Joint Sports Day, Drake Hall , near Eccleshall

Description:Page 46 of 'Drake Hall - A War-Time Hostel', a souvenir book produced for staff and residents at the Swynnerton Royal Ordinance Factory hostel at Drake Hall, produced in 1945. A report on a Joint Sports Day:

"The sports day, held on August 7th, 1944, was a joint effort by the Swynnerton group of hostels, Drake, Frobisher and Raleigh, and was promoted to encourage inter-hostel co-operation, to provide a day of clean, healthy, open-air sport for the residents of the three hostels. Owing to the keen enthusiasm of the voluntary helpers, and aided by the perfect weather enjoyed, the event was an outstanding success and was the means of our being able to hand over to the R.O.F. benevolent fund the magnificent sum of £100 and a slightly smaller sum to be divided between the three hostels mentioned for their sports funds.

Opening Ceremony by Col. Clyde, U.S.A.F., who paid a tribute to the girls in the factory and said that although it was not as glamorous, it was certainly just as important as the work of the soldier. He also referred to the spirit of goodwill and close co-operation that ex-isted between the Hostels and the American Army units stationed in the vicinity, and expressed the hope that the same spirit would continue after the war and make it possible for the two countries, England and America, to under-stand each other better and to co-operate in making the world a better place to live in."

Captions for the photographs:

"The start of the men's half-mile. The winner was M. Hannafin (Drake Hall).

Sweeney, Drake Hall, winning the High Jump. Lieutenant Jones, U.S.A.F., was the judge."