THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

FINDON IN THE DAILY SKETCH

The Daily Sketch put the Findon Village on its front page during the Second World War. In April 2002, Julian Harwood of the Findon Newsagency showed me the newspaper picture below .....

The photograph depicts tank in The Square (looking up School Hill....Village House behind) during the 1940s. and was taken by a Lieutenant Smith back on 4th March 1941. It was featured in the newspapers of the day and still survives in print in Findon today.

It illustrates the rounding up of parachute troops and the picture was taken during an exercise in the 4th Corps area of Southern Command. At this time troops were engaged in the so-called rounding up of "enemy" parachutists (supposedly having landed on the Downs. This photograph shows a sergeant of the 44th Royal Tank Regiment studying his map with one of his crew members — while the Findon school children stand around and watch.

In April 2002 I received an e-mail from Dominic Miller ....

16th April 2002.

Dear Valerie

Interesting picture of the tank in Findon - it is an Infantry Tank A12 Matilda II. It (probably, nothing is certain!) would not have gone to Normandy in 44/45 but saw action in France 1940 & the Western Desert during 1940/42. I believe it last saw action as a gun tank with the British Army during 1st battle of Alamein in July 1942 although it was converted to
other uses subsequently.

Their final operational role was in Balikpapan in July 1945 with the Australian Army, which continued using them for training through to the mid 50's.

Regards

Dominic Miller

My money was on it being a Matilda tank in the above photograph.... but being a mere female I didn't like to say, in case I was proved wrong.

At this time, three Royal Artillery 25 pounder gun batteries were positioned strategically in the Findon area, and one at nearby Angmering. I understand that the peace was shattered in Nepcote when the 25 pounders stationed to the north of the Green, in the late Bob Gore’s paddock, fired over Worthing and out to sea. Apparently, one day, a shell fell short in the seaside town.

It all sounds absolutely horrific now but the guns to the east and north of Cissbury Ring were fired over Findon towards Black Patch Hill. This training exercise was mortifying for the villagers as they heard shells whining overhead. The firing lasted for hours and the village boys had time to get to the Long Furlong road (A280) to watch the explosions on Black Patch Hill.

In addition to the naval guns firing out to sea from Church Hill, the Findon night sky was brightly illuminated with anti-aircraft guns firing from Homefield Park in Worthing.

Continue if you would like to read about Harry's War.

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This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com