• 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

World War 1-Zeppelins over Birmingham

Back in the 80s, I was on attachment to All Saints Hospital, psychogeriatric unit. We had an elderly lady, possibly 80 years old, who never spoke, but just knitted all day long. One day, it was quiet and I was having a Coffee with the nurses, and this lady put down her knitting and spoke.. (I've tried to remember what she said, I'm sure there was more)
"I remember the Zeppelin Raid on B'ham" she said, "I was only young, it was the evening, and my Dad came into our bedroom and told us to look out of the window. We all looked and saw this huge silver thing which made a noise like lots of cars. It was over us for ages then it flew off. We heard that it was shot down over Daventry."
I believe she lived not far from the WBA ground at the top of Handsworth.
Another lady then spoke of the WW II disaster where an air raid shelter was hit in Handsworth. These normally quiet, elderly people were a treasure trove of memories, it was so sad that they lived locked away in their own minds.
 
Hi Pete

I wish I could have seen one, but I was born a few decades too late,
or I would probably have never seen this Forum!
The old lady was probably misinformed about the Zepp being shot down
at Daventry, - the nearest one ever shot down to Birmingham was
in Hertfordshire.. In fact only 3 Zepps and 1 Shutte Lanz Airship
were shot down on English soil, although others finished up in the sea.

Kind regards

Dave
 
I know the Lady mayoress of Walsall died due to a Zeppelin raid. Also I do recall someone telling me that Lady Cadbury's pet monkey died of shock during another raid. Is that true?
Did Zeppelins drop bombs on Birmingham?

terry
 
My mother was born in 1912, and I can remember her telling me about seeing Zepelins that were bombing Birmingham, I think she meant Small Heath, during WW1
 
According to a book "The First World War by J P Lethbridge" there were three attempts to bomb Birmingham. On the first they couldn't find it and bombed tipton, walsall etc. On the second they couldn't find the centre of birmingham, but Longbridge and not sowsed their lights as directed, and so one bomb was dropped, inmjuring 1 person and dmaging an outbuilding. The third time they ha dtrouble finding the city and were sunjected to AA fire and jettisoned soem and dropped two, one on Manor Farm Shirley, the other on the Robin Hood golf course (good to see that golf courses are useful for something!)
 
During one of birminghams Three Zeppelin raids, bombs were dropped in fields between Fox Hollies Road and Shirley Road.
In Febuary1916, 35 People, including the Lady mayoress of Walsall were Killed
When nine zepperlins penetrated inland, missed Birmingham,and dropped bombs across parts of the black country.
Walsalls war memorial is located at the spot where she Died.

The Birmingham Small Arms company BSA, supplied Lewis guns to the British Army, production increased from 30 guns per week
In 1914 to 2.000 Per Week. US Army colonel ISaac Newton
Lewis designed the Automatic machine Gun.
 
Very interesting article about the Zeppelin raids on Brum, first I ever heard about them, not even at school.Paul
 
There is also a lot of information about Zeppelin raids in the thread "Airships over Birmingham?" Dave.
 
Back
Top