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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)

Title: Bombing
Post by: mccubbin on Tuesday 27 October 09 11:03 GMT (UK)
Hello
Can some one tell me if Aberdeen got bombed in the WW2.
Thank You for any help.
McCubbin.
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: Isabel H on Tuesday 27 October 09 11:39 GMT (UK)
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.
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: MonicaL on Tuesday 27 October 09 12:38 GMT (UK)
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  :)
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: flst on Tuesday 27 October 09 14:48 GMT (UK)
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
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: leighton on Tuesday 27 October 09 15:07 GMT (UK)
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
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: alexena on Tuesday 27 October 09 18:31 GMT (UK)
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
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: mccubbin on Tuesday 27 October 09 23:43 GMT (UK)
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
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: Aberdeen Archives on Wednesday 28 October 09 14:21 GMT (UK)
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.
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: ARENA on Tuesday 03 August 10 14:07 BST (UK)
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.
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: josey on Tuesday 03 August 10 14:09 BST (UK)
A warm welcome to rootschat....

And what a story to be able to tell!!

Josey
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: ARENA on Tuesday 03 August 10 14:40 BST (UK)
 ;D
Thanks for the welcome J
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: Andrew C. on Tuesday 10 August 10 17:08 BST (UK)
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.
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: Andrew C. on Tuesday 10 August 10 17:09 BST (UK)
ignore posted in error
Title: Re: BOMBING
Post by: king ranger on Sunday 29 August 10 20:58 BST (UK)
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.
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: fruitcake on Monday 04 October 10 23:37 BST (UK)
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.
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: IMBER on Tuesday 05 October 10 10:08 BST (UK)
There's a newish book around which seems very detailed:  Luftwaffe Over Scotland by Les Taylor
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: Archivos on Tuesday 16 November 10 10:05 GMT (UK)
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)
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: fruitcake on Tuesday 16 November 10 22:58 GMT (UK)
Thanks for letting us know about that, Archivos, I've just had a look at it, interesting!
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: sandie63 on Thursday 02 February 12 18:48 GMT (UK)
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. 
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: king ranger on Thursday 02 February 12 19:25 GMT (UK)
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
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: GR2 on Thursday 02 February 12 19:28 GMT (UK)
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.
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: sandie63 on Thursday 02 February 12 19:41 GMT (UK)
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.
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: sandie63 on Thursday 02 February 12 19:44 GMT (UK)
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.
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: king ranger on Thursday 02 February 12 19:57 GMT (UK)
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
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: sandie63 on Thursday 02 February 12 19:58 GMT (UK)
Great- I'm up in March so will try to have a look and let you know.
Sandie.
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: IMBER on Friday 03 February 12 09:45 GMT (UK)
There is reference to Luftwaffe burials here:

http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/planning_environment/planning/conservation/pla_war_memorials.asp
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: king ranger on Friday 03 February 12 19:47 GMT (UK)
Cheers Imber ,i did not know about that ones out at Dyce.
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: sandie63 on Friday 03 February 12 20:28 GMT (UK)
That was a great link- thanks!
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: Dave the Walrus on Thursday 09 February 12 08:19 GMT (UK)
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
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: lawrenceb on Saturday 11 February 12 22:22 GMT (UK)
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. 
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: alanatabz on Wednesday 14 March 12 08:13 GMT (UK)
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


Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: sandie63 on Saturday 14 April 12 18:53 BST (UK)
Thanks Alan, that's really helpful.

Sandie Mutch.
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: the hawk on Thursday 24 January 13 19:04 GMT (UK)
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
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: scottiegirl44 on Friday 05 April 13 03:57 BST (UK)
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. :)
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: Flattybasher9 on Friday 05 April 13 19:42 BST (UK)
Some more information here :-

http://www.mcjazz.f2s.com/Blitzkreig.htm

Regards

Malky
Title: Re: Bombing
Post by: flst on Friday 05 April 13 23:42 BST (UK)
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