September 2022 by Woodbury News

WOODBURY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2022

Subscriptions: Jeremy Boyden, Rosemary, Broadway, Woodbury EX5 1NR. Tel: 233072

Editor: Sue Bury, Mayflower Cottage, 37 Greenway, Woodbury EX5 1LU. Tel: 233753

Deputy Editor: Val Arndt, Castlehaye, Castle Lane, Woodbury. Tel: 233175

Compiling the September edition of Woodbury News in early August (even the editorial team need a summer holiday!) does cause us more headaches than a normal month’s editing does. We keep our fingers crossed that we will receive some additional articles to replace the school reports and regular club meeting updates. So we are very grateful to Adrian Christopher for his detailed piece and excellent photos on pages 22 28 concerning his father, Douglas’s, exploits during World War II. Douglas, having left school at 14, found himself jobless at age 19 and was accepted, against stiff opposition, into the RAF. If we are tempted to think life is hard, it is a real eye opener to read about Douglas’s war years, and how eventually he became a postman in Woodbury before retiring in 1978.

Registered Office: Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. Tel: 233299

Woodbury News is a Private Company Limited by Guarantee No. 5263356

3 SEPTEMBER 2022 EDITORIAL

Secretary: Karen Squires, Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. 233299

Deliveries: Chris Bowers, chrisbowers88@yahoo.co.uk or 01395 239338

Woodbury gardeners and allotment holders were also kept busy during the days prior to Saturday 6 August tending their flowers, vegetables and fruit in preparation for the annual Show. Despite what was no doubt compulsory watering, the number of exhibits on show was down a bit I, for one, was unable to prise my carrots out of the baked ground in order to enter them in the right category. Despite the limitations caused by the weather, the judge seemed impressed and trophies were awarded to many of the regular and new exhibitors.

Woodbury Salterton residents have cause to be grateful, too, to the Jungs for organising the village’s inaugural Anagram Trail which, as well as providing an afternoon’s active entertainment, was a great deal of fun and raised money for Holy Trinity church.

Best in the Show exhibit was quite rightly awarded to Joyce Jeans for her bowl of mixed flowers, picked from her colourful garden. Those who visited the Jeans’s garden during Open Gardens weekend will have admired the flowers actually growing in situ. Well done, Joyce! The cover photo, by the editor, shows the Best in Show entry and Joyce holding the trophy next to her exhibit. A reluctant cover girl, Joyce deserves congratulations!

Chairman: Jeremy Boyden, Rosemary, Broadway, Woodbury EX5 1NR. Tel: 233072

18 September 14th Sunday after Trinity, Evensong at St Swithun’s 18.30.

SERVICES including joint services in the Mission Community.

information will be available on the church noticeboard and in the monthly Digest. To receive this by email please send your email address to st.swithuns.digest@gmail.com.

4 & 11 Mrs D Radford. 18 & 25 Mrs J Jeans. Please note we will decorate church for Harvest on Thursday 29 September. Barbara Hill WOODBURY NEWS to your door … If you are a new resident to the area, or would like your Woodbury News to be delivered to your door monthly, just call Chris Bowers on 01395 239338 or email chrisbowers88@yahoo.co.uk and she will put you in contact with your local deliverer. Any queries regarding delivery of Woodbury News within Exton to be directed to Ann Morris on 01392 875666.

11 September - 13th Sunday after Trinity, Holy Communion at Exton 09.30. Holy Communion St Swithun’s 11.15.

Worship at Exton 18.00.

CHURCH

ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH, WOODBURY

FLOODLIGHTING

4 September 12th Sunday after Trinity, Holy Communion at St Swithun’s Evening11.15.

Vicar: Reverend Bill Lemmey Administrator: Jill Dupain dupain@hotmail.co.uk

21 August 10th Sunday after Trinity, Evensong at St Swithun’s 18.30.

28 August - 11th Sunday after Trinity, Café Service at St Swithun’s 10.30.

ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH

CHURCH

ALTAR FLOWERS - SEPTEMBER

27 September Colin and Lin Ashby. Celebrating our silver wedding Foranniversary.yourspecial event, contact Mike Jeans on 01395 232544. Floodlight dedications are displayed on the church noticeboard at the lych gate.

25 September - 15th Sunday after Trinity, Café Service at St Swithun’s Further10.30.

COFFEE MORNING SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER

All proceeds will go towards the maintenance of the church rooms.

The cricket season continues apace and in very hot playing conditions. We have seen both teams performing well in their respective divisions, and the younger players continue to put out impressive performances. The highlight has been Ed Salter and young Jack Church both hitting maiden centuries against Chagford - a tremendous effort by both. The 1st team have won some tight games and produced really good away wins at Braunton and North Devon. The 1st Xl remain fourth in Division E and are currently 13 points ahead of Ottery St Mary in the relegation place (9th). The rest of the season will be very close for six teams in Division E. The 2nd Xl remain in second place in Division H and have some crucial games coming up in the next weeks. Both teams have a lot to play for in the remaining four league games.

