In the week that we remember those that fought and gave their lives during the wars and conflicts of the last 11 or so decades other stories emerge from those at the receiving end of conflicts, the general population. On a visit to the Northeast of England last Sunday I came across the story below, which is related by Eric Dyke, who lived in Gateshead on the south side of the river Tyne opposite Newcastle-upon-Tyne that I thought I would share with you. The title of this post is also the title of the story that follows.
"At the outbreak of World War II I was 9 years old and lived in The Avenue, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead and attended Carr Hill School.
Due to the expected bombing of the heavily industrialised Tyneside area, I was evacuated together with my sister to St.Helens near Bishop Auckland. But as the bombing did not happen, after about 8 weeks we returned home, as did the vast majority of the evacuees.
While we were away Carr Hill School, which was a fairly modern building, and two stories high, had the lower floor level classrooms converted into an emergency hospital, first aid station and the area headquarters of the Street Fire Wardens.
Having a bicycle (lucky lad) I became a runner for the Street Fire Wardens for The Avenue and Millway, which were adjoining streets. Very few people had a telephone in those days and it was assumed that the telephone system would be knocked out by the bombing when it started anyway.
My father was a long distance drive and used to transport dangerous chemicals from ICI at Billingham and was regularly issued with an Armed Services type gas mask. As a consequence when I was on duty as a runner during an air raid, I was the envy of most and even had a 'tin hat' supplied by ICI, but back to the plot.....
As a result of half of our school being requisitioned, the 'Carr Hill Boys' has to share a school with Shipcote School, which resulted in each doing half a day, mornings one week, afternoons the next....which suited us fine!
One lunchtime (we must have been on mornings that week) Fred Bown and I were making our way home, on Old Durham Road, when we arrive at The Avenue, where I lived, and stopped and got talking about whatever young boys talked about...most probably the latest war stories and there were plenty. I recall when we heard about Spitfires on the Wireless that Fred and I drew an aerial combat scene in our art lesson. The British Spitfires were belching flames at the German aircraft, who were naturally being shot down and slaughtered in large numbers by our hitherto secret weapon! Such was the imagination of two 10 year old boys.
As Fred and I stood at the junction of The Avenue and Old Durham Road our attention was drawn to an aircraft. It was a type we hadn't seen before, and we knew our own planes. As we watched it circled around then dived down to the north end of the High Level Bridge, about twice, then on the third circuit we saw a small object drop from the plane., followed by a loud explosion. The plan then headed towards South Shields and the coast. We headed home quick!
Tyneside being the industrial area it was with numerous shipyards and ammunition factories (my mother worked at Vickers Armstrong on the Team Valley Trading Estate (TVTE) 4th Avenue Shell making factory) situated mainly along the riverbank. Many of them had their own anti-aircraft guns manned by the workers.
These anti-aircraft defences, were operative within a very short period of time after the explosion, firing at the plane as it made its way to the coast. At the top of Lobley Hill Road, somewhere near the West end of Oakfield Road, was an anti-aircraft gun manned by the Army, and I recall that whenever it was fired, the doors and windows despite being 3-4 miles away always rattled in our house.
Soon "Big Bertha" as this gun was locally known, opened up and after only a few shots got the plane just as it was passing over the coast st South Shields. It crashed into the sea - not bas marksmanship for a target 12-13 miles away!
Had the pilot been on target with hib bomb, and hit what at the time was the biggest railway crossing in the world, at the north end of the High Level Bridge, just East of Newcastle Central Station, he would have caused mayhem as everything heading for Scotland would have had to be rerouted up the West coast line. As it was all that he damaged was Spiller Flour Mill, immediately West of the bridge. I believe the site is still levelled off and unused except as a car park.
The reason the pilot got so far without being challenged was that the plancewas French with French insignia on the wings and fuselage it being just after Dunkirk. However he paid the price.
I don't recall any other aircraft raids during daylight hours but there were quite a number of night raids and in one of those Gateshead East Cemetery was hit, as did a house off Sunderland Roas, where I believe a family was killed. Memories!" Eric Dyke
Having a bicycle (lucky lad) I became a runner for the Street Fire Wardens for The Avenue and Millway, which were adjoining streets. Very few people had a telephone in those days and it was assumed that the telephone system would be knocked out by the bombing when it started anyway.
My father was a long distance drive and used to transport dangerous chemicals from ICI at Billingham and was regularly issued with an Armed Services type gas mask. As a consequence when I was on duty as a runner during an air raid, I was the envy of most and even had a 'tin hat' supplied by ICI, but back to the plot.....
As a result of half of our school being requisitioned, the 'Carr Hill Boys' has to share a school with Shipcote School, which resulted in each doing half a day, mornings one week, afternoons the next....which suited us fine!
As Fred and I stood at the junction of The Avenue and Old Durham Road our attention was drawn to an aircraft. It was a type we hadn't seen before, and we knew our own planes. As we watched it circled around then dived down to the north end of the High Level Bridge, about twice, then on the third circuit we saw a small object drop from the plane., followed by a loud explosion. The plan then headed towards South Shields and the coast. We headed home quick!
Tyneside being the industrial area it was with numerous shipyards and ammunition factories (my mother worked at Vickers Armstrong on the Team Valley Trading Estate (TVTE) 4th Avenue Shell making factory) situated mainly along the riverbank. Many of them had their own anti-aircraft guns manned by the workers.
These anti-aircraft defences, were operative within a very short period of time after the explosion, firing at the plane as it made its way to the coast. At the top of Lobley Hill Road, somewhere near the West end of Oakfield Road, was an anti-aircraft gun manned by the Army, and I recall that whenever it was fired, the doors and windows despite being 3-4 miles away always rattled in our house.
Soon "Big Bertha" as this gun was locally known, opened up and after only a few shots got the plane just as it was passing over the coast st South Shields. It crashed into the sea - not bas marksmanship for a target 12-13 miles away!Had the pilot been on target with hib bomb, and hit what at the time was the biggest railway crossing in the world, at the north end of the High Level Bridge, just East of Newcastle Central Station, he would have caused mayhem as everything heading for Scotland would have had to be rerouted up the West coast line. As it was all that he damaged was Spiller Flour Mill, immediately West of the bridge. I believe the site is still levelled off and unused except as a car park.
The reason the pilot got so far without being challenged was that the plancewas French with French insignia on the wings and fuselage it being just after Dunkirk. However he paid the price.
I don't recall any other aircraft raids during daylight hours but there were quite a number of night raids and in one of those Gateshead East Cemetery was hit, as did a house off Sunderland Roas, where I believe a family was killed. Memories!" Eric Dyke
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