The threat of a Napoleonic invasion of England at the end of the 18th century and at the beginning of the 19th , was the beginning of what was known as the Volunteer Movement. There was unparalleled enthusiasm for the vigorous prosecution of the war, and throughout the country some 4000,000 men enrolled - 722 in one week in Worcester City. Tuberville's history says .....
The story of the Worcestershire Regiment is deeply intertwined with the history of the county and its city. While the 29th Regiment of Foot was officially linked to Worcestershire in 1782 for recruiting purposes, its frequent overseas deployments meant that the connection remained somewhat nominal until later. A significant step in forging a stronger local identity occurred in 1877 with the establishment of depots for both the 29th and 36th Regiments at Norton Barracks. This ultimately led to their amalgamation in 1881, forming the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Worcestershire Regiment, which proudly adopted the 36th's motto, 'Firm'......
The Second World War's arrival in the United States brought significant changes to at least 131 women in Worcester, who became the wives of American Gi's based in the surrounding areas. Official figures show that 38 Worcester women were married to American servicemen in the city's churches, with another 93 wedding GIs at the Worcester Registry Office. Beyond American soldiers, some Worcester women also developed relationships with German and Italian prisoners of war, though marriage to them was apparently not permitted until a year or two after the war ended.
Nestled within the tranquil landscape of Croome Court in Worcestershire lies a remarkable history, one that played a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of World War II and the subsequent Cold War. What appears today as a serene National Trust property was once the clandestine home of RAF Defford, a top-secret airfield that became Britain's leading center for the development of airborne radar technology.
The story of RAF Defford began in 1940, as the shadow of war loomed large over Britain. A significant portion of the land at Croome Court, then owned by the Earl of Coventry, was requisitioned to establish a vital military installation. This transformation saw swathes of parkland converted into an airfield, with numerous structures rapidly erected to support the war effort. Airfield facilities, accommodation for service personnel, a medical wing, an ambulance garage, and even a mortuary sprang up across the site. Initially operational in September 1941, RAF Defford first served as a training base for Vickers Wellington bombers. However, the airfield's destiny took a significant turn in May 1942 with the relocation of the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) and its flying unit to the area. Responsible for groundbreaking radar research and development, it moved inland to Malvern College for safety reasons, and its flight testing arm, the Telecommunications Flying Unit (TFU), later renamed the Radar Research Flying Unit (RRFU), transferred its aircraft to the nearby Defford airfield. This strategic move positioned RAF Defford at the forefront of airborne radar innovation........
Norton Villa (The Firs) was occupied in the mid-19th century by the Walker family connected by marriage to the Havergals; Frances Ridley Havergal, whose hymns and poems enjoyed immense popularity. Mrs. Walker was a progressive lady, the village having no schoolmaster, held classes in her home till 1832, and thereafter established a day school, and formed a lending library for parishioners in her own home....
During the 1939-1945 War, Hillsborough Workhouse was a secret, but very important part of Britain's defenses. At the end of 1940, the German airforce were making nightly raids on Coventry, Liverpool and Birmingham, using the Severn as a navigation aid. To counter this, No 81 Group Fighter Command moved top Tallow Hill to track the bombers and direct our night-fighters to intercept them....
