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| Tower Bridge, London on September 7 |
Today, The Grandma has got a new grammar manual named First Certificate Language Practice. It is one level up in her English studies and because of this; she's going to publish some more difficult posts.
Once you control the English grammar, the next step, and the most important one, is to learn new vocabulary more technical and specific that allows you the possibility of creating better writings and to acquire a better and fluent speaking.
The Grandma has remembered that on a day like today, in 1939, started one of the most atrocious events of our recent history: WWII.
She wants to remember this anniversary about the Western Approaches Tactical Unit, a unit formed by women basically, that helped the United Kingdom to win some battles against the German Army and finally, the war. These women were called the Wrens (Womens Royal Naval Service) and their participation in the war was necessary to save lives and protect the United Kingdom.
World War II, often abbreviated to WWII or WW2, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although conflicts reflecting the ideological clash between what would become the Allied and Axis blocs began earlier.
The vast majority of the world's countries, including all of the great powers, eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis.
The vast majority of the world's countries, including all of the great powers, eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis.
More information: History
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| London Royal Docks attacked by German planes |
It was the most global war in history; it directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. In a state of total war, the major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources.
World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.
Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches was the commander of a major operational command of the Royal Navy during World War II. The admiral commanding, and his forces, sometimes informally known as Western Approaches Command, were responsible for the safety of British shipping in the Western Approaches. Admiral Martin Dunbar-Nasmith, who had been Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, also took over responsibility for the Western Approaches from the start of World War II.
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| St Paul's Cathedral towards Southwark Bridge, London |
After the fall of France in June 1940, the main North Atlantic convoy routes were diverted around the north of Ireland through the north-western approaches.
By late 1940, the location of the Combined Operations headquarters at Plymouth was moved to the Combined Operations headquarters in Liverpool.
By late 1940, the location of the Combined Operations headquarters at Plymouth was moved to the Combined Operations headquarters in Liverpool.
On 7 February 1941, the headquarters was established at Derby House, Liverpool, with a secondary control bunker built in Magee College, Derry. The headquarters of No. 15 Group RAF, part of Coastal Command, moved to Liverpool at the same time. On 17 February 1941 Admiral Sir Percy Noble was appointed as the new Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches Command.
More information: IWM
Over the next two years, Admiral Noble built up the bases for the North Atlantic escort groups at Greenock on the Clyde, Derry and Liverpool and set up the training facilities that were the foundations for eventual victory in the Battle of the Atlantic.
On 19 November 1942, Admiral Max Horton replaced Admiral Noble; Horton then was Commander-in-Chief until Western Approaches Command closed on 15 August 1945.
More information: Professional War Gaming
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| A Royal Naval Service member |
Horton's leadership played a vital role in the final defeat of the U-boat menace. Horton used the increasing number of escorts that were available to the command to organize support groups that were used to reinforce convoys that came under attack.
Unlike the regular escort groups, the support groups were not directly responsible for the safety of any particular convoy. This freedom gave them much greater tactical flexibility, allowing the support groups to detach ships to hunt submarines spotted by reconnaissance or picked up by high-frequency direction finding, HF/DF. In situations where the regular escorts would have had to return to their convoy, the support groups were able to persist in hunting a submarine for many hours until it was forced to the surface.
The reinforced central core of the command bunker at Derby House proved too costly to demolish, and so whilst the rest of the building has been converted to modern offices, the bunker has been restored as a museum, open to the public. The areas open to visitors are only a small part of the original complex. The museum is known as the Western Approaches Museum.
More information: New Statesman
Following years of neglect, the site was taken over by non-profit organisation Big Heritage in 2017, which saw an extensive restoration of the site and the discovery of new hidden parts of the bunker complex. The reopened site has seen a large increase in visitor numbers, and now ranks as one of the most popular historic sites in Liverpool.
My grandmother is British. She was in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force during World War II. That's where she met my grandfather,
who was sailing for the British Royal Navy. She was a war bride.
Sarah Gadon
