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This book was adapted by Allan Collis from the book by Gillian Drew This post was taken from https://elsteadvillage.co.uk/elstead-then-now/ The book is now out of print although second-hand copies can be purchased from online suppliers. It gives an interesting account of our neighbouring village.

This presentation was prepared by Amanda Flint for Thursley History Society's 'Victory Euphoria' exhibition to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Thursday 8th May 2025

These moving letters written by Sukey Langdale's father, a man just 24 years old, were part of the 'Victory Euphoria' exhibition staged by Thursley History Society to mark the 80th anniversary of VE-Day, Thursday 8th May 2025 Here is the first:

This diary, written and illustrated by Jean Chopping (Caroline Mendelssohn's daughter) at the begininng of World War II, was exhibited at the 'Victory Eupohoria' exhibition put on by Thursley History Society to mark the 80th anniversary of VE-Day. The complete diary can be found in this pdf:

This is the title page of a remarkable set of pictorial propaganda maps produced by a British officer in a German prisoner of war camp, approved and made available by German authorities, and published in Britain in 1941 with government consent. It featured in the 'Victory Euphoria' exhibition put on by Thursley History Society on 3rd and 4th May 2025. From Cornell University Library: As the subtitle accurately says, this work is “An Illustrated Diary of the March Into Captivity of the Last of the British Army in France - June 1940.” It details the route and experience of thousands of officers and enlisted men captured by the Germans at the time of Dunkirk. From June 11 to July 7, 1940, these soldiers were marched across France, Belgium and Holland to German POW camps . The author is identified as Leslie C. Hunt, “2nd Lieutenant, The East Surrey Regiment. No. 1351, Oflag VII C, Germany.” Oflag VII-C was a German POW camp for officers located at Lauren in southeastern Bavaria and operated from 1940 to early 1942. Each page of the work bears an oval stamp, reproduced in publication, reading “Oflag VII C geprüst” (“approved”). The book begins with a one-page “Introduction” (ID #2346.02), a textual overview of the march and the conditions faced by the soldiers. That is followed by a series of eight pictorial maps: an initial “Key Sheet” entitled “The Whole Weary Trail” (ID #2346.03) and seven detailed maps of the course of the march (ID ##2346.04-10). Each of the detailed maps contains charming illustrations: soldiers, tanks, airplanes, columns of refugees and soldiers, graveyards, windmills, factories and important landmarks, including the city of Ghent, the Brandenburg Gate, and a number of cathedrals (Rouen, Amiens, Antwerp, Cologne). Each detailed map also includes several text blocks describing events along the way. The Introduction and the text on individual maps includes credible descriptions of the privations the prisoners faced, from persistent shortages of food to “Nights spend huddled together in fields, in the pouring rain without any cover, after a twenty-mile march.” Introduction. At Domart St. Leger, for example, “Had only one ladle of soup in two days.” Sheet Two. At Bergen, “Too crowded and cramped to move. No food and hardly any drinking water.” At Nijmegen, “Hungry, cold, and dirty.” Sheet Six. On the other hand, the Germans come off reasonably well in the telling. “At first there was little or no food: this was not the fault of the German escort, who were as badly off themselves, but simply the inevitable result of the speed of their advance through France. . . . Food and nightly camps improved as we got further away from the zone of recent fighting.” Introduction. At Doullens in France, “German rations increased.” Sheet Two. At St. Pol, “Meat and soup from Germans with amply supply of biscuits,” and at Bethune, “Some British greatcoats and underclothes distributed by Germans.” Sheet Three. At Tournai, “Seemed like the ‘Ritz,’ with cold showers, liberal rations.” Sheet Four. Once in Germany, there were “people regarding us in silence, but there were no hostile demonstrations.” Introduction. One interesting question is why the Germans not only permitted the creation of these maps and supporting text, but  “approved” and facilitated their transmission to Britain. The most likely answer is that the material generally presents German soldiers as treating prisoners of war humanely, and thus provides some reassurance to British soldiers who might at some point consider surrender. It is also possible - albeit unlikely - that Germany continued to harbor hope for a peace settlement with Britain at the time this material was sent, in order to avoid the two-front war that resulted from its invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. In this regard, the timing is consistent with Rudolf Hess’s mysterious and controversial flight to Scotland in May 1941, purportedly with a peace proposal in hand. Whether Hess was acting with Hitler’s knowledge and direction, or was simply mentally deranged, is hotly debated to this date. See Handwerk 2016. The cover page of the book reproduces the stamp of the British “Press & Censorship Bureau,” which shows that the material was “Passed for Publication” on July 7, 1941. It’s likely that the British censors approved this publication in order to reassure the families of captured soldiers as to their treatment. The book was published in 1941 in a limited, numbered edition; the copy in the collection is No. 74. There was a larger edition published in 1942. Hunt, Leslie C. 1941. The Prisoners' Progress. An Illustrated Diary of the March Into Captivity of the Last of the British Army in France - June 1940. London: Hutchinson and Co. Prisoner of War Camp