WOODBURY CRICKET CLUB

10.00 - 12.00, THE CHURCH ROOMS

The annual Dales tour game took place at Town Lane on 4 August and a great game ensued to keep the large touring party entertained. Ian Hughes

Pat

Badminton

FoSS (FRIENDS OF ST SWITHUN’S)

like to come

and try it out, the first session is free. If interested please

Tom Miner WOODBURY NEWS CLOSING DATES MONDAYS: 19 SEPTEMBER. 17 OCTOBER. 14 NOVEMBER. 5 DECEMBER ALL MATERIAL FOR THE MAGAZINE SHOULD BE SENT TO KAREN SQUIRES, WILLOWFIELD, OAKHAYES ROAD by 19.00 on the closing date, with a name and telephone number, or email to karensquires100@gmail.com

summer

Forty FoSS members and guests gathered for a cream tea at the home of Ruth and Pat Browne there was plenty of shade and conversation. The members were thanked for their support in raising funds for FoSS to ensure that the fabric of the church is maintained. The church has its quinquennial inspection next year, when a number of issues will be identified; we already know that there are masonry problems and damp in the north aisle, and FoSS will help with the funding. We will be holding a concert on Saturday 15 October at 19.00 featuring Woodbury School, Woodbury Community Choir and Exeter Singers. Tickets £8.00 on the door or from committee members. We hope that many members of our community will come along to support the performers and FoSS. Browne Night returns after its break on at Woodbury village hall, from 20.00 to 21.30. If you would along contact Tom, 01395 446068.

MONDAY NIGHT BADMINTON Monday

5 September

The course condition was described as hard and dusty with greens running well. As the players trudged around in the heat they looked with envy at the sheep and ponies protecting themselves in the shade under the trees. At the end of the round, which proved challenging for some, a cold drink followed by a roast beef dinner with dessert of Eton mess or cheesecake was very welcome. With only one lady serving, Paul Saunders showed great chivalry by assisting her.

7 WOODBURY VILLAGE GOLF SOCIETY

Our ever popular Progressive Supper will be held on Saturday 24 September in Woodbury village hall. The evening consists of a 4-course meal with wine and welcome drink included for just £21 for members and £24 for non-members. We will move places between each course. Do you fancy ‘Have-a-Go’ Archery? If so, we will be arranging this during the week of 17 October. The cost for this is only £5pp great value. If people prefer a morning session, we will organise the option of a lunch at a local venue afterwards. Please contact Nita on 232314. Jan Owen

Jeremy Browne, Past Chairman WVGS

Yelverton - 18 July

Only seven players scored 30 and above and there were no twos. This means that the twos kitty will be carried over to the next event with the Churston kitty. However, there was a nearest to pin winner on the 6th hole and this was Alan Quantick. With the teams, in third place were Peter Heron, Graham Jackson and Paul Wright with 76 points; in second place were Paul Crafer, Graham Gie, Alan Quantick and Charlie Stafford with 77 points, and the winners were Paul Saunders, David Moore and John Waite with 83 points. For individuals, in third place was Charlie Stafford with 35 points; in second place Paul Saunders with 37 points and the winner was the Chairman himself, Peter Heron, with an amazing 39 points, 37 of them scored after 14 holes. He admitted that he was feeling a bit tired after his battery (hired from the pro shop) gave its last gasp on the 9th hole. The next event is at Tiverton on Thursday 25 August. Tiverton is a most pleasant and attractive parkland course, which was formed in 1932.

It was forecast to be a hot day and it was. There were 21 players on the list and after some pulled out due to the hot weather, there were 17 players remaining, giving 3x3 and 2x4. On arrival everyone was greeted with bacon butties and coffee, which were enjoyed on the veranda. The teams were organised and an extra prize of a bottle of champagne offered by Paul Crafer for nearest the pin in two on the 18th this was to celebrate his wife’s good health after he had been called off the course at another WVGS event exactly nine years ago. No one managed to win it this time, but it may be offered again at a future event.

WOODBURY TWINNING ASSOCIATION

GARDEN CLUB FLOWER AND VEG SHOW

On yet another boiling hot afternoon we held our show in the relatively cool village hall. The difficulties of growing in this hot dry weather were apparent, with fewer entries than normal as members’ gardens and allotments had suffered like everyone else’s, but the judge was pleased with what we had managed to produce.

There were some beautiful flowers, especially the gladioli and pot plants, but the effect of drought was particularly apparent in the vegetable classes, with the quality of beans variable and some very odd shaped courgettes (mine, so I can be rude about them!) In the afternoon, it was less busy than usual, with people on holiday or at the beach, but tea and cake was enjoyed as usual. It is unfortunate that the show is held in the school holidays, and it is a shame that there were no entries in the junior classes visitors love to see the creative miniature gardens and fruit and veg monsters. Look out for our adverts next year. The cup for Best in Show was won for the second year running by Joyce Jeans for her beautiful bowl of flowers from her garden. Debby Mullier

The recent production of All Balls And Ashes in Woodbury village hall was a fantastic success. Once again, we were very well supported and the play was a sell-out. The feedback has been very positive and everyone seems to have thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The bar was also well supported… and that may have helped! Thank you all for coming out and having fun and thanks to the Hope4Kibera team, from on-stage scene shifters, who stole the show, to ticket sellers, bar and front of house helpers.

