Wicker Arches bombed ?

[Pv57]

My grandfather, a tram driver told how his tram was damaged so badly by a bomb that fell,on the Wicker Arches that he had to walk home to,Rotherham

[stpetre]

It's well known that a bomb passed through the arch without exploding, and I had always assumed that the bomb didn't explode at all, though this page includes the statement: "As we approached the Wicker bomb damage was becoming more frequent and in the Wicker Arches there was a hole in the arch and the chassis of a tram on the track directly below it. The bodywork had gone and it was obvious that a bomb had gone through the arch and had exploded destroying the tram and bringing down the overhead wires".

 

My dad explained that patch to me when a kid while we were walking under there in the 1950's. He also pointed out the scars from aircraft bullets on the Spital Hill facade side of the arches, which I assume are still visible.

Edited April 5, 2015 by stpetre
add

[pitsmoorboy]

Always wondered what "The Wicker" meant? I'm sure someone else has mentioned this somewhere on the forum.

 

Actually it's not called "THE" wicker, it's just "Wicker" some one correct me if I am wrong..

[Kidorry]

I think you take some places for granted, just look at what a stunning structure this bridge is!

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v692/andyrad/Sheffield%20places/Wicker382010.jpg

Yes and there are quite a lot of arches stretching from Bridgehouses down to effingham road,I think.

[cuttsie]

Would they even know HOW to build something like that now?

Not in Sheffield they would not.

The new Architecture is all about plastic cladding and glass covered sheds .

[Falls]

It's well known that a bomb passed through the arch without exploding, and I had always assumed that the bomb didn't explode at all, though this page includes the statement: "As we approached the Wicker bomb damage was becoming more frequent and in the Wicker Arches there was a hole in the arch and the chassis of a tram on the track directly below it. The bodywork had gone and it was obvious that a bomb had gone through the arch and had exploded destroying the tram and bringing down the overhead wires".

 

I think the bomb did explode on the roadway. On the first night of the Blitz (December 12/13,1940), my parents and I started-out in air raid shelters that used to be on the corner of Stanley Street/Joiner Lane. Sometime during the raid, the ARP/Police came into the shelter and told us we had to move and we were sent to a shelter that was in the cellar of a 3- storey cutlery works that used to be on the corner of Andrews Street and Johnson Lane. (where Derek Dooley way is now). While we were in the shelter, there was a lot of distant noise and then there was an enormous explosion somewhere close. All the shelter doors (supposedly blast-proof) were blown open. I was very young at the time but the memory of that event is still with me.

 

As far as I know, there were only two HE bombs that fell on that part of the Wicker area that night: the rest of the damage was done by incendiaries.

 

Regards

 

---------- Post added 06-04-2015 at 23:57 ----------

 

It's well known that a bomb passed through the arch without exploding, and I had always assumed that the bomb didn't explode at all, though this page includes the statement: "As we approached the Wicker bomb damage was becoming more frequent and in the Wicker Arches there was a hole in the arch and the chassis of a tram on the track directly below it. The bodywork had gone and it was obvious that a bomb had gone through the arch and had exploded destroying the tram and bringing down the overhead wires".

 

I think the bomb did explode on the roadway. On the first night of the Blitz (December 12/13,1940), my parents and I started-out in air raid shelters that used to be on the corner of Stanley Street/Joiner Lane. Sometime during the raid, the ARP/Police came into the shelter and told us we had to move and we were sent to a shelter that was in the cellar of a 3- storey cutlery works that used to be on the corner of Andrews Street and Johnson Lane. (where Derek Dooley way is now). While we were in the shelter, there was a lot of distant noise and then there was an enormous explosion somewhere close. All the shelter doors (supposedly blast-proof) were blown open. I was very young at the time but the memory of that event is still with me.

 

Regards

Edited April 6, 2015 by Falls