FIFTY years ago, as many older Times readers may well remember, snow, wind and bitterly cold temperatures brought West Devon to a virtual standstill.

On December 29-30 1962 a blizzard swept across the South West with snow drifts of more than 20 feet deep in places, driven on by gale-force easterly winds —making roads and railways impassable. They were the worst blizzards since the infamous winter of 1947.

Thus started the 'Big Freeze of 1963' as it was known. It went on until March 6, which was the first morning of the year without any frost anywhere in Britain.

As a glimpse of the Tavistock Times front page of Friday, January 4, 1963 will testify, it was, as the headline cried out, 'The Worst Week in Living Memory'.

'Marooned villages; food supplies by helicopters, which also took the sick to hospital; thousands of trapped and dying animals and vehicles abandoned; and countless tales of hardship and heroism,' it continued.

Helicopters flew in food and electricians to restore telephone and power links; snowploughs cut lifelines through deep drifts to keep roads open for outlying and moorland communities such as Princetown.

One mercy mission, which undoubtedly saved a life was to a woman from Postbridge, who was in a diabetic coma. In a race against time she lay ill in her snowbound home and one attempt by helicopter to land failed. However, another mercy mission by a helicopter from RAF Chivenor, was successful and the woman was flown to hospital in Exeter, where she made a successful recovery.

Soon after, a woman from Walkhampton, suffering from appendicitis, was airlifted to Freedom Fields, Hospital, Plymouth, along with her four-month-old baby, after police had cleared a path for the 'chopper' to land.

Similar tales involving expectant mothers being airlifted were reported at Chagford and Northlew. Crews and machines were also utilised from RAF Portland and Culdrose, using Yelverton as a base.

Times photographer Jon Wooldridge, on board a helicopter, reported the 'incredible' cold, saying: 'The freezing fog on top of the moor just cuts right into you. We came to a dead end in it at Princetown on Monday and had to land on the road — frightening the life out of a chap on a tractor!'

At Lydford Mr Wooldridge saw a snowplough making little impression on the huge drifts.

'You can walk across the top of them without leaving footprints.' he said.

'At Mary Tavy they were trying to cut a way through to Brentor Station and had to mark out the road with sticks. It was two feet under the snow and no one could see it.'

At Hexworthy, villagers cut a giant cross in the snow to guide in a helicopter in the snow, bringing in supplies. Fourteen people were marooned at the Forest Inn from where landlord John Bridges said all they had in supply in plenty were bottles of whisky!

At the Two Bridges Hotel, Robin Allanson, who ran the place with his mother, managed to walk to Princetown to alert the authorities that 16 people were marooned at his hotel. It took five days before a tractor and four-wheel vehicles were able to get through.

The Tavistock Civil Defence went into action on December 30, 1962, when more than 40 passengers were stranded at Tavistock Railway Station for the night. Ironically, they were there to mark the closing of the Plymouth-Tavistock-Launceston railway line — one of the many victims throughout the country of the Government's decision to close down branch lines.

Many vehicles were left abandoned in the snow and at times the A386 Plymouth-Tavistock road was closed — with snow so deep in Horrabridge that road signs were nearly obscured — as was the Tavistock-Okehampton road, with cars buried at Blackdown.

Many farmers experienced a torrid time with many animals lost. Inspector Donald Houghton, of the RSPCA, whose staff were stationed at Yelverton, was joined by volunteers from Torquay. In the first few days of January they had dug out 4,500 sheep, ponies and cattle.

Inspector Houghton said: 'There are bullocks which are just skin and bone staggering about the moor. There is a heavy loss among sheep.'

Sightseers were reported at Newbridge, Gunnislake, to see the River Tamar frozen over — the first time since 1947 — while the grinding of ice on the Tamar at Gunnislake and Calstock kept people awake as the tide ebbed and flowed.

The official opening of the £30,000 new out patients and x-ray department at Tavistock Hospital had to be postponed due to the weather.

But it was not all bad news — a picture appeared in the Times of Mrs E Tucker, of Dousland, with her son, John, showing a giant pineapple they had grown — despite the conditions.

It was also good news for the workmen of the East Cornwall Water Board, because with 638 calls for help with burst pipes it meant they were earning more in overtime than they were being paid in their usual wages.

There were many stories of individual bravery and communities coming together to look after the vulnerable.

If the snow and ice was not bad enough, when the snow started to thaw it caused a period of floods to contend with.

