Wartime and after

[algy]

Hi Fleetwood

Can you give me any pointers to the building you mentioned in Fulwood please? As far as I can discover the nearest balloon site was near the top of Brocco bank, but later in the war there was an experimental radar station at Fulwood. The only mention I can find as to location is that the site is now covered with houses. I wonder if the building you mention might have been part of this?

Algy

[Bayern Blade]

Many cities had a Lancaster on display during the "Wings for victory" campaign.

Photos of a few (though unfortunately not Sheffield),appear in Mike Garbett and Brian Goulding's book "The Lancaster at war".

Presumably The Sheffield Newspapers archive would have photographs of the local display,I'd be interested to know which Lanc it was.

Slightly off subject,living near Hannover there are many crash sites around where I live.Though often there is little or nothing to see.

Last year I was searching for the crash site of a Lancaster I of 106 sqn which came down near the village of Groß Giessen during a raid on Hannover on 27/9/43, 5km from where I live.I got talking to an old man who had been an infantryman and was on leave from the eastern front at the time of the crash and he pointed out the exact spot.

We will soon be investigating two Lanc III crash sites from the same raid at the village of Mahlerten,of the 24 men on board these 3 aircraft 8 survived.

One of the aircraft which crashed at Mahlerten was shot down by the Luftwaffe's most famous night fighter ace Major Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer (121 kills).

[fleetwood]

Thanks for your intrest ALGY I don't know the Fulwood area all that well, but here goes. If you were coming from town on the bus theres a stop before the hill that takes you into the central villiage/shopping area of Fulwood. It's at that stop without crossing any roads, you are within a stones throw from the building in question, it's certainly military in design and it goes back to the war years. It's mainly residential around there and you may be right in your research.

[algy]

Thanks for your intrest ALGY I don't know the Fulwood area all that well, but here goes. If you were coming from town on the bus theres a stop before the hill that takes you into the central villiage/shopping area of Fulwood. It's at that stop without crossing any roads, you are within a stones throw from the building in question, it's certainly military in design and it goes back to the war years. It's mainly residential around there and you may be right in your research.

 

Thanks for that. It doesn't ring any bells, I'll have to go for a prowl round:thumbsup:

[Floridablade]

There was a Barrage Balloon site in Meersbrook Park just by the museum mostly operated by, I think, WAAFS. It consisted of a lorry with a large spool on the chassis and thick wire attached to the balloon, I'm not sure but I think there was a searchlight there too.

[Rhonda]

Floridablade, you are right about the barrage balloon in Meersbrook Park . It was just up Brook Road before the park entrance. I went to Meersbrook Bank School and passed every day. When it was windy the balloons used to make weird noises. It broke away partly from its moorings one day and it was really frightening. for the kids going to school. Above the gates farther up Brook Road were the shelters for the school to this day I have a fear of confined spaces. In Meersbrook Park Road there was a public bomb shelter ,I often wonder if it's still there i'm sure it must be.It was a very big shelter.Did you know the area ?

[Elmambo]

There was a barrage ballooon on the Crookes WMC, sports field, top end of Midfield Road.

I also remember a (Japanese) fighter plane being parked on a trailer on what was then spare ground (bomb site ?) half way up Western Road, opposite the top end of the school.

[Rhonda]

BayernBlade, I was very interested to hear you are investigating crashes.Have you been able to identify pilot or effects. What age are you to be interested in WW2 airplanes?

[fleetwood]

I don't know if theres been any info on this topic on other threads, but i'll try and describe my recollections on this subject. During the war when petrol was scarce or practically non-existant, some cars were running around with a big balloon type bag on the their roof which I assume held some sort of gas that fed the engine. My question, if that was the case what type of gas, was it dangerous and did they have to make big modifications to the engine? Also if my memory serves me right, did'nt some single decker buses tow a trailer that had some kind of energy producing apparatus on it? Don't recall if that was a 'Bag' thing though, i'm thinking not.

Edited June 2, 2009 by fleetwood

[PopT]

Many years ago as a little kid I left home to throw stones in the River Loxley? on Livesy Street, Owlerton. It was raining heabvy and it started to get dark and I was lost, the only time i'd been there before was when I'd gone down the Dog Lane with my Grandad in his wheelbarrow.

 

Nearby, opposite the weir was a barrage balloon station, staffed by young women, one of them spotted me and took me in. I was there for two days and it was great. Meanwhile everyone and G-d was looking for me.

 

it wasn't until one of the women went into the Owlerton Post Office opposite the Dog Track on Penistone Road did she heard someone talking about a missing little blonde haired lad. She immediately revealed that they had found a little boy who was lost and they were looking after him.

 

So, in the end everything turned out OK.

 

I've related this story to let you know there was a Balloon Barrage down the Dog Lane just past Tommy Pearson's Forge.

 

Happy Days!

Edited June 3, 2009 by PopT