Bridlington (Yorkshire, UK) A place for some links, and associations with Bridlington (Yorkshire, UK), especially, but not only, during WW2. Rm. (More to add in edit - will be similar in format, for example to the thread on Chippenham Park - see Chippenham Park Camp )
Links... Bridlington - Wikipedia http://ww2talk.com/index.php?search/11545688/&q=Bridlington&o=relevance bridlington | WW2Talk 1943 - Bridlington - Wings for Victory - Parade WAAFs Training at Bridlington. Other links... East Riding museum - Welcome War Memorials | Bridlington Priory Wartime Bridlington Remembered in New Video https://www.citizan.org.uk/blog/2016/Mar/24/defending-our-isle-military-defenses-bridlington/ RAF Bridlington - Wikipedia
Events... 1942 - VISIT OF LADY MOUNTBATTEN This is a film from Bridlington showing various events during 1942, including a campaign to forge links between the youth of Britain and America, a visit by Lady Mountbatten, Armistice Sunday, a procession of wartime service personnel, and a celebration of the victory in Libya. 7-10th June 1943 - The 24th L Regiment moved (from Chippenham Park nr. Newmarket) to its new permanent location at Bridlington, Yorks. 8th June 1943 - 23rd Hussars moved to Bridlington. 14th June 1943 - 24th L war diary - 14d4m43 - The Regiment provided a Squadron of tanks to take part in the Bridlington ”Wings for Victory” Parade. 8th Rifle Brigade: "From 1 to 13 February a period of intensive training is carried out at Hunmanby, including driving on and off landing craft. Then on 10 February, the battalion and the rest of the 29th Armoured Brigade are inspected by General Montgomery, on the grounds of Bridlington Highschool." 6th February 1944 - 24th L war diary - 6/2/44 - Approx 50% of the 24th L Regiment left Bridlington for the new location at Chippenham Park near Newmarket and came under Command 8th Armoured Brigade. Chippenham - 8/2/44 - The remainder of the 24th L Regiment arrived at Chippenham Park. 9th February 1944 - GENERAL MONTGOMERY'S TOUR OF ARMY UNITS IWM H 35724 - Object description - Original wartime caption: General Montgomery arriving at Bridlington Town Hall with the Mayor. 22nd March 1944 - The King, Queen and Princess Elisabeth inspect the 8th Rifle Brigade in Bridlington - Website 8th Rifle Brigade (11th Armoured Division)
Pictures... 1943 - "B" Squadron group - 24th Lancers in Bridlington... see... 24th Lancers September 1943 9th February 1944 - GENERAL MONTGOMERY'S TOUR OF ARMY UNITS IWM H 35724 - Object description - Original wartime caption: General Montgomery arriving at Bridlington Town Hall with the Mayor. GENERAL MONTGOMERY'S TOUR OF ARMY UNITS IWM H 35725 - Object description - Original wartime caption: Crowds cheering General Montgomery as he leaves Bridlington Town Hall.
Here’s a bit more background context to the RAF Marine Craft Unit featured in the first link at #2: https://telsociety.org.uk/places-to-visit/bridlington/ and TE Lawrence. I remember an ASR launch still operating from the harbour in the 1960s.
Taken in Brid: 23rd Hussars men: Sgt Donald Newstead Smith DCM, C Sqr, 2nd left. Tpr George Spring, B Sqr, extreme right.
Harkness, I think I recall previously you asking if anyone recognised the Bridlington Street in the picture above... see... 7928447 Serjeant Donald Newstead SMITH, DCM, 23 Hussars According to the 24th Lancers' Maurice Lobb... "An immediate move followed to Bridlington. “Tanks” said Bridlington. “We don’t want tanks”. But tanks they got. 24th Lancers were on the south side. RHQ in the Chequers on the seafront, "A" Squadron in Cardigan Road, "B" Squadron St James Road and "C" Squadron in Roundhay Road. Stan Cottee set the quartermaster stores up in the Lobster Pot down by the Harbour." Not sure if that narrows anything down for the 23H? Whether they would have been in the same general area, or else rather more elsewhere, such as further north etc.
8th Rifle Brigade: "From 1 to 13 February a period of intensive training is carried out at Hunmanby, including driving on and off landing craft. Then on 10 February, the battalion and the rest of the 29th Armoured Brigade are inspected by General Montgomery, on the grounds of Bridlington Highschool."
24L War Diary 12-18/7/43 The Regiment formed a bivouac on the Wolds training area and carried out intensive Regimental training. A night march across country was included in the training programme. And 29 Armoured Brigade location 1943/44 "The 23rd moved to Bridlington, Yorkshire and the Shermans continued to arrive. For a time the squadrons had a double allotment of Shermans and Crusaders before the latter were sent off. Exercise Eagle took place next on July 7th and was followed by a regimental camp at Butterwick on the Yorkshire Wolds. VIII Corps’ Exercise Hawk followed on July 22nd and gun exercises at Hornsea Ranges, Spaunton Moor and Riccall Bridge." Getting ready - 8th Rifle Brigade "In July, from 1 until 20 July, the three Motor Companies go out for combined training camps with the Infantry Battalions from the Division’s 159 Infantry Brigade. F Company with 3rd Monmouthshire at North Burton Camp, G Company with 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry at Burrow House and H Company with the 1st Herefordshire at Butterwick. From 7 to 9 and from 11 to 12 July, parts of the Battalion acted as enemy for Corps and Divisional exercises in the Wolds Area. From 21 to 24 July the complete Battalion took part in 8th Corps exercise ‘Hawk’, with the Guard Armoured Division acting as the enemy. From 29 to 31 July, it is the other way around, with F Company and other parts of the 11th Armoured Division acting as the enemy for a Guards Armoured Division exercise." Re. 2ndF&F 'Report on RA Combined Trng Camp, Butterworth, 26th July to Aug 11th', 13 August 1943, at Appendix A to War Diary of 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, July 1943 WWII | Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum Has... "In Yorkshire the infantry and armour were finally welded together into a team that worked with perfect understanding and trust. The combined camps at Butterwick and Burrow House were the forging grounds of 11Armd Div, and members of the Battalion will long remember the strenuous battle exercises which stood them in such good stead in the days which followed." PoW Camp 159 Butterwick
Amazingly, for a front line town, there seems to be no published book about Brid in WW2, like many other towns and cities have, especially with a local hero such as Alderson: Thomas H Alderson GC - victoriacross