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Dedication Booklet 2004
 INTRODUCTION TO THE STANLEY VILLAGE In October 2002, it was suggested by Bernard Walters that a memorial plaque to honour the crew of the Wellington Bomber, which crashed in Stanley on 12 July 1942 which he witnessed, was appropriate and he broached it to me in my capacity as the local representative of the Royal British Legion (RBL) to help. Though I served in the Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve for a total of 28 years my family background is spread over the three armed services with my father who served 22 years and was a Sgt Major in the 16/5th The Queens Royal Lancers and in the 1940’s my mother served as a parachute packer in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) until it was disbanded in the late 40’s and renamed the Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF). I have been a member of the RBL since 1968 originally as a White Card member (Serving Armed Forces) and still have my badge and one of my original cards which was before the Royal Charter and the crown was added to the badge and the title prefixed Royal. In 2002 I achieved 25 years as a full member and as an active Poppy collector, which I have undertaken at various branches prior to joining Stanley Village’s local branch of Horsley Woodhouse. With such a Forces orientated background I admit to being very biased in encompassing this idea fully and it is with great pleasure that we now see it come to fruition. This memorial is unveiled today in honour and in gratitude to remind us and future generations of the sacrifice made by the crew of Wellington Bomber W5795, attempting with thousands of others to preserve/regain the freedom and peace we enjoy today they were also very importantly pioneering aviation and I think it very fitting that Rolls Royce Engines were fitted to achieve the desired altitude of 35,000 ft, an incredible feat in 1942 with an adapted aeroplane and the crash itself is also an important chapter of village history and affected so many people that it should be recorded as part of our heritage. The file containing the full report of the accident was not made available in the Public Record Office (PRO) reference AVIA 5/21 until 1972, which is when its statutory 30 years protection under the Official Secrets Act expired. It may be for this reason the incident was temporarily obliterated from memory, but as can be seen by the comments in this booklet it was not forgotten. The memories of Stanley Village Trust Fund Derbyshire Building Society Account has been used to administer the financial side and I am proud to advise that all research, publicity and administration costs have been provided free of any charge and that the cost of the stone has been covered by a kind donation by Mr Bernard Walters our Church Warden, and I would like to express the gratitude of the Stanley Village Memorial Trust to all Donors who have by their generosity enabled this event to take place. Any sums of money left in the account will be used to purchase flags for the Village/Church Flagpole or other such use determined by the Trustees. This project could not of been achieved without the support of many from all walks of life, and the fact that the Memorial is in place shows that WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. Terry Hall FOREWORD At the time of the outbreak of World War II, I was a young schoolboy; some 65 years later I still have many very vivid memories of life and events from those dark days. My home at the time was at Smalley common, our cottage had an outbuilding with an iron roof and when the local anti-aircraft guns were firing we often heard bits of shrapnel strike the roof. I remember the guns and search lights very well. In the event of the air raid siren sounding at night, we would take shelter in a cloakroom under the stairs and that was considered to be the safest place to take cover! Moving to Stanley Village in 1941 and becoming a pupil at St. Andrews School I remember all the windows having strips of brown paper stuck to them to prevent the glass shattering in the event of a bomb or land mine exploding near by. Also the building of a blast wall to protect the entrance to the boys cloak room (now the school secretaries office). I remember the total blackout, windows fitted with blackout curtaining and no light allowed to escape from them, as this was a very serious offence. No street lighting of course! Vehicles were allowed to have just very dim lights with hoods fitted over them. It was only when the invasion of our country was no longer a threat that we were allowed to ring our church bells again. Their ringing was to have been the signal to the people that an invasion had begun. No television then of course, to give out the news and not every one had a radio. In the early days of the war everyone was issued with a gasmask, which we had to carry at all times. We frequently had gas mask drill at the school and we also had to carry our identity cards