A new term funded by “Playing Around” and support from a Trust

10 HOPE 4 KIBERA Breaking the Cycle of Poverty through Education <hope4kibera.org.uk> Charity Number 1189029

In particular we must note again that the performances were given to Hope4Kibera as a very generous donation by renowned local director Jenny Goode, producer Norma Payne, and the Café Theatre cast and crew, who worked very hard to put on as good a show as possible. We raised a superb total of £3,172.68 which will ALL go towards the costs of our secondary school girls from the Kibera slum.

Another big boost for H4K is that we have recently been successful in applying to a grant giving Trust for financial support. Because of Covid, we faced an extra year of costs in order to get our first cohort of students through to graduation, which has now been delayed until the end of 2023. Having got the school opened and established, getting these students to successful graduation is our current main objective because it provides a life changing opportunity for these girls from destitute families. Also, when the girls make it into publicly funded university, the school will have demonstrated its quality and will then be able to recruit some fee-paying students to subsidise the costs of the girls from the slum. This will represent the beginnings of a self sustaining enterprise. The grant gives us an opportunity to reach our objective, if we keep up our current fund-raising Becauseefforts. of the play, and the support from the Trust, we have just sent out a further £6,859 to the school. This will cover all the boarding and schooling costs for our students for the whole of the new term. Thank you for playing your part in this. cont’d/...

The next event will be our Autumn Quiz, and details will be published in due course.

Fun for all the family. Games, BBQ, face painting, bouncy castle, live music, stalls, bar. Advanced purchase raffle tickets on sale from the reception at Seachange.

A joint fundraiser for Budleigh Salterton & District Hospiscare and Seachange

The play was an extra event in our calendar and as several members of the Christ Church jazz band are away, we have reluctantly decided to postpone the Bank Holiday Cream Tea and Jazz until next year.

WOODBURY TENNIS CLUB

Next Event

Pat Browne

** H4K is registered for Amazon Smile. Shop there to help the Kibera kids. Join the journey and register for regular news or support @ www.hope4 Pleasekibera.org.uk.consider

There has been excellent support for the Sunday club sessions as the hot weather has encouraged members to come out and play. The courts have been well used during the summer by members and guests, showing that it is an excellent community resource.

The Gardens, Seachange, East Budleigh Road, Budleigh Salterton EX9 6HF

Charlie Collins, Chair H4K

becoming a regular donor, which helps us greatly.

12 HOPE 4 KIBERA cont’d/...

The summer league matches have almost been completed, with only two rearranged matches to be played. Twenty members gained match experience; they found match play challenging as Woodbury had to work hard to gain a few victories. The league tables show that the Woodbury teams were in the relegation zone in each division. The club hopes for better results in the winter league in the men’s and mixed leagues.

10 SEPTEMBER, 14.00 - 19.00

COMMUNITY FETE

The innovation of a triples league has continued to be a popular event with six teams battling for the championship. The last two rounds will be on 19 August and 2 September. The last event of the season will be a triples tournament on 18 September. The junior coaching programme will resume on 7 September until the autumn half term. All present members have been informed but there is room for new youngsters (6 to 14); anyone interested should contact Christine Sheward (christinesheward58@gmail.com). For all other tennis enquiries contact Pat Browne (ruthandpatb@aol.com).

HISTORY SOCIETY

Thursday 1 September at 19.30 in Woodbury village hall Martin Horler presents an illustrated talk in full livery exploring the history of the postal system from the time of Henry VIII to the coming of the railways in 1840. Martin will talk about the introduction of the Royal Mail Coaches. He will show examples of the weapons used to protect the mail and demonstrate the calls blown on a 51” post horn. All are very welcome, members free, visitors £4 at the door.

WOODBURY AND DISTRICT ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

The geraniums at the War Memorial have really enjoyed this lovely summer. The Parish Council sponsored both them and also the Platinum Jubilee pink and lilac tub at the top of Oakhayes Road. I will carry on caring for them until the first frosts. If anyone is able to look after them through the winter I would be very grateful, as I do not have a greenhouse or a sheltered spot to overwinter them. Enjoy the rest of the summer.

The Role of the Royal Mail Guard

Sandra Huish 01395 232696

WOODBURY

Anagram Trail Debbie Jung’s new idea of an Anagram Trail (in place of the Scarecrow Competition) provided an interesting challenge. Twenty six people agreed to put something outside their house indicating a letter of the alphabet. Participants had to identify the letter and then solve the anagram, which was the name of a book. As eighteen people got the right answer, which was Around The World In Eighty Days, there was a draw to establish the prize winners the Cobley family. They kindly gifted the £10 prize back to the church. Tea and cakes were served in the Glebe Field and there was a raffle. The overall total raised for the church from the event was £275.

14 WOODBURY SALTERTON NEWS

Thank You Thank you to two unsung heroes who gave their time and the use of their machinery to make the path along The Plantation safer and more pleasant for others. Barrie Bolt and Martin Clarke spent a Saturday morning cutting back the brambles, ivy and stinging nettles which had grown over the fence and were obstructing the path. All those of us who walk along this path are very grateful to them.

