Letters

Letters and Correspondence Received. Page 1/3

Photographs . The Battle of Britain and Operation Sealion . Map

Many thanks to the following people for their valuable contributions to this enquiry:

Henry J. Baldry - witness to a disturbance at the Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh on the night in question.
Mr R. Burns - testimony to the burned bodies.
Ron Clayton - valuable research and background information surrounding these events.
Harry J Cork - testimony to the burned bodies.
Ross Gower - testimony to the burned bodies.
R. J. Proctor - testimony to the burned bodies.
Mrs Barbara J. Kemp - testimony to the burial of bodies at Walberswick
Margaret Paine - research and diary findings relating to events.
Mick Paintin - testimony to the burned bodies.
Marion Bloomfield Dolby - testimony to the burned bodies.
J. M. Watling -testimony to events at Shingle Street.
F S Plummer - testimony to the burning and later disposal of German bodies.
John Borrett - A picture of what things might be like had the war ended differently.

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Dear Ron.

I have read with interest your articles in the East Anglian Daily Times regarding what was thought to be the attempted landing of German forces at Shingle Street.
I was at a dance at the Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh on the night in question- Sat: August 1940. There were civilians and a large number of military personnel
At some point during the evening the army officers came in and the dance was stopped. They asked for people with cars to come forward as they were going to commandeer these vehicles to transport the soldiers to Shingle Street. The dance was then restarted, but the cars were never required.

Yours sincerely,
Henry J. Baldry

Dear Sir.

I read your letter with interest about the German army who tried to invade Suffolk. I can tell you that they did try but I could not say where it was in Suffolk. I was with the British Liberation Army who landed in Normandie in June 1944- amongst some of the first troops. France to Belgium- I was in Holand for four or five weeks building petrol tanks on Ostend Quay. My company was on PLUTO TO PIPE LINE UNDER THE OCEAN. In that short stay I got to know a Resistance man. A Belgian young fellar about my age- 24 years. He told me that the German Army had been over to England and he see them come back to Ostend all burned and black so they tried to invade some place in UK but did not know where- but you do know the same place as I do that the Germans did invade somewhere. That's my story and it's the truth. I am 80 years on June this year. There's no need to ask anyone else about Germany trying to invade the UK- I've told you that they did try- by some one who saw them return to Ostend Quay.

Yours faithfully,
Mr Harry J. Cork

Dear Mr Ashford

In reply to your article in the E.A. regarding Shingle Street, August 1940. At that time I lived at Blyford, that is between Halesworth and Southwold. My father was a member of the local Home Guard. At that time all the platoons in that area were put on standby. He spent quite a lot of time away- he said they were patrolling the beaches (or as near as they could get) from Southwold to Sizewell looking for burnt bodies, but didn't mention if they ever found any, with the sea defences in that area, I doubt if they could recover anyone. It would be interesting to find out what really happened. I hope you can find out something.

Yours faithfully
Ross Gower

Pan Books
Gordon Instone M.M.
Freedom The Spur
Page 182: A strong rumour circulating in Paris in the middle of August was that the Germans had attempted to invade Britain but had been caught half way across the Channel by the R.A.F. who in some mysterious way had dropped tons of oil on the landing craft and then set them on fire- burning thousands of Germans to death. Some people even maintained that they had seen hundreds of their bodies in the sea badly burnt washed up on the coast. Some were still alive and rushed by special trains to hospitals requesitioned in Paris.
I am reading this book.
R. J. Proctor

Mr Ashford
This has come up time and time again. When we were boys I remember in Felixstowe my mate Mr John Rudd and others talked about this over the years. I have always been interested in this every time there's a piece in the papers I cut them out. I am only 71 this year and was in Felixstowe all the war. Most of the boys were evacuees tot he Birmingham area.
Hope this has been some help.
R. J. Proctor

Dear Mr Ashford
I was interested in the article about Shingle Street's war history- and secrets- in today's E.A.D.T.
Members of my mother's family lived in the Saxmundham area and became acquainted with a soldier who was stationed nearby. In fact he became a friend of all the family and remained so until his death a few years ago. He was an extremely sensible young man and after the war he told us about the bodies on the beach. He had a great deal of respect for his superior officer and he said that this officer was upset at the incident and said, "I have been told that they were buried on Walberswick Common."
Yours sincerely
Barbara J Kemp (Mrs)