Sir Winston Spencer Churchill

Winston Churchill's place in history. Your comments please.

Theft

Peter -
I note that to-day's issue of the guardian newspaper has nicked a part of our banner - the centre one with the young woman operating the centre lathe = can we sue them, which seems to be all the rage to-day ?

More bloggers

....and a big welcome to Boabbie... who has been involved in many discussions on the BBc message boards and i look forward to his many more comments

Welcome new bloogers

.... and a double welcome to Dirk Marinus, whom I note, has joined us twice - now that's enthusiasm !

Welcome CTNana!

I'm so pleased you made it. Should you need any help or further clarification of any FAQs please don't hesitate to ask - particularly in setting up your Profile photo, if you so wish.

One of us will guide you through the process.

Peter

Two WAAF victims of WW2

This photograph is of two friends in the WAAF during WW2: Elizabeth ('Betty') Cowan and Daphne Pope. Betty is the one on the left and Daphne the one on the right.

Betty Cowan was a cousin of my father, Joe Ritson, and died of 'bomb blast injuries' in October 1945. So far as I know, Betty's friend Daphne was killed outright in the same bombing somewhere in the London area in late 1944 or early 1945. I have only recently come across this photograph, thanks to another relative of Betty's, Mrs Enid McConnell. It is rather poigant considering these two happy, smiling young women were two victims of WW2.

Betty Cowan died at her parents' home in Bransty, Whitehaven, Cumberland (now Cumbria). She is buried in the town cemetery. Betty's parents were Walter and Elizabeth Cowan, my Great Uncle and Aunt. Unfortunately I do not have much information about Daphne, not eventhe date of her death. If anyone has any details about Daphne Pope, I would be pleased to know more about her and hear from them.

This photograph shows Betty and Daphne as they should be remembered: happy and smiling young friends posing for a photograph to send to relatives back home. It is much better having an image of Betty and Daphne as they were in life rather than the dreadful way how they died.

"Worthy of Remembrance".

Joining the Blog (Updated)

Under the new Google blog system you have to open a Google email account to become a Posting member. This is in fact a free added bonus as Google email accounts, until very recently, were exclusive and could only be obtained by invitation.

Additionally Google Mail comes with over 2.88 Gigabytes of free secure storage, enough space for many many years of messaging.

You use your Google email username and password to sign in to Blogger. For example, if mymonika@Googlemail.com is your email address then your username for signing in is mymonika.

See updated FAQ Q.5.

Peter

The BBC's People's War Message Board

No doubt you have seen Andrew's announcement that the BBC WW2 People's War Message Board will be axed on 11 August. But all is not lost. You are most welcome to contribute on any topic you like related to the Second World War or to pose any question in this blog.

Should you wish to join in an existing thread, then simply do so. If, however, you wish to post photos or initiate a thread (the Google jargon for this is Post) then drop me a line at petergyATyahoo.com and I will trigger a Google auto-invite to you. You will find the blog Guidance and FAQ links on the right.

So get cracking, and come and join us.

Peter

Memories of Joseph Pitman

I stumbled across this page  a little while back. It is a narrative from a Joseph Pitman who served with the Seaforth Highlanders during the Italian campaign.

Pitman, who came from Canada's west coast, enlisted in 1940, was sent overseas in 1941, and married in 1942 to an English war bride. He finally ended up in Sicily in Aug 1943.

Interesting to read his impressions from the invasion of Italy to Ortona in Dec, 1943 where, sadly, his narrative ends. Pitman died in 1989 at the age of 82.