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Pat Strickson
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Time Stood Still In A Muddy Hole: Captain John Hannaford - One of the last Bomb Disposal Officers of WWII Kindle Edition

by Pat Strickson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 37 ratings
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A chance finding of a watercolour began the author's journey of discovery leading to the remarkable and heroic acts by the artist AFJ Hannaford and his colleagues. The author enthusiastically pieced together his life story and was gripped by coincidences, stirred by the passionate heartache present in his many notes, also heard in his conversations filmed for a Channel 4 documentary and an interview for the Imperial War Museum. The search lead to dark and dangerous times and brave men blown up doing their job. It unearthed the secrecy surrounding their acts of courage and the often untimely end of their young lives from booby-trapped enemy bombs and, tragically, from our own mine clearance. Captain John Hannaford, Royal Engineer Bomb Disposal Officer WWII, was a leader of men at 24. He was told he would have only 10 weeks life expectancy in that job. But he died on Armistice Day, 2015, at the age of 98. He was one of the last surviving officers, never forgetting, still hearing the voices of those young men from the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal, 8 Section 16 Company, blown up on a beach in South Wales. The author hopes that this record will show that the officers and men who died should receive the recognition for their bravery and sacrifice, that John so longed for.
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  1. Print length
    167 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    June 14, 2018
  5. File size
    5078 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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  9. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07DRPXQW2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Brown Dog Books (June 14, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 14, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5078 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 167 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

About the author

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Pat Strickson

Pat Strickson

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Pat was born near Portpatrick in SW Scotland but has lived in England as a primary school teacher specialising in art and special educational needs.She achieved an MA in Education and later became a dyslexia specialist. She was Headteacher in 4 schools and when she retired it was as an Executive Headteacher.

She discovered a painting of a local landmark in a charity shop which began her first amazing book about the artist and one of the first WWII Bomb Disposal officers, Captain John Hannaford.

'Time stood still in a muddy hole,' was recognised by present day Royal Engineers and awarded a commendation of excellence.

Pat’s second book celebrates her love of teaching in 1066 country. Suitable for older children, parents and teachers who enjoy local history and treasure hunting.

She is working on future ideas, drawing portraits and raising funds for The Felix Fund and the Stroke Association.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
37 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kurt Ponting Sr.
5.0 out of 5 stars The Beginning of Bomb Disposal
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2019
Verified Purchase
The story behind the great made for TV movie Danger UXB and incredible movie of the technicians who rendered bombs safe
One person found this helpful
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Garry Corson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book must read
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2019
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Very well written a real page turner from start to finish.
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J. Murray
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2024
I have read just about all the WW 2 bomb disposal books and this is one of the best
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Jim L
2.0 out of 5 stars Authors attempt to get in the mind of a deceased war hero.
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
Too few technical details, as the writer is reviewing someone else's life and work. I can only slightly reccomend. Other works are more interesting and are first person narratives.
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Top reviews from other countries

Miss Havisham
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Account of the Life and Work of Captain John Hannaford
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
A very readable account of John Hannaford and his work with the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal Company. At the end of his very long life Hannaford feared the work of the company, and the sacrifice of young lives, was at risk of being forgotten but Pat Strickson's book is a valuable contribution to this area of Second World War history. The author was once a favourite teacher of mine, so I was pleased to see she had written this book.
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Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book about an unsung hero
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2023
Verified Purchase
I had never heard of Captain John Hannaford, before reading this book, but my interest was aroused by the fact that he was one of the bravest of the brave, a Bomb Disposal officer, every day doing a job that most of us would run a mile from. The book is engagingly written, and does not glorify anything - it doesn’t need to - the plain facts are enough. At times extremely moving, I confess I was moved to tears twice - and I defy anyone to not be touched by some of Captain Hannaford’s experiences. His constant concern was that his men, the sappers, whose duty was to dig down to the unexploded bomb, sometimes 30 feet deep, and sometimes twice that depth, in cloying, oozing mud, in holes filled with freezing water that had to be constantly pumped out. Then, when the fuze (or fuzes - sometimes there were 2 or more) were exposed, Captain Hannaford would climb down to the bomb, his men safely evacuated to safety, and only his sergeant at the edge of the hole, to relay information back if required. For Captain Hannaford, about to attempt to defuse the cold, grey steel cylinder packed with explosives, that’s when time stood still in a muddy hole.
The story about how the author, Pat Strickson, came to write the book is itself very interesting - read the book yourself, and find out why!
This is an excellent book, and in my opinion, shines a powerful spotlight on the deeds of this group of courageous men, who never volunteered to be in the job, never shirked their terrible duties, and even paid the ultimate price, to be those unsung heroes of WWII, the Bomb Disposal men
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Deejay
4.0 out of 5 stars Absorbing read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2019
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I do not usually enjoy non fiction about WWII but I was drawn into this book right from the start. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
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Amazon Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars Actual facts and no fiction, well done Pat Strickson.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2018
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and especially on a personal note, I was an EOD Snco and John and his colleagues were an inspirational body of men who selflessly would offer their lives to save others( like we all have done) but with one difference they had virtually no knowledge of the difussing of Ordnance. Pat has written a smashing book based on aspects of Johns life. I personally saw John at our EOD camp and never knew all the other qualities of his life. His family can look back with pride and now have a treasured keepsake with Pats book. Excellent read and recommended for all to read about this great man.
3 people found this helpful
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Martin Callow
5.0 out of 5 stars I would thoroughly recommend it. Well researched and some cracking pictures too
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 11, 2018
Verified Purchase
A well written book. Hard to put down. A must for the avid reader. I would thoroughly recommend it. Well researched and some cracking pictures too. Would have paid more for this book!
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