A LLANDUDNO author is making an appeal for anecdotes, reminiscences and photographs to complete a book he is writing on Conwy borough during World War 2.

Adrian Hughes, who runs the town’s Home Front Museum, has been preparing the book for some time, and in particular has been unable to unearth any photographs of the VE and VJ celebrations.

He said: “I wrote a book in 2017 about the borough of Conwy in World War 1 and that raised more than £1,500 for the poppy appeal and Conwy Citizens Advice Bureau. Both these charities will again benefit from this new book as all monies will be donated to them.

“This year marks the 75th anniversary of D Day and the 80th of the outbreak of World War 2, so it seems a fitting time to write about Conwy borough during that period.

“Anyone who has any information or photographs can contact me by email: info@homefrontmuseum.co.uk or 01492 871032 or at the museum, Home Front Museum, New Street, Llandudno.

Adrian said: “In all my research I have failed to find a single image of VE or VJ Day celebrations but I am aware there were lots of street parties and I really need some to help bring the book to a natural conclusion.”

He added: “I am also really keen to talk to anyone who has recollections of Conwy, Deganwy and Llandudno Junction during the Second World War, in particularly regarding Ratcliffe Engineering, the factory that made Beaufighter and Halifax parts in Llandudno Junction, it later became the Hotpoint factory.

“There were five platoons of the Home Guard in the area, one each in Conwy, Deganwy and Llandudno Junction and one for LMS railways and one for Crosville buses. I Would love to find more photos of them and especially confirm the anecdote that the Deganwy platoon dragged a bathing hut from the beach at Deganwy to the top of the Vardre to use as an observation post, until it blew away.

“Residents raised more than £125, 000 in November 1941 during the National savings Warship Week and adopted the Flower class Corvette, HMS Erica. Unfortunately, she struck a mine in the Mediterranean in February 1943 and sunk with the loss of two crew. Ironically the council was presented with a plaque relating to the monies raised by the people of Conwy for HMS Erica three months after she went down.”

Adrian added: “Conwy played a vital role in the Normandy landings as parts of the Mulberry harbour were fabricated at the Conwy Morfa. Previously, engineer Hugh Iorys Hughes had used the site to build prototypes of an artificial harbour that were presented to the Admiralty and elements of his work were used in the final design.

“More than 700 people were employed on the project and worked around the clock. They were billeted at Tyn-y-coed, now Robertson’s Research, Plas Mariander and Bryn Corach off Sychnant Pass Road, Conwy.

“More than 1,000 children were evacuated to the district from the Shiel Road area of Liverpool. Many houses were requisitioned to billet them, and many stayed with local families who received 10/6p per week for taking a child in. This was to cover food and lodgings but not clothes.

“However, many turned up in the borough in a dishevelled state and many of the host families bought new clothes and shoes for the children at their own expense.

“Also relocated to Conwy in 1941 were 35 important works of art from Birkenhead’s Williamson Art Gallery for safekeeping. Most of these paintings were hung in the public spaces at the council’s offices at Bodlendeb and included works by Sir David Young Cameron, John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough.

“Fines were regularly administered to those who failed to adhere to the blackout regulations which were introduced in September 1939.

“One such case was that of Edward Jones, the Verger of All Saints. Conwy Court heard in April 1940, policeman, Sergeant D. M. Hughes saw an unobscured light in the clock tower of All Saints at 10.45pm. He immediately went to the home of the verger and apparently when Edward Jones answered the door and remarked “the lights. You must summons me”. The Police officer told him that he would be reported and the verger agreed “It was only right and that he should do it”. At the court the verger was given a strong rebuke and fined £1, around £30 today.

“In May 1941, the same police sergeant, D M Hughes, told Conway Court how he saw an unobscured light in an upstairs room of premises in Church Street, Conway. He described to the Court that after receiving no reply from the front door he procured a set of ladders and fired a .22 rifle at the electric bulb. A cleaner, Maud Garrard of nearby Mona Road was fined £2 as she had forgotten to switch off the light after cleaning the room.”