Heroes of World War II – Their Finest Hour - Terry Ford

Book details:

South Shields Heroes of World War II

Their Finest Hour

Published Date - May 28 2024

ISBN - 9781068641817

Dimensions - 23.4 x 15.6 x 1.0 cm

Page Count - 140

 

Available at The Word £10 or online at:

South Shields Heroes of World War II – Their Finest Hour

 

Background:

The book started as an oral history project with Oxford University’s Their Finest Hour team. South Shields Local History Group recorded our members and the public with their wartime stories about their parents, grandparents, friends experiences in WW2.  These have now been turned into a 140 page book consisting of over 50 stories. The stories here cover most of the main theatres of war: the Home Front, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, North Africa, the Far East and the Atlantic Ocean. They also cover the various branches of the armed forces: Army, Merchant Navy, Navy and RAF and civilians.

 

Reviews:

Hard as it is to believe, there will come a time when there is no-one left alive who remembers how the Second World War devastated our South Shields landscape and robbed it of the flower of a generation. It underlines the importance of this remarkable volume which records, for posterity, the memories of some of those local folk who were child evacuees or, while still barely teenagers, were catapulted into the horrors of conflict on land, sea and in the air. Elsewhere in its pages, it falls to children and grandchildren to ensure that the stories of family members’ endurance and bravery, in action and on the home front, go on being told. In that respect there is no mythologising of war, which emerges as cruel, terrifying, pointless, muddled, sometimes funny and too-often heart-breaking. Oh, and it’s also a lesson in one generation talking to another, before it’s too late… 

Janis Blower

 

The history of South Shields at war in 50 memories. I couldn’t put it down. At home, living from day to day, rationed, bombed, making munitions, defending the town. In the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy on Arctic, Atlantic and Malta convoys, and with the ‘Wrens’ at Air Stations. With the RAF bombing Germany and on the ground in Africa. On the march with regiments in Normandy and Burma, and as Prisoners of War. Memories of fear and laughter, of death and camaraderie. Oral history at its best. Highly recommended. 

Peter S. Chapman, author of A Tyneside Heritage

 

We will remember them, words spoken every November but as time goes on less and less remembered. This book brings together the real stories of the real people of South Shields in their own words. Not just the military stories, but the impact on women and children. A fantastic initiative by South Shields Local History Group has ensured that, we will remember them. 

Ann Clouston, Colonel (Retired) OBE ARRC TD DL VR

 

I love this book. South Shields Heroes of World War II gives us 50 stories told by relatives with loads of photos. They did everything in all theatres of the war – as Churchill put it, at sea, on land and in the air – and of course there were those who kept the home fires burning, and the coal and the ships coming. This book makes me proud to be a Shieldsman. 

Robert Colls, Professor Emeritus of History, author of various books on North East history including Geordies. Roots of Regionalism.

 

Full marks to everyone who contributed to this important book. It astonishes that, almost eighty years since the ending of the Second World War, we now have this valuable record of the remarkable stories of some of the women and men of South Shields who fought, or simply endured life at home, during such a momentous time. 

Al Newham, Chair of South Shields Local History Group

 

This gem of a book is an amazing collection of wartime stories as remembered by those who lived through the war or as told to their relatives. What they experienced is very moving and the stories will leave you feeling quite humbled. They are written in the style in which they were narrated without editing which adds poignancy to the whole theme of the book. You will find it hard to put this book down.

Les Snaith, Lieutenant Commander, Royal Navy

 

The 50 memories contained in this superb volume are a true testament to the ordinary people of South Shields who like so many others answered the call of their country. The sacrifices of those in the Merchant Navy are particularly poignant given that South Shields lost more Merchant Navy personnel than any other town in the United Kingdom whilst serving on convoys ranging from the Arctic to Pacific. Throughout the book is the common theme of ‘after the war they never talked about it’ which is understandable given what some had gone through. However as time passes and those that experienced the war are no longer with us, those stories are now lost to time never to be recounted, which I am pleased to say this book goes a small way to addressing. Perhaps if that generation of ordinary heroes had told their stories we as a nation may have learnt from them the futility of war and moved on to a better place. 

