The Second World War - 1939-45

In the book ‘Dorset at War’ (John Murphy), it is recalled how in the build-up to the Second World War slogans were thought up as propaganda to convince everyone that the truth was a pack of lies! Although this may have had some psychological effect generally, it was certainly a winner for Mr L H. Douch of Broadmayne. Apparently he won £1,000 (a tidy sum of money at that time), in a national contest – one of many such competitions involving the use of cleverly worded slogans in an attempt to fool the enemy. During the early months of the war, numerous voluntary organisations were formed to help in the fight against the enemy. However, changes were constantly taking place within their ranks.

One such instance, recalled in ‘Dorset at War’, concerned the recently formed County ARP and Chief Officer Quinton of Broadmayne, who was leaving for active service. Records show that to plug the gap created by his departure, a Major Sheppard of Owermoigne then took over the district of Owermoigne, Broadmayne, Tincleton, Monkton and Came. During the war many acts of individual bravery were recorded. One of Broadmayne's most caring and courageous parishioners was Violet Cross, a Sergeant in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. On August Bank Holiday weekend 1942, Violet returned to Dorset, arriving at Weymouth Station that particular weekend with other service personnel who were coming home on leave. She had been nursing with the French Army when captured by the Germans, who asked her to set up a hospital in a small town held by them. She worked there until she could achieve no more. When France capitulated she made up her mind to escape. She managed to obtain French papers made out in the name of Violette Cross and was granted permission to go to Paris and get a pass to Spain, where she said her husband was living. Nazi officers were crowding The Chamber of Deputies when she got to Paris and she closed her eyes at the sight of so many Germans together.

The Germans seemed quite concerned and offered her water and some chocolate. She then realised that they thought she was genuinely ill and immediately put on some very realistic fainting fits. Embarrassed by all this and only too pleased to get rid of her, the Germans gave her a pass to Spain without checking her phoney papers. Violet had also been a nurse in France during the Great War and when she arrived home she had been decorated with six medal ribbons, including the Croix de Guerre and the Medaille de la Reconnaissance Française. Various Army Regiments were stationed at Broadmayne during the War, and amongst those that come to mind were The Royal Ulster Rifles, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers, The King's Own Scottish Borderers, and The Royal Engineers. Every Sunday, the troops marched through the village on Church Parade. Most of the regiments had bands, some had just Fife and Drums. Some had their own mascots, and the Royal Welsh Fusiliers had a very grand white goat which walked very proudly in front of the band with its handler. The Scottish Regiment looked very colourful in their kilts and white spats, with their bagpipes. Once every month they would Beat the Retreat in the field opposite High Trees which was always known as ‘The Park’.

The Troops were housed mainly in wooden huts on the camp sites adjoining Chalky Road and Rectory Close, Conway Drive and Woodlands. There was more hutted accommodation at the eastern end of the village - to the left of the Wareham Road and the entrance to Fryermayne Farm proceeding towards Owermoigne. Leaving Broadmayne, in the direction of Culliford Tree, there was a searchlight in Chalky Road, in the field on the left hand side of the road, opposite ‘Longlands’. This field was used as a cricket ground and at one time Broadmayne had a very good cricket team. As village life continued, the Home Guard, Women's Voluntary Service, the Civil Defence and other voluntary organizations were formed. The village was mainly served by three grocery shops, a bakery, a shoemaker, a post office/doctor's surgery, and last but not least, by two pubs. The post office (opened in 1881), was located at No. 36 Main Street. The doctor’s surgery consisted of a small room in these premises and the waiting room was a cold stone passage, with nowhere to sit - only the stairs for both customers and patients alike! It was often a long wait for patients who sometimes, not surprisingly, felt much worse than when they first left home!

The doctor at that time came from Winfrith and his surgery at Broadmayne was held once a week!

Milk was delivered every day by two local farmers. Mr Fred Trevitt carried his in two buckets, suspended from a yoke across his shoulders. His dairy was attached to the farmhouse on the corner of Charlmont Cross – sadly burned down in 1966. The other milk was delivered from Fryermayne Farm by Beryl Cooper, eldest sister of Betty Voss, a life-long resident of Broadmayne who now lives in Broadmead. Betty remembers many aspects of village life during the war, as does Audrey Edwards of Manor House, on the corner of Osmington Drove. Both have contributed greatly to these war-time memories. They remember the evacuees arriving from the London and Southampton areas and being billetted to any household with available space. Many of these children eventually went back home, but a few stayed on after the war and one or two married locally. During the air raids, the siren could be clearly heard from Dorchester and a ‘safe’ place to hide was either under the bed or under the stairs! At one stage during the war, the old village hall, originally built as the Conservative and Unionist Hall, was used by The Royal Air Force (RAF) for parachute packing. Three airmen and three members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAFs) carried out this vital task. The WAAFs were billetted at ‘Conygar House’. The hall was also the venue for local village 'hops', arranged to entertain the many service personnel stationed nearby. Owing to the severe rationing, the two village pubs, The Black Dog and The Compasses, only opened on a limited basis and when they were open, men were sent from the camps, to fetch beer in five gallon buckets!

The Great War (1914 - 1918)
D-Day
RAF Warmwell