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Alan J. 13-11-2013 07:46 PM

Bombing Helsay 1940
 
On the above subject, how many are aware of a bomb being dropped near Helsay Point? A booklet I have read recently,gives the info' on the incident. It is by someone called "Glen Aln" and is entitled "People and places of Northumberland." He describes a bus journey from Warkworth to Morpeth in 1945, starting from Dial Place, where the number 28 Newcastle bus started from and describes, in some detail, out of the village and along the road to Amble. When passing Helsay Point he says that on the night of Saturday August 6th 1940 a bomb dropped and tore away the bankside, "still visible then", a hundred yards or so from the end, a second fell on the "sward" a few yards away, the nearest a bomb fell to the seaport.

Derilda 13-11-2013 10:07 PM

Re; Glen Aln
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan J. (Post 2981)
On the above subject, how many are aware of a bomb being dropped near Helsay Point? A booklet I have read recently,gives the info' on the incident. It is by someone called "Glen Aln" and is entitled "People and places of Northumberland." He describes a bus journey from Warkworth to Morpeth in 1945, starting from Dial Place, where the number 28 Newcastle bus started from and describes, in some detail, out of the village and along the road to Amble. When passing Helsay Point he says that on the night of Saturday August 6th 1940 a bomb dropped and tore away the bankside, "still visible then", a hundred yards or so from the end, a second fell on the "sward" a few yards away, the nearest a bomb fell to the seaport.

I know nothing about the bombing of Helsay Point, but I have a copy of the same book. I often look through the glossary of local dialect and advertisements at the rear. One, for Greens, always brings a smile. "On Air Ministry and War Office lists" it declares. At the bottom, "Only experienced and Fully Qualified Workmen Employed..... Telephone - 27 Amble." There have been one or two subscribers added to that telephone list since then, circa 1945.

Coquet 16-11-2013 04:00 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan J. (Post 2981)
On the above subject, how many are aware of a bomb being dropped near Helsay Point? A booklet I have read recently,gives the info' on the incident. It is by someone called "Glen Aln" and is entitled "People and places of Northumberland." He describes a bus journey from Warkworth to Morpeth in 1945, starting from Dial Place, where the number 28 Newcastle bus started from and describes, in some detail, out of the village and along the road to Amble. When passing Helsay Point he says that on the night of Saturday August 6th 1940 a bomb dropped and tore away the bankside, "still visible then", a hundred yards or so from the end, a second fell on the "sward" a few yards away, the nearest a bomb fell to the seaport.


I've had a look in the Amble fort record book for this and there is nothing of note for the 6th, but on the 10th we have this:

10 [August 1940] 0050 [hours]

One enemy plane coming from N.E. went inland & dropped 4 whistling bombs in the direction of Warkworth - about 3 miles from the Battery.



this must be the event in question?

original:

Alan J. 16-11-2013 04:40 PM

Glen Aln must have got his date wrong or the battery missed it, having said that you would think the North side RAF would have noted it on the 6th as it practically dropped on them.

Coquet 16-11-2013 04:48 PM

I think he has, the 6th Aug was a Tuesday in 1940, the 10th was a Saturday, so day right, date wrong:

http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/...ry=9&year=1940

Coquet 17-11-2013 11:53 AM

[I've moved these posts to a new thread. Hopefully there will be some more info in the future]


I wonder if all the bombs detonated? Perhaps there's one 2 yards down in the mud! :)

DHoward 05-08-2018 12:55 PM

Hey, new here, i was just wondering whereabouts is Helsay point? Is it the patch of land opposite the Amble to Warkworth road?

Coquet 06-08-2018 09:07 AM

Yes that's the place, triangular wedge of land between the existing River Coquet and the old abandoned bed of the Coquet.

DHoward 06-08-2018 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coquet (Post 7517)
Yes that's the place, triangular wedge of land between the existing River Coquet and the old abandoned bed of the Coquet.

Thanks Coquet, I wonder if there is still a crater visible? I often wonder how many unexploded bombs are in our area, scary to think about.

Ambler 06-08-2018 07:12 PM

Hello,
There aren't any craters visible. I used to spend a lot of time on the three fields leading to the point and never found any. The previous owner told me he was aware of the bomb that was dropped but there was nothing found.

hollydog 07-08-2018 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DHoward (Post 7520)
Thanks Coquet, I wonder if there is still a crater visible? I often wonder how many unexploded bombs are in our area, scary to think about.

Probably next to no uxb's around here, the bomb's followed a pattern and a crater missing was a give away that an uxb was nearby. I know of one uxb following the line of craters across the river at Black Bridge, Warkworth, but it was dug out of the Grange garden at the time!

hollydog 17-03-2019 07:02 PM

The field immediately south of Maudlin Farm, Warkworth was known as the bomb field as one exploded there damaging the nearby farmhouse, I wonder if it was the same incident?
As an aside the farmer also ploughed up a home guard training spigot mortar bomb in that field and put it in the hedge row, only to find it again a good few years later in the 70s. Catterick bomb disposal got rid of it!

hollydog 17-03-2019 07:03 PM

Talking of Maudlin Farm, Warkworth, the long barn now a house was used to house Napoleonic prisoners of war who worked on the farm. Perhaps a new thread if more info comes to light.


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