WW2 in the Parish
Like many small parishes across the UK, the war had an impact on the lives of the everyday people that lived and worked here. This section may not be of as much interest to readers from outside of the Bridgnorth area, but it was likely the same for many other communities.
As an war inside the UK looked more and more inevitable, preparations for the invasion were put into place.
The home guard hut was first at Upper Hollicott, under the direction of Geoffrey Wilson of The Hills. Later taken over by Fred Miles, then Mr Gamble then Eric Fox, of South Eudon. Several members of the Women's Land Army worked on farms in the area.
J Company of the local home guard. Many local faces can be recognized on this photo
The old Home Gaurd hut at South Eudon
On land opposite Chetton Grange there was a searchlight station and barrage balloons, it was said to be common to hear German bombers on their way to Liverpool as well as the bombing of Coventry which is 50 miles from Chetton.
There was a bombing range at Lightwood where it was common for Avro Ansons practiced to practice. Mrs Littleford's orchard was remembered to have been bombed.
Children from the local school remember wearing gas masks and the local air raid siren at Chetton. In total, 275 bomb alerts where recorded in Bridgnorth during the war.
In August 1940, twelve bombs fell on the town, killing two women.
One of the bombs was an oil bomb, known as ‘Flammenbomben’ that landed on Pound Street.
The bombs left gaps between houses that are still visible today.
Children of The Down School taken around 1944-1945
In September of 1943, a Wellington bomber was remembered to have crashed at Eudon Mill in the parish of Chetton.
Just after midnight, an eye witness from the Eudon George area saw the aircraft circling the area on fire before crashing into a field near Eudon Mill in a huge fireball. The impact was so loud that it was heard underground in the mines in Highley.
Shortly after, the fire brigade arrived, with the home guard and police guarding the wreckage. Sadly all of the crew were killed in the incident.
Once the flames had been subdued three of the crew's remains were recovered. Two of the five crew have never been found and are honored on at the Runnymede memorial (Sgt Shepherd and Sgt Wells).
Walter Henry Lawrence, George Donald Hector Morrow and Norman Leslie Wachter were buried at Blacon Cemetery in Chester.
Photograph of the crash site taken shortly afterwards.
Crew of Vickers Wellington BJ621 :
Pilot - Sergeant William Shepherd RAF - aged 21
Wireless Operator - Walter Henry Lawrence RAFVR - aged 19
Bomb Aimer - Sergeant George Donald Hector Morrow RCAF - aged 26
Rear Air Gunner - SergeantNorman Leslie Wachter RAAF - aged 19
Observer Sergeant - Francis George Wells RARVR - aged 26