Category Archives: World War II

Poppy Memorial Walk – October 2016

Poppy Memorial Walk – October 2016 Birmingham has produced a new walking trail which highlights places that played a role in both World Wars.

WWII Dornier

A German WWII Dornier aircraft is being cleaned up after it was lifted from the seabed. A former Ladywood schoolboy , Ken Collins, recalls seeing a Dornier over Spring Hill, Ladywood in 1940.

Memories of Evacuation

75 years ago this month war broke out and thousands of children were evacuated from Birmingham to villages in the countryside. Here are a few memories of former Ladywood children about the events of August and September 1939.

D Day hero of Pegasus Bridge

Den Brotheridge of Smethwick was the first  British soldier killed as forces attacked Pegasus Bridge on D Day. TNT visited the scene to find out what happened and spoke to Madame Arlette Gondree. She was a child who lived near the bridge at the time. We also visited the nearby churchyard at Benouville.

D Day – The Ultimate Sacrifice

70 Years after the D Day landings and the troops who gave their lives are still remembered in cemeteries across northern France. TNT discovered a number of Brummies are commemorated at Ranville.

70th Anniversary of D Day

70 years ago this month thousands of troops stormed the beaches of northern France to begin the invasion which eventually led to the end of World War II. TNT visited one of the historic beaches, known as Gold Beach, at Arromanches, and discovered the remains of a temporary harbour can still be seen today.

Ladywood man remembered in WWII ceremony in Holland

A memorial service and wreath laying ceremony was held on a Dutch naval vessel on the North Sea to remember the 34 crew men who went down when a submarine sank off the coast of Norway in 1940. One of those people honoured was James Spettigue from Monument Road. TNT accompanied his surviving relatives to […]

Search for relatives of sunken sub crew ends in Ladywood!

A Ladywood man has been identified as being a member of crew on a Dutch submarine that sank off Norway in 1940. A major exploration is underway to find the wreck of the submarine O13. TNT has been invited to a wreath laying ceremony on a Royal Dutch Navy vessel in July.

Ladywood man who survived crash in Lancaster bomber

This month is the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters raid. TNT met a Ladywood man, Ron Needle, who was a rear gunner in a Lancaster bomber which flew on similar raids across Germany. He survived a wartime crash and later met up with the people who rescued him from his burning plane.

Soldiers Given Key Of The City

230 soldiers representing five Regiments of the army were in Victoria Square to receive the Freedom of the City. It was Birmingham’s way of saying thank you to them for the work they do in this country and overseas. We interviewed the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Anita Ward, and her son Lance Sergeant Vince Hockley. He was badly […]

Tonight In Ladywood – July 2011

In this edition we celebrate Armed Forces Day with film of the Veterans’ Parade in Centenary Square. There is an interview with World War II veteran Ron Needle, who was in a Lancaster bomber that crashed in France in 1945. He has since been back to the site and met the people who rescued him […]

Central News features TNT’s Dunkirk + 70 Commemoration

On 25 May 2010 TNT was featured on Central News at the unveiling of the bench to commemorate the life of former Oratory School headboy and Dunkirk veteran Herbie Carter 1916-2007. It’s a shame they didn’t mention TNT by name, especially as they used some of our footage! Herbie’s story was featured in our April […]

TNT News – April 2010 ‘Tonight in Ladywood’

An exclusive interview with Johnson Beharry VC who won his prestigious award in Iraq, As we approach the 70th anniversary of Dunkirk we report from the beaches and interview a veteran of the campaign, Ladywood born Herby Carter. The chaos caused by the Icelandic volcano and how a Ladywood teacher got back from Italy, plus […]