VE Day 80 - Experiences of the Second World War
On 3 September 1939, following Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, the Second World War began
The war continued for almost six years and involved Allied Forces (Great Britain, France, United States and Soviet Union) and the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan), with approximately 40,000,000 - 50,000,000 deaths incurred, marking it the largest and bloodiest conflict to date. At the start of 1945, Allied Forces in Europe began to significantly regain territory and as forces surrounded Berlin, Germany surrendered on 7 May 1945. This news was officially announced to civilians on 8 May 1945, being declared as 'Victory in Europe (VE) Day'.
As news of the end of the War in Europe spread, millions of people across Britain and the Allied nations took to the streets in celebration. However, despite the jubilation, concerns were still rife for those missing in action and those still involved in conflict in Asia, which continued until 15 August 1945.
To commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, we're taking a look at Ayrshire's connections to the war by exploring some of our local heroes.
Experiences of War
All of the men who enlisted within the Armed Forces during the war sacrificed their lives to protect the freedoms of civilians living in the Allied Nations. Unlike during the First World War, many men were aware of the horrendous conditions they would be likely to experience when serving their country, yet this did not deter them.
| FACT: Did you know, that upon enlisting in the Armed Forces, men were entitled to medical benefits under the National Health Acts. In the event of in-patient treatment, this would normally be given at the nearest Naval, Military, RAF or Civil Emergency Medical Scheme Hospital and treatments and any prescribed medications would be free. As the National Health Service wasn't introduced until 1948, this would have been considered a significant benefit of enlisting. |
Here are just some of the stories of local men and those with a connection to Ayrshire who served to defend our country during WW2.
John Milroy Halliday
John Milroy Halliday was born in 1911 and had connections to Kilmarnock. John was trained as a plasterer before enlisting in the Royal Marines, earning the rank of Brig Major. Records held at the Ayrshire Archives appear to show that John was reported missing on active service on 11 October 1943, however, materials also include diary entries throughout January 1945, which appear to show John working in Germany, possibly being held as a Prisoner of War. Diary logs describe the freezing conditions in which the men had to work in the woods, with rumours of long-awaited parcels from the Red Cross, after living off of "gerry food" for 11 weeks.
Closer to home, the risk of war was very much felt in Ayrshire, as civilians were prepared for the threat of enemy bombings. An exert from a letter written by John's parents highlights this, as they mention "no bombs in this locality", which reinforces that there were no areas of the country that were deemed safe from attack.
William Jamieson
William Jamieson, who had connections to Prestwick, served in Berlin during the war. In 1944, the Allied Forces were sweeping through Europe, heading for Berlin. En route to Berlin, William was part of a patrol that liberated a German Airfield in Holland. At the Airfield, Allied troops found a large, loose-leaf binder within the main control room, containing maps of every town in the UK. Each map has proposed bombing sites carefully printed over them in red. Many of these documents were taken away by soldiers and kept within their families. The map of South Ayrshire bombing sites was taken by William and is shown on the right.
John Ingram McCrindle
John Ingram McCrindle was born in 1905 in Girvan and was married with seven children. Originally following his father as a fisherman, John enlisted in the Royal Navy Reserve on 15 May 1925 with the Service Number A 12571.
After many years of training and employment on fishing vessels, John enrolled again in the Royal Naval Reserve Patrol Service in August 1939 after rumours of war began and experienced seamen were needed. John was given the Service Number LT/7006C and was appointed a Leading Seaman, which was a distinct improvement from a mere fisherman.
John sailed on His Majesty's Trawler Stella Dorado, which was an anti-submarine vessel. In late May 1940, John's unit was involved in 'Operation Dynamo', which was the codename for the evacuation mission of over 338,000 Allied soldiers at Dunkirk. On 31 May, John was involved in the successful rescue of 21 survivors of the French Destroyer 'Sirocco', which had been torpedoed by two German motor torpedo boats, S-23 and S-26. Less than 24 hours later John lost his life, aged 35 years old, as the Stella Dorado was sunk by E-Boat S-34 near Dunkirk, with no survivors.