at all times. The strict rationing of most basic food items was in force to ensure fair distribution causing long queues to form at shops if word went out that a delivery of some scarce item had taken place, such as a fruit shop having a delivery of oranges! This would be very strictly controlled with each customer only being allowed to purchase two or three at the most. During this time we were encouraged to grow our own produce under ‘The Dig for Victory’ campaign. The building of the storage depot on Cat and Fiddle Lane took place. The soldiers either lived in the camp on the site or were brought in daily by lorry, some of the men were also billeted with local families, one being, Eric Robinson; later to become a famous band leader. The A.T.S. girls whose camp was at West Hallam in what is now Hall Court also worked at the depot as well as many civilians employed. Some friends and I witnessed a most amazing sight one day when very many aircraft all towing gliders flew over the village, presumably as part of a major airborne operation. The tragic event that occurred in the village on Sunday 12 July 1942 has remained uppermost in my mind ever since that fateful evening. The brave crewmembers of Wellington W5795 with the erection and dedication of the memorial in our churchyard will forever be remembered with honour in Stanley. It is an honour for me to have been invited to write this foreword to the booklet containing the recollections of many people about this tragic event. I dedicate this foreword to the memory of my Uncle Trevese A. Hemstock who died on 26 December 1941 in Colchester Military Hospital from injuries received in a military training accident. Bernard Walters OUTLINE PROGRAMME SUNDAY 11 JULY 2004
PLEASE TURN OFF ALL MOBILE PHONES DURING SERVICE Men not in uniform are requested to remove their headgear during the Dedication Service Parking The Police will cone No Parking on Station Road Stanley Village for safety of participants and it is requested that Coronation Road be kept free of parked cars to enable the parade to assemble safely and to allow emergency access to the OAP complex and Recreational Ground during the event. Village residents are requested to assist with spare parking to those who do not have driveways to park their cars during the event. Coaches will be parked up alongside the allotments. Public parking is available in two fields either side of the village (Minimum donation £1 per car) with kind permission of Mr Les Fry and Mr David Oldershaw. Parking at the Village Hall and Methodist Church has been reserved for relatives and dignitaries. Parade & Dedication. The parade will march from Coronation Road to St Andrews Church. Order of Service Sheets will be available. During the hymn relatives and special guests will enter the Churchyard for the dedication, which will be relayed, to the parade by speakers, with courtesy of Mr Roger Green. A message from HM The Queen will be read out, a Piper will play a lament during wreath laying; the Last Post will be played by 13 year old George Pearson and five doves of peace will be released during the service. On completion of the service the parade will march and turn at the White Hart junction to march past the Church enroute to the Recreation Ground. The parade will be brought to a halt in front of the Village Hall where an announcement will be made as to the ETA of the RAF Lancaster Bomber Flypast and a short thank you speech from the Chairman of the Stanley Parish Council. Refreshments & Toilets The toilets at the Village Hall with permission of the Committee and White Hart Public House with permission of Janet Balsom & John Womack will be available from 10am and both venues will be selling hot and soft drinks. A Beer Tent will be available on the Recreational Ground throughout the event. The Village Shop will extend its opening hours until 2pm and the White Hart PH will be open as usual from 12am for both food and drink. Snacks will also be available from the Village Hall on the Recreation Ground. A Buffet in the Village Hall hosted by the Mayor’s of Erewash & Derby will be held for the relatives of the crew and invited guests. To date (3 May 2004) we have been unable to contact any relatives of Sqn Ldr. Cyril Colmore RAF the Pilot nor Flt. Sgt Arthur Smith DFM RAF. The Rev. John Clarke visited both sites of commemoration and despite appeals on Radio Solent, local newspapers in the Winchester, Southampton and Portsmouth areas we have been unsuccessful but will continue with research. However we have been able to contact surviving relatives of the remaining three crewmembers and many will be attending the dedication service. I would like to record my thanks for the response and support from all the relatives I have been in contact with and we may be a small village but our big thank you to these men and many others who made the ultimate sacrifice in WWII indicates We Do Remember Them. The following relatives are attending the Dedication Service
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