Cricket on the green
Swyncombe Cricket Club is located in Cookley Green, a picturesque hamlet situated on top of the Chiltern Hills. The road from Watlington to Nettlebed dissects the green, with its brick and flint houses to the north and south side acting as boundary markers for the original cricket ground.
It is hard to imagine that cricket matches were once played on the green as you drive along the tree lined avenue. One can only imagine that the traffic along the B4009 was a little lighter in years gone by, as we might have lost considerable numbers of fielders.
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This oak tree
was planted in memory of
Ronald Austin, Sergt. R.A.F.
missing May 27th 1941
who achieved distinction on
this ground with bat and ball
At the base of the oak tree, to the right of the pavilion
The plaque and its poppy, by the pavilion oak
Ronald Austin
Unlike many of the Swyncombe cricketers at the time, Ron Austin was "a suit", says Dorothy Ackerman, meaning he worked in an office rather than on a farm. He lived at 1 Coates Lane. He was a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, or "WOP AG" as they were known in the RAF, and their "half wing" brevets had the initials WAG.
82 Squadron
Ronald served on 82 Squadron based at Watton in Norfolk, flying the Blenheim Mk IV light bomber. Between May 1941 and March 1942 some of the squadron were detached to Malta. A number of aircraft were lost en route, but the ones that made it were used in low-level attacks in the Mediterranean on enemy shipping sailing between Italian ports and North Africa, keeping Rommel's Afrika Corps supplied.
27th May 1941
On 27th May 1941 three Blenheim aircraft from 82 Squadron attacked an enemy convoy, but unfortunately their bombs had been fitted with instantaneous fuses rather than delayed action. The bombs exploded immediately on leaving the aircraft, which severely damaged the aircraft and brought two of them down into the sea. It seems that the third aircraft realised what was happening and did not drop its bombs.
Ron Austin was killed together with the pilot, but the navigator, Sgt Collins, was the only survivor of the attack and was picked up out of the sea by an Italian destroyer, though very badly injured, losing a leg, and becoming a PoW. He was later repatriated in 1943 under the auspices of the Red Cross via Portugal. A picture exists of the moment that he was handed over to the Portuguese.
The war memorial
Though there are 17 names on the Cookley Green war memorial relating to the First World War, Ron J Austin and Jack H Barnett are the only two names from the Second World War, both from the RAF.
Jack Barnett
Barnett was killed in an aircraft accident on 19th October 1942 at Inverness airfield (Dalcross) while still under training as an air gunner. His remains were returned to his family at Swyncombe and buried in St Botolph's churchyard in a civilian grave.
About 20 years ago the Commonwealth War Graves Commission noted that his gravestone inscription was illegible and offered to erect a standard CWGC gravestone. The offer was accepted, and both the original low curbstone grave marker and the white War Graves Commission stone can be seen in the churchyard together, just to the east of the church.
St Botolph's, Swyncombe. Photo: Mary Tebje
A happy ending
A happy ending to an otherwise sad story: the lady with whom Jack Barnett was "walking out" at the time of his death stayed in contact with his family, and sometime later met his elder brother, who was in the Grenadier Guards and had been wounded at Salerno during the Italian campaign, convalescing at his parents' home at Swyncombe. They subsequently married and had 50 plus years together, and two daughters.
Why "the Field of Dreams"?
Ask a member where Swyncombe play and you won't get an address; you'll be told the Field of Dreams. Stand on it on a June evening, kites circling overhead, and the name needs no further explanation.
Groundcraft
The square and outfield get the full treatment: vintage tractor, gang mowers, roller, wheelbarrow and a great deal of patience from the wonderful wicket magician Clive and his trusty sidekick Rich. The Field of Dreams doesn't tend itself.
Lest we forget
Ron J Austin · Jack H Barnett
Thank you to John Scullard, who kindly contributed to the history page