The Luftwaffe sank 4 destroyers and 27 other vessels that day, however, as a result of the collective efforts, 17,348 troops were rescued from beaches and 45,081 troops were rescued from the harbour on that day alone. John's body was never recovered, however, he is listed on the Lowestoft Naval Memorial, Girvan War Memorial and has a headstone at Doune Cemetery in Girvan.
Gordon Waugh
Gordon Maxwell Waugh was born on 1 July 1924 in Girvan. In 1941, Gordon enlisted and was given Service Number 3066165, going on to being ranked as a Private in the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment Army Air Corps. Upon leaving Girvan, Gordon thought he was embarking on the adventure of a lifetime.
Gordon's battalion was involved in Operations in Tunisia for approximately six months in late 1942, where he lost many friends and comrades as they suffered heavy casualties. In July 1943, Gordon was involved in 'Operation Fustian', as part of the invasion of Sicily. The objective was to capture the Primosole Bridge across the Simeto River. Unfortunately, the Operation didn't to according to plan, as many of the Battalion's aircraft were shot down or damaged by friendly fire and only two companies landed. The bridge was eventually secured after three days, however, more than half of the 295 paratroopers were killed or injured before land reinforcements could capture the landmark. Sadly, Gordon was amongst those who lost their lives that day, aged 19 years old.
Gordon is buried at Catania War Cemetery in Sicily.
Alexander Campbell
Alexander Campbell was born 10 August 1921 in Girvan and was a Private in the 6th Battalion's King's Own Scottish Borderers, Service Number 3131264. Alexander's Battalion were part of the 44th Brigade in the 15th (Scottish) Division, involved in the Normandy beach landings on 15th June 1944 and in the battles around Caen and the River Odon. Alexander fought through France, Belgium and Holland.
On 5th December 1944, Alexander's Battalion took Blerick in Holland, which was the only remaining town occupied by the Germans on the west bank of the River Meuse. This was a difficult victory, with soldiers having to overcome the anti-tank ditches, trenches, minefields and barbed wire which the Germans had fortified the town with.
After the success at Blerick, Alexander marched on to the Siegfried Line, which was a 400 mile line of German fortification. They then advanced across the River Rhine into Germany.
On 17 April 1945, Alexander was involved in the assault on Uelzen, Lower Saxony. Unfortunately, Alexander was badly wounded during combat and died later that day, aged 23 years old.
Women's Experiences during the War
Whilst men were involved in combat, women also played a significant part in the war in the war effort. Many women took on roles such as air raid wardens; mechanics; munitions workers; and bus and fire engine drivers. Over 640,000 women served in the Armed Forces, including the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF); Auxiliary Territorial Services (ATS); and the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS). In addition to this, women were also trained to drive ambulances, fly unarmed aircraft and serve as nurses.
Due to the scale of the war, there were also opportunities for women to be take part in training courses to help protect the lives of civilians at home. In Ayrshire, the threat to daily life was at the forefront of people's minds and many women were involved in the home front as a result. The Ayrshire Archives hold a number of records relating to women's involvement during the conflict, including certificates for attending courses such as 'Anti-Gas Training', as part of voluntary Air Raid Warden duties in the event of bombing.
Civilian Experiences
For those remaining at home during the war, this was an equally unsettling experience. Many were separated from loved ones, adapted to food rations and had to adhere to strict black-out measures to name a few changes. The threat of bombing was an everyday risk that civilians had to contend with and a wide range of measures were in place in the event of an attack.
Posters and handbooks were widely distributed to all households to offer guidance on how to prepare and protect homes against air raids.
The impact of war touched upon every aspect of life in Britain from 1930-1945 and these are only some examples of this. On VE Day, it's important to reflect on these experiences and celebrate the bravery and sacrifices of all those who lived throughout this period.
*Information and images provided by the Ayrshire Archives and Girvan and District Great War Project.
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