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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Aberdeenshire => Topic started by: mccubbin on Tuesday 27 October 09 11:03 GMT (UK)
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Hello
Can some one tell me if Aberdeen got bombed in the WW2.
Thank You for any help.
McCubbin.
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I don't know much about it, but I do know bombs fell in the area around John Knox church, Mounthooly, and I believe houses in the Gilcomston area were also bomb-damaged.
There might be newspaper reports about it.
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Hi McCubbin
Not sure if you are checking on specific addresses that may have been affected, but this post on another forum may be of interest:
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=17189
Monica :)
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Hi,apparently Aberdeen had more air raids than anywhere else in Scotland. Many buildings were destroyed & 250 civilians were killed. Are you interested in anywhere specific ?
flst
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Hello McCubbin
There are a couple of books about the war years in Aberdeen that include many pictures of bomb damage in Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland.
Aberdeen at War - A Pictorial Account 1939-45
Lomond Books
Aberdeen & the North East at War
The Press & Journal.
leighton
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Hi McCubbin,
There were 30 attacks on Aberdeen, 178 people killed and 599 buildings rendered uninhabitable. The biggest raid was on the 21st April 1943, when 98 people died and 93 were seriously injured.
Alexena
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Hi
Thank You for everyone's help.
It was quite bad in Aberdeen, with people losing their life's, terrible, My generation do not know how lucky we are.
The reason I was asking, someone was telling that the orphanage in Aberdeen was bombed in WW2. I do not know what it was called I just know it was in Aberdeen.
Thank You
McCubbin
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The Royal Mental Hospital (now Cornhill) was extensively damaged, but I can't find anything about an orphanage being hit. Middlefield School was badly damaged as well.
There is a book called 'Far Wis Ye Fin the Sireen Blew?' which is part of an oral history project on Aberdeen during WWII. It may be available through inter-library loan if you don't live in Aberdeen, as I think it may be out of print unfortunately.
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HI I'm a newboy here..........
Our house took a direct hit during 1942(?). We lived in Hilton. Mum fell down the bomb hole, with me in her arms .
We re-located to Union Grove.
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A warm welcome to rootschat....
And what a story to be able to tell!!
Josey
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;D
Thanks for the welcome J
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My great grandmother died in 1941 seemingly during a blackout in Inverurie. Not sure if this meant their was a raid on or bombers flying towards Aberdeen neccesitated lights out.
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ignore posted in error
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The Ice Rink was hit when a German plane crashed into it at where Asda is at the bottom of Anderson drive.Oscar road in Torry was hit as well.
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Bedford Road in Aberdeen was bombed during the Aberdeen Blitz on 21 April 1943. The house at 58 Bedford Road took a direct hit, the people in that house survived, but my Great Grandmother's sister, Catherine Moir (nee Mutch), and Catherine's son, John Moir, who lived next door at 60 Bedford Road were killed by the bomb. John was only 10 years old.
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There's a newish book around which seems very detailed: Luftwaffe Over Scotland by Les Taylor
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Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives have a new online exhibition about the Home Front and it includes information from the school log books about some of the air raids - not just in Aberdeen! There's also stuff on civil defence, evacuation, and a bit about what happened in Rosehearty. It's really interesting. I had no idea that Fraserburgh was so badly hit - I knew there were raids, but not how devastating they were.
You can get to the exhibition here! (http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/LocalHistory/archives/loc_onlineexhibitionhomefront.asp)
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Thanks for letting us know about that, Archivos, I've just had a look at it, interesting!
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Better late than never- you may know this by now but just in case, my dad told me on several occasions that they were building an ice rink on South Anderson Drive, before you get to by the Duthie Park, (on the right if I remember- just before the roundabout where the shops/ski slope etc are now, if you're heading South)- but as it was bombed, it was never finished...not sure if this is true, or just one of dad's storeis, but would be intersted to hear if anyone can confirm it!
Sandie.
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Hi Sandie if you look back a couple of posts you will see i spoke about the Ice Rink. It is true ,but i am now thinking that i may have been told by my father that the bomber crashed into the building ,and that the crew are buried at the Broadhill Cemetery beside Pittodrie.
