BBC Radio Merseyside

Blighty Thank God · BBC Radio Merseyside 10 11 2023.MP4

The tragic story of Flight Sergeant James Eden – told movingly in the podcast episode “When Jim Got His” opens this interview between Neil Chapman and BBC Radio Merseyside Presenter Tony Snell. Thanks to Tony and Radio Merseyside for the chance to share the story with their listeners.

WORLDWIDE INTEREST
by Neil Chapman
Without the internet, ‘Blighty Thank God’ couldn’t have happened. When the podcast series was first published in 2023, anyone, anywhere could access it via the web.
RON CHAPMAN REMEMBERED IN HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER
by Geoff Paddock
The Northern Echo newspaper featured the diaries of Ron Chapman in a feature article for its "Echo Memories" column by Chris Lloyd this week, part of Remembrance Day coverage.
REMEMBRANCE MEMORIES
by Malcolm Parker
A dear friend kindly wrote about his memories of Ron from our school days, as well as his thoughts on Remembrance Day.
SEX, SPIES & LIES
by Neil Chapman
What a joy when award-winning historical author Jessie Childs (pictured) contacted me via this website. She found ‘Blighty Thank God’, published one year ago, when delving into the fascinating life of her diplomat grandfather, Stephen Childs.
D-DAY AT LAST
by Neil Chapman
80 years ago, on June 6, 1944, Flt Sgt Ron Chapman was 5,000+km from the Normandy D-Day landings. Stationed in Egypt, he was probably ‘cheesed off’.
ENSA TRIBUTE
by Neil Chapman
In my father’s war diary, ENSA - the Entertainments National Service Association - features regularly.
PAYING THE PRICE FOR FLYING THE ‘GRISLY BISLEY’
by Neil Chapman
One ‘Blighty Thank God’ episode highlights the Bristol Blenheim V plane - or as pilots dubbed it - the ‘Grisly Bisley’. Through research into my late father’s (Flt/Sgt. Ron Chapman) 1943 war diary I learned how it earned its macabre reputation.
TESTING THE MIGHTY HURRICANE
by Neil Chapman
Visit this website to see pictures of British Hawker Hurricane Mark IIb fighter - BE208. To my surprise my father - Flt Sgt. Ron Chapman of (xxx)- played a 6,000km part in its long journey from the UK to Asia.
SOMETHING BORROWED
by Neil Chapman
This wedding photograph of my late parents - Ron and Monica Chapman - at St. Stephen’s Church, St. Albans, October 1946, was familiar to me growing up. After researching my father’s WW2 diary, discovered after both had died, it threw up a number of questions.
THE SPY WHO CAME OUT FROM THE COLD
by Neil Chapman
My WW1 veteran grandfather John “Jack’ Chapman very likely worked on a highly secret WW2 RAF project being developed close to his home by De Havilland - the ‘wooden wonder’ Mosquito aircraft.