The Ceiling of Unsolved Mysteries

CLARK GABLE

It has long been rumoured that Clark Gable signed the St George and Dragon ceiling during the war years. If true, then the most likely time would have been when Clark was stationed with the 8th Airforce in 1944 before D-Day. He stayed at the Royal Clarence Hotel in Exeter.

The Lobb family and Gordon Taylor’s daughter Karoline Stanton recall seeing this particular signature on the original ceiling panels.However, Clark’s name was not on the panels that we salvaged in 2010.It seems that this will always be a mystery.We hope that this signature may turn up some day.

JOE KENNEDY JR (Joseph Patrick Kennedy)

He was the elder brother of John F Kennedy and decorated US Navy Lieutenant. Joe was killed in action when the PB 4Y-1 Liberator he was flying exploded during a secret combat mission in August 1944. He died on the 12th August 1944. He spent much of the war flying from Dunkeswell Airfield so it would seem highly probable that he did visit the St George and Dragon Inn during 1944. Again there are witnesses to the presence of this signature but it did not appear on the panels that we acquired in 2010.Joe’s death is shrouded in mystery and his rumoured signature on the St George and Dragon ceiling is too.Maybe we will be lucky to see it sometime in the future.

MISSING PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ST GEORGE AND DRAGON BAR AND CEILING

The signed and autographed ceiling began as Harold Lobb testified with a lone Australian pilot signing the ceiling in 1942.He stated that he would be back at the end of the war to see his doodlings. We will never know if his promise came true but he started an amazing record of the Second World War. From that moment on it became the “thing to do” when any service personnel were stationed in the Exeter area. Many teetering on chairs, many lifted up by their colleagues in order to put their mark on history.

Ailsa Loaring told us there were many hundreds of signatures and in fact my husband Robin Holwell remembers cycling to the Inn and gazing up at the ceiling completely covered in signatures. We obviously only acquired a few of the 8ft x4ft panels. That Gordon Taylor saved any panels from the skips in the St George and Dragon car park is a blessing and a true credit to him.

So, the question has to be asked, where are all the photos taken by visitors of the bar area and ceiling from 1942 to 1975. Many events such as weddings and wakes were held at the St George and Dragon as well as parties. Many must have taken photos and videos of the bar and ceiling area. We would very much like to see these. Just bringing the pieces of the puzzle together if you like. Ever hopeful.

THE MISSING FLAG

Please read and enjoy the section on Peter Turner and the flag that was returned to the St George and Dragon Inn after 49 years. However ,no one seems to know the whereabouts of the flag. We like to think that it is safe and preserved. In the hope that the very much needed Exeter Heritage Centre eventually materialises we think the flag would earn a display spot. Please visit www.rafexeter.co.uk and its sister sites manned and compiled by Chris Wiseman. Wonderful sites that clearly show the need for a designated local heritage centre in the Exeter area.

We would love to identify these two RCAF aircrew sat on the steps outside the St George and Dragon Inn in 1942.The chap hugging his knees is a Canadian Air Gunner with a DFC and the fellow with the pint is an Observer.We believe that the airman in the front is Pilot Officer Willard Bolduc DFC 15 sqn but this is unconfirmed.