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Yeoman, Normandy, June 6th 1944 - During the Second World
War the Yeomanry served as artillery. In 1943 they became an
'air-landing' unit, and went into action by glider. One battery
landed in Normandy on D-Day - the first British artillery unit
ever to go into battle by air! Later, the whole Regiment was
flown across the River Rhine.
This Yeoman has just landed, and is unpacking some ammunition
crates. Landing in gliders was a hair-raising business. It involved
making a controlled crash-landing, with piles of explosives
on board too. Behind him, the glider has been unbolted and pulled
in half so that the gun and jeep can be removed -
go to room plan. |
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The Worcestershire Regiment in W W2
- The Regiment served all over the world in World War 2, from
Iceland to Rangoon. For more information on the Service histories
of the various battalions, and for more pictures of the Regiment
in action, click here. |
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Gas Phials - These phials were used in the Second World
War for training ARP wardens, firemen, ambulance men and other
civil defence workers. Each test tube contained a very small
amount of a different poison gas, including lethal ones such
as Phosgene and Chlorine and merely very unpleasant ones like
Mustard Gas. The tubes were passed around so that each worker
could have a sniff at it and learn to recognise all of the different
gases that the Germans might drop. |
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Each gas had different treatments and precautions,
and it was important to know which was which. The phials were
supposed to contain only a very safe amount of gas, but the
label warns that 'Delicate persons with bad lungs or respiratory
weakness must be cautious. The quantity of substance applied
is so small that serious casualties cannot occur.' -
go to room plan.
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Prisoner of War - This soldier of the 1st Battalion,
Worcestershire Regiment, is sitting in a Prisoner of Camp in
Italy after being captured in June 1942.
After fighting hard, and making a stand at Point 187, most of
the Battalion were captured when Tobruk, in North Africa, fell
to the Germans. After capture, they spent months moving around
North Africa, finally moving to Italy before they were registered
with the Red Cross as prisoners of war. Before this they would
not have received proper Red Cross parcels of food and clothing.
Meanwhile, back in Britaint, their families would not have known
whether they were alive or dead. |
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soldier has just received his first letter and parcel from home,
including a very welcome Worcester F. C. scarf -
go to room plan. |
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Hitler's Clock - This electric clock was removed from
the wall behind Hitler's desk in his Conference Room, above
the door into his ante-room, by Major H. F. Boddington on 26th
July 1945. He was an officer of the Worcestershire Regiment,
but had worked in the British Intelligence Service for most
of the war. That day he was escorting Winston Churchill and
other important people in a tour of the Chancellery, Berlin,
which had been captured by the Red Army. |
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deciding to 'liberate' the clock, Major Boddington gave it to
the museum for safe keeping, where it has remained as a popular
exhibit - go to room plan. |
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Malayan Gift Tin - The 1st Battalion, Worcestershire
Regiment, fought in the Malayan Emergency of 1950-53. Many National
Servicemen and volunteers spent weeks and months in patrolling
the dense jungle, tracking down Communist-led bandits. |
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tins were sent out to the members of the Battalion at Christmas
1952. They were paid for by the Sergeant's Mess Reunion, and
contained a card, cigarettes and other small presents. They
follow the tradition started by Queen Victoria in giving her
soldiers a gift box for Christmas in 1900, as did Queen Mary
in 1914. They also show the strong bond which exists between
past and present members of the Regiment -
go to room plan. |
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