WW2 Homefront - mostly Burnley

[James Pickering]

I started a similar thread on Accrington Web a few years ago. It has garnered some 7000 views by now and spawned my Web site WW2 British Home Front - (mostly my personal remembrances).

Here I hope to collect information and personal experiences that mostly relates to WW2 Burnley. Some of my own postings will be essentially repeats of those I made to the AccyWeb. I apologize for the repetitions to those who are members there and who have already read them, but the information may be of interest to those here who have not seen them previously. Please visit my WW2 British Home Front site listed above -- I solicit comments, suggestions and corrections.

James

[James Pickering]

Christmas 1944

On Christmas Eve 1944, a formation of specially configured HE-111 Heinkel bombers (I/KG53 squadron) flying over the North Sea launched 45 V1 Flying Bombs (Doodlebugs) aimed at Manchester 31 of which reached the target area. Fifteen fell on Manchester, the remainder impacting in surrounding towns and sparsely populated outlying areas.

One hit a row of terrace houses in nearby Oldham killing 37 people, including some evacuees from London, and seriously wounding many others. The blast damaged hundreds of nearby homes.

Six people died when one landed on Chapel Street, Tottington, near Bury.

One V1 that impacted near Oswaldtwistle carried a load of propaganda leaflets. Leaflets from these V1s were also found at Brindle, near Manchester and Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

One of the errant V1s impacted in a farmer's field at Gregson Lane near Bamber Bridge just outside Preston. This crash site has recently been examined and recorded by the Lancashire Aircraft Investigation Team: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/V1%20Gregson%20Lane.htm

This V1 raid was a rude Christmas Eve shock for people in the Manchester area, for local officials had been hinting that the danger from air raids was was pretty much over for us in the North. D-Day had heightened the expectation that the war was winding down, besides, the V1 raids heretofore had been directed against London. Certainly no one expected an air raid siren alert followed by the sound of Doodlebugs chugging across Lancashire skies during that Christmas of 1944! This V1 raid on Manchester occurred exactly four years after the first major Air Raid on the city -- the horrendous firestorm Blitz of Christmas 1940.

[Sweetpea]

I realise that we are taking about V1's, but if you ever find yourself in France, try a visit here. Exceptionally interesting place. The damage done by the American Air force, that finally closed the place down, can still be seen. It's awesome.

http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-her...-blockhaus.htm

[James Pickering]

Excellent reference. Thanks, Sweetpea.
James

[Col.Kurtz]

Very interesting site James, I'll have a proper look at it when I get the chance later.
I for one will never forget the sacrifices made by that generation, allied civilians as well as the forces.
Would anyone be interested in seeing my photographs from Kanchanaburi Thailand? I visited the death railway, bridge on the river Kwai and the allied war cemetary back in '87-88.
I can post them up in the gallery when I get a chance.

[James Pickering]

Originally Posted by Col.Kurtz

Very interesting site James .......... Would anyone be interested in seeing my photographs from Kanchanaburi Thailand? I visited the death railway, bridge on the river Kwai and the allied war cemetary back in '87-88.
I can post them up in the gallery when I get a chance.

Thank you Col. Kurtz. I would be very interested indeed to see your photographs.

James

[Col.Kurtz]

Originally Posted by Col.Kurtz

I visited the death railway, bridge on the river Kwai and the allied war cemetary back in '87-88.

whoops! that should have read 97-98! :duh:

[James Pickering]

Originally Posted by Col.Kurtz

whoops! that should have read 97-98! :duh:

You are forgiven, Colonel!

[Col.Kurtz]

Cheers James, I'll try and get them posted up this afternoon.

[Neal]

James, your website and information is amazing. I could do with you talking about it on www.talkbritain.co.uk also please if you don't mind.

[Col.Kurtz]

Pictures now up for anyone that's interested.

[James Pickering]

Originally Posted by Neal

James, your website and information is amazing. I could do with you talking about it on www.talkbritain.co.uk also please if you don't mind.

Thank you so very much for your kind comments, Neal. I have registered on Talk Britain and I will post there, although some posts may duplicate those on here -- is that acceptable? Unfortunately I made a mistake with my user name when I registered -- I used a lower case j for my first name -- is there a way for you to change that to upper case, Neal?

James

[James Pickering]

Originally Posted by Col.Kurtz

Pictures now up for anyone that's interested.

Thank you for posting those wonderful photographs, Col. I must add that I also enjoyed your great series of takersbabe/baby & family photos -- also the striking photo of grannyclaret!

James

[James Pickering]

My goal is to record my own experiences, accompanied by contemporary photographs and documents, relating to the British Home Front during WW2 before I die. To that end, I am constantly refining and adding to my Web pages. I am anxious to record the stories and exploits of as many people as possible who lived through those tumultuous times -- particularly in Lancashire - together with their photographs and documents before they are lost to history.

I provide links on my WW2 British Home Front Web pages via my WW2 British Home Front Directory to several similar sites as mine, some of which contain additional information in great detail.

The BBC instituted a massive program titled "The People's War" which is a vast repository for individual stories, but the submissions have to be brief vignettes out of necessity. There are some other similar projects.

I want to record the minutia of every day living -- again mostly in Lancashire -- on the British Home Front during WW2. Hopefully, others will contribute their own experiences and materials -- I would be most happy to compose Web pages for them to record their stories and store and present them via my own server. Time is running short: WW2 British Homefront survivors are dying at an alarming rate every day.

James

[Neal]

Originally Posted by James Pickering

Thank you so very much for your kind comments, Neal. I have registered on Talk Britain and I will post there, although some posts may duplicate those on here -- is that acceptable? Unfortunately I made a mistake with my user name when I registered -- I used a lower case j for my first name -- is there a way for you to change that to upper case, Neal?

James

No worries James, will do it shortly.