5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment marching through Peterborough …. exact date and location unknown.
Category: Military
RAF Peterborough (1937)
The newly opened No.7 Flying Training School Peterborough at Westwood Airfield in 1937, one of five additional service schools formed under the RAF expansion scheme. The top picture shows a navigation class in progress and the lower shows RAF cadets on the airfield.
VE Day Parade (1945)
A VE Day Parade in front of the Cathedral in 1945.
V-Bomber, RAF Wittering (1964)
A Handley Page Victor “V-Bomber” at RAF Wittering in 1964 along with a hangar of Blue Steel missiles.
Discharged Soldiers, Westgate (1918)
A military band leads a church parade of discharged soldiers and sailors from the Great War along Westgate on Sunday 14th April 1918.
Great War Procession (1914)
12th October 1914 and a waiting troop train at Peterborough North station far left.
The Peterborough Greys (c.1895)
Two wonderful 1895 images showing men from the 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment known locally as the Peterborough Greys.
The Northamptonshire Regiment 1st Battalion was formed in July 1881 out of the old 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot. The 1st Battalion was among the first to go overseas in the Great War, arriving in France on 13th August 1914 where they subsequently saw action at Mons, the Marne, the Aisne and First Ypres.
Whitsed’s Light Infantry at Peterborough North
The caption on this excellent Great War postcard reads “Whitsed’s Light Infantry – Leaving For The Front” and shows volunteers awaiting departure from Peterborough North in September 1914.
Whitsed was local councillor Isaac Whitsed who was instrumental in pulling together young recruits from major city employers of the time including Werner Pfeiderer (later Baker Perkins) and Perkins Westwood Works.
The Whitsed’s went on to form part of the Northamptonshire Regiment’s 7th Batallion who, after training in the south of the country, landed at Boulogne in September 1915 where they made up part of the 73rd Brigade, 24th Division who went on to see action at Battles of Loos, Hooge, Guillemont, Vimy Ridge, Messines, Battlewood, Pilkem Ridge, Cambrai and Mabeuge.
Troop Train at Peterborough North (1914)
A wonderfully poignant image captured at Peterborough North station on 12th September 1914. Crowds on Crescent Bridge and families waving white hankies at loved ones from the platform as young recruits head off to fight in the Great War.
Edith Cavell Enlistment Poster (1915)
A Great War enlistment poster featuring Edith Cavell who, as a 19 year old, attended Laurel Court School in the Cathedral precincts as a pupil-teacher.
ARP Public Shelters (1940s)
Public air raid shelters shown on an early and fascinating 1940s map.
Peterborough Home Guard (1942)
The Peterborough Home Guard pictured after a shooting competition at the London Road Drill Hall in 1942.
Women’s Voluntary Service (1946)
Members of Peterborough’s WVS pictured in 1946.
Included in the photo are Mrs Edna Wright (back row, far left), Mrs Moore (back row, far right), Mrs Anne Allen (front row, second from left) and Mrs Laxton (front row, far left).
Soldiers at Milton (c.1914)
The East Anglian Royal Engineers at camp on the Milton estate and looking suitably proud of their temporary bridge built on the Milton estate lake.
Military Band – Nassington (1918)
No information as to who this military band were but the photograph is marked as “Nassington – August 1918”.
Soldiers at rest
A group of WW1 era soldiers at camp somewhere in Peterborough.
No location details but the photograph was printed by David Stott of Walton.
Whitsted’s Light Infantry (1915)
Two images showing the visit of Whitsted’s Light Infantry to Peterborough on 6th March 1915.
