My name is Robert Cowley, the eldest son of Lilian and Robert James Cowley, formerly of Dene Close,Kineton.
I was brought up from birth at 3 Bridge Street, and one very interesting memory I have, is the full military funeral of Admiral Sir Walter Cowan in 1956, who is buried in Southam Road cemetery. I was 7 years old at the time, and remember how exciting it was to look out of that little cottage window to see a gun carriage, followed by all those military personnel going up to the cemetery.
My mother used to clean house for the admiral and this has been a memory I have held all these years.
Unfortunately, having tried on numerous occasions, have never been able to find any reports or newspaper cuttings of the event.
We then moved from Bridge Street to Dene Close, and my second memory is, of the horrific V bomber crash at Combroke. I remember the explosion lighting up the night sky to resemble daylight, and my late uncle, Cyril Cowley, peddling furiously up Dene Close, to reach the Fire Station, he was a retained fireman at the time, and was for a long time afterwards. Again, frustratingly, I am unable to find reports or newspaper cuttings for this incident either.
I hope you do not mind me sharing these two memories with you, as they have certainly stayed with me all this time.
Kind Regards, Robert