Dorset - Swanage - Promenade Looking North Prior to 1944. And a Massacre in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

            The Postcard

A postcard bearing no publisher's name. Note the motorcycle and sidecar on the extreme left.

The card was posted in Swanage using a 2d. stamp on Wednesday the 2nd. August 1944. It was sent to:

Mrs. Halt,
14, Stafford Court,
Kensington,
London W 8.

The message on the divided back of the card was as follows:

"1. 8. 44.
Melton Lodge,
Ulwell Road,
Swanage.
We are having a splendid
time - this is a very
comfortable house in which
to stay.
Weather so far has been
quite good.
We had some journey on
Saturday but had seats
which was something.
Had a bathe yesterday in
spite of the tank traps.
Love,
R."

Tank Traps

During WWII Dorset was an armed camp, and the defences against German attack were vast in number and type. After being established very quickly, they evolved over time.

Many of the WWII defences have either been removed or have become overgrown, but there is still archaeological evidence remaining. Examples of the types of structure that can be seen are: pillboxes and associated trenches, observation posts, searchlight batteries, barbed wire and tank obstacles.

Tank traps in Dorset were set in an unbroken line; they took the form of large blocks of concrete with a pyramidal top. The line would sometimes have deliberate gaps left in it so that invading tanks would be forced into a killing zone where anti-tank weaponry could be concentrated.

V1 Flying Bombs

So what else happened on the day that the card was posted?

Well, on the 2nd. August 1944, the Germans launched 316 V-1 flying bombs at London, the highest single-day total yet. 

Over 100 reached the capital, hitting Tower Bridge and doing great damage to the armament factories on the outskirts.

Turkey

Also on that day, Turkey broke off diplomatic relations with Nazi Germany.

The Sinking of the Fiske

Also on the 2nd. August 1944, the American destroyer escort Fiske was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean by a torpedo fired by German submarine U-804.

Thirty-three of the ship's crew were killed, and a further 50 were injured.

Massacre in Auschwitz-Birkenau

Also on that day, SS authorities in Auschwitz-Birkenau murdered the last residents (just under 3,000) of the so-called Gypsy family camp.

Jim Capaldi

The day also marked the birth in Evesham of Jim Capaldi.

Jim was the drummer, singer, songwriter and co-founder of the rock band Traffic. He died of stomach cancer at the age of 60 in Westminster on the 28th. January 2005.
   

Taken on: October 23, 2023

Tags:

postcard

old

nostalgia

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Swanage

Promenade

north

02/08/1944

1944

Mrs.

Halt

Stafford

Court

Kensington

London

Melton

Lodge

Ulwell

Road

tank

traps

Dorset

armed

camp

pillbox

barbed

wire

concrete

observation

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Auschwitz

Birkenau « less

Sets appears in: • Disasters • Holocaust more » • Massacres • Murders • UK • Vintage Cars and Other Motor Vehicles « less

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