Langton Herring, Dorset, in Wartime

We came to the family home at Langton Herring in June 1940 after Dunkirk, in time to see the last boat arrive in Weymouth with those who wanted to be evacuated from the Channel Islands.

The Essex Regiment were resident in the village and surrounding area (3 company,s and Headquarters) making defences and guarding the coast. There were Nissen Huts in Kirk Close, Bakehouse Cottage and its neighbour were used as Cookhouse etc.Later a Cookhouse built alongside the other huts Officiers were billeted at Higher Farm and other houses and a Company office was
operating in part of Whittles Bungalow.

Evacuees had been billeted but most had gone back home, Ration Books and gas masks were obtaioned from an office set up in a shop at the top of High West Street Dorchester.Civil Defence,Agriculture,
Welfare, and Petrol Rationing were also directed from the County Town.

The Auxilliary Coastguards(Coast Watchers)were manning a round the clock watch on Chesil Beach from a hut opposite Hive Point.This hut had to be moved further west(where it still stands) after it was used by a fighter plane using air to ground practice firing.A hut was also used in front of Coastguard Cottages when severe weather made crossing the Fleet impossible. Mr B Harris,Mr H Penfold, Mr W Whittle, MR A Sansford, and Mr H Harwood did the Watch Duties.

R.A.F. Personal staffed the Target Practice Range rowed across the Back Water by the Range Warden Mr F Randell from Chickerell. He also was responsible for putting up the red flags on the poles on the land side safety fence before firing commenced.There were eight targets on the Beach between Langton Hive and Moon Fleet House connected by a wooden plank walk with a command building in the middle.The personal used to arrive in a large lorry from the flying field at the Marquis of Granby.Another R.A.F. activity was the flying of sleeve targets behind a plane some of these used to be dropped on the emergency field (Mr Weedon,s) to the east of Langton Cross. The firing practice used to go on day and night and later floating targets were anchored off Chickerell and New Barn.

Mr Eric Sparks and his wife Ruth farmed Higher Farm,with his father (The Squire)Edward overseeing things and looking after the village.He was Lord of the Manor and owned most of the 43 dwellings with a population of 98.He lived with the rest of the family at Higher Farm House.

The three Whittle brothers Fred, Charles, Bert and their two sisters Nellie and Georgie were at Foxbarrow.Their dairy and barns were in the centre of the village.

Wilf and Reg Godden were at Lower Farm and The Cutforth,s at Ivy Cottage.The Blacksmith,s were Fred and Jim Taylor and Mr and Mrs Bartlett were Mine Host,s at the Elm Tree Inn.

Retured Colonel and Mrs Sylvester Bradley and Family occupied the Manor House with its Lodge and walled garden.

At the Rectory the Rector Rev. Evans lived with his two sisters, one was County Medical Officer. We
used to go there for First Aid lectures,some village meeting were also held there,always with tea and biscuits.

Mrs W. Mowlem ran the Post Office in her sitting room at Lilacs (halfway down the hill to Rodden).The Telephone Exchange was there,Telegrams were delivered by whoever was passing or able to go with them. Reward one Shilling Mrs G. Woodcock collected the Mail each morning from the Post Office and delivered it on foot, this included Coastguard cottages Bridge Lane and the Manor House.(All a good long walk)

The School comprised one large room with a Cloakroom at one end, it was also used as the Village Hall and by the troops.The Teacher Mrs Archibold lived in the School House along side, she was assisted by a Student Teacher.
The School was used weekly for Dances(music by W. Randell and his Band from Chickerell),ENSA Concerts, Whist Drives, Beetle Drives, Civil Defence,Welfare Training, and Business Meetings.

All sections of the Parish were represented at Special Meetings, Church, Chapel, School Managers, Womans Institute, etc. When whole weeks 0f activities were arranged for Warship Week, Spitfire Week, and National Shavings. Everyone worked to beat the Targets set for the village.

The Seine Fishing for mackerel went on during the summer months despite Dogfights overhead on some occasions.Crews would fish all the evening returning home at midnight and be back on the Beach at 4am. Some would go to work leaving those on shiftwork to pack and bring it across the Backwater There were crews at Parkwall(opposite Fleet House, Chickerell,Wyke Regis,Abbotsbury and Langton all keen rivals. Mr W. Bartlett senior from Chickerell used to collect the mackerel in his lorry and drive what he did,nt sale locally to Billingsgate.There was Double Summer Time.

We had a petrol of Special Home Guards, Caotain Eric Sparks,Quarter Master J. Walker, Sergeant B. Wilshire, Other ranks C Garrett, J. Marshallsay, S.W. Peach,etc.They would in the event of invasion become Guerillas and gone to their prepared hidding places.

The village had no electricity and water was obtained from stand pipes outside the cottages. At Coastguard Cottages (there were 7) rainwater was collected in galvanized tnks from the roof,any surplus went into an underground store and was pumped up.There was no sanitation except at the big houses who had there own cesspools.

The young girls cycled the siw miles to employment in Weymouth often returning after through Air Raids. Lady volunters recieved rifle firing training from Army Personal,using 2.2 rifles for target practice.They also learnt to throw handgrenades in Rushybottem.

The Womens Institute members ran a Canteen for the Troops in the Reading Room,and a Rest Centre was set up in the School.They also picked Blackberries and made jam at the Rectory and rose were collected and made into Rosehip Syrup.There were lectures on cooking herbs and wild plants(we had a taste of boiled nettles and sausages),and on the best ways to use dried egg powder.

