This morning at 11 o'clock a crowd will gather at the British Cemetery to remember the four sailors buried there (Thomas Cunningham, Stanley Craig, and two unknown men), along with the remainder of the crew of the HMT Bedfordshire which was torpedoed on May 11, 1942. The ceremony, held regularly on the Friday closest to May 11, also honors all men and women who served and lost their lives defending our coastline during WWII.
The Bedfordshire was attacked by the German U-boat U-558 shortly before midnight on May 11. All hands were killed. This year, as in years past, representatives of the US Coast Guard, the British Royal Navy, and other dignitaries will be on Ocracoke pay their respects.
Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of paved roads on Ocracoke. It may not sound very exciting, but there have been dramatic changes on the island because of the construction of paved roads a half century ago. You can read the newsletter, and see some rare photos here.
To read about Philip's new book, Digging up Uncle Evans, History, Ghost Tales, & Stories from Ocracoke Island, please click here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey Philip! Random question, but when we were on Ocracoke last summer, there were these KILLER bees! They were huge-does Ocracoke have a massive bee overpopulation?:)
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with the Bedfordshire or killer bees, but when do we get a copy of the schedule for the Festival that's coming up pretty soon. Fiddler Dave told me there have been some changes. I'd love to see the schedule! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMarcy Desulis
Richmond, Va.
Janessa -- In the spring on Ocracoke we often see carpenter bees. They are large and can appear frightening, though I've never heard of anyone being stung by one. I understand that male carpenter bees are the ones most often noticed as they hover near porches and other man-made structures, where they drill holes for nests. But male carpenter bees cannot sting. Carpenter bees do not eat wood so the damage they do is minimal, usually just a neat hole drilled in a facia board or other house timber. You can read more about them here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenter_bees
ReplyDeleteMarcy -- Dave says the schedule should be posted by early next week. It will be available at www.ocrafolkfestival.org.