O/T:- 80 years ago

[BanjoPie]

Nottingham St Mary's church in the Lace Market seems to have had a lucky rescue otherwise it may have been Coventry Cathedral v2.

Somewhat earlier, July 1918, saw the Chilwell explosion killing the most people of WWI in a single explosion:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/eastm...ll_somme.shtml

I believe there is a mass grave and gravestone in the churchyard at Attenborough.

There is, I live not far from St Mary's Church in Attenborough - well worth a visit

[cher1]

I have a link to that, My Father-in-law Reg (George) Miller was commendated for saving St Marys - he and another fireman went all the way up to the top to put out incendary bombs

That's amazing. There are some more photos on the NEP website here: https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/...ts-5354812.amp

[i961pie]

I used to work at Boots print on Station street and there was a plaque regarding the people killed during a bombing raid there.

[upthemaggies]

If the bomb that hit Meadow Lane had been dropped a fraction of second earlier or later, either County Road or the Main stand might have been damaged beyond repair and we'd have all grown up with a very different looking ground.

Quite a number of grounds were damaged during the war including Old Trafford to the point they had to play at Maine Road after the war had finished whilst it was being repaired.

Apparently Tottenham's White Hart Lane East Stand was commandeered as a mortuary for bomb victims.

[forwardmagpie]

My great uncle William Daykin was a lookout on the roof of Boots which took a direct hit. He died on the 9th May 1941 aged 33.

There is a memorial at St Mary’s church in the Lace Market called ‘Heroes with Grimy Faces’

[LilCrazyKim]

I used to live on Dakeyne Street in Sneinton which had a bomb shelter which took a direct hit. There was a terrible loss of life there.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

Was that taken just after Darren Caskey dived in the penalty box?

Love it.!

[PedroTheFisherman66]

My great uncle William Daykin was a lookout on the roof of Boots which took a direct hit. He died on the 9th May 1941 aged 33.

There is a memorial at St Mary’s church in the Lace Market called ‘Heroes with Grimy Faces’

I thought I had seen a memorial about this at the church.. I cant remember if there was a plaque or statue or both..
Thanks

[Old_pie]

My great uncle William Daykin was a lookout on the roof of Boots which took a direct hit. He died on the 9th May 1941 aged 33.

There is a memorial at St Mary’s church in the Lace Market called ‘Heroes with Grimy Faces’

There was a special service there not long ago** for the Fire Service "Grimy Faces". It may have been when the memorial was revealed. Some beautiful old and well polished fire engines on High Pavement.

Just looked it up: http://www.nottsfirefightermemorial.org/ "not long ago" = 8 years!!

[cher1]

Some very sad stories here. I see that the Meadow Lane bombing resulted in the highest loss of life from a single incident in Nottingham of WW2.

Reading that firefighter memorial website was thought provoking. It explains that the floors above collapsed into the basement, where the air raid shelter was at the Co-op. That's interesting as the reason my Dad always hid under the kitchen table during raids was, he said, because he was terrified of being buried alive. That always seemed strange, but it makes much more sense now, all these years on.