Fred Orbell

Fred worked for the G.P.O. and was a keen amateur radio enthusiast. He had a sensitive radio receiver with which he would scan the air-waves. One night he picked up a strange message, he duly reported this information to the authorities. The message turned out to be codes sent from the 'Underground' in occupied Europe. He was asked to be an official radio 'Listener'. The messages themselves meant nothing, they were phases such as 'The cow jumped over the moon', but were vital when the real meaning was decoded. Fred's work could never be acknowledged, he was just another who 'also served'. The Orbells first lived at No 2 The Street before moving into one of the flint cottages belonging to Moulton Paddocks Estate, on the Newmarket Road.

Mr James attempt to make Petrol

Mr James who ran a garage in Brookside, could do anything mechanical, in fact he was quite a genius and could mend anything, even if he used a tin lid. He decided to help the war effort by making petrol, which of course was in short supply, only farms, doctors and those dealing with food had any. The result was that, although he got his own car mobile on the mixture, the noise had to be heard to be believed, the clouds of soot and smoke had everyone coughing. Needless to say, no one took up his offer of giving them his secret.

Personnel Working in War Industries

Daphne Whiting, spent part of the war working in a munitions factory in Coventry. Philip Tweed, worked in an aircraft factory, making the 'Mosquito' aircraft.

Salvage Collection

Mrs Lane of Moulton Manor, organised the collection of waste paper, rags and cardboard. The collection was carried out every Tuesday, by hand pulled pony and cart. The collectors were, Mrs Prigg, Pat Bloomfield, Daphne Whiting, Audrey Mason and Adeline Tweed.

Once collected the items were sorted in one of the farm barns.

Mr Clarkson of French Hall Farm, collected scrap metal. People were able to deposit metal at a collection point on the farm.

Rosehip and Wild Fruit Gathering

All children were involved with collecting rosehips, they were paid one shilling if they filled a sack the size of a sandbag.

Other wild fruit was gathered, including blackberries and marabellas.

Mock Auctions

Mr Clarkson held 'mock auctions' once a year during the war, in the old Village Hall. He accepted donations of saleable goods. No money was exchanged, instead the buyer pledged the value of goods bought to be put into War Bonds or National Savings, thus boosting the war effort.

Army Removes Tree Stumps

In an effort to increase food production towards the end of the war, most of the trees in the meadow which is now St Peters Avenue, were cut down. Their stumps were removed by the army blowing them up.