The 1940's

Reacting quickly to the onset of war the club agreed at a special committee meeting that the course "be carried on under a care and maintain basis; that 50% of the ground staff would be released if they wished to take up work of national importance; that the services of Nellie and Lizzie be retained, although the provision of lunches would be discontinue; that subscriptions of all members serving with H.M.Forces should be waived, paying only a special green fee of 1s 6d; and that all competitions should be cancelled". It's worth mentioning at this stage that Nellie and Lizzie were the two club stewardesses who served the club throughout the 1914-18 War, cooking for members and passing military. 

A special meeting called on 12 November 1939 resolved that the Committee should have full powers to make any decisions that were necessary for the unknown timespan of hostilities and also to reduce payment of subscriptions for any non serving members. Despite this move resignations arrived almost daily until in June 1940 the greenkeeper, two ground staff and a member of the house staff were given two weeks notice. A month later, still trying desperately to keep the course open and funds ticking over, members were asked to state what they were prepared to pay as an annual subscription.......and the Secretary's salary was reduced to £75 a year. All this was to no avail because in September the club was closed and all remaining stock sold.

In essence the Secretary Leslie Winney WAS THE CLUB during the war years, constantly keeping his eyes on what was happening and doing all he could to keep the course in some kind of order. Four years later he delivered a report to the Committee which didn't make very happy reading. He said that since the club closed on 30th September 1940 the clubhouse was requisitioned by the Army, together with part of the club's furniture. But after a few weeks the military had been asked to leave the premises as they were required by the Air Ministry for their personnel deployed at the aerodrome. His report went on to say:

" The first inclination we had of this was a report that the clubhouse had been evacuated and upon examination found that the military had departed and had left most of the doors and windows wide open in weather which was very poor at this time, Messers Picken and Steel made a point of visiting the clubhouse and making all the doors and windows fast."

It was then discovered that although the military had departed with more than just their kitbags, they had left behind them, on the first floor, a sack of Mills bombs primed and ready for action.

"The premises were then occupied by the Air Ministry and in the meantime application was made to the Army authorities for return of the furniture they had removed from the club premises, this was duly returned but in the meantime the Air Ministry had requisitioned further items of club furniture for which negotiations are still proceeding. The rent payable by Government for the clubhouse was £200 per annum, for which sum has been duly passed over to the solicitors acting for the temporarily disbanded golf club. Regarding the course no requistioning order has been made although negotiations are still proceeding and no rent has been paid for that part occupied by the Government. Part of the course had been taken over by The Essex Agricultural Committee and put under cultivation, this consisted of an area approximately 22½ acres for which rental of £30 per annum is required. This area comprises the second, third and fith holes as well as the 17th fairway."

In dismay a very saddened Leslie Winney then turned his attention to the whole course in detail.

"It is regretted to report that a concrete building was erected by Government on a site by the farm stockyard in the middle of the first fairway, which has spoiled the line from the 1st tee to the 1st green. This will have to be taken down as it is an eyesore to the countryside in general and I have to report that neither Mr H.V.Sorrell, Mr Picken nor myself were consulted in any way before this building was sited. The first green was enclosed with barbed wire and gun employments in the bunkers to the south east of the green and a concrete blockhouse erected behind the green. A request was made that an opening be left so that the club professional could have access to the green and keep it cut and in condition, but was refused.  A month of so ago the wire was removed, but the green has been ruined through lack of attention.

Mr Winney then moved on hole by hole recording which parts of the course had been damaged, or abandoned and which had been maintained. He had definitely not been amused at the state of the 6th green.

"It has been crossed by barbed wire entanglements, protest was made at the time of its errection and a request put forward that it should be diverted by a few yards to avoid crossing the green so that we might maintain and keep it in condition. Our request was refused so the green had to be abandoned. The entanglements take an approximate line from the railway fence south of the pond on 17th fairway to the 6th gree where they bear left to finish by the style near the 15th green"

During the second world war the adjacent aerodrome - RAF Rochford was the base for a squadron of Spitfires, so an obvious target for German bombing raids and in August 1940 nineteen bombs fell on the golf course as well as two others on nearby farm buildings. Although there were no direct hits on Rochford Hall some walls were badly cracked by the force of the explosions. The blockhouse behind the first green, referred to by Leslie Winney is still there, although heavily concealed behind an overgrowth of brambles and greenery, and the gun emplacement alongside the 16th tee is a visible ever present reminder of those troubled times. Additionally on the north wall of the perimeter guardhouse halfway up the 16th fairway there is a fitting, but fading tribute to the airmen who helped defended Britain from RAF Rochford during World War II. "The Few - 1940"

"The Few - 1940"		Hidden behind the 1st green		Alongside the 16th tee

When the Committee eventually reconvened in May 1944 it was agreed that on the cessation of hostilities every effort should be made to reform the club, but in October the situation still remained ominous with the lease due for renewal the following May. An inspection of the course revealed that because of the amount of land under cultivation and requisitioned by the Government it was unlikely that the course would be playable for some time. Oh and apart from that the club had no money!

In June 1946 the Committee concluded that, to start work on the course would entail heavy expense which could not be met from the promised donations and subscriptions from members, and anticipated compensation for war damage. So they recommended that progress toward re-opening the club be suspended until such time as there was more information regarding compensation and the de-requisitioning of land under plough. Nevertheless a few members plugged away at resolving seemingly endless problems and the task of getting things going again. So it was that by October 1947 fifteen holes were open and in play even though compensation from the Air Ministry was still not to hand. However in March 1948 all £1,210 of it finally arrived shortly followed by compensation of £1,300 from the Essex agricultural authorities.

It had been felt that it would take at least two years to get the complete course back into a playable condition. In fact it took much longer than that and meanwhile there were sheep....no they hadn't gone away....now even more of them spoiling the greens. There was a move to restrict the number to 100 exclusive of lambs, but there are no records of anyone ever actually carrying out a count.

It was entirely appropriate that in January 1949 Leslie Winney was elected as a Life Member in recognition of his service to the club and was presented with a George III Silver Salver as a token of the club's affection and esteem for him. This was also the year that the War Agricultural Committee finally decided to release its hold on the 7½ acres thus enabling the 2nd and 3rd holes to be brought back into play. Now the process of rebuilding the club could begin in earnest