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You are here: Home / Community / My Memories of Chandler’s Ford in the 1930s and 1940s: Part 1

My Memories of Chandler’s Ford in the 1930s and 1940s: Part 1

October 29, 2015 By Peter David Shuttler 1 Comment

I was born in Chandler’s Ford in 1932 – lived at Kingsmead (corner of Winchester Road and Ford Road) until 1946.

I tried to contact Barbara Hillier some years ago as I have two copies of her book. I sat next to David (Ginger) Hillier in Miss Drover’s Grade 4/5 in 1945/46.

The ME110 crash in Baddesley Road in Chandler’s Ford

I would like to tell you my account of the ME 110 crash in Baddesley Road. At the time I was cycling back home and saw the burning plane coming towards me so I hid in the woods about 100 yard from the crash. The pilot was still in the plane trying to avoid a farmhouse but the rear gunner, a fifteen year old boy, had baled out over Cranberry Park, was caught in a tree and had his legs shot off by over zealous home guards.

Image credit: German General Archive, Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-360-2095-23 / Wanderer, W. / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Image credit: German General Archive, Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-360-2095-23 / Wanderer, W. / CC-BY-SA 3.0

In 1956 I was in the Royal Navy and visited Travemünde and Lübeck. With three others of the crew we visited a night club – Die Rote Katze (not too sure of the spelling) and it was some sort of special armed services day. As we entered the MC came over and said that a gentleman at a table had invited us to join him with the greeting that “We were all Servicemen even though we had been on opposite sides, we were all the same”. I hadn’t noticed at once that he was in a wheelchair and I related to him about the ME 110 crash and subsequent event – he then said without any rancour “I was that boy” – I don’t think that I have ever met a more heroic man in my whole life and I can never forget his words.

 

I was born David Peter Butcher but when my mother was married in 1946 I was officially adopted and changed my name to Peter David Shuttler.

David Butcher childhood pictures Chandler's Ford edit

I left Chandler’s Ford in 1946 and moved to Burghfield Common, near Reading where I went to boarding school until 1950. Left and joined the Royal Navy until 1957 during which time I married and moved to Saltash, Cornwall.

Chandler's Ford memories Peter David Shuttler

Emigrated to Australia in 1958 and have never been back to United Kingdom. Originally in Sydney but moved to Tasmania in 1960 and have been here ever since. Relatives have visited me and from all their accounts I would not like to see it as it now – I’d like to see it as I remember.

David Butcher: A couple of years ago I received a country music award.
David Butcher: A couple of years ago I received a country music award.

Some names that I recall – Hubert Baude, Eric Higlett, Brian and Yvonne Traynor and Keith Hubbard. I believe that Yvonne married Eric and Brian served as an Engineer with Shell shipping tankers. I’d love to hear from any of them.

Peter_Symonds_College by GaryReggae via wikipedia
Peter Symonds’ College. Image by GaryReggae via wikipedia.

Note: I still go under the name of ‘David’. Those who remember ‘David Butcher’ are welcome to contact me. I was at Ford Road Primary school – from 1937 to 1942 and then went on to Peter Symonds’ school in Winchester until 1946 before moving to Reading.

  • Part 1: My Memories of Chandler’s Ford in the 1930s and 1940s
  • Part 2: My Memories of Chandler’s Ford in the 1930s and 1940s

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Memories of war years Chandler's Ford by Doug Clews.My Memories of ‘The War Years’ in Chandler’s Ford: 1939 – 1945 (Part 4) Memories of war years Chandler's Ford by Doug Clews.My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 (Part 6) My Memories of Chandler’s Ford in the 1930s and 1940s: Part 2 Memories of war years Chandler's Ford by Doug Clews.My Memories of ‘The War Years’ in Chandler’s Ford: 1939 – 1945 (Part 2) Memories of war years Chandler's Ford by Doug Clews.My Memories of ‘The War Years’ in Chandler’s Ford: 1939 – 1945 (Part 5)
Tags: Chandler's Ford, community, culture, education, history, local interest, memory, Peter Symonds, storytelling, World War Two

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  1. Doug Clews says

    October 31, 2015 at 3:36 am

    Hi David … LONG time since our paths crossed … not since 1946 it would seem …

    I knew you as David Butcher, of course, and although I am 2 years younger than you, we were at King’s Road School (not Ford Road) at the same time, as well as Peter Pips (I was there 1944 – 1950) … we both remember the same people, and Keith Hubbard was a very good friend of mine … I used to love going to his house in King’s Lane, as his room was in the attic area, reached by going up stairs hidden in a cupboard … I was fascinated.

    Yes, Eric Higlett did marry Yvonne Trainor in 1956 (So the records say) …

    Interestingly, the ‘Official Incident Report’ records has your downed German plane in Baddesley Road as a Dornier and not an ME 110 (I cannot find a second incident in Baddesley Road) … there is also a report of a ‘Pilot’ parachuting into Cranbury park on the same day …

    For general interest, I have copied those reports below:-

    Sources of information: Hampshire Incident Book; Diaries of Norman Norris (copies of which are held in the County Records Office in Winchester)

    13/8/40 Dormer crashed off Baddesley Road, CFord, just outside Eastleigh District.

    13/8/40 Air raid over Southampton and Eastleigh. 22 planes brought down in area of raid. German pilot parachuted into Cranbury Park. Duration of raid 3.50-5.15pm.

    Not sure if you are able to e-mail me via this site David … Janet Williams might be able to help.

    Dooug Clews

    Western Australia

    Reply

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