Bombing Raids

A divergence battery was set up on Breakheart Hill, to the West of the village to create a smoke screen to give the impression enemy planes were over Gloucester. Several bombs fell around the area. On the night of Friday, 30th August, 1940 several high explosive bombs fell on Longhope and Blaisdon just after midnight. A few days later on 5th September more bombs fell, this time on Blaisdon. After a raid on Bristol on Monday, 2nd December of the same year, a few planes found their way North and two high explosive bombs fell on Preece Moor Farm at 9:30pm. A spitfire was abandoned near Longhope after the pilot lost conciousness [1].

Evacuees

It is a known fact that many evacuees came to Gloucestershire to escape the bombing raids on London and The Midlands. Some of these evacuees even came to Longhope and were accomodated in the Manor House. The late Ian Cameron remembers a swimming pool in the grounds of the Manor House that he helped clean and fill with water before the war. However, the pool became polluted with rubbish and bean cans from the evacuees.

Dig for Victory

During the Second World War, the plants on the sides of May Hill were replaced with farmland as part of the Dig For Victory campaign. Many species of plants and wild flowers were lost in this process as the land was turned over for growing barley [2]. It was found, though, that due to the stony nature of the soil on May Hill that not many of the crops survived.

Many trees were cut down from the Forest of Dean by thousands of women who joined the Women's Forestry Corps to provide much needed wood for local Saw-mills. They were given the nick-name of "Lumberjills" by the local lads.

Memorials

After the Second World War a collection was made from the villagers to raise money for a war memorial in the centre of the village. A total of £2,600 was raised of which £600 was spent purchasing the current recreation ground so that "it could be used by the villagers forever" and a further £600 spent on building the then pavilion. Other money was put towards levelling part of the ground for a cricket pitch.

References

1. J. Rennison, "Wings over Gloucestershire", Aspect, 2000.
2. McLean, V., "May Hill: Paintings and Drawing by Valerie McLean", Fineleaf Editions, 2006.

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