This week's pictures from the past

This is the "Clun Peace Celebrations" after World War One ­ so perhaps around 1919.

The crowds seem to be looking at something off the picture to the left.

This unfranked postcard was loaned to us by Mrs Jan Cockerill, of Wellington.

Written on the back are: "Granddad and Granny Pugh (then, in different ink in brackets, "Mum and Dad"); Aunty Lizzie, Uncle Bill sat in front of tree, bottom of bank."

It is one of a number of old pictures which originally belonged to Mrs Cockerill's great-grandparents, the Pughes and Morrises, who were from the Clun area.

As this is the time of remembrance, we shall use some remembrance-related photos over the next few days.

This picture is a Christmas card which, Ernie Gwilliam of Bayston Hill tells us, was sent to members of the armed forces by Meole Brace parishioners.

The wording with it was: "Meole Brace gratefully remembers what you have done for your country. With all good wishes. Xmas 1918. Meole Brace, Shrewsbury."

Mr Gwilliam says: "I am 87 and don't known which bridge it is — ­ probably the one that now carries the main road into town. The card is folded and a little worn with age. I had three or four uncles serving in the war. One, George Gwilliam, died while still serving in the 264th Railway Company, Royal Engineers."

Today we remember, through this picture, those who died in Shropshire in service of their country, far away from home.

This is the wreckage of a Spitfire which crashed in the garden of a house near the Cross Keys pub, Hadley, on March 29, 1943.

It was emailed to us by Tom Thorne, of Pulverbatch, who is compiling a book of all Shropshire's air crashes ­ so if you've got memories of one, let him know.

Two Spitfires based at Atcham airfield, near Shrewsbury, which was then an American air base, collided in mid-air, slicing the tail off one aircraft, which crashed in a field at Leegomery Farm, killing 2nd Lt Edward D Smith, of New Hampshire, USA.

The tail came down near the REME workshops at Hadley.

The other pilot, 2nd Lt Daniel R Scott, aged 24, seemed to remain in control for a while, but the aircraft then went into a spin, crashing into this garden.

He bailed out, but he was too low for his parachute to open, and he too was killed. He is buried in Texas.

What is the story behind this picture of a Shropshire soldier of the Great War era and a young lady who may be his sweetheart or, perhaps, his sister?

This is one of a number of postcard pictures of First World War soldiers sent to us by Mrs Jan Cockerill, of Wellington.

Written on the back of this particular postcard is "The 11th Prince Alberts Own Hussars."

Mrs Cockerill says the postcards were originally in the possessions of her great-grandmother, Jane Ann Morris, nee Richards, who lived in the Clun area.

"These passed to my grandmother Jane Morris, later Pugh. My grandmother no doubt knew who they were, but did not record names. These have now, following my mother's death, come down to me. I am therefore writing to ask if the Shropshire Star could display them anyway to the readers, to see if anyone recognises any of these individuals. I believe even if in different regiments, the majority would have been born in and around the Clun area.

"Looking at this collection over the recent years, I wonder who they were and especially did they survive the war."

In continuing our remembrance theme, we bring you some more faces from the Great War era, in the hope that someone, somewhere, may be able to tell us something about these people.

This postcard comes to us from Mrs Jan Cockerill, of Wellington, and was one of a number in the possessions of her great-grandmother, who lived in the Clun area.

She thinks it likely, then, that this soldier, pictured with a lady who is presumably his wife, sweetheart, or sister, is linked to Clun area in some way.

The postcard is by J.O. Lawson, of Chester-le-Street and "7th Hussars" is written on the back.

You can imagine how, fuelled by patriotism, this lad, who looks only about 16 or 17, rushed to join the colours during World War One. He doesn't even have a regimental cap badge yet.

But who was he? What became of him? This is another postcard photo of soldiers from that era which was loaned to us by Mrs Jan Cockerill, of Wellington.

The only clue we have is that the picture was taken at Chic Studio, 23 Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury's Sergeant Tom Humphreys, of the RAF Regiment, poses at Kiel, Germany, with a colleague a day or two after the end of World War Two in May 1945.

Mr Humphreys, who will be 90 in April, lived at the outbreak of war at Coton Hill.

In retirement he lived in Rushbury and then All Stretton, but is now in Sandford nursing home in Church Stretton.

With this being the time of remembrance, he thought this photo would "reflect the pride and joy we felt at the defeat of evil and the end of hostilities in Europe."

He is on the left. He landed at Normandy around three weeks after D-Day, and saw action with a 3ins mortar platoon.

The photo was taken at the airfield and seaplane base at Kiel and he says the aircraft in the background is a Dornier flying boat.

"Although I am thankful for a long and happy life, much that has happened since then leaves me saddened that so much conflict and suffering has continued after such great sacrifices were made.

"When will man learn to live in peace and understanding?" he says.