However, the good people of West Devon were in for a further shock — Devon County Council announced in the March 1 edition of the Times that it was putting up the rates, No 'Big Freeze' for the taxpayer!

MIKE Wreford, local historian in Okehampton, was a member of the Okehampton branch of the South Western Electricity Board when the severe weather hit 50 years ago.

The branch covered some 200 square miles and its dedicated and long serving staff of almost 100 were led by manager C E W (Clem) White.     

Mike recalls that they were all needed to ensure the continuity of the electricity supply and to carry out repairs, as poles snapped, and high and low voltage lines were brought down in the dreadful, conditions. 

Mike says: 'I can recollect engineer R T (Bob) Gale walking —if that is the word — to Bridestowe with a gang to carry out repairs. This was an arduous task as with every step they sank deep into the snow and were often walking on top of vehicles. 

'Leaving early in the morning, they returned at 10pm and were only able to complete the repairs by borrowing equipment from a builder's yard. 

Electricians Basil Jones and Digger Stoneman walked to Belstone — Basil can recollect that the snow was so high at Tordown Council House that he could look into the bedroom windows! 

'Electricians Charlie Curtis, Ginger Voaden and Mike Phear were snowbound at Whiddon Down, and they left the vehicle, and walked back to Charlies' House at South Zeal for the night. When they returned to Whiddon Down the following day the only thing visible from their Morris van was the wireless aerial peeping through the snow.

'One old lady, like so many, called on our services as her water pump and associated pipework froze, leaving her without water, and many days electrician Jim Bulley would struggle to the isolated cottage to get the pump working and restore the water supply, but not before he collected a packet of "Passing Clouds" cigarettes from Bassetts for her!

'The last time he went Jim thanked her for the cup of tea she always provided and she remarked, "It's okay, I always kept the water from the hot water bottle for your cup of tea."  

'A major problem in Okehampton was that many of the water service pipes froze, leaving people without any water, and installation. Inspector Norman Yeo, with a welder was able to carefully thaw the service pipes and restore the water supply, although in some cases the ground was so frozen, that the following day the problem would recur.     

'E Drew and Sons was a long established draper's shop in Fore Street, Okehampton, (now Lloyds) and without water they faced closure. Mr Drew recollected from his youth stories of a well in their living room at the rear of the shop. Electricians Bob Slee and George Martin, lifted the floorboards, uncovered the well, installed a Lee Howl pumping set, and connected the water supply to the shop's storage tank and this ran for three months, with a good water supply and without a problem.

'The manager of the Chagford sub branch, Jack Mills, was always one to improvise, and with so many isolated farms and premises without supply he borrrowed a farmer's tractor and set about the task with great efficiency.'

Mike's wife, Hilary, says: After working at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, I was a State Registered Nurse  at Okehampton Hospital during that winter. I recollect the terrible snowbound conditions and how staff struggled to work in them.   

'Matron Cooper slept in the hospital, instead of the bungalow, to keep a close on eye on emergencies and to ensure the routine was maintained.

'With only a skeleton staff at Christmas she rolled up her sleeves and took over the running of the kitchen and cooked a superb Christmas lunch which all the patients appreciated.'

Hilary adds that 'the important event was, however, that I got engaged to Mike during this period!'

RETIRED British Rail worker John Snell from Bere Alston remembers vividly being on duty during the 'Big Freeze' in the winter of 1962/63.

On Saturday, December 29, 1962 he was a booking clerk at Bere Alston Station when blizzard conditions around 6pm made trains run late — with many being blocked at Meldon.

John, who is today a keen local historian, said: 'Around 7pm all the electric failed and the station was in complete darkness. I managed to get a railway oil hand lamp, which did not give off a good light.

'Office duties became difficult. I also had to help passengers from Plymouth trains to cross the station's footbridge which was now in total darkness and slippery with heavy snow.'

The next day the main Southern railway line for Okehampton-Tavistock-Plymouth was closed for six weeks with three trains snowed in at Meldon.

On Monday, December 31 an emergency service was organised from Plymouth to Tavistock North to cater for the many Dockyard workers — with John's shift from 6am to 6pm before 'handing over' to the station master until 10pm.

John added: 'I must give a word of praise to the engineering staff that worked so hard clearing the line at Meldon. They had to work in extreme weather conditions over a six-week period.

'It was a part of my 46 years of railway service I shall never forget.'