VE DAY 8th May 1945 - 2025

One of many of Cragend Farm's story from World War II

Victory in Europe Day  VE Day 8th May 1945 

On 8th May 2025 we commemorate VE Day not only as a nation but throughout the world, and at Cragend Farm the story of a fallen Northumbrian RAF gunner in 1944 brings to life the sacrifices those we loved made for others.

Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, marks a poignant moment in history—a day when the guns finally fell silent across Europe on May 8, 1945, bringing an end to nearly six years of brutal conflict. As the news of Nazi Germany’s surrender spread, streets filled with celebrations, yet beneath the joy lay deep wells of reflection and remembrance. VE Day offers us a chance to look back not only on the triumph of peace over war but also on the immense sacrifices made by millions. It's a moment to honor the resilience of those who lived through the darkest days, and to renew our commitment to preserving the hard-won peace for future generations.

 Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945.

It marked the official surrender of all German military operations.

 In Rothbury, Northumberland, England, there is a simple memorial stone on The Gun Walk at National Trust Cragside to Sergeant George Adam Nichols Thompson, 1590591 - 207 Squadron. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Sergeant Thompson was Rear Gunner of the crew of Lancaster DV371 EM-M which took off from RAF Spilsby in Lincolnshire, at 1715hrs on Sunday 30 January 1944 as part of a force attacking Berlin.

His plane was shot down. He was 20 years old.

The airfield was built at Great Steeping, just 2 mi (3.2 km) south west of its originally planned location at Gunby, during 1942 to 1943 and opened for action on 20 September 1943 as an overflow satellite airfield to RAF East Kirkby in 5 (Bomber) Group RAF.[1] The first operational squadron to be based at Spilsby was No. 207 Squadron RAF who moved from RAF Langar on 12 October 1943. The squadron bombed Hanover in Germany six days later on 18 October and the following week the station was upgraded from satellite status to a full station in its own right. 

The memorial stone high on the crags was carved by his older brother Jimmy Thompson, using only a hammer and nail to do so. George had lived and worked with his family at nearby Cragend Farm, one of the Estate Farms of 2nd Baron Armstrong of Bamburgh and Cragside at that time.

WINGS Symbol

R.A.F.

IN MEMORY

OF

SGT.

Geo. THOMPSON

WHO GAVE

HIS LIFE

FOR

HIS FRIEND

JAN 30 1944 

Their parents, George and Ada (Elizabeth) continued to run the farm on this agricultural tenancy from 1908, until his brother Jimmy took over the farm in 1960’s.

Location: 55.3034882,-1.8731686

What3words ///used.sinkhole.firework

George Thompson was born on 9th March 1923. The school photograph is from 1938 at Dr Thomlinsons Scool Rothbury.

The second is of the cattle sheds at Cragend Farm with George driving the cart aged about 15. The third photograph is from 1939 when George is standing by The Bull Pen aged 16.

These have been kindly provided by George Thompson of Rodsley Court, Rothbury, the nephew and namesake of George. 

RAF Cottesmore is a former Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton.

Number 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron was an aviation unit of the Royal Air Force. It was active between 1917 and 1982.

http://www.rafinfo.org.uk/airsearch/units.htm

For most of its history it served as a heavy bomber squadron during WWII.

 At the outbreak of the Second World War, as part of Bomber Harris' No. 5 Group, the squadron was commanded by John Boothman, winner of the Schneider Trophy in September 1931.

 It was one of only two squadrons to operate continuously throughout the war. There were two squadron commanders who held the Victoria Cross – Wing Commanders Roderick Learoyd and John Nettleton.

 In 1941, the squadron was renamed No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron in honour of that colony's contribution to Britain's war effort, and also to recognise that up to 25% of the ground and air crew were from Southern Rhodesia. The badge is based upon the seal of Lo Bengula, the chief of the Matabele on conquest. The seal shows an elephant which, in the case of this unit, is intended to indicate heavy attacks.

 No. 44 Squadron received its first Avro Lancaster, in late 1941 and became the first squadron to convert completely to Lancasters, flying their first operational missions in the aircraft on 3 March 1942. 

Total sorties and losses for the war were:

Handley Page Hampden – 2,043 sorties (43 lost)

Avro Lancaster – 4,362 sorties (149 lost, plus 22 destroyed in crashes)

The squadron suffered the third highest overall casualties of RAF Bomber Command.

 

George Thompson was buried in Kremmen, East Germany.

Plot 5 Row 8 graves 29-33

Kremmen Cemetery

Kremmen Cemetery, a notable site with both a German and Polish war cemetery. The German Cemetery within Kremmen is a significant location for German soldiers who died during World War II. It is one of the largest and most visited of the German military cemeteries, with over 21,000 young men buried there, their names engraved on dark stones.

 

The farm was a settlement in Iron Age times. It was handed over from King Edward III, to The Duke of Northumberland, of Alnwick Castle and Syon House,  in 1331; until Lord Armstrong of Cragside bought it in 1860’s. It was part of a grand scheme to create a Model Farm to showcase his innovative water powered hydraulic machinery that worked threshing machines and milling devices, with two turbines powering these machines and a hydraulic hoist for lifting. 

Evidence of this 19th century cutting edge technology is still visible at Cragend today.  The Grade II* Listed Hydraulic Silo Building is of National Importance with original machinery in-situ, and the Turbine Room at Cragend Grange retains the original turbine used to power farm machinery, both of which can be viewed by appointment. Also, a 19th century agricultural weighbridge has been restored and is working. 

On the death of 1st Lord William Armstrong of Cragside in 1900 the farm was dismantled and put out to tender. After heavy bidding for the tenancy of this modern farm on The Cragside Estate along with over 100 bidders in 1908 to George Thompson’s father, George.

There is also historical  graffiti at Cragend Farm which complements this R.A.F. memorial:

 AG (acting gunner) / SERGEANT G. A. N. THOMPSON/44 SQUDN RAF/COTTESMORE/RUTLAND (underlined) (Japanese/Chinese characters, RAF badges,

Jims lass - traced) no date.

 https://www.academia.edu/6936461/Recording_Farmworkers_Graffiti_at_Cragend_Farm_Rothbury

This is downloadable online with a full excel sheet of the inscriptions.

 

We know that after the war, George’s older brother James’s (Jimmy) married Peggy, who had been George’s girlfriend before he left to go to war. It is thought that George had signed up despite being exempt as a farm labourer.

 

Cragend Farm Historic Tours to see Lord Armstrong of Cragside’s hydraulic machinery, open in May 2025 through historic Houses Invitation to View.

B&B  & Self-catering accommodation available at Cragend Grange, Cragend Farm.

Rothbury

Northumberland

@cragendfarm

 

 

Credit Lou Renwick Cragend Farm