The

cont’d/...

of the alphabet: Aeroplane Time Rabbit Yellowstone park Overalls Yolk Ducks Star

the following

We would like to record thanks to Charlie Olney for the loan and erection of gazebos, to those who donated cakes and served teas, and most of all to Geoff and Debbie Jung for all the time and effort they put into organising this fun village event. photos illustrate in order, letters

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

TUESDAY 6 SEPTEMBER

School Leavers’ Service

The Saturday coffee mornings will continue into September, 09.30 until 10.30, outside if fine, otherwise in the church.

FOR THE ATTENTION OF CRAFTERS

Revd Bill presented a book token to Caleb for winning the competition to design a new logo for the Mission Community.

THE CHURCH ROOMS, 10.00 - 12.00 Come along and enjoy coffee and cake and raise money for this local charity.

The leavers gave an interesting and at times very moving PowerPoint presentation in which they interviewed their teachers and one another. Mrs Ellen Tout, Head of Learning, read Let No One Steal Your Dreams and the school sang a special farewell song.

4 September - Evening Prayer, 18.00 with Carolyn Keep. 11 September Holy Communion, 09.30 with Revd Margaret Scrivener. BUDLEIGH & DISTRICT HOSPISCARE COFFEE MORNING

This took place on the last day of term and the service in church was conducted by Revd Bill Lemmey. The leavers were each given a bible as a gift from the church. Unfortunately, due to child protection rules, we are unable to name them, but we wish them well in their future schools.

Woodbury Salterton village hall has been booked for the last Wednesday in the month starting on 28 September, 13.00 16.00, to do just that. Bring your sewing machines, crochet hooks, knitting needles, paint brushes and pens or just cakes. This should be an enjoyable afternoon once a month over the winter. There will be a nominal charge of £2 per person to cover the village hall costs. If you are interested, please contact Gill Bricknell 01395 232463 or email bricknellg@yahoo.co.uk. Gill Bricknell

EXTON NEWS ST ANDREW’S CHURCH SERVICES

After spending enjoyable afternoons making the bunting for the Jubilee party, it was found that there could be interest in like minded people getting together over coffee and cakes and sharing craft ideas.

Coffee Mornings

Harvest Festival Holy Trinity church will celebrate harvest on 2 October.

Telephone: 01395 233791. Email: clerk@woodburyparishcouncil.gov.uk

Our County and District Councillors regularly attend our Parish Council meetings and provide the Parish Council updates. Cllr J Trail and Cllr R Scott attended our Parish Council Meeting on 11 July 2022.

Queen’s Jubilee Bench A new celebration bench will be sited on The Green in Woodbury. Our New Website http://woodburyparishcouncil.gov.uk/

WOODBURY PARISH COUNCIL Woodbury Parish Office Greenside, Greenway, Woodbury, Devon EX5 1LP.

A new Environment Committee has now been approved, which will look at local issues and initiatives. This committee will be Council-led with Councillors R Ball, Mrs S Cole and S Andrews, and will include residents up to a membership of ten.

Over the coming months councillors and staff will be looking at the Parish assets and areas that we manage and logging it onto Parish Online, which is a mapping system. This will centralise the information, which will also assist with the Neighbourhood Plan.

The Parish Office is open: 09.30 - 12.30, Mon, Tues, Weds and Thurs.

Clerk to the Council: Anne Marie Bates

General Cllr R Ball and Cllr P Jordan requested a meeting with Simon Jupp MP and South West Water regarding the water quality of the River Exe and run off. This has now taken place and the Parish Council’s concerns were raised; a future meeting will also take place.

We have now launched our new website; it is still under construction and more information and links will be added in due course. We hope that you like it and we ask that any village clubs and societies email the Clerk details / links so they can be added to our website. If residents have pictures that they would be happy to share on the site, please email them to the clerk: clerk@woodburyparishcouncil.gov.uk

County & District Councillor Reports

PARISH COUNCIL BUSINESS (JULY MEETING)

Cllr J Trail advised that he is now the Chairman of the Exe Estuary Committee and the People’s Champion for the Fire Authority. Queen’s Jubilee Cllr J Trail thanked DCC Highways Team for their assistance with the road closures and was pleased that residents of Woodbury parish enjoyed the various organised celebrations. (These events were funded by a £10k Grant from Woodbury Parish Council and a £1k Locality Grant from Devon County Council. The Jubilee Arts Exhibition also raised £847.74 for Holy Trinity Church). cont’d/...

The Parish Office is open to residents Monday to Thursday 09.30-12.30, so please, pop in and say hello or raise any ideas or concerns that you may have.

c) The Arch Parking Issues: Highways Traffic Management Team are still working on a report.

PARISH OFFICE

e) Exton - parked Land Rover, Cllr J Jung to investigate.

clerk@woodburyparishcouncil.gov.uk,

Tree Warden – Thankyou Woodbury Parish Council would like to thank Tony Bennett for all his input and assistance over the years as our Tree Warden for Woodbury; his experience and dedication has been invaluable. Due to personal circumstances he has reluctantly resigned from the post, and we are now looking for another volunteer to fill the position. If interested, please contact the Parish Clerk. We would like to also take this opportunity to thank our other Tree Warden, Gavin Black (Woodbury Salterton), and our Footpath Wardens, Judy Green and Tim Frampton, for all their work and for volunteering their time to assist the parish.

d) Vehicle Activation Training DC Councillors to investigate.

