Here in Scunthorpe and its surrounding villages, VE Day is a time to remember the sacrifices made not just on the frontline during WWII, but here at home. I thought the 75th anniversary was an ideal time to look back at our town’s unique role in arming our nation throughout the war.
Our women played key roles in keeping steel production during WWII. Source: BBC
As many of the male steelworkers were conscripted to fight, local women helped to keep the blast furnaces running, creating plate steel for ships, gun barrels, tank armour and aircraft parts. Scunthorpe-based contractors such as JG Clugston would transport slag generated from the steelworks to RAF Airfields, based all around North Lincolnshire to build runways.
Thanks to them, we were well equipped to fight in the air, in the sea and on the beaches. Our steelworkers helped build the greatest Navy in the world and provided the machinery we needed to win key battles elsewhere – they even helped provide materials for Spitfires.
A formation of spitfires which played an incredibly important role in the war. Source: Swanbourne History You can read more about the Spitfire by clicking here.
The crucial work being done was recognised by King George VI and the Queen Mother who visited the steelworks in 1940, trying their hand with the levers and wearing blue goggles to shield their eyes from the smelting glare.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Appleby-Frodingham steelworks Source: Scunthorpe Telegraph
Click here for a video of the Royal visit
Still an essential cog in the nation’s industrial machine, the steelworks helped to rebuild the nation in the following years. A famous example is the steam locomotive, bombed in London, that was recovered in scraps to be rebuilt in locally in 1949 and used here until the late 1960s.
Our steelworkers of the past remain with us today, through the statue by Oldrids. It depicts a man, and a woman on a bike, with the latter reminding us of the countless amount of bicycles coming to and from the steelwork’s gate as the men and woman of steel went to work. It is a humbling reminder that there were thousands of heroes working quietly but steadily behind the frontline, here in our beautiful hometown.
Statue in commemoration of our steelworkers. Source: Treasure Trials
Scunthorpe General Hospital was Class A1, meaning it dealt with civilian casualties and surgery over regular illnesses. The number of beds it needed grew from 130 to 204 during the war, with building extensions for cancer cases and private patients.
Under difficult circumstances the doctors and nurses worked long shifts to bring down waiting lists and undoubtedly saved many lives. The wards were named after the local steel firms who had contributed to their creation- Redbourn, Lysaghts, Appleby Frodingham in recognition of the intrinsic ties between our steelworks and our community.
Our hospitals during the war Source: North Lincs and Gooole NHS
Everyone from our community contributed by following the difficult rules that were in place. There were "mandatory blackouts" that would prevent the enemy from seeing where our houses were as bombers flew in at night, strict rationing rules to manage our limited resources, and community volunteers that took on essential functions previously carried out by those who were in the frontlines of the war.
Again today we face national adversity, and again, we see heroes emerging within our community. We must remember that no matter where you work or what you do, everyone who works and volunteers in the national interest should be treated with the utmost respect and gratitude.
Our new frontline heroes Source: Scunthorpelive
75 years ago, we were determined to see co-operation and tolerance win over brutal discrimination. Now, we face another enemy that targets the most vulnerable in our society. The sacrifices we have made to help the NHS, to help the most vulnerable, show that our citizens are still led by moral duty.
In the past few weeks, I bore witness to the same "quietly heroic" attitude we see in our veterans and grandparents. I have seen our NHS staff taking so much pride in the lifesaving work they do, our charities and volunteers doing all they can to make sure that nobody goes without, the carers going above and beyond for those they care for, and all those from our community who have decided to make drastic lifestyle changes to stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives.
Our veterans in Scunthorpe