On the Home Front - Chapter Ten

The war memorial at North Mymms

A sub-committee of the Parochial Church Council - the Liaison Committee for returning members of HM Forces was formed in 1945.

The main duty of the committee was the welcoming of returning men and women into 'full and complete fellowship of the church."

The committee was anxious to have the plans well in hand before demobilization took place.

A victory tea-party for the children of Waterend and Welham Green took place on June 19th 1945 at Hawkshead Playing Fields.

A house to house collection in the district provided sufficient food for 300 children.

In July 1945, the outstanding event was the return of prisoners of war, several of whom came back to North Mymms.

In a letter to his parishioners in September 1945, Rev. Hamel-Smith wrote:-

"The services on the Sunday, following the declaration of total victory, were well attended and our parish took its part in the national rejoicings and thanksgivings to Almighty God.

"Soon now those who have been parted from their families for so long will be returning to their home and they and we will be putting our hand, to the plough to build up a better and happier England in the faith of God, beginning as we must always begin, in our own home and in our own parish."

On The Home Front - The People and Parish of North Mymms 1935-45
Index - On The Home Front
Chapter One - A Message From The Vicar
Chapter Two - The Special Constabulary
Chapter Three - The War Comes Home - Parish Bomb Damage
Chapter Four - The Auxiliary Fire Service
Chapter Five - Children in the Parish
Chapter Six - Keeping Busy on the Home Front
Chapter Seven - The North Mymms Auxiliary Hospital
Chapter Eight - The Secret Visitors
Chapter Nine - Church and People
Chapter Ten - Epilogue
Chapter Eleven - People

Bibliography
North Mymms Parish Magazine
Crockford's Clerical Directory 1939
Who's Who 1988
North Mymms Auxiliary Hospital 1940-46: A brief description by H.M.Alderman
Who Was Who (various years)

Note: Many thanks are due to Dick Colville and Leslie Abbott for allowing their reminiscences of the war years in the parish to be published. Also to Mr Colville for allowing the essay by his wife Dorothy to be reproduced. The North Mymms Local History Society

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