Parish Councillors asked County Councillors about the following:

b) Footpath from Mirey Lane to The Church Rooms resurfacing DCC slurry covering programme has been delayed for two years. DCC are going to get a costing for the Parish Council to see if they can fund.

Cllr B Ingham advised that he had written to Michael Gove expressing his concern that the Dinan Way Extension was a waste of money and was a reason to build more houses. A further letter will be sent due to government changes. Devon County Council have confirmed the paperwork for the extension had been submitted on 6 July and the outcome will be delivered in October.

a) 20mph speed limit update This was being considered by County Cabinet on 13 July 2022.

Cllr G Jung firstly apologised that he was unable to attend the last couple of Parish Council meetings and that he agreed with Cllr B Ingham that the Dinan Way Extension would have difficult consequences, especially for RegardingWoodbury.the

WOODBURY PARISH COUNCIL cont’d/…

The Clerk’s email address is

Rydon Farm planning application (22/0608/FUL), he was surprised that Devon County Council Highways didn’t feel that the location was dangerous and that East Devon District Council didn’t support the Parish Council’s request for an adjacent footpath, which unfortunately was not included within their approval.

To mark the occasion of the Queen’s Jubilee, Woodbury Parish Council purchased a celebration mug for every child living in the Woodbury Parish who is of pre school and primary school age. Please collect your mug from either Sam’s Stores or the Parish Council Office. Residents can also purchase a mug at a cost of £7.50.

WOODBURY NEWS SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 2022/23

Many thanks to all readers and deliverers for their prompt payment and collection of subscriptions. If you missed your deliverer when they delivered your magazine, please drop off your £6 subscriptions to them when convenient.

WOODBURY VILLAGE WALKING MAPS

QUEEN’S JUBILEE MUGS

PLANNING Woodbury Parish Council is a consultee for all planning applications within the Parish and applications are considered by Members at a Full Council or a Planning Committee meeting. Results can be found on the East Devon website: https://planning.eastdevon.gov.uk/online applications/

Maps of four walks can be purchased at the Office for £2.

OUR MEETINGS

Our Full Council meetings are on the second Monday of each month, excluding August, and our Committee meetings usually on the last Monday in each month. A schedule is on our website. Meetings are held at the Church Rooms in Woodbury and start at 19.30. All residents are welcome to attend. Have you got an interesting photo to illustrate your article? If so, we'd love to see it, but please remember that we need high resolution photos not too dark, but clear and sharp - as low resolution photos do not reproduce well on non photographic paper. Please remember to ask permission from any people included in your photos, and that photos of children require parental permission.

Two years after originally planned, Alex Boyden and Pili Estevez Oltra were finally able to celebrate their wedding in international style at Bickleigh Castle on 23 July. Alex, born and brought up in Woodbury and a former pupil of Woodbury Primary School and Exmouth Community College, met his bride, who comes from Mexico, while both were working in Tokyo, where they currently live. Family and friends from as far afield as Mexico, Japan, the United States and France flew in to join the celebrations.

CONGRATULATIONS

Many congratulations to David (former editor of Woodbury News) and Carolyn Keep, who celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on 1st August.

ROUNDANDABOUT WEDDING

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

From Charlie Collins, Chair H4K Fly posting and Female education

Witness the fact that the whole point of the poster was to sell tickets to our play in order to raise funds for our school in the Kibera slum, Nairobi, which is giving high quality, secondary school education to bright girls from destitute families, who would otherwise have no chance in life. Hopefully the additions to our posters caught more eyes and raised more funds to give other women like Malala a life changing opportunity. We need help with our publicity and welcome interest from anyone who wants to support education of girls in Kibera. Contact details are on <hope4kibera.org.uk>

WEATHER REPORT

The recent production of the comedy All Balls and Ashes was enjoyed by all who came (see pages 10-12). However, it seems that not everybody was delighted with our efforts. Our colourful poster was designed to catch the eye and to convey the setting of the play in the 1970s, and its humour. It included a stylised cartoon of a young lady which, I think was obvious to (nearly) everyone, was ‘of its time’ and definitely not a comment on life in Several2022. of the posters ‘disappeared’ and others gained nicely laminated photos and information placed over the, presumably unwelcome, cartoon. The additions were about Malala Yousaf and two other important women, speaking of their education and achievements. We are very sorry if anyone was offended by our poster but it would have been, and still would be, good to have a conversation about it. It is so difficult to get inside another person’s point of view, especially across generations, and sharing thoughts is vital.

Norman Cann

The extremely dry summer continued with only 2mm of rain recorded here at Ebford at the very start of July. It also included the uber heat of 18th and 19th. This was the least amount for a single month recorded here over the last 22 years. Interestingly only 3mm fell here in July 2016. However the monthly average for July over the previous 21 years is 56.7mm or 2.2 Soinches.this year, harvesting of low moisture content barley has been easy, but diesel oil is rather expensive. Gardens endured desert conditions, with any good results only achieved with the aid of regular watering.

