In the Timeline this year we will continue to record the names of local men who fought in World War I and then died through their wounds, or from the flu epidemic which was still sweeping across the world in 1919.

We will also detail the main events which were reported in the Bucks Free Press every week during 1939, as the country prepared for the almost inevitable breakdown in relationships with the increasingly belligerent Germany under Adolf Hitler.

In the week up to February 2:

A meeting was held in the Town Hall, High Wycombe, on January 23 to explain in detail the proposed scheme for the evacuation of women and children in the case of a national emergency. This was chaired by the Town Clerk Mr F B Beecroft, supported by the Mayor Cllr A C White. It was held in the afternoon and attended almost exclusively by the women of the district.

Mr Beecroft explained that a survey was to be undertaken to establish the accommodation available, for which the district was to be divided into twelve areas, and each area divided into sections with about 150 houses in each.

For each section a volunteer was to be appointed, who would be responsible for undertaking the survey and then for making up the National Register for his/her section. It was emphasised that these reports would be confidential.

The survey was to establish for each dwelling:

The number of people ordinarily resident.

The number of “habitable” rooms, which did not include “rooms where food was prepared, or bathrooms and toilets”.

Was there any reason why the conditions were unsuitable for “children and others”, the example given of ‘unsuitability’ being if the householder was an “aged or infirm person”.

Each householder was “allowed” to occupy one habitable room per “resident” person, “resident” including children, and any rooms in excess of this would be deemed available for an evacuee.

If a householder was expecting to accommodate relatives or friends in the event of an emergency, they were to supply the names and addresses of those people.

At the end of the meeting about eighty volunteers were enrolled for the scheme, with another forty or so being required.

Applying these rules to where I lived in Cressex Road, we had five “habitable” rooms, so with my parents and myself, although I was only an infant at the time, we would have had two rooms available. We did indeed have two evacuees throughout most of the war.

Do any readers wish to share their memories of evacuation, either as an evacuee themselves or as a recipient of evacuees. If so please contact me 01494 755070 or email deweymiked@aol.com.

Major John H Flower from Gerrards Cross died on January 31. He was born near Luton in Bedfordshire in 1884, married Richenda Barclay in 1912, and the couple had a daughter Pamela in 1914.

John enlisted shortly after the start of the war and then served with distinction in the Kings Royal Rifle Regiment, being awarded the DSO and Military Cross.

He was wounded in the head in 1915 and subsequently discharged as being unfit for further service. At the time of his death, which was a direct result of the wound, he was living with his wife and daughter at “The Camp House” in Gerrards Cross.

Gunner Joseph J Smith from Flackwell Heath died on February 3. He had been severely wounded during the war, as a result of which he was disabled and unable to work at his profession as a gardener.

He committed suicide by cutting his throat whilst sitting in a field near his home. For that reason he is not recognised as a casualty of the war by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

He will be remembered with a short service at Flackwell Heath War Memorial at 11.00am on Sunday, February 3.