The artist, Louis Keene, was born in England Keene spent his youth in South Africa and most of his life in Canada but studied art in London, Paris and Munich. He was stationed in Tweedsmuir Camp during World War II. Alert near Aldershot during the Battle of Britain, 1940 This article is from https://www.artbiogs.co.uk/ : Born in England Keene spent his youth in South aftrica and most of his life in Canada but studied art in London, Paris and Munich. He came from an artistic background: his mother was a prominent photographer (the first woman to be elected to the Royal Photographic Society) and his father and artist and craftsman. When he was only 17 Louis and his father held a joint exhibition of their paintings in South Africa. Keene travelled throughout his life,in Europe but also Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Hong Kong, Mexico and Siberia. Throughout his army career Keene was an avid artist, using watercolour, ink and pencil, and India ink and chalk to create his pictures. They range from scenes he completed in Siberia during WWI (Canadian Expeditionary Force) to WWII paintings inspired by events in Surrey and London. When Keene was stationed at Tweedsmuir Camp (Surrey) during the Second World War, he permitted a few of his paintings to be exhibited in Thursley village (in close proximity to the camp) in aid of the roof fund for St Michael’s church, Thursley. Many of Keene’s works are held at the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC). Keene had a distinguished career in both World Wars. In WW1 he was commissioned as second lieutenant and was wounded at Ypres his right hand smashed by shrapnel. He later spent six months with the Canadian Army in Siberia. In the Second World War, as Commanding Officer of the Lorne Scots he witnessed the bombing of Liverpool and London. He was presented to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister David Lloyd George. On 20 March 1943 ‘The Hamilton Spectator’ (Canadian newspaper) announced that NDHQ had promoted Lieutenant-Colonel Louis Keene to full Colonel, with address of his next of kin. Hereafter Keene has been referred to as Colonel Keene of Oakville, Ontario. Reporting in the Spectator on 4 December 1944 Doug How, Canadian War Correspondent, stated that Keene’s promotion, in February 1943, made him the highest ranking Lorne Scots Officer serving in western Europe. Throughout his army career Keene was an avid artist, using watercolour, ink and pencil, and India ink and chalk to create his pictures. They range from scenes he completed in Siberia during WWI (Canadian Expeditionary Force) to WWII paintings inspired by events in Surrey and London. According to his Obituary, While in England Col. Keene did some paintings of the air raids and these were later purchased by the British government. Some of his wartime paintings were also sold to the Canadian government and the artist later sold several of his works to Sir Edmund Walker, Canadian financier and one of the founders of the Toronto Art Gallery.

This article (see pdf below) was written by Chris Shepheard, Surrey Defences Survey (SIHG), c/o Rural Life Centre, Reeds Road, Tilford, Farnham GU10 2DL and Alan Crocker, President SIHG, Surrey Archaeological Society, Castle Arch, Guildford GUI 3SX. Most relevant to the Thursley History Society are the references to the Atlantic Wall and the structure on Hankley Common. The key events which have resulted, during thepast twentyyears, in historians and archaeologists recording and interpreting defensive and related military structures which were erected in Britain during the Second World War, are summarized. Locally, the Surrey Defences Survey played a significant role. Three aspects of the research carried out by volunteers working on this survey are discussed. Thefirst of these is the recording of pillboxes and anti-tank ditches, particularly those associated with the GHQLine which was constructed across the countyfrom Farnham, through Shalford, Dorking and Horley, to Lingfield. Then the defences of two towns, Dorking and Guildford, which were selected by the Home Defence Executive as nodal points, are considered. Finally a massive wall on Hankley Common near Farnham, which is a replica of a section of the German Atlantic Wall and was built to test assault equipment, is described. In 2001, English Heritage selected the defences near Waverley Abbey to receive thefirst in-depth survey of such structures to be carried out. The aim was to establish national criteriafor statutoryprotection of Second World Warfortifications. However,far more remains to be done and in many cases the need is urgent. Here are three illustrations from the article:

A marvellous film of this event and enjoy the wonderful singer

One mile from Thursley, the substantial and historic house of Milhanger occupies a dramatic elevated position, surrounded by its own extensive grounds From Knight, Franks sales particulars, April 2025 https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/160626821#/?channel=RES_BUY From Savills and Strutt & Parker's sale particulars: https://media.onthemarket.com/properties/1001670/doc_1_2.pdf An extensive write-up from Country Life: https://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/surrey-rhapsody-the-arts-and-crafts-mansion-that-was-home-to-queen-drummer-roger-taylor-214312 And another from the Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2807655/8million-mansion-Geldof-suite-party-barn-remarkably-colourful-rock-n-roll-pedigree.html

This article was written by Dr John N Bennett and Andy Moffatt who kindly gave Thursley History Society the right to reproduce it. They acknowledge with gratitude the assistance of Chris Shepheard, Manager of the Rural Life Centre in Tilford for tracking down the historical illustrations, the help of Mark Alex-Sanders of Fugro Robertson Ltd for the identification of the microfossil, and the Ordnance Survey for permission to reproduce the map. The Boundary Stone in August 2004 The Boundary Stone surrounded by dense vegetation in 2003 The key questions which the authors set out to answer were: • how big is it? • what is it made of? • where did it come from? • how did it get there? and these are dealt with in the article below which runs to eight pages and includes nine illustrations as can be seen in the pdf:

This article by Jackie Rickenberg was published in the Thursley Parish Magazine I have been gripped by the tragic and rather mysterious tale of an air disaster over Thursley, in days gone by. The observant amongst you may have picked up a mere whisper of it in the poignant epitaph to Edmund Haviland from The Old Parsonage in last month’s magazine. It would appear that Edmund knew the harrowing tale that explains the existence of one of the memorials in Thursley church’s graveyard. The story begins on Wednesday 27th July 1932. It was a blustery day with storms predicted later on in early evening. A bright young man of 21 years old, already qualified as a pilot, planned an outing for his mother and a friend, visiting from Hanover, Germany – a mere afternoon jaunt to Hamble on the south coast and back to Heston, on the west side of London. The young man in question was Bruce Bayne Bossom, his mother Mrs Emily Bayne Bossom and his friend a rather dashing sounding Count Otto Erbach-Fürstenau, or to give him his full title, Count Otto Adolf Joseph Emich Alexander Graf zu Erbach-Fürstenau (aged 23). Mrs Bossom was the wife of wealthy noted architect and Member of Parliament for Maidstone, Mr Alfred C Bossom (later ennobled as Lord Bossom). Mr A C Bossom had had a renowned career in the US, an early exponent and well-respected pioneer and designer of many of New York’s famous skyscrapers in 1910-20’s Manhattan. He married his American wife, before returning to the UK with their three young sons, in order for them to receive a traditional English education (Eton). It was at this stage that he followed his father into political life in Westminster, only to be succeeded many years later by one of his two remaining sons, Sir Clive Bossom MP for Leominster. Mrs Emily Bayne Bossom Bruce Bossom, who piloted the plane, was a promising and talented airman, who by the age of 21 had passed his parts A and B licences and his blind flying licence and according to his father “had flown for several hundred hours and was capable of flying any type of machine”. He was fully intent on making his name in the still emerging world of aviation and had hopes of being an early adventurer, often talking about breaking flying records across the Atlantic. He had just become engaged, to Miss Odette Herard, although not with the blessing of his parents, who felt he was too young and not yet established in a career, for such a step. The young German prince, who hailed from a distinguished aristocratic family, had been visiting the Bossom family on his first trip to the UK, staying with them as their guest in their rather smart house in Carlton Gardens, Belgravia. The story of the actual crash is perhaps better left to the reporters from The Portsmouth Evening News, dated 28th July 1932, the day after the crash: MYSTERY OF MACHINE SHATTERED IN MID-AIR Mrs Emily Bossom, wife of Mr. A. C. Bossom, M.P. for Maidstone, her son Bruce, aged 21, and Prince Otto Erbach Furstenau were killed last night when the aeroplane in which they were flying to Hamble crashed at Tilford, near Churt, Surrey. The cause of the disaster is a mystery. Is it possible the machine may have been struck by lightning, though there is no sign of it having been burned? Or perhaps another view is that the wind may have torn off one of the wings which was seen to come away from the plane in mid-air? These are among the questions which experts will have to solve when they investigate the cause of the crash. Our Special Correspondent gained a grimly vivid idea of the terrible nature of the tragedy when at dawn today he stood atop the brow of Kettlebury Hill, within a mile of Mr. Lloyd George’s country home at Churt, and looked over the wide valley below. Half a-mile away, in a spinney of young beech trees, was the battered fuselage. Six hundred yards to the east of it was a portion of one wing, and nearly a mile still farther away was the wing which was seen to tear off in the air. Five hundred yards to the west of the fuselage, a policeman on guard marked the area about 100 yards square—in which the bodies were found. A gust of storm force wind, might have turned the machine over and put strain on the landing wires which they could not bear; which in turn could have ripped out the side of the aeroplane hurtling the occupants to their death. It is however, practically impossible to say anything definite at the moment, except that one side of the fuselage seems to have disappeared. The men of the Border Regiment were duo to have left their bivouacs at 3.30 a.m. to-day, to march across the slopes where the wreckage lies, to engage in a mock battle with the Devon’s, but the manoeuvres were postponed on account of the tragedy. It was these men who formed the search party which spread over the heather-clad valley looking for the bodies. This is the air accident investigation details of the crash. Date: 27-JUL-1932 Time: 17:45 Type: de Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth Owner/operator: Brian Lewis & Co Ltd Registration: G-ABDH C/n / msn: 2081 Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Devil's Jump, Hankley Common, Churt, near Hindhead, Surrey Phase: En route Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Heston Aerodrome, Heston, Middlesex Destination airport: Hamble, Hampshire We continue with the strange tale of the three passengers in a light aircraft, meeting their fate over Hankley Common. As you saw from last month’s photograph, the two members of the Bossom family killed – mother Emily and son Bruce - are buried in our churchyard. And although Alfred, Emily’s husband, went on to marry another American lady, he, along with a further son, are also buried alongside his first wife and son. An inquest into the plane crash was opened in Farnham Police Station on 29th July 1932, two days after the fatal accident. The Coroner, Mr G. Wills Taylor, stated that he proposed to take evidence just sufficient to permit the funerals to take place and would then adjourn, until the 14th September, to allow the air accident report to be made available. Sir Percy Simmons, solicitor, appeared for Mr A. Bossom, who sat next to him. The post mortems revealed some very odd results. It was confirmed that all three victims had died of multiple injuries, wholly consistent with falling heavily through the air. However, injuries which were indicative of burn marks or electrocution, caused before death, were present on all three bodies. Does this imply the lightening theory, rather than mechanical failure was more likely? Possibly, but never confirmed. Remember, they were flying through a thunderstorm at the time of the crash. The Western Daily Press of 30th July 1932 reported that “the funeral of Mrs Bossom and her son will take place at Thursley Churchyard, at the foot of the famous Hindhead Ridge, today at 2 o’clock”. The bodies were released from Farnham and went on immediately to Thursley. The body of Count Erbach Furstenau was conveyed to London to prepare for it to be taken across the