On the day when war was declared in 1939, Douglas was stationed at RAF Netheravon in Wiltshire. There was a mad panic when the news of war was broadcast on the radio and they were ordered by the station commander to immediately disperse the planes around the aerodrome, in case the Germans decided their first action of the war should be to bomb Wiltshire. Such were the jittery nerves that one misty night, when Douglas was on guard duty, he was shot at without warning by another airman on guard who mistook him walking towards him for a possible German parachutist. In early 1940 Douglas was posted abroad on active service he did not know his destination. He travelled across France by troop train via Paris and from Marseilles went by ship to Egypt. When he arrived, Egypt was not at war and there was no blackout at night. It was his first time abroad and to him, Egypt was a strange and exotic country. On his first day in camp at Heliopolis lunch was served outside. In the queue for his meal he noticed that all the airmen, once they had been served and walked to their table, placed their plate on top of their mug of tea held in one hand and waved their other hand above the plate. He could not understand why. Once he had been served he walked to the table carrying his plate in one hand and his mug of tea in the other. Half way to the table a kite flew over his right shoulder and swooped away with half his meal, immediately followed by a second kite flying over his left shoulder taking the remainder of the meal. He now understood the hand waving over the plates, as his lunch was now only a mug of tea. Douglas joined 208 Squadron, which flew Lysander aircraft used for photo reconnaissance. They were known as an Army Co operation Squadron, which meant they would be stationed close behind the army front line.

22 DOUGLAS CHRISTOPHER’S WAR

My father, Douglas Christopher, was born in Salisbury in 1918, where his father was working in munitions manufacture. The family moved back to Devon after the First World War and lived at Countess Wear, which was then just a small village near Exeter. Douglas left school, aged 14, and then worked as a gardener, cinema usher at the Exeter Gaumont in North Street (until he outgrew the uniform) and as an errand boy. In 1937 Douglas was unemployed and, needing a job, he applied to join the RAF. He was invited to take a written application test at Plymouth and was one of the three successful applicants out of the 30 applying. The same day they were given a travel warrant and sent by train to RAF Uxbridge for basic training. His first posting was to the Seaplane and Flying Boat Training Squadron at RAF Calshot in Southampton Water. Whilst there, he was involved as crew in a seaplane crash on a training flight, when an inexperienced pilot made a mistake on take off and the plane crashed into the sea from a height of 80 feet. They all survived.

Prior to the invasion of Egypt by the Italians in Libya in September 1940, the Squadron flew over and photographed the Italian front line positions in Libya. The coastal portion of the Libyan desert is stony rather than sandy, which made it suitable for mobile warfare. He served in General Wavell's successful campaign against the Italians in Libya, where 130,000 Italian prisoners where taken. The Squadron lorries drove past columns of prisoners walking to captivity, guarded only by an occasional British or Commonwealth soldier holding a rifle. At the battle for Bardia, the Lysanders of 208 Squadron had directed the artillery fire. This picture is from a souvenir magazine of the 1940s kept by Douglas He once took part in a night bombing raid in a Bristol Bombay aircraft. As passengers, the airmen were each given a small bomb to hold. When they reached the target they each walked past the open cargo door and threw out their bomb. When they arrived at Benghazi by lorry, following its capture, Australian troops directed them to a 'liberated' local brewery. Douglas and another airman were walking back down a street carrying a crate of beer between them when the Italian air force mounted a surprise bombing raid. As the bombs started to fall Douglas and the airman ran down the street. A bomb landed behind them and blew them up in the air and over a wall. Douglas said that he had never seen such vivid colours as were contained in the blast. They only suffered a few bruises. In early 1941 General Wavell was ordered to stop his advance into Libya and send part of his British and Australian forces, including 208 Squadron, to Greece which was under attack by the Germans and Italians. cont’d/...

DOUGLAS CHRISTOPHER’S WAR cont’d/... In Greece the Germans overwhelmed the British and Commonwealth forces and forced them to retreat. The Squadron was retreating at night in lorries through Larissa, which was still burning following a German air raid. The lorries were 50 yards apart following each other, guided only by the partial blacked out rear light of the lorry in front. Douglas's lorry came round a corner to find a road junction and no sign of the lorry in front. They did not know which way to go. They tried asking a local man who pointed to one road. It led them out of town, but there was no sign of the rest of the Squadron, so they parked up under a tree for the night. At dawn the next morning they saw that they were next to a corn field beside a railway station. It was then that the Luftwaffe came over to bomb nearby targets including the railway station. The airmen hid face down in the corn field; if they moved they were fired at by the aircraft. One of them was wounded in the hand, but he was so frightened that he did not notice until after the attack. Once the raid was over they drove away in the lorry trying to find a way to get back to the Squadron. For a week Douglas was in the lorry retreating and cut off behind enemy lines. When they ran out of ammunition Douglas threw away the Bren gun he was carrying into a gorge so the enemy could not find it. The RAF posted them as missing and their families were notified that they were ‘missing, believed killed in action’. They had very little food, but were often fed by Greek farmers in isolated farmhouses. The food was welcome, but they found eggs fried in olive oil difficult to stomach as it was so alien to them. They were one of the last lorries through Thermopylae, where they caught up with the army. After the army engineers blew up a bridge over a river, they felt relief that the German advance had been slowed down. From the hills they looked back into the valley as a German tank column arrived. An officer got out of the lead tank and inspected the damaged bridge. He ordered the first tank to drive into the water beside the bridge and sink the second tank drove into the water beside it, then the third tank drove over the first and sank into the water. The fourth tank drove over the second tank and also sank into the water. With the four tanks in the water forming a type of bridge, the remaining tanks drove over them to cross the river. The Germans had only been held up for about 30 minutes. The airmen were eventually able find a way through and to return to their unit. The 208 Squadron officers were flown from Greece to Egypt. The surviving airmen evacuated to Crete by ship, leaving all their kit and equipment behind. On Crete they were sleeping outside under trees in olive groves. One morning Douglas awoke to find that he had been so badly bitten around his eyes by mosquitoes, that he could not open his eyes, nor for several days. An army medical officer bandaged his eyes. During the Battle for Crete, German paratroopers again forced a British fighting retreat.

