Relief of Birdlip Village 1947

Police rescue Birdlip villagers 1947. Left to right: Police Constable Williams, Police Sergeant N Baker, Police Constable J Johnston, Inspector C. Walkley, Inspector A. Miller, Police Constable C.A.T. Nicholls, Cadet T. Jones, Cadet T. Holloway, Cadet R.A. (Bob) Parker, Police Sergeant J. E. Squire. (Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 947)
Officers marching through the snow to get to Birdlip Police Station, Winter 1947. (Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 942)
Staff at Birdlip having carried food supplies to cut-off village. Winter 1947. (Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 946)
Staff at Birdlip having carried food supplies to cut-off village. Winter 1947. Police Sergeant Norman Baker, Police Sergeant John Squires. Cadet R.A. (Bob) Parker, Police Constable C.D.B. Williams, Cadet Trevor Jones, Cadet T. Holloway, Inspector Jock Millar, Inspector C. Walkeley, Police Constable Frederick A. Brookes, (Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 945)
Staff at Birdlip having carried food supplies to cut-off village. Winter 1947 . Left to right Police Constable C.D.B Williams, Cadet R. Holloway, Police Sergeant Norman Baker,Police Constable A. T. Nicholls, Inspector A. Miller, Police Constable C.Nicholls, Cadet R.A.(Bob) Parker, Police Sergeant John Squires. (Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 944)
Snowdrift to the eaves of a building at Birdlip during the winter of 1947. (Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 2051)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2cG9mBH4v4
A digital story told by Bob Parker, a retired police officer who assisted in bringing relief to the village of Birdlip in Gloucestershire, after heavy snow left the village without supplies.

The heavy snows of the winter of 1947 left the village of Birdlip cut off, without supplies of food and other essentials.

As a result, the Chief Constable led a posse of police officers, each of whom was carrying 28 pounds of food in packs on their chests and backs. The posse made its way to Birdlip Hill in police patrol cars but could only drive part way up before the officers had to continue on foot.  The food parcels were delivered to the village shop to be distributed to the villagers.

This page was added on 27/04/2015.

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