Nice touch
Oct 7, 2010 22:55:41 GMT
Post by broomy on Oct 7, 2010 22:55:41 GMT
I got this off the Thornbury local history site---------Kingswood is where I live.....I was actually in the Aero Engines social club last night (walking distance), The B.A.C. at Filton is where The Brabazon and Concorde were built.
I've visited this part of Greenbank and seen these war graves.
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The Luftwaffe's Attacks on the Aircraft Industry in South Gloucestershire
At the Society’s September meeting, John Penny spoke to a packed hall about the Luftwaffe’s attacks on the aircraft industry in South Gloucestershire during World War II.
During the 1930s and 40s the South Gloucestershire area was, as it remains today, a nexus of the British aircraft industry. The Bristol Aeroplane Company’s vast plant at Filton and Patchway was the largest aircraft production facility in the world, whilst smaller factories owned by Aero Engines Ltd in Kingswood and Parnall Aircraft Ltd in Yate produced aircraft parts.
In the first few months of the War, the factories escaped any serious damage. However, a change of tactics in August 1940 led to damage to important facilities for the first time. On 25th September 1940 the largest attack of the War on the Filton works occurred, comprising 58 bombers escorted by 50 Messerschmitt long-range fighters. The anti-aircraft guns opened fire at 11.45am, with some success, but three minutes later the bombers reached their target and succeeded in dropping 168 bombs on the site in the space of 45 seconds. Eight newly completed aircraft were destroyed, as was an important prototype for the new Beaufighter. Six semi-underground air-raid shelters took direct hits: including casualties from local residents, the death toll on the ground eventually reached 131.
Although the attack had been detected by south coast radar installations, the planes’ flight path suggested that they were heading for Yeovil. In consequence, the Luftwaffe aircraft were already homeward bound before they were engaged by the RAF in any numbers. Although one Spitfire and its pilot were lost, the German planes were completely outclassed by the RAF; the Messerschmitt escort had to effectively abandon the bombers in order to protect themselves.
The raid led to the permanent stationing of 504 Squadron at Filton the following day, with the result that when a further raid was made on 27th September, the Messerschmitt fighter-bombers were engaged by 504 Squadron’s Hurricanes in the only dogfight of the war to take place over Bristol. Ten German aeroplanes were shot down; their crews were buried with full military honours in Greenbank Cemetery in Bristol. Civilians in the streets removed their hats at the cortege passed: as one resident put it: “they were somebody’s sons”.
I've visited this part of Greenbank and seen these war graves.
****************************************************
The Luftwaffe's Attacks on the Aircraft Industry in South Gloucestershire
At the Society’s September meeting, John Penny spoke to a packed hall about the Luftwaffe’s attacks on the aircraft industry in South Gloucestershire during World War II.
During the 1930s and 40s the South Gloucestershire area was, as it remains today, a nexus of the British aircraft industry. The Bristol Aeroplane Company’s vast plant at Filton and Patchway was the largest aircraft production facility in the world, whilst smaller factories owned by Aero Engines Ltd in Kingswood and Parnall Aircraft Ltd in Yate produced aircraft parts.
In the first few months of the War, the factories escaped any serious damage. However, a change of tactics in August 1940 led to damage to important facilities for the first time. On 25th September 1940 the largest attack of the War on the Filton works occurred, comprising 58 bombers escorted by 50 Messerschmitt long-range fighters. The anti-aircraft guns opened fire at 11.45am, with some success, but three minutes later the bombers reached their target and succeeded in dropping 168 bombs on the site in the space of 45 seconds. Eight newly completed aircraft were destroyed, as was an important prototype for the new Beaufighter. Six semi-underground air-raid shelters took direct hits: including casualties from local residents, the death toll on the ground eventually reached 131.
Although the attack had been detected by south coast radar installations, the planes’ flight path suggested that they were heading for Yeovil. In consequence, the Luftwaffe aircraft were already homeward bound before they were engaged by the RAF in any numbers. Although one Spitfire and its pilot were lost, the German planes were completely outclassed by the RAF; the Messerschmitt escort had to effectively abandon the bombers in order to protect themselves.
The raid led to the permanent stationing of 504 Squadron at Filton the following day, with the result that when a further raid was made on 27th September, the Messerschmitt fighter-bombers were engaged by 504 Squadron’s Hurricanes in the only dogfight of the war to take place over Bristol. Ten German aeroplanes were shot down; their crews were buried with full military honours in Greenbank Cemetery in Bristol. Civilians in the streets removed their hats at the cortege passed: as one resident put it: “they were somebody’s sons”.
