A WIRELESS radio which was donated to a wounded WWII soldier and later found by a Droitwich councillor in the 1960s is currently on display in the town’s heritage and information centre.
The 1940s radio, which would have been referred to as a ‘wireless’, was found abandoned in a field at the top of The Holloway in 1962 by Droitwich Spa Town councillor Dave Davidson, who was in his early teens at the time.
The wireless set was made by His Master’s Voice (HMV) and is adorned with a plaque which reads ‘Presented through the News Chronicle Wireless for the Wounded Appeal, 1940’.
The News Chronicle was a national British daily newspaper. Formed by the merger of The Daily News and the Daily Chronicle in 1930, it ceased publication on October 17, 1960 after being absorbed into the Daily Mail.
News Chronicle’s appeal called on readers to donate unwanted sets or money to help provide wireless receivers (radios) to wounded soldiers in hospital during World War II.
An appeal put out in News Chronicle (London) on July 4, 1940 read: “Hospitals in which our wounded fighting men are without radio during sickness and convalescence are being equipped with a News Chronicle Fund.
“The need is urgent and readers are asked to send unwanted sets in good working order or cash.”
The wireless set unusually had buttons, dissimilar to many others from the period which would have featured dials. It was functional thanks to a valve inside which burned out and had to be replaced similar to a light bulb.
This method of operation was the norm for wireless receivers of the period, however by the late 1950s and early 1960s most were replaced by smaller and more portable transistor radios.
Councillor Davidson’s find is currently on display at the town’s Heritage & Information Centre, St Richards House as part of The 90th Anniversary of the Wychbold Masts display. Those interested can see the exhibit until the end of October.
Coun Davidson said: “Anyone who knows me well will tell you I’m a natural born collector.
“I’ve always been interested in old things and history, especially anything about Droitwich.
“I just thought the Wireless For The Wounded needed to be saved and I kept it in my parents’ attic. My dad died in 2009 at the age of 105 so it was at his home for over 40 years.
“I realised it might be unique and thought, one day, I might be able to have it kept and displayed in Droitwich or maybe even the Imperial War Museum.”