25 His comrades helped Douglas, who still could not see, to cross the island, often on foot within the sound of gunfire. They were evacuated by ship the escaping ships were attacked by waves of Stuka dive bombers. The next day as they sailed south towards Egypt, they knew that they were still within range of the German aircraft. As the dawn came up, the nervous survivors and sailors saw sailing north towards them, from horizon to horizon, ships of the Royal Navy coming to protect them. When Douglas came down the gangplank of the ship in Egypt he possessed only the clothes he was dressed in. One leg of his trousers was ripped off at the knee where it had snagged on barbed wire in the retreat through Crete. More than half of the Squadron airmen did not return, being either killed or captured. In Egypt the Squadron went back into the desert in the campaigns against the German Afrika Corps. They sweltered in the heat of the day, were plagued with flies and at night they had to wear overcoats against the severe cold. Water was rationed. They had a mug of tea with their breakfast and shaved using the dregs at the bottom of the mug. Nobody washed for weeks at a time, as there was no water to spare (if they were near the coast it would be a treat to wash in the sea). They each had a metal water bottle to last the day until their meal in the evening. They were living on tins of corned beef and tins of stew. The only mobile canteen that got anywhere near the desert front line was run by the Salvation Army.

This photograph was taken at Maaten Bagush in Egypt in November 1941 (some months after his return from Crete). They are building sandbag protection around the tent Douglas is standing in the middle, holding the mallet. cont’d/...

DOUGLAS CHRISTOPHER’S WAR cont’d/...

Sudden violence was a way of life. The desert was so quiet at night that they could hear the Germans and Italians singing. They could also hear the enemy aircraft warming up to take off and knew they had 20 minutes to go into the air raid trenches, as the planes first flew out over the sea before coming inland to attack. The men would leave their tents and take their bedding to sleep in the slit trenches for the rest of the night. At one time they had a new airman, who refused to leave his tent, saying that he had lived through the London bombing blitz and would not leave his bed to go to the trenches. They found him dead the next morning just outside his tent; too late he had tried to get to the slit trenches. His throat had been cut open by a piece of shrapnel from a bomb. The fighting moved up and down the desert as the army advanced and retreated. Aircraft and landing grounds were camouflaged to hide them and dummy aircraft made of planks of wood were laid out to attract and deceive the enemy attacks. Once the German aircraft came over on two nights and bombed the dummy planes. On the third night one German plane came over and dropped wooden bombs to show they were not deceived. The photograph was taken in Tel Aviv on 21st April 1942 when they were on leave Douglas is second from the left.

Another time Douglas was a passenger in a lorry towing the Squadron water bowser back to the rear area for re supply, when they saw tanks driving towards them. They only realised they were German tanks, which had looped around the British army during the night, when the tanks opened fire at them and missed with their first shot.

Luckily there was a wadi (a ravine, usually dry) off to the right and they quickly drove the lorry into it and got out of sight. To survive the fear and mental strain Douglas considered himself a 'dead man walking'. After what he had seen, he did not think that he would survive and had accepted it. When the Squadron was given a break from the front line they moved back to Palestine for a rest. Once, on one of these breaks, they were queuing outside for lunch when they were bombed in a surprise attack by Vichy French aircraft from Syria. Douglas was seriously wounded below the knee by a piece of shrapnel. He spent several weeks in hospital. After two years in the desert Douglas, as a sergeant, was posted back to British headquarters in Cairo. He was not allowed inside until he had had a wash and a clean uniform. After living in such poor conditions for the last few years Douglas became ill with TB, which was then a major killer. He was treated in hospital in Jerusalem and then sent by ship to South Africa for further treatment where, because there was no wartime food rationing in South Africa, both and eggs and milk for gaining strength were still plentiful. For part of his recuperation he was taught to make cane baskets. He slowly recovered. He arrived back in Liverpool by ship in March 1945. During his time abroad he could only communicate with his parents and fiancée by letters, which were censored so as to not give away his location.

