leslies Guide War History

D-Day Preparations

Doodlebugs

Around the time of the D-Day invasion, a new threat appeared, with the arrival of the first V1 rockets, sometimes referred to as ‘doodlebugs’.  The Brownies and Guides of south-east England who had, over time, returned from their evacuated exile, found themselves under fire again.  And these rockets, V1 and then V2, were a new kind of threat – they flew over until such time as the engine cut out (no telling when that would be), then plunged to the ground, exploding where they impacted.  In the latter years of the war a number of Guiding members were lost to them, they were only stopped as the allied armies, moving west, overran the launching sites. 

Olave visits liberated Europe

As World Chief Guide, Olave Baden-Powell faced the frustration that so many of the WAGGGS members were inaccessible to her – so as soon as it was possible, she was keen to visit Europe.  Having taken some intense French classes, she headed for newly-liberated France.  on 23rd April she laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris, then took the salute as 40,000 Guides paraded down the Champs-Elysees.  A few days later she joined the Guides welcoming returning malnourished former POWs with tea and sandwiches.

Agnes Baden-Powell dies

Although one of Guiding’s founders had died in 1941, the other lived through the war years, quietly, in London.  When war broke out she was a few months short of her 81st birthday, but she was still keen to volunteer to do her bit, urging that women be allowed to play a full part in the war effort and offering to help train women to join the Local Defence Volunteers (later known as the Home Guard).  One area she was able to contribute was in her longstanding role with the Red Cross, carrying out tours of inspection.  But she did have the family trait of heart trouble, and there were times when she had to rest and recuperate.  Further misfortune was the bombing of her house, which resulted in the loss of many possessions, and also in a newly nomadic life of living often in hotels from 1941 onwards.  It appears that financially, too, life became more difficult.  In April 1945 she was staying in a hotel in Surrey when she fell, and two days later was admitted to the evacuated London Homeopathic Hospital, located nearby for the duration.  Her health went downhill through May, and she died on 6th June 1945, just as the war in Europe ended.  Her funeral was held two days later at Kensal Green Cemetery.  Her estate, even after the sale of her furniture and effects, was under £400.  It is not clear why – perhaps because of the pressure of rebuilding work after World War 2 – but although Agnes was buried in the family plot, and there would have been room on the headstone for her details to be added, it was not done at the time, or since.Hopefully this omission can soon be rectified.

Looking ahead to possible peace

As it became clear that, in Europe at least, the end of the war was a question of when rather than of if, so thoughts at headquarters had to turn towards ‘what next?’  In programme terms, as little had altered during the war, there was less to do – some tests could be revised to update the content but they would still follow the same broad lines.  But more widely – with the end of war service tasks such as running canteens and after-the-raid squads.  Yet the end of the war would bring more severe rationing than during, and dig-for-victory and make-do-and-mend became even more pressing.  Fundraising for post-war causes such as the GIS, too, became a priority, with Guides encouraged to turn their time and attention to it.  

Planning for post-war programmes

In January 1945, the proposals for Ranger post-war programmes were published.  The aim was that Ranger Companies should submit their comments on the suggestions, which were that there should be three stages to the programme: 

A) Pre-enrolment Test

B) Ranger Test (Home Emergency Service)

C) Specialised Certificate work as at present, which may be started at any time during the Ranger’s membership in the Company.

Pax Hill

As the end of World War 2 approached, Pax Hill, the Baden-Powells’ old family home, was returned to them.  By this stage, Olave was settled in her apartment in Hampton Court Palace, so the house was offered to the Guide movement for a new project – the Homecraft Training Centre.  The plan was to offer courses for 24 Rangers, Guides or Cadets aged 14-16 lasting 5-6 months.  Each girl would pay a weekly fee towards her expenses, and the aim was to cover a range of skills: Homecraft, Child Nursing, Handcrafts and Hobbies, providing knowledge which could be used domestically or professionally.  The first course ran from 31 August to 21 December 1945.  

VE and VJ Days

In the UK, both VE and VJ Days were celebrated by the public, and by units too.  VE Day came first, in June 1945 – and there is plenty of evidence of people gathering in cities to celebrate, holding street parties, and doing what they could to make a feast out of meagre rations – but at the same time, there were others who could not yet celebrate – with relatives in the ‘far east’ whose fate was unclear.  VJ Day in August 1945 was when the war actually ended – although there wasn’t the same level of celebration, more a sense of relief.  The marking of either date tended to be a general public event rather than a Guiding one, but Brownies, Guides and Rangers were involved in organising street parties and children’s parties to mark the special days.