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This content is no longer being updated Please use our new Website INTRODUCTION World War Two was perhaps one of the most traumatic times in recent history, the fighting and hardships affected Europe, the Pacific and had a knock on effect throughout the world. To commemorate such hardships felt by our friends and relatives, we are holding a 1940s themed weekend which will be staged over three days, (20th, 21st, 22nd June 2008). There will be a variety of projects to interest the whole family. These will vary from a war time dance, to a WWII re-enactment. So come along and join in the fun. SILENT AUCTION Click here for details of our Silent Auction of an oil painting by Ken Summers Quiz Evening Team - Hot Stuff We held our first Quiz Evening on Friday 15th February. Eight teams took part in this exiting evening of cerebral challenges. The event was split into 8 rounds with a break half way for a Ploughman's Lunch. Ian Hambidge was the Quizmaster for the evening and said "This was my first time as quizmaster; I really enjoyed it, as I'm sure everybody else did. I look forward to doing this again soon". At the end of the evening 'The Pretenders' came out on top with 71 points beating their close rivals 'Providence' by just one point. Well done to all those that took part. Quizmaster Ian Hambidge Jive Talking! Maiden Newton villagers are in full swing every Monday learning how to Jive. Their instructor, Elder Taylor, comes all the way from Utah in the USA. He said "I saw in the local paper that the community wanted to learn to Jive and offered my help. I enjoy teaching the dance and am pleased that the lessons are so popular". All of this activity is in preparation for the open air concert by AJ's Swing Band, who will be performing their Glenn Miller tribute in the grounds of Greenford School on Saturday 21st June.  Some information about Maiden Newton during World War II Once the planners had finalised the D-Day invasion plan, which placed the First US Army on the western beaches of the Bay de la Seine, American troops started to arrive in Devon and Dorset. As American troops and material poured into Britain from November 1943, Dorset became host to one of the D-Day assault divisions. The towns, villages and great houses of the County were surrounded by camps or literally taken over by units of the 1st US Infantry Division or, as it was known, 'Big Red One'. Some 34,142 men and 3,306 vehicles were based in Dorset and bound for Omaha Beach or 'Bloody Omaha'. Some people may be surprised to know that Maiden Newton, although being a fairly small village at the time, did play some part in the war effort. For example, the 1st Reconnaissance Troop was initially located at Norden Hill Camp, Maiden Newton but subsequently moved to Piddlehinton Camp. Prior to being shipped overseas on the 'Sterling Castle', the four companies of the 565th were designated as separate companies. The 3225th Quartermaster Service Company and 9th U.S. Army arrived in Liverpool, England, in early December 1943.  The US Ninth Army was one of the main U.S. Army combat commands used during the campaign in northwest Europe in 1944 and 1945. It was commanded from its inception by Lieutenant General William Simpson. It had been designated Eighth Army, but on arrival in the United Kingdom it was renamed to avoid confusion with the famous British formation of the same designation. 9th Army Patch It was immediately deployed to Maiden Newton, Dorset, southern England, where it was used to operate a railhead in Area C, in support of the troops being assembled for the invasion of France. The railhead distributed rations (Class I) to its assigned units. While at Maiden Newton, 1st Lieutenant Rechnitzer assumed command. He there met with a 1st Lieutenant and nurse of the 305th Station hospital, soon to become his wife. Lieutenant Bill Holland (Left) and 1st Lieutenant Paul H. Rechnitzer (Right) in Cornwall (U.K.) awaiting their shipment to the continent, 1944. In December 1944 the 3225th moved to the Continent. After three weeks in railway box cars the unit arrived in Maastricht, Holland, on Christmas Eve, 1944. The 3225th was attached to the 9th Army for the purpose of establishing a one day reserve of one million gallons of gasoline and 600,000 rations. Both the gasoline and rations would be needed if the Germans could not be contained in what is known as the "Battle of the Bulge". The Dorset Constabulary recorded that approximately 4,307 heavy high explosive bombs were dropped on the county during the Blitz of which 396 failed to detonate and were categorised as UXBs. There were 37,007 incendiary bombs recorded as being dropped on Dorset towns and villages, along with 14,550 smaller HE bombs, categorised as anti-personnel.
The police also recorded that fifty-four British aircraft; mostly Spitfire and Hurricane fighters, were lost over Dorset, with eight of them crashing into the sea. Against this total, some ninety German aircraft split almost evenly between bomber and their fighter escorts, were shot-down, thirty-five of them falling into the sea.
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