Article: Brixham News
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Friday 11th August was a day of remembrance for the Veterans who came together at Brixham Battery Museum to take tea, cakes and listen to War Time melodies to lift their spirits having remembered lost comrades.

Earlier in the day at Corbyn Head the Veterans laid wreaths at the monument erected to the five young men who lost their lives when the anti aircraft gun blew up in August 11th 1944.

Although it was 62 years ago one veteran remembered it well as he sat drinking tea outside Brixham Battery Museum. Sergeant Gordon Rendle travelled all the way from Marlborough in Wiltshire back to the spot where he had been a member of the Home Guard at Corbyn Head.

Sadly Gordon said that he had come to remember a friend who had been only 16 years old killed as the gun accidentally went off.

They had not been firing at anyone and he said that five Home Guard and two regular soldiers were killed in the unexplained incident. He said, “After the incident we regularly went to take tea with my friend’s Mom and sister who were devastated by his death.”

Gordon was only 17 at the time of the incident and went on to join the Royal Artillery and see active service abroad.

Sergeant Denis Kelly said that he had been in the Local Defence Volunteers, which became the Home Guard and was stationed at Corbyn Head. He said that he knew the lads involved although he was from 1941 away fighting as a member of the Scots Fusiliers.

He said, " I saw many of my friends die but made it safely through the war with a few close scrapes by largely ‘not being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Remembering the past also bought back more enjoyable memories as Sophia Killock accompanied by Nick Cottis sang melodies such as ‘Ain’t Misbehaving’ and a string of War Time favourites.

Offering their audience the opportunity for requests they were well received as they sang outside the Brixham Battery Museum.

Specializing in1920s and 30s music they often play at Burgh Island and can provide up to a five piece band. (Contact 01083 732572 for further information.)

As well as listening, the men and their families took time out to look around the Museum which had helped organize the day for them in conjunction with Corbyn Head Veterans.

Phil Trayhorne showed the new promotional video for the Museum, which can be seen at the site or through their new website for the Battery all developed thanks to Lottery Funding.

Phil said, “Thanks to the Heritage Lottery Funding we have been able to develop educational and interpretational material. This has included the recent play Evacuees at Paignton College which was an 'intergenerational experience' bringing young people to work with original evacuees to produce a performance with BOADs members. Following this we held a Street Party at Coleton St Mary, and having filmed Between the Lines, we plans to have public showing of this during January next year in Brixham."

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