1943 - Bridlington - Wings for Victory - Parade

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Ramiles, May 21, 2018.

  1. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    There's a line in the 24th L war diary that says:

    14/6/43 - The Regiment provided a Squadron of tanks to take part in the Bridlington ”Wings for Victory” Parade.

    And there's an online Yorkshire film archive (mentioned previously a few times, elsewhere on here) that has this 16 min, silent film, and although the film itself is not yet available to view online, a few other "Wings for Victory" parades in other towns are, e.g. Yorkshire Film Archive

    ...the description to the Bridlington one is however available to read:

    WINGS FOR VICTORY

    Almost at end (of the film's description) it mentions tanks, which perhaps includes those mentioned as being sent to the parade in the 24th L wardiary.

    "Film ID: YFA 339
    WINGS FOR VICTORY
    1943 Description(active tab)
    This film records the events of 'Wings for Victory' week held in Bridlington and District 12th to 19th June 1943. The military agencies and local community join to raise money to pay for new aeroplanes that will be used to help Britain win the Second World War.

    Title - "Per Ardua ad Astra" Note: translates as "Through Struggles to the Stars".

    Title - Foreword - For one whole year after the fall of France in 1940 Great Britain with the Dominions, alone but undaunted, faced the whole might of Germany. Invasion threatened. The Nation stood firm.

    Title - During that fateful year the world was saved from German domination by those gallant boys of the R.A.F. who flying the Spitfires and the Hurricanes met the full onslaught of the Luftwaffe and although heavily outnumbered, were victorious.

    Title - "Never in the whole field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" Winston Churchill.

    Title - Through blood and toil, tears and sweat, our strength grew until in 1942 we turned from defence to attack. The air again vibrated with the roar of aero engines but with this difference - the roar was from out planes.

    There are then close ups of newspaper cuttings, some of which include headlines such as, 'Berlin bombed third night running', 'Armament town pounded', and 'Mighty air offensive'.

    Title - This offensive, often carried on for over 100 hours without pause, created a demand for planes, more planes and still more planes. To meet the cost "Wings for Victory" weeks were held throughout the country in the spring and summer of 1943.

    Title - This film records the events of "Wings for Victory Week" held in Bridlington & District 12th to 19th June 1943.

    A close up shows a poster for the Bridlington & district, "Wings for Victory Week", which features the date, 'June 1943', and the desired target, '£160,000'.

    In Bridlington, shots show the Lord Mayor of Bridlington chatting with two women and another man. The group then pose for the camera outside a building dedicated to the event. Inside, formally dressed guests mingle and a woman at a desk takes money from a woman before handing her a slip. A uniformed member of the RAF then shows the Lord Mayor how a bomb deployment mechanism works. The Lord Mayor then makes a speech from a stage, and there are shots from amongst the seated audience.

    On a main street in Bridlington, a march past takes place through town centre led by RAF Officers, who are followed by different Home Front wartime agencies. Senior officials and local delegates are then captured walking through another street, and the shot captures a man hobbling with a wooden leg. More shots capture the senior military men and local dignitaries - one of whom carries a large golden sceptre - walking past a grand building. A brass band play, before a shot of a statue depicting an angle battling of several snakes is followed by views of the totals board, which reads, 'Give him his wings', and a cut out of a pilot points to the current total which is £50,000.

    A building on a street corner has a sign that reads, 'War Savings Centre', and a series of shots capture several distinguished gentlemen, wearing suits and trilbies, walking towards the camera.

    In the next sequence, a small crowd has formed along the pavement to watch the Lord Mayor and his entourage as they pass. Men and women wearing black 'Civil Defence' uniforms become the focus for a brief time. Another march past takes place including police officers, a marching band, Civil Defence personnel. Shots then show the Lord Mayor talking with a local delegate and two organisers moving the total marker up to £55,000.

    A senior man, followed by the Lord Mayor and other high ranking officials, inspects some of the agency personnel - shaking hands and chatting genially. Moving on, he talks to veterans with medals pinned to their breast and ARP members.

    The senior man and the Lord Mayor then make speeches from a rostrum to the attending audience. A final procession is greeted by a large crowd who stand on the pavements; it includes military tanks, trucks, a brass band, soldiers and home guards. The film closes with the Lord Mayor and other organisers raising the total indicator to £70,000.


    I have previously seen a few still pictures of a couple of 24th Lancer, B squadron tank troops in Bridlington, (which I'll hopefully post in a mo. ;-) and it's perhaps possible that these still pictures relate to the 1943 "Wings for Victory" Bridlington parade.
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2021
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  2. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    [​IMG]


    LT_Leather's_Troop.JPG
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2018
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  3. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Some other links for the "Wing for Victory" events in Bridlington 1943

    Ref. to an "Official programme for the Bridlington and District 'Wings for Victory Week' " (Nb. not currently available to view online) - 12 Jun 1943-19 Jun 1943: Official programme for the Bridlington and District 'Wings for Victory Week' | The National Archives


    Bridlington 'Wings for Victory Week' Concert Poster
    http://www.eriding.net/worldinconflict/wwii/images/1943bridconcert.jpg
    This is a facsimile of a poster which lists the entertainments to be provided at the concert at the Grand Pavillion on the 13th June, 1943. It includes a Royal Air Force band, an impressionist, a comedian and a vocalist.


    From: eRiding - History in the National Curriculum - The World in Conflict - World War II - Gallery

    Google Search: "Bridlington" "1943" wings for Victory - Google Search
     
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  4. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Last edited: Jan 4, 2022
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  5. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    And a further Troop...

    LancersB copy.jpg
     
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  6. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Last edited: Sep 25, 2021
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  7. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

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  8. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Another fantastic picture has cropped up...

    Rather similar situation, in that really it adds a confusing element.

    By the looks if it this might have been an "HQ" fighting troop.

    Although it's hard to distinguish a Squadron due to a lack of Squadron tac elements - diamonds, triangles, squares, circles...

    By rights it "should" be "B" - to tie in with the other troops, but it might even have been the Regimental "HQ troop"... representing the 24th Lancers "there"...

    Rather sadly too there are parts on the far left and right that seem cropped off... and hard to tell if this happened in the original or it is merely a subsequent scanning issue / problem with how the copy was made.

    received_657595318788620.jpeg
     
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  9. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Same photo...

    FB_IMG_1672902866424.jpg
     

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