Milk was collected by everyone from the farms in milkcans. Mr. Helyar from Chickerell delivered bread three times a week from his Bakery at the bottom of Gaston Hill.Groceries were delivered too from Wheelers and a van with Mr W. Bartlett Junior bought a selection of meat twice a week. Exide Accumulator Batteries for wireless recieving were replaced each week by Marshalls from Portland.

The bus from Weymouth ran twice a week Tuesdays and Saturdays price return one Shilling,petrol was rationed,cars had their headlights dipped and bicycles were partly blacked out.

Mr T. Bird of 1 Coastguard Cottages was a member of the Observer Corps during duty at their Post at Abbotsbury. There was gun emplacement above Fleet House and one near Abbotsbury manned by the Coastal Defence Corp. of the Army.

The winter nights ofthe early 40s were very noisey German Bombers crossed the coast taking local land marks for direction finding. Their particular drone filled the air as they passed over with sometimes gunfire and seachlights. A few hours later depending on the target in the Midlands they droned back again. Stray bombs were dropped and
sometimes there were raids on Portland and Weymonth.Towards the end of this period we used to pick up of silver foil wich I believe was used to upset navigation. False lights too on the land to the same end were seen during raids.

Everyone somehow found rations for the social occasions and the generosity was amazing for Good Courses. Clothing coupons and rations were found for the many Weddings and Receptions which took place in the Schoolroom. If crystals were used on the floor for dancing it had to be scrubbed clean before the children were allowed in for lessons.

More more land around the Fleet shores was ploughed up and put to crops.Everyone who could helped with the harvest and potato crop.Mr White used to come with his belt driven thrashing machine and steam engine.The corn having been cut and dried and put into thatched ricks from Abbotsbury sometime during the Autumn.

During the Battle of Britain fighter planes used to hdge hop arund the village.One larg piece of plane went by the window of 1 Hillside Cottage and landed outside the back door.We thougth it was a bomb and waited fo it to go up.German and British planes crashed at New Barn and Buckland Ripers, one of ours in the Fleet and another off the Chesel Beach.Two of the German crew were buried in Langton Cemetery, Later they were returned to Germany by the War Graves Commission.

Six bmbs were dropped on the Parish, one in Stone Heaps, anoher in a field to the left of Rodden Rudge(near Wyke Wood)and one east side of the Manor House.This was in July 1940 about 8pm,Cottages sustained cracks and ceilings fell down.

In the early stages the Dam Buster Bombs were tested on the Fleet between Moonfleet House and New Barn. Barnes Wallis and his team set up their instruments and camera outside 2 Coastguard Cottages(our house) on top of the rainwater reservoir. A wooden landing stage was built at Langton Hive to recover the bombs used in the second test.

When preparations for D-Day begun the road surfaces at key places like Snipe Gates corner and the bottom of Portesham Hill had concrete reinforcements.The hedgerows from Langton Cross to the top of Bagwell Farm were dug out and hardcore put in. Later successions of United States tanks (some on transporters) with their crews, parked on these pull-ins.They took it in turn to go to Chickerell Army Camp for a meal and clean-up after their long journey from their camps up coutry After they moved on to Weymouth and Portland to embark for D-Day landings.

Early on the morning of D-Day an Americian plane made a false landing on the Chesil Bank opposite Langton Hide. It was right in the middle of the barbwire square surrounding the abandon Coastguards Lookout Hut.The U.S. Airforce dismantled it and took every bit away.

Victory Day in Europe was received with great thankfulness, all who could attended a service in the Church in the evening. Blackout curtains were taken down,lights shone out and all rejoiced.If only the Japanese had not still to be delt
with.

It was another great day in August when bells rang out again to tell of the surrender of Japan.Now we could all look forward to Peace in our Time and a future full of hope.

Mr John Ccnnolly received M.B.E. for his work on bomb disposal while in the R.A.F.
All those who went to serve in the Forces returned safely,

Mrs Iris Burgin, Corfe Mullen Dorset Age 83years.

The Bouncing Bomb

I lived at Langton Herring a small village between Weymouth and Abbotsbury close to the Chesil Bank and the Fleet Waters.

Cycling home to lunch one day I found our Special Constable guarding the road from the village to the Fleet. My home was at 2 Coastguard Cottages
about 200yards from the shore so he let me pass.
When I arrived there was some activiity outside the gate where Service vehicles were parked.

The party of men assembled in the front of our house and put up instruments and a camera on the rain water reservoir,s concrete top. This allowed them to see over the wall and get a good view of the Chesil Bank and the Fleet.

Watching with my family the Peaches from an upper window about 2pm we heard a plane approaching.This had a large white ball suspended underneath.It made a dummy run from Moonfleet House to New Barn
over the water of the Fleet.On the second run it released the ball which bouced on the water westwards,it floated a few minutes than than sunk in the mud. The plane circled again and another ball was dropped successfully. The assembled team seemed very pleased.The balls were not recovered.

A wooden landing stage was built a short time later at Langton Hive and the same party returned.We watched another two balls make the journey bouncing on down the water. They were retrieved an taken away.

These balls which later became known as Bouncing Bombs were invented by Barnes Wallis and his Team. It was,nt until they were used to bomb the Eida Dam and other waterway, we knew what they were used for and who we had watched.

Of the two prototypes which were left in the Fleet.After the War someone got one of them out of the mud and placed it on the bank near the Boathouse at Langton Hive.It was there a number of years. We spent a day in the early 1990s on the Fleet shore and watched soldiers retrieve the other one from the mud.Slung in a net under a Helecopter it made the journey to Portland Museum.Where it can be seen.

Iris Burgin.

I lived 57years in this village and now in Corfe Mullen n/r Wimbourne and Poole,now aged 83.

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