Just 70 years ago.

Seventy years ago.

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Just seventy years ago this month Britain held the first of its wartime savings drives called “War Weapons Week.” Each area pledged to raise so much money in the sale of Saving Stamps, and fifteen shilling saving certificates.

Each, City, Town, and Village set themselves a target to reach to purchase something like a Tank in Cookham’s case. All week we had a Tank sitting under the trees by the war memorial. Where it came from I do not know, but the crew were well looked after by the village ladies with jugs of tea and sandwiches.

On the Saturday a mock battle was staged by the Home Guard who came from “The Pound” area in a homemade tank made of 2X2 and hessian sacking, painted to look like a German tank. The army tank moved to the village end of the Moor and let off a Thunder Flash. The Home Guard clambered out from under their tank, just before it burst into flames, much to the applause and cheers of the watching villagers.

Most of the savings drive money was raised by whist drives and dances, either at the Pinder Hall or the Moor Hall. These were not for just the one-week; it went on week by week.