• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birmingham air raids

hi brummie nick ;
the report i had written was from the london gazette dated the 3/1st /1941 and thee was no mention of anybody killed
this information was at press reporting of walter taylor; voluntry fire man at bulpitts and sons ltd
but it is also listed as date unknown so i can only presume he got the award of the british empire medal on this date
so there fore this could have ben later and the incidents of the fire would have been previously from the 3/1/1941 i hope hat recitfyed the answer
i do have alot of people on my papers and of variuos areas of brum which is undated familys and adresses to put and i do know that bulpitts was bombed in the 1940s as a number of times prior to the date along with BSA BOMBING ;
There was right next door to my mothers family bussiness wher my grand father was running at that time at 902 ; tyburn rd and my grand parents wa at 901 tyburn
road erdington;in the forty war the list of familys are endless ;
best wishes nick have a nice day ; today i am coming up to brum and take in some snapp shots and also visting my daughter down by the air port
Astonian;;
 
7-A mate of mine died from a bomb age 7or 8 he went to Marsh Hill school.
He lived in one of the groves in Brookvale park Rd.
His surname was Cragg RIP.
 
Astonian,
Did you get my message regarding LandMine hitting Ellen Street School, again I have put a message on this site but it has disappeared
 
Frederick Harold CRAGG age 37 years.
Emily CRAGG age 36 years
Frederick CRAGG age 9 year
Injured at 26 Brookvale Park
On 27 July 1942
Died on 28 July 1942.

Their names will be on The Tree of Life Memorial , by St Martins Church in The Bull Ring, Birmingham.
 
7-A mate of mine died from a bomb age 7or 8 he went to Marsh Hill school.
He lived in one of the groves in Brookvale park Rd.
His surname was Cragg RIP.

Frederick Harold CRAGG age 37 years.
Emily CRAGG age 36 years
Frederick CRAGG age 9 year
Injured at 26 Brookvale Park
On 27 July 1942
Died on 28 July 1942.

Their names will be on The Tree of Life Memorial , by St Martins Church in The Bull Ring, Birmingham.

Take nothing but Ancestors, Leave nothing but records.


 
hi brookieboy
sorry i did not get your thread mesage but i will check for you tonight in my papers and let you know possible tommorrow
i do have some think on the ellen street i do know but leave it with me i get back all being well tommorrow
best wishes brookieboy have a nice evening astonian;;;
 
Hi Brenda, how many times I must have passed your family as a boy, and later on my BSA Golden Flash years later when we moved to Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield. I cannot remember the names you speak of but we were all part of a special group of people known as 'The Spirit of the Blitz'. We had no say in it, but that is how it was defined by other people. I was proud to have known them and here are a few names that others might remember. The Pickering's, McKay's, Spencer's Grocery, Charley Drinkwater's Butchers, Carrie Wainwright, Philip McGuiness, my mate who chopped his finger off in a mangle and so many more who I will no doubt think of later. If they are still alive, thank you for being part of my life and when I made that inner pledge many, many years ago, that I would write their stories down, it has been done. Kind regards David.
 
hi brookieboy
sorry i did not get your thread mesage but i will check for you tonight in my papers and let you know possible tommorrow
i do have some think on the ellen street i do know but leave it with me i get back all being well tommorrow
best wishes brookieboy have a nice evening astonian;

(Quote 515084)Hi Astonian
As I have said before I reply but for some reason they disappear, lets hope this gets through.
Yes I knew all about The Land Mine that hit Ellen Street School I was actually just up the road in Pitsfgord Street in The GWR A.R. Shelter, my father worked on that railway and came in tell my sister and I what had happened. a Landmine was also dropped in Lodge Road just below Scribbans on the opposite side of the road, it did not go off, it was diffused and the next day we were able to go and view it, this large cylindrical shape was hanging from its parachute and you could see where it had somje through the rafters. It was one hell of a night that night
 
David l wander if you remember my g/parents newsagents.known as the coateses...walking down Church Lane from Lichfield road on the right hand side no 61 i think by the lamp post...they were there for years and l think they closed up in the early 50s.my g/p Bill and Alice Coates both past away in 1947 my uncle took it over and kept it going untill the early 50s...my g/f was born in church Lane and died there only left it twice once for the great war and when my brother and l were evacuated....Brenda
 
