Tag: Normandy

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New Forest Airfields

How have I come up with blog topics every two weeks for more than ten years? They originate from very diverse origins, but my favorite source is you. Many of our readers communicate with us and either provide specific topics or in the course of discussions, give me the idea for a future topic. Our topic today was inspired by Pat Vinycomb. Pat let us know her father, Stan Booker (click here to read the blog, Last Train Out of Paris), recently donated his World War II RAF uniform to the “Friends of the New Forest Airfields” (more on that later).

We’ve previously written about RAF (Royal Air Force) stations used by Allied fighters and bombers (click here to read, Rendezvous with the Gestapo and here to read Biggin Hill). But it wasn’t until Pat introduced me to the new non -profit organization that I began to research the twelve New Forest airfields and learn about the English air bases and how they were used during World War II (both in England and Europe).

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Did You Know?

Did you know Robert Fripp (a founding member of the King Crimson progressive rock band) is the nephew of Alfred “Alfie” Fripp, the longest surviving British POW of World War II? Alfred Fripp (1914−2013) joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1930 after the navy rejected him due to his height. After various assignments, Alfie became a flight sergeant in No 57 Squadron RAF and was a reconnaissance observer over Germany on a Bristol Blenheim aircraft. His aircraft was shot down on 13 October 1939 (England had declared war on Germany six weeks earlier on 3 September 1939). Alfie and his pilot, Mike Casey, were quickly captured and Alfie was sent to the first of his twelve POW camps over the next four and a half years before his liberation in 1945.

Alfie Fripp and his parents.
Alfie Fripp and his parents. Photo by anonymous (c. 1917). PD-Author’s life plus 70 years or fewer. Wikimedia Commons.

During his imprisonment at Stalag Luft III, Alfie became involved in the “Great Escape” in March 1944. He collected maps from Red Cross parcels as well as scrounging up digging tools. He was transferred to another POW camp about two months before the big escape. Only three POWs successfully escaped while fifty men, including Mike Casey, were captured, and murdered by the Gestapo.

RCAF Bristol Blenheim Mk I in flight. This is a similar type aircraft that Alfie Fripp was flying in when the plane went down, and Alfie was captured.
RCAF Bristol Blenheim Mk I in flight. This is a similar type aircraft that Alfie Fripp was flying in when the plane went down, and Alfie was captured. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). PD-Expired copyright. Wikimedia Commons.

Alfie retired from the RAF in 1969 as a Squadron Leader. When he passed away at the age of 98, Alfie was the last of the “39ers,” or those men taken prisoner in 1939. After his uncle died, Robert Fripp performed a musical tribute to Alfie on the BBC.

New Forest

The New Forest is one of the largest remaining tracts of forest, pasture, and heathland (i.e., peat used for fuel) in southern England. Today, about ninety percent of the land belongs to the monarchy. It has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, but the soil quality is poor (very acidic) and not very suitable for agricultural purposes. The area was proclaimed a “Royal Forest” by William the Conqueror, and it was the only forest described in detail in the Domesday Book. Read More New Forest Airfields

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The Rochambelles

My inspiration for our story today came from one our readers. Larry R. contacted me about needing assistance regarding his cousin, Josephine. Working for the American Voluntary Ambulance Corps (AVAC), Josephine was an ambulance driver in France before its surrender to the Germans in June 1940. Larry’s mission has been to obtain official recognition for Josephine and her services to France. I’m happy to say that due to Larry’s considerable efforts, the French government has issued an official letter commending Josephine for her assistance to France.

Like Larry’s cousin, time has condemned the memory of the brave women of Des Rochambeau, or Rochambelles to history. Thanks to author Elle Hampton and her 2006 book, the complete story has been told about Florence Conrad and her Rochambeau ambulance drivers.

Women of the “Des Rochambeau.” Anne-Marie Davion is lower right.
Women of the “Des Rochambeau.” Anne-Marie Davion is lower right. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).

Did You Know?

Did you know that eighth graders’ test scores in U.S. history and civics fell to the lowest levels on record? Although some improvement was made during the 1990s, the trend began to reverse itself and for the 2022-23 school year, knowledge of history and civics reached an all-time low. Only thirteen percent of all eighth graders met proficiency standards for history while twenty percent met or exceeded minimum standards for civics studies.

Course description for eighth grade social studies in Akron, Ohio “middle schools.”
Course description for eighth grade social studies in Akron, Ohio “middle schools.” (Middle schools were eliminated in favor of “Community Learning Centers.”) Photo by anonymous (date unknown).

Can we blame the pandemic? Perhaps but trends had been declining pre-pandemic with substantial gaps in student achievement. The study showed that high-performing students maintained their academic levels while low-performing students had significant drops. I’m sure we could probably see the same results in other subjects because of the pandemic’s two to three years of “Zoom” schooling. However, across the board, U.S. history scores were the worst of any subject assessed with civics coming in second worst.

Course description for tenth grade social studies in Akron, Ohio “high schools.”
Course description for tenth grade social studies in Akron, Ohio “high schools.” (High schools were eliminated in favor of “Community Learning Centers.”) Photo by anonymous (date unknown).

The commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics was shocked at the results and said, “(the scores are) woefully low in comparison to other subjects.” The secretary of education (a federal cabinet position appointed by the president) has implied the blame belongs to the opposition political party.

For those of us who believe history does repeat itself, these educational trends will likely manifest this opinion into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Ambulance Drivers

I suppose the first “ambulance” was probably a cloth hammock tied to two poles and pulled by a human or animal. Records of various methods for transporting the injured date to 900 A.D. However, a radical design change occurred in 1792 when Dominique Jean Larrey (1766−1842), Napoléon’s chief physician, created the ambulance volantes, or “flying ambulances.” These were rapidly mobilized horse-drawn carriages with trained drivers, corpsmen, and litter bearers. Read More The Rochambelles