Keith Trotter ex Second Mate Merchant Navy

WHAT HAVE WE DONE - HAYDN WATSON

 

                                                     This is a story of sorrow, hope and courage.                                                          During a time of fear and despair, faith in humanity is put to the test.

Haydn Watson’s working life has included twenty-one years in engineering. Then another twenty-seven years in the teaching profession, working in both schools and colleges. He has been writing for twelve years and he has had two earlier books published titled; A Life Navigated and Garn Yem. He is also a singer with The Jarrow Choral Society and a board member of Gateshead Soul. He enjoys music and is a self-taught guitarist. He is also a member of the musical quartet Sonos. Haydn has five children and eleven grandchildren.

INTRODUCTION

The world has known horror, desolation and inhumanity ever since man first walked the earth. The persecution of the Jews and the rejection of their faith has been prevalent for thousands of years. From the early days of the Old Testament, they have suffered treachery and hostility resulting in many instances of condemnation and exile.

As a result, the spread of antisemitism radiated across the globe. Many sought to undermine and exclude their traditions and ultimately seek to extinguish their very existence. History has shown us that Jews have endured hatred on a vast scale. Jews have been subjected to racist ideology, misery and indescribable cruelty by monarchs, despots and dictators. They have often been portrayed as untrustworthy, selfish and corrupt. Even literature has revealed its resentment, when Shakespeare sought to create Shylock as an unpopular Jew in the Merchant of Venice; when Launcelot Gobo wrestles with his conscience and describes his master as a fiend and a devil.

However, what transpired from 1933-45, under the cloak of National Socialism and Adolf Hitler; will be remembered as the darkest period in human existence. Hitler’s obsession with the cleansing and clearing of Jews (Judenrein) would remain his singular perversive objective. The horror of what took place in Europe on the orders of Hitler and the Third Reich is beyond belief and yet it happened. The Nazi regime sought to complete their ‘Final Solution’ and exterminate a race of people because they posed a so-called threat to their ideals. The only weapons Jews possessed were their pride and faith. This atrocity was not just wreaked upon the Jews; Hitler also included gypsies, communists, homosexuals and Jehovah’s Witnesses in his inventory of persecution. The self-proclaimed master race even created a dictum that summed up their grim agenda with Lebensunwertes meaning ‘life unworthy of life’. 

This terrible passage of time in history must never be forgotten. The human race will only survive if we respect each other regardless of colour, race, sexuality or religious beliefs. Hearts and minds must be strong in the face of evil and recognise suffering. It is my firm belief not enough was done to prevent the annihilation of over 10 million souls. This does not rest well with me and it was a shameful derogation of responsibility that allowed Hitler to maintain his murderous plan of democide.
I dedicate this narrative to the millions that were murdered. To those who survived, you carried the torch of life and hope.

PROLOGUE

Reuban and Beila Spielmann were one of many families who had migrated from Kobrin in Bello Russia to avoid the continual repression the Jews were subjected to. They had serious misgivings as to the future under communist rule and sought a life of prosperity in the new state of Czechoslovakia. They travelled 305 miles to reach Czechoslovakia by train, taking two days, travelling through Poland to arrive at their destination in the district of Moravia. A friend, Benjamin Gerber, had made the same journey six months earlier and had sent Reuban a letter extolling the opportunities in Staré Hamry. Benjamin was a tanner and he had opened a shop selling leather goods in nearby Cieszyn. Reuban was a music teacher and he quickly established a school of music in Staré Hamry which is situated in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids mountain range, on the River Ostravice. The name of the village relates to a steel mill built in 1636 and the name Hamry refers to mill and Staré means old. The population of Staré Hamry in 1919 was 356.