BRENDA I LIVED OPPOSIT THE NEWSAGENTS IN CHURCH LANE AND I REMEMBER IT WELL.
MY NAN LIVED AT No 84 THERE WAS A GROCERS THE OTHERSIDE OF THE ROAD (MRS HALL)
FURTHER DOWN WAS ASTONS WOODYARD AND ON THE OTHER SIDE THERE WAS A PAWN BROKERS
WITH THREE BRASS BALLS OUTSIDE ALSO A CHIP SHOP AND A SWEET SHOP.PA .ITS MY FIRST POST TEL
 
Tel. what a nice surprise knowing somebody who knows what l have been talking about my g/p Bill and Alice Coates, my gg/m also lived in Church Lane, also relatives of the Coates, lived very close in Witton Road , Victoria Road.....people didn't move around much in those days...l was always fascinated by the shop as not only did they sell newspapers nan had regular customers for snuff ugh!..firewood...and paraffin ..l still remember the smell...mom and l always visited Saturday mornings after shopping at thompsons the pork butchers..and my brother was the paper boy Sunday morning delivery, the lane was such a friendly place as everyone helped everyone out especially my nan as if anyone was in need she would be one of the first to help, happy memories....Brenda
 
Hi old Mohawk
Air raid 10th/11th April 1941
The award of the British Empire Medal went to Frederick William Alloyed, Driver Birmingham City Transport,,,,
Sidney Clifford Miller, Driver Birmingham City Transport,
During an air raid incendiary bombs fell on omnibuses parked on Garrison Lane
Recreation ground, one of the buses was set on fire, Alloyed got into the cabin of the burning bus
Whilst Miller moved the machine in front, Alloyed drove his bus out of the park,
But the fire spread so rapidly that on reaching the the road the vehicle Burnt out
Despite the efforts of the fire brigade. These men performed an out standing service
In a most courageous manner, disregarding the great danger, valuable rolling stock
Was saved from destruction,
Miller had already driven a burning bus out of the park,in the air raid of the 9th to the 10th
Of April 1941
Best wishes Astonian,,,,,,
,,
 
Well deserved medals they were too, driving a burning bus is no mean feat and at the time every available bus counted with new deliveries "frozen" or very carefully rationed out by the Ministry of Supplies. Many thanks for those details Astonian.

Simon
 
Know how you feel Nick, that's how I feel about the Freer family in Church Lane and it doesn't matter how long time passes they are still part of us eh. Some say move on and maybe they are right but a mate is a mate and memories are our own diamonds to cherish. Kind regards, David. Lest we forget.
Hi Dav
I'm doing a bit of personal research purely out of interest about the bombing of Lichfield Rd , Church Lane and Pugh Road.
You mentioned the Freer Family do you how details of the house number.
I remember this bombing and seeing the destruction the following morningI lived four houses away in 4 Sandy Lane.
Talking to my nearly 90 year old Aunt a few days ago about the bombing mentioned a family killed in Church Lane but couldn't remember the names
The records I have found so suggest that the houses on the LHS started at no. 10 and I've got Freer's living at 18BK18 & 20 Church Lane.

As far as I'm aware these houses didn't get hit could they have been down c cellar which some had been reinforced.
We used to go down one of these cellars at 2 Sandy Lane.

Regards Ray
 
Last edited:
Hi ray
Friday 22nd November 1940 a mr Arther Edward Snape,Hair Dresser, and war reserve constable
Was awarded an British Empire medal
When he was near the junction of Lichfield Road and Sandy Lane, two incendiary bombs fell.
Two men were making efforts to extinguish them with earth when they exploded
And one of the men sustained a compound fracture of the left leg,
Snape stopped his car.ran tonis assistance of the man,and afterwards took the injured man
In his car to the first aid post
Ray there is moreto this sdtory about snape but i nave not much time left to type
As i have to be in brum for one oclock if you want more i will speak later this eveningut snape he was well deserved guy whom risked his limbs and lifefor others
Alan,,,Astonian,,,,
 
My aunt Joyce once told me that my dad tried to put out an incediary by stamping on it, & even though his foot was badly burned he still went to work in the morning with his injured foot in a cardboard box. He was a hard man, & when he had toothache he would get my uncle Frank to pull the tooth out with a pair of pliers & a bodkin? I don`t take after him!!
 
Smudger,

That story is giving me a bad attack of cowarditis! :)

Maurice
Join the club Maurice, but you know, if push came to shove then i think most people would do a brave deed in an instant without thinking about it. It`s only after the event when you think, " I must have been barmy to have done that".
 
Back
Top