THE Second World War had been over for 10 months in March 1946 and the pages of the Reading Mercury had many stories relating to its aftermath.
A grateful County Council presented three silver bugles to the Royal Berkshire Regiment during a ceremony at the (old) Shire Hall.
For seven years the regiment had served in France, Sicily, Italy and the Far East, where its soldiers were awarded a total of 118 honours for gallantry.
THANKSGIVING SERVICE: The Royal Berks paraded in Reading
The Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire Mr. Benyon, speaking after inspecting a parade outside, stated: “We can be proud of our County Regiment, which has served with distinction in practically every theatre of war.”
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Reading University (as it was called then) had some post war issues, one of which involved a large number of potential students applying to enrol, but not enough accommodation being made available on campus.
Priority was to be given to ex-service personnel, but an over-subscription ratio of 5 to1 was reported for prospective students.
FAREWELL TO ARMS: An amnesty collected many ‘war trophies’
The Chief Constable of Berkshire issued his annual report for 1945, in which stated that there had been a dramatic increase in burglaries across the county that year.
Over 200 per cent more reported cases of household and business burglary peaked when (on a single day) the County Court saw 26 defendants appearing before judges.
A Home Office scheme implemented by the Chief Constable involved members of the public handing over wartime firearms to their local police station and he emphasised again that this was due to run out on March 31.
A photo was published in the Mercury which showed some of the weapons that had already been brought in, including rifles, machine guns and pistols.
CREAM OF THE CROP: The Land Army went milking in Bradield
Wartime style rationing was not over and many farms were still involved in feeding the population locally.
Three Women’s ‘Land Army’ recruits were pictured heading off to milk the cows at Boot Farm in Bradfield - with the ‘cheesy’ headline attached saying “I’m going a milking sir”.
Another charming rural photo showed Mr Head from Mattingley, the proud owner of four new-born goat ‘quads’, all of them looking full of mischief in the background.
NO KIDDING: A goat having ‘quads’ made the headlines in 1946
75 years ago, the opening of two new beds at the Royal Berkshire Hospital merited a story, with the proud donation taking place on Nuffield Ward.
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At least one tradition returned that month when the historic ‘Head of the River’ rowing event took place for the first time after the war.
Only seven crews took part the Reading University crews by all account put up a good show, with Jesus College Cambridge finishing first.
HEAD OF THE RIVER: Reading University crew at the start
Normality was still a long way off in this post war period and it would be a long time before the ‘broad sunlit uplands’ of peacetime would arrive again in Berkshire.
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