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Beale Family Experiences

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posted on 2024-06-05, 19:39 authored by Their Finest Hour Project Team

Christopher Beale - remembers being awoken by a roar (June 16th, 1944) at 6am and looked up to see roof off the house, with 11 people killed. Other incidents remembers - Brooklands Racetrack attack. 88 people killed by doodlebug on Vickers Armstrong Canteen.

His mother died in 1939 so lived with father (Ronald Beale) and grandparents.

Father (Ronald) worked for insurance company. Was contacted by Baker Street (Secret Service) as RAF were asking for details of factories in Europe, which he supplied the details for to help plan raids. This involved thickness of roofs.

Father was also in the Home Guard, on the Upper Thames Patrol.

Mother's sister (Kathleen Kendal) worked in secret service. At her funeral several 'spooks' came along.

Bunty Mateland Ward (Nanny) her husband was in the Royal Marines.

After the war Christopher lived in Normandy and worked in Germany (visited Colditz) and East Germany. Learnt about life during the war in Germany.

History

Person the story/items relate to

Ronald Beale Kathleen Kendal Bunty Mateland Ward

Person who shared the story/items

Christopher Beale

Relationship between the subject of the story and its contributor

Father Aunt Nanny

Type of submission

Shared at Hungerford Library, Berkshire on 30 November 2023.

Record ID

114549 | HUN012