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The Blitz

Welcome to the Forum, David.

I'm sure that someone will be able to comment on your query.

Chris
 
thanks for this post , It brought back the dreadful night of Nov 19TH 1940. We took a direct hit on our house> We were in the shelter< but my stepfather was killed and two children and my pregnant mother left homeless<
 
thanks for this post , It brought back the dreadful night of Nov 19TH 1940. We took a direct hit on our house> We were in the shelter< but my stepfather was killed and two children and my pregnant mother left homeless<

oh how awful for you all mo 1234...
 
How terrible for you Mo, that sort of memory remains all your life, how that generation, could teach the younger about hardship, and persevering.
paul
 
I have had a CD given to me called 'Domestic Blitz and Bonus Film Blitz and Pieces. It is really interesting and there is part showing Coventry's devastation in World War II. I have tried to find out information regarding this CD on Internet so others could perhaps view it. Unfortunately, I cant find it. It was done by the Royal Mail Education, if anyone is interested they perhaps may be able to find information. Carol
 
Funny thing happened to me a while back in Parker, Colorado USA I was out cycling on the local trail and at a rest stop there was an old geezer like me, sitting there. He had a Vitus French bike that drew my interest. He spoke with an accent and I asked where he was born. Well come to find he was almost my age, GERMAN born in Berlin, the apartment his family lived in was bombed during the war, the bomb went straight down the elevator shaft, he and his family got out ok and after the war the all moved to the USA! SMALL WORLD HUH! TWO old geezers from different side of the fence or POND! meeting in a country far away with much the same tales to tell. John Crump Parker. Colorado USA
 
I know how you feel John, my best mate came around to see me me last night, doing my new hip 'Knees up Mother Brown' work out, and we discussed your latest post. He's from Berlin and I'm from Aston. The Blitz was all part of our lives as kids, and somehow strange to say it's a bonding we have that neither of us can understand. Kind regards, David.
 
Hi All,

Some years ago my wife and I wre enjoying a cruise. Main meals you had your own seat but lunch it was sit anywhere. We were at a table when we joined by a group of Germans. They jabbered away in Deutsch for a few minutes then the chap next to me asked "Are you Englander?! I confessed that I was and he said "Which town?" I replied "Birmingham" He then broke into a broad smile, thumped the table and said, "Boom,boom,boom. I bomber Birmingham" I know that he was only having a bit of fun but I was not best pleased as I had been bombed out. I hoped that my brother had bombered his town whilst in the RAF.

Old Boy
 
In the 1960s I flew to Nürnberg in a Lufthansa 737 and over Germany the aircraft started to weave from side to side. My english colleague made a rather loud remark about the ability of german pilots, and an elderly german gent sitting next to us smiled and said the pilot was probably dodging Spitfires. We found out later that the pilot was avoiding severe thunderstorms.
 
The bloke who was bragging about bombing Birmingham, Old Boy, just proves that even in old age a person can still be two bricks short of a barbecue. Sad in a way but true. Regards, David.
 
I remember the bombing of Birmingam - I was eight years. We had a bomb [oil bomb] enter the front window and split open on my mother settee. We were evacuated but never returned to that house. Next door to us was raised to the ground and there was a death of a young f ire man. It was very frightening. Miriam.
 
On the 17th September 70 years ago the wartime Blackout ended to be replaced by a 'Dim-out'. I vaguely remember the electric street lights in our road had light bulbs which were painted black with just a little small clear area allowing a very dim light to illuminate the pavement.
 
Hi old mowhawk
I can only recall the gas mantles and the guy on his bike riding around the. Courts and snuffing out the gas mantles
And we had electric installed in our house we was amazed and we as the kids kept flicking the electric switch on and off
The old man and lady went bar my at us to leave it alone we dashed down to white house street and told nan about our gas mantle removal
And having an electric she got her. Done about six months later best wishes Alan,, astonian,,,,,
 
In the early part of the war they painted the road kerbs black and white to help drivers during the black out. Only existing forum pic I could find with black and white kerbs is shown below. See them on the corner of Goodway Rd by the Nursery. I've seen other pics on the forum showing similarly painted kerbs. I wonder whether they were useful to drivers - maybe completely white painted kerbs would have been better.
Kingstanding_Rd.jpg
 
Hi mowhawk
The reason they was painted was because they was made of steel my uncle bill smart was on the corporation at the time
When he was young and after they was all
Singer they made him redundant best wishes astonian,,,,,
 
The blitz
The first enemy raid on Birmingham occurred on the night of August 8/9 1940 when a lone bomber, probably unsuccessfully searching
For fort Dunlop or the castle Bromwich aeroplane factory released its bombs over suburban erdington. Before heading home
The First attack was followed. For nearly three weeks. By a series of small raids again concentrating. On Targets on the east side of
The city
However ,on the night of 25/26 August 1940 The bombers changed their tactics and raided the city centre
Destroying the market hall and causing , twenty five civilian casual tries
This followed by another Attack on the city centre and then a respite of a month on the afternoon of 27 September 1940
The Luftwaffe began a series of day time raids against industrial targets
Fortdunlop was Attacked And a 1,000 kg bomb caused considerable damage but no casualties
On 13 the November the Austin aero factory was Attacked in day light with the loss of six lives and twenty six injured
Mean while Sporadic night Attacks Took place in September and October
During August 1940 a lot of back gardens and Anderson shelters was flattened and damaged in old know road small heath
Astonian,,,,,,
 
I'm slightly too young to remember the Blitz but I do know that several bombs during the war fell on Sarehole Road, Hall Green. My parents always said that the Germans had been trying to bomb the Aldis Factory at 109-139 Sarehole Road. Aldis was particularly associated with the manufacture of the Aldis Lamp, a signalling lamp used to send morse codes. They also made optical lenses. After the war they concentrated on making slide projectors. The Aldis Factory has long disappeared but there is now a small residential estate called Aldis Close, just off Sarehole Road. Dave
 
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