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United Kingdom and the world
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01 May 1942
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Fire over Beamish Beamish is now world famous for its Open Air Museum, and has thousands of visitors every year from throughout Britain and overseas. On Friday 1st May 1942, at 2.55am. British Summertime, the only visitors were a German bomb crew seeking out a target to offload their high explosive bombs it was early morning, and the sky was clear.From above Beamish, the pilot may have seen the reflection from the two railway lines, the LNER to Consett Steelworks, and the Colliery coal line with the village nestled in between. With the river nearby, it may have looked like a prime factory site. Whatever the reason, they dropped three high explosive bombs and then went on their way. People throughout the area were probably by now either in their air raid shelters or under the stairs in their houses, which was a common place to hide during an air raid. At Beamish, one of the bombs exploded on impact causing damage to some shops and houses in Station Road. A second unexploded bomb was found shortly afterwards on the railway embankment of the colliery line, beside the wooden footbridge and dangerously close to several shops and houses. At approx. 9.30am. that morning, a Bomb Disposal Team were approaching Beamish when they were delayed at a rail crossing. At Beamish the area of the Post Offices, houses, and railway footbridge were roped off, and the residents evacuated for safety. As the bomb crew neared the village, the bomb on the embankment exploded. But for their delay, they would have been on the site at the time of the explosion. Part of the railway was uprooted and the footbridge was damaged. A water main was fractured and there was further damage to the houses and shops affected by the first bomb. All that day there was great interest in these explosions and people had travelled from the surrounding area to satisfy their curiosity. None of them were aware of the third unexploded bomb lying there in the shop in Station Road, with the clockwork timer ticking away. This bomb had gone through the roof of the building, leaving only a small hole. People thought this small hole was only bomb damage from the other bombs. Geoff Anderson, who lived above Smiths shop, said that when he had been allowed back into his flat later, he looked in his cupboard for his slippers only to find there was no floor in the cupboard. The bomb had obviously gone straight through. All through that day, they attempted to salvage what they could from the damaged properties, and still more people came to see the results of the bombing. At 9.05pm. People were waiting at the bus stop opposite for their bus home. Children were still playing in the street. Special Constable Sam Edgell was nearby. Suddenly an explosion ripped across the road toward the bus stop and the waiting crowd. Trees were blown down. Stones, glass and people were hurled into the air. Villagers rushed from their homes to the scene only to be greeted by a cloud of dust temporarily hiding the horrendous scene. When the dust settled, they could not believe their eyes. Twisted bodies lay all around and the injured lay among them, too stunned to cry out. Jack Edgell rushed from his home in Woodside knowing his father was on duty. The first casualty he came across was his father, Sam, unconscious and badly injured, but alive. Jack noticed his father had no boots on. They had been blown off his feet in the blast. Women sobbed openly and there were tears in the eyes of burley miners as they found two tiny bodies. One was Clive Lawson, adopted son of Jack Lawson M.P. from 7 Woodside, Beamish, and eight years old Irene Seymour, from 8 School Terrace, South Moor. She had been sightseeing with her grandmother, Matilda Seymour, aged 77 who lay nearby, very badly injured. The casualties were checked one by one. Mrs Palmer had a broken shoulder, Audrey Lumley, Dodie Dobson, Alec Walker Mrs Barker and many others were injured. Gwendoline Hannant aged 17 from 24 Delacour St. Stanley, was found dead. Sylvia Spence aged 10 of 40 South View, Bloemfontein was found seriously injured, and her mother Elizabeth, aged 45 was found nearby with terrible injuries. Special Constable Robert Reay, aged 61 of Urpeth Hilltop was found dead in the damaged building where he had been helping with repairs. The dead and injured were carried to Pit Hill Farmhouse, while others were treated on the spot. Mrs Spence and Mrs Seymour died the next day. By Monday, the death toll rose to 8 with the deaths of Sylvia Spence and Special Constable Sam Edgell. |
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