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Trying to find a newspaper article on a fatal bombing in Sidcup

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  • #21
    We also went on the stairs to the basement so we could shelter under a main beam ............. that's mum, dad, older brother and me. Plus, my grandparents and my youngest uncle would come across the street to join us.

    This is up north in Oldham, Lancashire.

    The one I really remember is the VI that landed on Abbeyhills Road on early in the morning of December 24 1944, less than half-a-mile from our house. It is believed that the V1 or doodlebug was intended for Manchester, but fell short. I was just about to turn 5.

    I can remember 3 things about that .......

    One, screaming my silly head off most of the time, and my grandmother trying to comfort me and saying "she's really frightened"

    Second, looking out the front window the next morning to realise that we were the only house in the street that still had windows because Dad had gone round and unlatched them all before joining us on the stairs. The street was carpeted in broken glass, and my grandparents' fox terrier was picking his way across from their back gate to our house. He had jumped out of the glassless window into the backyard, found the gate also blown open, and knew to come to us.

    He made it without a single scratch on his paws.

    Third, going down to the site and seeing the utter devastation.

    The VI fell squarely on one house, but badly damaged several others. 27 people were killed, 49 injured. A wedding had been held the previous day, and many of the wedding party were sleeping in one or other of those houses. A number of them were killed, luckily the bride and groom were sleeping elsewhere..

    The houses were re-built after the war in a very similar style, but you can tell the new from the old. I understand Oldham Council held a ceremony in 2014 to mark the 70th anniversary, unveiling a plaque on the house with the same number as the one where the V1 had landed.

    Several other bombs fell on Oldham, and one was only discovered buried on a school playing field (!!!) about 5 years ago
    My grandmother, on the beach, South Bay, Scarborough, undated photo (poss. 1929 or 1930)

    Researching Cadd, Schofield, Cottrell in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire; Taylor, Park in Westmorland; Hayhurst in Yorkshire, Westmorland, Lancashire; Hughes, Roberts in Wales.

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    • #22
      Thanks for the stories and background. It's really interesting to hear them.
      :D Charney Jo

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      • #23
        I agree. We are lucky to still have personal accounts of things like this. You can't beat hearing someone's own memories because different things are remembered .... such as Sylvia remembering screaming and screaming.
        Anne

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        • #24
          Originally posted by Charney Jo View Post
          Hi

          I have FMP and, with it, the British Newspapers 1710-1953 record set.

          My 2nd great aunt, Elizabeth Eliza Deamer, aged 39, and her 2 children - Eric, 13, and daughter Iris Daphne, aged 9 - were killed on 8 Feb 1945 at their home in 6 Berwick Crescent, Days Lane, Sidcup.

          They are listed on WW2 Civilian deaths and I have their burial cards but wondered if there was an article about the bomb. But I can't find anything at all. Were home bombings not reported (possible, I guess)? Or am I just not looking properly?

          Thanks
          Hello I know this is an old thread


          but my family grew up there and my grandparents lived there during the war

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          • #25
            Hello I know this is an old thread but my father grew up in this area with his parents and twin brother
            he said it was a V2 came in too fast to hear it and was a massive explosion he was at days lane school and he and his brother ran to get people out of the rubble and said there was many dead and there should be a plaque to remember them .

            as he said they would not have had any warning sadly

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            • #26
              Can I just add they were 8 years old at the time

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