Wartime Whitwick

During the war Leicestershire played host to some 75,000 children evacuated from Birmingham. The first 341 children arrived at Coalville Station at 11.15am on Friday 1st September 1939. However, by the 22nd September a large number had returned to Birmingham due to the lack of bombing raids on that city. It was to be November 1940 before many of them returned a time when Birmingham was beginning to suffer considerably from Luftwaffe raids. 1943 saw many of the evacuees return to Birmingham, however, the advent of Doodlebug raids on Southern England saw evacuees arriving from Ilford and Dagenham.

Of particular note during the war years were the many fund raising activities to aid the war effort, the Whitwick National School (Market Place) log recorded for the year ending 31st March 1942 - "a total of £2422/4s/0d, inclusive of £400/1s/0d for War Weapons Week and £627/5s/0d for Warship Week (pictured left). The following year the “Wings for Victory” appeal saw the National School raise £522/2s/0d and the Holy Cross school raise £1506/6s/0d. For 1943-4 the “Salute the Soldier” appeal saw the National School raise £512/6s/0d and the Holy Cross School £2698. Another fund raising activity in the village was the Whitwick and New Swannington Comforts Fund which prior to the war had raised money to distribute to the poor of the area. In 1939 the group turned its attentions to raising money for the forces through street collections and donations. In the period between January 1940 and 31st December 1945 the fund raised over £10,461 which was distributed to the sons and daughters of Whitwick serving in the armed forces. For those who had served throughout the war they had received a total of £23/10s/0d.

In common with other establishments Whitwick Colliery formed its own Home Guard unit (pictured right) to repulse German invaders which were considered an ever present threat. In the beginning like many other units it was probably fairly rag tag, whilst uniform was freely available, arming the Home Guard was very difficult. Eventually many units were issued with Canadian Ross rifles although ammunition remained in short supply. Whilst Whitwick was not on the front line reminders of the war were everywhere, the factory at the top of the Dumps Road assembled machine guns and packed parachutes, whilst the German POW camp in Shepshed sometimes allowed its inmates to visit the pictures in Whitwick.

IN PROUD MEMORY OF THE MEN OF WHITWICK WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WARS
1914 - 1918 and 1939 - 1945