There was a barrage balloon (largely female) crew sited in playing fields half way down Oakhurst Road, Acocks Green. Used to watch them inflating the balloon and raising it up into the sky attached to its steel cable. One night we also had an anti aircraft gun in the road firing away (mainly to boost public morale I think, rather than to shoot planes down). A prized shrapnel find to us boys was a frgment of the brass vernier gauge from the end of a shell, used to set the height at which the shell would explode.
have just uncovererd what i belive to be barrage balloon anchor point in my garden in solihull near ice rink 28x28 inch concrete slab with 1inch dia steel eye bolt and 1inch dia steel ring. was there a site in this area to protect the rover plant or elmdon air port would be grateful any info on this site
will try to send photo if i can but will have to wait for my son to loand and sendView attachment 98788
A recent post encouraged me to review this thread.Did Phil ever finish his research/book on barrage balloons? A cousin of mine, around ten years old at the height of the war, sent me a written memory. At the time, she was living on Daisy Farm Road, Warstock, south of central Birmingham. She said there were barrage balloons located near Daisy Farm Park, which I believe was near Gorleston Road. There were anti-aircraft guns on Daisy Farm Road, and a German aircraft crashed in a local field, known as The Stiles. The Prince of Wales Pub was very close by. Don't know if this is in an area Phil was looking at and/or researching, or if he's maybe already done, but throw this out just in case it's of any interest.
Ann