Photographs of wartime effort and sacrifice

By John Cheves

Joan Stonehouse brought these interesting photographs and documents relating to her family during the Second World War, into WRVS Heritage Plus in Newhaven, to share with us.

The first photograph shows her father, Martin Ladd, who was stationed in Yorkshire with the RAF during the war. The next image details a commendation for bravery that he recieved during that time when he was working as part of a fire crew during a bombing raid on the RAF staion he was based at.

The next photograph shows Joan's father-in-law, Robert Stonehouse, with his comrades who were held in a German prisoner of war camp. Robert was a member of the Merchant Navy and was captured by the Germans after the vessel he was serving on, the SS Voluntair was torpedoed by the Germans. Sadly, Robert died tragically young when at the end of the war he returned home and contracted septicemia when having an operation on his eye.

Finally, we can see a photograph of Joan's aunt, Maisie Lipscombe working for the war effort as part of a team, making covers to go over train trucks.