Les Bracey, landing spies in Occupied France in Lysanders
Creators: name: Project Team, Their Finest Hour
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 430304
subject: British history
classificationCode: 430308
subject: European history (excl. British, classical Greek and Roman)
classificationCode: 430316
subject: International history

description: Les Bracey (the contributor's father) served in the RAF in the Second World War signing up as an 18-year-old in 1940, possibly inspired by the Battle of Britain. He was part of a covert squadron called RAF Tempsford which used to drop the spies into occupied France in Westland Lysander aircraft. This would have been the only time he ever went abroad in his life. He was based in Bedford.In the RAF Les was an electrical engineer, ground crew. He worked on Mosquitos. He worked on Stirling Aircraft, Wellingtons, Hampdens. Les's job was to start the aircraft. Les never actually flew in these - only Lysanders.In Lysander planes they didn't wear parachutes. These planes were pursued by night fighters over the English Channel, they dropped spies over Occupied France. From the plane they would drop off spies in the night. They would also drop leaflets to rally the French people. These were put together by the office of General Charles De Gaulle who led the Free French. There would have been lots of covert codes in the leaflets.The contributor's mom, Dorothy Angela Merriman, began work at the Midland Red Bus Company in Bearwood aged 14. She was a comptometer operator and would tot up all the fares collected off the bus users. Her family knew the family of musician Robert Plant. She was 24 on her wedding day. She worked there until the contributor was born in 1958. Dorothy's Mom Gwendoline Alice Merriman grew up in Pershore, Worcestershire. Dorothy's father, Arthur Lewis Augustus Joseph Merriman, was brought up in Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds where he became an apprentice silversmith in the early 20th century with Ashbee Silversmiths. He was a sniper with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in the Great War.Les was born in Little Shadwell Street, Birmingham, 1922. Les's father Wilfred Bracey worked at Cadburys and at the Birmingham Public Works Department. He fought in the Great War in Greece in Thessaloniki with the Royal Horse Artillery, he married Elsie, Les's mother. Les was known as the "Harborne Tarzan". The title was given to him by 'The Sports Argus', who had written about him following a match for the Kings Arms Pub, he had long flowing dark hair and he must have resembled the Hollywood actor Johnny Weissmuller who played Tarzan and was an Olympic swimming gold medalist. He was very tall.Les and Dorothy married in 1952/3.Les went to Summer Lane School, and was described as "a genuine Summer Laner". He used to work in the Birmingham Gun Factory, carrying sporting guns to the proofing factory.In the RAF Les was also stationed in Downham Market. Cycling back from the pub one night in Downham Market and he hit a cow in the middle of the road. Flew over his bike handlebars. The documents shared show his service number was 1045926 from his RAF Form 2520A, on 19th November 1946.<br><br>Photo of Arthur Merriman in 1940 in his Auxiliary Fire Service uniform during WW2. He served on fire watch at the Cape Hill Brewery fire station at Mitchell's and Butler's Brewery just down the Dudley Road from where he lived in back to back housing in Dugdale Street, Winson Green where Birmingham prison is. Arthur tried to sign up for regular British Army service but was told he was too old at 40 having been gassed in the Great War too.<br>My wife has researched my maternal grandfather Arthur and he was born in Shipston on Stour in March 1899. His birth record shows him as being Arthur Lewis Joseph Merriman. And yet when he married on January 19 1924 the name appearing on his marriage certificate was Arthur Lewis Augustus Joseph Merriman. When Arthur was born his parents were William Merriman and Anna Maria Freeman, born in the 1850s. In the 1901 Census Arthur is listed as a grandson with William and Anna having 5 other children and they're listed as living in Watery Lane, Chipping Campden. Arthur Merriman moved to Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter around 1913 when he was 14 years old as he'd been an Ashbee Silversmith apprentice in Chipping Campden and moved to the Jewellery Quarter to seek his fortune or at least make more money. He joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in Birmingham and that is why he fought at the Battle of Arras in 1917 and was gassed. I am sure my 81 year old aunt Jannette (his youngest daughter and still around living in Sutton Coldfield) told me he won the Military Medal during the Great War. It was aunty Jan who also told me he was gassed. Arthur was also in the Royal Scots Regiment as I presume that they were a Roman Catholic regiment and Arthur Merriman was an English yeoman Roman Catholic. When my wife Mary and I visited Chipping Campden last year we went to the Catholic Church (St Catherine's) and were told we had missed members of the extended Merriman family by 10 minutes! We then found Merriman Cottage near to the Ashbee Silversmith Art Gallery.