Legion Stalwart Bill Rumbold Remembered
Bill Rumbold was born in Wincanton in 1921 at 3, Whitehall Cottages, the year in which his father died. Bill's father who was a regular soldier had not long been back from the First World War where he had been gassed and suffered the effects of shell shock. It was a hard life for his mother who had to bring up the three sons on her own, money was very tight. Never the less Bill had a good childhood and often related tales of fun in the countryside.
Bill met the love of his life, Joyce and they married in 1940. They were a lifelong loving couple. When the time came Bill joined the RAF serving at Manston and Tangmere. As luck would have it he was posted to RAF Zeals just up the road from Wincanton, for three months in the Spring of 1944. As Bill and Joyce’s home was in Yarlington he was able to spend a lot of time at home.
Bill was attached to 488 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force who were flying Mosquito aircraft. He drove most types of transport on the airfield and was ground crew, refitting and refuelling the aircraft.
A vivid wartime memory of Bill's was of him cycling home during the night of Whit Monday 1944 after an enemy bomber had dropped bombs on Wincanton. The plane landed a direct hit on the bank in South Street. Sadly the bank manager's daughter was killed and the bank badly damaged with bank notes and legal documents all flying about the street. The bank recovered most of the money, but many documents stored for safe keeping were destroyed, causing lots of legal problems in the town.
After the D-Day invasion and the land fighting had finished in Normandy, Bill's unit went on into Belgium and Holland. After Bill was demobbed he and Joyce continued to live in Yarlington for a few years and Bill worked as a painter and decorator engaging in work supplied by builder Charles H. Clothier of Castle Cary. Bill joined the fire service as a retained fireman and to be near to the Fire Station he moved to South Street, Wincanton, in fact in doing this he was the nearest fireman and most times arrived first on call outs. Joyce and Bill bought their bungalow in Southgate Drive about 15 years ago.
Bill became an inspiring example of service to the community. He was a Town Councillor for many years becoming Mayor of Wincanton and was not only a Gold Badge Holder in the Royal British Legion, but one of Wincanton branch's longest running secretaries. Bill's service as a retained fireman ended with him being a leading fireman, he was a school governor and life time freeman of the Wincanton Primary School.
Tony Goddard
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Reply #1 on : Wed November 24, 2010, 13:21:57
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