people paying tribute to a man who
had done much for the poor in a private capacity. In Sandgate Lady
Sassoon presented medals for good attendance at Sandgate Schools, and in
particular to Ellen Finnis. whose picture was printed with the caption
"Never absent, never late, for nine years.”
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1925
Folkestone poster sparks a stir in national papers.
A CHAMBER of Commerce inspired tourism poster which extolled the
virtues of Folkestone as a resort caused a stir which reverberated
through the national daily newspapers and elsewhere bringing in some
good free publicity for the town. But Southern Railway officials,
worried about upsetting other resorts, objected to the wording of
posters it was asked to display in trains and on stations. The offending
wording, which did not claim Folkestone was better than any other
resort, but was equal to the best, read "unsurpassed for health and
beauty by any town on the South Coast." A letter from the railway's
publicity department said it would be happy to accept 500 posters if the
words "by any town on the South Coast” were omitted, on the grounds that
other resorts might take it as a "challenge." Folkestone. Hythe and
Sandgate Building Society held its 75th annual meeting at the Town Hall
when another successful year was reported. Respected headmaster of St
Mary's Higher Grade School, in Dover Road. Arthur John Hall died
suddenly at 57, which came as a shock to many, not the least of whom was
his only son, Ronald who had been on the way home from abroad to see him
for their first meeting in 13 years. Sadly, he arrived too late, by half
and hour. Arthur was an enthusiastic Freemason. |
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1950
Council studies plans to reduce erosion of coast.
FOLKEST0NE Town Council studied an
expert report on sea defence works required at Sandgate for a
distance of 4.000 ft from Sea Point to Riviera Road and heard that the
first step required was the re-establishment of an effective system of
groynes to stabilise the beach levels and that ultimately it was
necessary to completely re-construct the sea wall. It was agreed the
borough engineer and contractors Sir William Halcrow and Partners should
work together to prepare estimates of the cost. I was interested to read
that Argentinian Antonio Abertondo was training at Folkestone in 1950
for Channel swim races. He made solo crossings in 1950, 1951 and 1953.
Years later. I recall, he became the first man to swim the Channel both
ways in an epic swim of 43 hours 10 mins, with only a 5 minute rest
between: that was in September 1961. A story of smuggling days in the
past was re-enacted on Romney Marsh for a full length feature film
"Green Grow the Rushes” most of which was shot in the Marsh area. The
story was adapted from Howard Clowes' best seller. Stars included a
young Honor Blackman and Richard Burton. Local 'stars' included Phil
Tate and his band from the Leas Cliff Hall, in suitable costume and
playing brass band instruments!
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1975
Went to buy a table - and returned Lord of Manor!
AMBULANCE services were on an emergency standby only as a
result of an industrial dispute over a new pay structure negotiated by
their own union. David Duff, of Mermaid St, Rye, was looking through
adverts in the Times newspaper for a dining room table when he saw an
auction notice. A few days later he parted with £1,400 but it wasn't for
a table. He bought instead the Lordship of the Manor of Newington Fee,
and thus became one of 23 Lords of the Level of Romney Marsh, who date
back to 1252. Their original function was to do with sea defences and
drains, a job taken over by the government in 1930. The title fell
vacant on the death of William Drake-Brockman. The town's publicity
officer received a bit of a drubbing front the Arts Director. John
Eveleigh, at the annual meeting of the Friends of the Arts Centre - for
never, it was alleged, visiting the town's Arts Centre. Mr Eveleigh also
complained the centre was not included in the list of amenities in the
town circulated by the town's publicity department. Told of the
complaints afterwards publicity officer John Whiting said "Rubbish I
have been up there several times. I may not go to their ‘winey do’s’ but
I have been to a lot of their shows." And he added that the Arts Centre
was in the official list of town events. “I don’t quaff great gallons of
wine and sometimes pay to go to shows. I think I am saving the
ratepayers' money.”
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