Channel for interment at the family’s castle in Hanover. His brother was present at the Inquest and made the necessary arrangements. However, before rushing back to Germany, he paused briefly in Thursley to attend the funeral of Mrs Bossom and Bruce. The Scotsman newspaper reported on Saturday 1st August “In the secluded churchyard of Thursley, Surrey, about three miles from where they met their deaths on Wednesday evening, Mrs E Bossom and her son, Bruce were buried today. There were only two family mourners, Mr A C Bossom, MP for Maidstone and his elder surviving son Mr Clive Bossom. Other mourners were Count Alfred Graf zu Erbach Furstenau, brother of Count Otto, who was also killed in the crash and Sir Percy Simmons (solicitor). The officiating clergy were the vicar of the parish, the Rev. H G French and the vicar of Maidstone, Canon T K Sopwith. Mendelssohn’s “O for the Wings of a Dove” was played on the organ as the bodies were carried into the church. The only other music was the tune of the hymn “Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past” played as the coffins were borne to the grave. The bodies were laid side by side in a double grave. There was a wreath of Lilies of the Valley from Miss Odette Herard, to whom Mr Bruce Bossom was engaged. It was inscribed “Je t’adore, Odette” “. It was, it would seem, a very desolate and intimate affair. More about Odette. At the time of the accident, she was on a Mediterranean cruise with her mother, reported as being a Knightsbridge dressmaker, although reading between the lines, she was more likely a French dress designer, as she had a personal secretary and they lived in Bedford Square, Bloomsbury, one of the best-preserved set pieces of Georgian architecture in London. The Daily Herald rather dramatically reported as follows: AIRMAN'S LOVER WHISPERS, "I KNOW" - MONTE CARLO The news of the death of her young fiancé, Mr. Bruce Bossom, in an air crash at Farnham (Surrey) a fortnight ago, was made known to Miss Odette Herard by her mother, to-day, in the hospital at Monaco, where she is ill with scarlet fever. Miss Herard seemed to divine the nature of her mother's mission. " I know, mother. It is Bruce," she whispered, almost before her mother had spoken. Then, in spite of all her courage, Miss Herard. already weak and exhausted from the effects of her severe illness, broke down completely. Her mother said afterwards that her daughter had had a presentiment of impending disaster ever since she left England for her Mediterranean cruise. In parting from her fiancé on the quayside as she left England, she had had to turn away from him with tears in her eyes as she felt certain she would never see him again She had given him a little gold cross for luck in exchange for a ring. Ill in hospital, Miss Herard often said she heard the noise of aeroplane wings, and had feverishly asked when Bruce was coming to see her. A box of chocolates given by Mr Bossom has been kept by Miss Herard's mother as a pathetic souvenir. Only a week before Mr Bossom was killed, his parents had objected to his engagement on the grounds that it would interfere with his career as a pilot. During the research for this article, it was often implied that the flight itself may have had a more sinister raison d’etre, instead of the joyride that it first appeared. Some reports talked about a reward being offered for the return of money or jewels that the plane may have been carrying. That spurned all the local children onto Hankley and surrounding areas, in a vain search for the “illicit” stash. The truth was much more sentimental and believable. Mr and Mrs Bossom had travelled extensively throughout their time together, and rather charmingly, he bought her a pearl from everywhere they visited. This became a four-string set of pearls held together with a precious diamond clasp. When her body was recovered, forty of the sixty rare and highly valuable pearls were missing and her poor distraught husband offered a reward for any pearls recovered. Unfortunately, it was reported on 13th September, some two months later, that none of the missing jewels were ever traced. Finally, interestingly, to this day there are two little known memorials to the Bossom’s on Hankley Common. These mark the spots where their bodies fell. Of course, the bracken and heather will have grown up around them in the intervening years, but if anyone is interested in following up this mysterious tale, the co-ordinates of Emily’s memorial, as seen below, are N 51° 09.023 W 000° 44.760. Bossom aircrash 90th anniversary memorial (From an article written by Jackie Rickenberg in the Parish Magazine in September 2022) Some of you may remember the tragic tale of the Bossom air crash that I retold in the May and June 2021 articles. The crash, on Hankley in 1932, of a light aircraft, killed Lady Emily Bossom, her pilot son, Bruce Bossom and his friend, an aristocratic German Count. By another strange quirk of fate, it transpired that a villager who read it, knew a direct relative of the Bossom’s – both of whom are buried in our churchyard. This in turn led to a delightful meeting with Lady Barbara Bossom, whose late husband Sir Clive, younger brother of Bruce and son of Lady Emily, is also buried in the family plot in Thursley. As this July 27th was the 90th anniversary of the crash, a small memorial service was recall family held in the churchyard and attended by interested parties, Lady Barbara and her eldest son Sir Bruce (I know, a confusion of names!). Rev Hannah delivered a short reflective service and Sir Bruce read an apt poem (see below). Afterwards lunch at Hedge Farm provided an apt opportunity for the Bossom’s to recall family memories from that time. It was a sunny but overcast day and the graveyard was peaceful and tranquil, all very fitting for the occasion. The churchyard working committee had done a tremendous job of clearing around the impressive Bossom headstone and it seemed appropriate for Thursley to remember this part of its past in such a contemplative way. Impressions of a pilot by Gary Claude Stoker:read by Sir Bruce Bossom Flight is freedom in its purest form, To dance with the clouds which follow a storm; To roll and glide, to wheel and spin, To feel the joy that swells within; To leave the earth with its troubles and fly, And know the warmth of a clear spring sky; Then back to earth at the end of a day, Released from the tensions which melted away. Should my end come while I am in flight, Whether brightest day or darkest night; Spare me your pity and shrug off the pain, Secure in the knowledge that I’d do it again; For each of us is created to die, And within me I know, I was born to fly. The report below is from Surrey History: Above scans courtesy Dr John N Bennett Report of Accidents Investigation Branch dated 27 July 1932 Report by Aviation Safety Network, updated 4 July 2021 de Havilland DH80 Puss Moth, photographs courtesy Dr John N Bennett

From the Times, September 14 1927 and reprised September 14 1994