bombtheb
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"History with its flickering lamp"
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Does anyone know of any locations in the town where wartime bomb or shell damage is still visible ?
Simon Baker and I are putting the finishing touches to our book about the air-war over Lowestoft 1939-1945, and we'd like to include at least one picture of a house or building that still bears the scars of shrapnel or cannon/MG fire.
The only one definitely known to show holes created by "spalling" (bomb splinters) is Marconi House, on the corner of Grove Road and Battery Green Road, damaged on 29 Sept 1940.
Surely there must be others that are known ? I am aware that the little porch which used to stand outside our 'old' Police Station in Regent Road was pock-marked by bomb splinters in 1941, but now demolished. Similarly, a wall in Eastern Way had a section of 'new' brickwork in it after a bomb blew a section of the top out in March 1942. Sadly now Eastern Way and the Eastern Coach Works are gone too.
If any forumites know of any such places, I'd be very pleased to hear.
TIA,
BC
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Meryl
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There used to be a paving slab in Ontario Road that was "grazed" I was told that this was a result if an incendary bomb?? I will check to see if it has been replaced.
Just been down with my camera for you but sorry to report that the path has been replaced with tarmac.
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caz2
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i was once told the jolly sailours had sharpnel holes but not sure if that true
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Joe
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The wall at the front of my house is lopsided caused by subsidance from a bomb that flattened the house the other side of the road. The houses in the streets near me are a bit like teeth; loads of rows of old ones but loads of fillings of new ones where all the bombs fell.
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bombtheb
Senior Member
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"History with its flickering lamp"
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Meryl, thanks for looking, anyway.
Joe, can you say where the "bomb that flattened the house the other side of the road" actually was ?
Anybody know of any other signs of wartime "battle damage" in the town or surrounding area ?
BC
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Joe
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That depends if cazz can sent me a pm telling me what she told Mick, ie where the bodies are!!
If she can, then I can tell you too! 
But to give a rough idea it's the streets of Victorian terraced houses in Kirkley.
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bombtheb
Senior Member
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Posts: 110
"History with its flickering lamp"
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That depends if cazz can sent me a pm telling me what she told Mick, ie where the bodies are!! If she can, then I can tell you too! But to give a rough idea it's the streets of Victorian terraced houses in Kirkley.
Are we talking about the St Leonard's Road/Lorne Park Road area here ?
BC
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Rosie
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In Ashby Road, just off Norwich Road, a house was bombed and flattened I remember playing on the waste land as a little girl (in the 70's) it was known locally as 'the bombie'. I think flats have now been built in its place but it is very obvious as the bricks are all new and not in keeping with the original houses. Clemence Street/Stevens St is the same. a whole row replaces some houses bombed there. Does this help? This would be WW2.
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Joe
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Are we talking about the St Leonard's Road/Lorne Park Road area here ?
BC
The problem is because I've said my own house is opposite it would effectively mean telling everyone on this forum where I live. Not many people here would be prepared to reveal their address to such an extent.
But yes, broadly that area of Kirkley.
The wonky wall isn't that exciting, it's just a bit higher one end than the other. The story how it became so is more interesting than what you see.
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bombtheb
Senior Member
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Posts: 110
"History with its flickering lamp"
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Thanks Rosie.
I do not think we are talking about the same spot, but I know the corner house (used to be a hardware shop a few years ago, but now a private house again) was hit by a shell during the bombardment in 1916. I have a picture taken at the time with some children standing in front of it, and a man who claimed to be one of them introduced himself to me during my visit to take a 'now' picture !
I have some details of the Stevens Street 1941 raid, but no WW 2 pictures, so a "Then & Now" is not possible here unfortunately. I know what you mean regarding the 'new' houses, they are very distinctive if you know where to look.
BC
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bombtheb
Senior Member
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"History with its flickering lamp"
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Joe,
My apologies for any suggestion of infringement of, or intrusion into, your identity, your privacy, or indeed, your personal security on this forum. In future I will make contact via PM.
Regards,
BC
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bombtheb
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Posts: 110
"History with its flickering lamp"
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Thanks for that, John O.
The bomb you mention was a 500 kg (1,110-lb) HE bomb dropped by an FW 190 fighter bomber at 9.00 pm on 12 May 1943, during the evening attack by some 24 aircraft. Most of the raiders crossed in over the area of the lighthouse/High Street going South, but this one for some reason appears to have decided to release his bomb going East-West.
I've seen the damage to the house in North Parade you refer to. The damage on the W side of the building is at the same level as that on the opposite side, so the bomb must have gone through almost horizontally! The "tennis courts" are now an open grass area.
You will notice that the picture of the tennis court showing the spot where the bomb bounced in "Port War" by ford Jenkins has been "played with" by the wartime censor and the mark made by the bomb has been deleted.
The Civil Defence "bunker" you mention, was in fact a large house (No.41) in Lyndhurst Road. It had only recently been converted to a CD/RP Depot, and the only reason it was not occupied at the time was because there was no wireless, and the staff were at the 'old' depot listening to the 9 0' clock news when the FW 190s came in !
No.4, Corton Road was demolished and 3 people, (1 man, 2 women) were killed here.
BC
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