Douglas and fellow RAF patients were initially posted to West Kirby near Liverpool where, coming from a warm climate, they found it freezing cold, as coal for the barrack fire was rationed. After medical examinations he was eventually allowed to travel home to Exeter by train. He arrived at night at St David's Station, walked with his suitcase across the iron bridge to North Street and, on reaching the junction with High Street, looked around and was lost. There was so much bomb damage that nothing now looked the same as he remembered it. This picture was taken from a souvenir magazine of the 1940s which had been kept by Douglas. cont’d/...

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DOUGLAS CHRISTOPHER’S WAR cont’d/...

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At that moment a policeman suddenly shone a torch in his face and asked what he was doing there and what was in the suitcase. He thought Douglas might be a looter. After explaining in no uncertain terms that he was just home from the war, the policeman became helpful and asked where he was going. The policeman then flagged down an American in a jeep who was going back to his base and he dropped Douglas off at Countess Wear. He was eventually medically discharged from the RAF. In May 1945 Douglas married his fiancée, Dorothy Newton, who had served during the war in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. They first lived with his mother at Countess Wear (his father had died whilst he was abroad). After a recurrence of his TB and his spending time in hospital, they moved to live in Woodbury in 1947, and rented a property at Church Steps from Reg Summerfield. Due to his poor health Douglas found employment as a home worker, making cane baskets for a Topsham firm. When his health improved he joined the Post Office in 1954 and became one of the Woodbury postmen, working until he retired in 1978.

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SYNERGI EVERTHING PLUMBING AND HEATING For all your plumbing and heating needs. Large or small jobs at fair prices. Boiler servicing, repairs and care plans. Local, reliable and efficient. Gas, Oil, and LPG. Tel Synergi 01395 542226. www.synergisw.co.uk. (4/12)

CARER AVAILABLE for night sleeps and helping to assist in and out of bed on the mornings and evenings. Experienced, local, flexible, compassionate and friendly car driver and non smoker. Call me for a chat. Sarah 01392 685415 or 07897382338. (5/6)

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ALTERATIONS TO LADIES AND GENTS WEAR, MADE TO MEASURE CURTAINS AND ROMAN BLINDS, ALTERATIONS TO CURTAINS. Contact Shirley on 01395 223523. (9/12)

EXE INTERIORS & HANDYMAN SERVICES for all home improvement requirements inc. painting & decorating, wall & floor tiling, bathrooms & kitchens, handyman service. Call Sean 07967 777396. (10/12)

ROOFING

ACCOUNTS AND TAX SERVICE Sole Trades, Partnerships, Limited Companies and Personal Tax. Full range of advice. Fixed fee plans and free initial consultation/quotation. Wheelers Accountants Tel: 233184. (7/12)

Woodbury based RWI Roofing Specialising in Slating, Tiling, Re Roof, New Roof, Repairs, Guttering. For a friendly, reliable service call Ray 232926, or 07988 691051 (As recmd in OurLocalExpert.co.uk). (12/12)

HOLIDAY HOME TO RENT in centre of village. Luxury accommodation for 4 people, 2 en suites, parking, courtyard garden. Weekly holidays & short breaks. www.woodburyholidays.co.uk 01579 350365. (12/12)

10 Nov. Woodbury WI Clinton Devon Estates, 14.00, WVH.

8 Dec. Woodbury WI Xmas Wreath Demonstration, 14.00, WVH.

15 Oct. FoSS Autumn Concert. St Swithun’s, 19.00.

12 Nov. Classics Galore! Uplifting classical concert to raise funds for FORCE Cancer Charity. The Great Hall, Exeter, 19.30.

13 Sept. Garden Club. Helen Kearney - Medicinal Herbalist.

8 Sept. Woodbury WI My life at Blue Peter, WVH, 14.00.

7 Oct. Exton Garden Club. The Woodland Garden, The Art of Growing in the Shade. EVH. 14.00.

31 August LAMPS Collective. Salt and Light. 19.30, Budleigh Salterton Temple Methodist Church.

11 Oct. Garden Club. Michael Jordan Fungi: the good, the bad and the ugly.

24 Sept. Coffee Morning. 10.00-12.00, the Church Rooms.

12 Oct. Woodbury WI Dartmoor Search & Rescue, 14.00, WVH.

24 Sept. Woodbury Twinning Progressive Supper. 28 Sept. Start of monthly craft afternoons, 13.00, WSVH.

3 Sept. Exton Garden Club Cream Tea and Plant Sale. EVH. 14.30.

2 Oct. Harvest Festival, Holy Trinity, WS.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

3 Nov. Woodbury History Society Devon and African Enslavement. WVH, 14.30.

10 Sept. FORCE Cancer Charity BIG Breakfast. Woodbury Salterton Village Hall, including raffle. 08.00 11.00.

8 Nov. Garden Club. Julie Steed - Garden Pests and Diseases.

4 Nov. Exton Garden Club Autumn Plants That Excite. EVH. 14.00.

6 Sept. Hospiscare Coffee Morning. 10.00 12.00, Church Rooms.

10 Sept. Community Fete. 14.00-19.00. The Gardens, Seachange, East Budleigh Road, Budleigh Salterton EX9 6HF

1 Sept. Woodbury History Society The Role of the Royal Mail Guard in History. WVH, 19.30.

community,

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