Colin
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On 12th July 1940 a single Heinkkel III came in from the north, dropped bombs in King St., Marischal St. and on Hall Russell's shipyard. It hit the boiler house and killed apprentices on their dinner break. Four men were killed in the doorway of the Neptune Bar and the bomber headed for Rosemount. Fighters from Dyce intercepted it and it was damaged, crashing on the site of the new ice rink. A total of 34 people were killed.
Graham.
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Ah- so you did- sorry, I missed it! That story used to fascinate me when I was young, and when I'm 'back hame' and come up Anderson Drive I always think of it. Will try to take a look in the cemetery some time- would be interesting if the pilots are buried there- amid several of my relatives!
Kind regards,
Sandie.
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Thanks GR2...nice to know my childhood memory is accurate...albeit a vary sad tale. My dad was only two at the time, so wouldn't have remembered it, but I'm sure his family would have talked about it for years to come...and now I always tell my teenager the same story when we're up North, so the story is living on!
Kind regards,
Sandie.
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Sandie if you ever make it to the Cemetery ,if you drive down from the town it is the part of the cemetery on the right hand side of the road that backs on to the Broadhill that contains the German Crewmen i saw the graves before i moved away from Aberdeen years ago, but i am not certain if they are the ones from the Ice Rink.
Colin
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Great- I'm up in March so will try to have a look and let you know.
Sandie.
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There is reference to Luftwaffe burials here:
http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/planning_environment/planning/conservation/pla_war_memorials.asp
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Cheers Imber ,i did not know about that ones out at Dyce.
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That was a great link- thanks!
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Hi Mccubbin,
As you will see, by now, Aberdeen certainly was bombed in WW2. A church across the road from where I worked, in Carden Place was bombed in 1942. It was said that they were trying to bomb the harbour area, but they were at least 2 miles too far west.
Best wishes,
Dave
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Hi everyone, my mother, who is 82 and lived through WW2 in Aberdeen, tells me that the Lads Club in Woodside was bombed one night when it was full of boys doing activities. Mum remembers that most of them were killed and that school was closed the next day because of the bombing. (That was standard procedure when bombing occurred the night before) A large number of the boys had attended both Woodside and Hilton School with her. Another time, when she was at Hilton School, there was a bombing and the students had to go into the air raid shelter. The teacher, Miss Bruce, had trained as a singer apparently, and to pass the time and to keep everyone calm had each student sing a song, one after the other.
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Hi Everybody
New to this forum
I was the person who posted the bombing info on 12occlock high with the locations of bombs in Aberdeen
Having another burst of enthusiam, I've been through 3 volumes of records being specific on dates and where bombs fell on Aberdeen.
If anybody can send me specific dates, addresses of bombings, I'll update my records.
Also, the bomber crew killed in the ice rink crash are buried at the old dyce cemetary beside the river don. Another airman (maybe 2) are buried there when they were washed up near balmedie during the war (I see somebody posted a council link to it too)
Another german aircraft crashed on a hill just outside stonehave, a number were shotdown and crashed in the sea also.
Alan
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Thanks Alan, that's really helpful.
Sandie Mutch.
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Reference to colins letter on the ice rink where the german bomber crashed after being shot down by spitfires from RAF Dyce, he says the crew were buired at Broadhill cemetery this is wrong information as the three crew were buired at the old Dyce cemetery beside the other german airmen killed in the war.
the hawk
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Believe it or not I found this on Facebook, for all of you that are on there.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/aberdeen/far-wis-ye-fan-the-sireen-blew/10150222971529127 (https://www.facebook.com/notes/aberdeen/far-wis-ye-fan-the-sireen-blew/10150222971529127)
If you do not have Facebook, message me and I will try to get you the info. :)
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Some more information here :-
http://www.mcjazz.f2s.com/Blitzkreig.htm
Regards
Malky
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Just read about this in my local paper. April 21 2013 will be the 70th Anniversary of "The Aberdeen Blitz". The "Press and Journal" is wanting to hear from people who have stories of the raid. It should make interesting reading!
flst