Reuban and Beila had been married for five months when they arrived in Staré Hamry in the summer of 1919. Both Reuban and Biela’s parents had all died by the end of 1916 and they had no siblings. They settled into their new life and enjoyed a decent living, within a small enclave of other Jewish families. Beila worked for Moshe Schuster who was a cobbler in the village. In June 1922 Beila gave birth to their first child a boy, whom they named Yosef and two years later she gave birth to a daughter who they named Saris. Life was good in Staré Hamry and both children were thriving. In 1927 Reuban and Beila had another addition to the family when Tomas was born on a warm June morning. Unlike her first two deliveries Tomas was a difficult birth and Elazar Rabe the doctor was concerned Beila had lost too much blood during the birth. Fortunately, Beila recovered with the help of her family and much needed rest after the baby was delivered. Dr Rabe had advised Belia this must be her last child, as it would prove to be too great a risk, given the problems with the pregnancy.
Life was idyllic in those early years as the children grew, working hard in school and enjoying the world around them. At weekends Reuban would take the boys out hunting in the many forests bordering the village. Deer, hares, rabbits and partridges were regular sources of sustenance for the family. 

There was an abundance of wildlife in the area and they would often encounter brown bears, wild cats, foxes and lynx. On one hunting trip in 1932 they stumbled upon a brown bear attacking a wild boar. They watched for over an hour as both animals fought. 
The boar finally succumbed and it was killed and dismembered by the bear. Tomas was both shocked and a little uneasy having witnessed the battle and asked his father; “Why have you not rescued the boar father?”
Reuban answered; “The bear will have cubs hidden somewhere near Tomas and they will have to eat to survive. Life can be cruel, but without food those young bears will die. There are many wild boars in the forests Tomas and the meat from the boar will feed the cubs for many days.”
Reuban would often listen to the wireless after the evening meal and the news that Germany was in a state of political fervour troubled him. The National Socialists were gaining prominence and many thought the rhetoric being broadcast was very worrying. 
In 1932 the tension in the corridors of world power was palpable. Germany had established a strong army and along with Japan, had abandoned the League of Nations. Adolf Hitler became chancellor after gaining 36 per cent of the vote in a national election in January 1933. Ten years earlier Hitler had penned a book called Mein Kampf (My Struggle) while in prison for his radical beliefs. Within the narrative, he concluded; “The Jew is a destroyer of culture and a parasite within the nation.”

Reuban now spent most evenings listening to the wireless and would often seek the company of other Jews in the village and discuss the implications of Germany’s propaganda. Oblivious to all this; Tomas, Yosef and Saris enjoyed their school life, they had their own circle of friends. Reuban and Beila’s youngest boys’ close companions were Esther Wechsler, brothers Asher and Peter Solomon and Jan Moravec who was a Czech. Jan’s father was an electrician and his services were always in demand. The boys would play football together and go on adventure trails in the forest. Tomas and his friends also enjoyed fishing in the Ostravice River and in the summer, they would often dive in for a swim. As Jews, the Spielmann’s did not neglect their religion and readings from the Torah were regularly carried out along with prayers. Staré Hamry did not have its own synagogue, so prayers and religious festivals were performed within the houses of the Jewish community.

Europe was bracing itself for what was about to occur and the sabre rattling of Nazi Germany was intensified by one man’s prophecy of total domination. With this power he would eventually take hold and would create so much despair and sorrow, never ever seen before in the history of mankind.

FOREWORD

Having read this book, I was drawn into a world of fear. But also, a determination to survive in a reign of terror perpetrated by the Third Reich during World War Two. The characters jump out at you and then you are drawn into an epoch where safety is often a difficult place to find. We join them in empathy as we look at an environment where hatred and evil exist. The twisted ideology of Fascism that resulted in the planned mass extermination of a race of people is a terrible legacy of the last century.

This was an era when human beings were treated without respect and are herded like animals to their deaths. As a young teenager my mother encouraged my older sisters and me to watch the TV programme, The World At War. This she said, would guide us along a path of awareness to the evils carried out by those who would disregard human life. I still recall the introductory music and the haunting images of that programme.

Knowledge is important for all of us. It will help the world reject such hatred and in doing so; treat human beings with respect and dignity. And yet, we have seen such evil in the latter part of the 20th century. This has resulted in nationalities and religions being targeted with hostility. We must never forget or diminish the severity of the greatest act of revulsion that resulted in the anti-Semitic persecution of the Second World War. Let us learn from the past and in doing so; build a better life for all.

Reverend Mervyn P Thompson All Saints Church, South Shields