Back in the day: We delve into our archives to see what was going on 10 years ago, 25 years ago and 50 years ago this week
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10 years ago – December 18, 2014
War memorial
Servicemen past and present fell silent last Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of two Second World War air accidents at Greenham Common.
On December 12, 1944, 31 paratroopers and two pilots from the 17th Airborne division were killed when their Horsa glider crashed shortly after take-off from Greenham airbase.
A further 16 men were killed when two B-17 bomber planes collided above Greenham Common on the 14th.
Members of Newbury’s Royal British Legion joined United States Air Force personnel from RAF Welford, members of the Parachute Regiment, the mayor of Newbury, Jo Day, and representatives from Greenham Common Trust and Greenham Parish Council at the memorial stones commemorating the tragic events.
Among the wreaths was a message and photograph from relatives of one of the soldiers who died in the glider crash, private first class Russell Paulson, who had contacted Newbury’s Legion.
The club had also been contacted by members of the now disbanded 17th Airbourne Association who wanted to express their condolences.
25 years ago – December 16, 1999
End of an era
A touching sunset ceremony marked the end of an era at Thatcham Army Depot on Monday, as the Army’s Defence Storage and Distribution Agency beat the retreat for the 60-year-old facility.
The closure ceremony was hosted by Lt Col Bill Tonkins, the depot’s commanding officer, who described the day as “both a sad and a proud occasion which celebrates 60 years of a unit which has been important to the Armed Forces and to Thatcham and the surrounding area.”
He continued: “At one time, this was Thatcham’s main employer, and there must be few families in the town who are not connected to it in some way.”
Lt Col Tonkins said that the depot, which provided general stores and training support for all three armed services, had been involved with the support of “just about every military operation that UK forces have been deployed on, over the last 10 years”.
50 years ago – December 19, 1974
Driving up prices
The petrol price increases announced on Tuesday by the Government have hit the private motorist hard, and nowhere more so than in rural areas.
Many people living in the more isolated villages in the area travel a considerable distance to and from work each day and have to rely on their own cars for this purpose.
One of the hardest-hit motorists must be Mr DJ Kennedy, who lives in Eastbury.
Every day he travels to and from work in Watford, a distance of over 50 miles.
Despite the prospect of petrol costs of over £20 a week, Mr. Kennedy remains stoical about the situation and comments that he will “just have to pay the increased cost and look happy.”
He has to use his car to get to work because the bus and train schedule does not fit in with his own.
And he points out that even if he did drive to Reading and catch a train from there, the cost would be much the same as if he drove to work.
Mr LC Roots, who lives in East Ilsley, drives to Greenham Common and back every day, a distance of only 24 miles, but says that last week alone he spent £7 on petrol.
