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We went looking at railings today (stop, come back!)
In July 1942, a Heinkel bomber made one of the only attacks on Swindon during the war, aiming for the gas holder at the GWR works.
Here's a 1959 OS map. The gas holder is top left, and although it's no longer there you can still see where it was.
Here's a 1959 OS map. The gas holder is top left, and although it's no longer there you can still see where it was.
(as an aside, this shows just a fraction of the Works. They were *massive*)
The pencil mark shows where the fourth bomb fell. The one near the gas holder didn't explode.
The railings that used to mark the Works boundary are now along the cycle path through the Hawksworth industrial estate and still show the bomb damage.
The railings that used to mark the Works boundary are now along the cycle path through the Hawksworth industrial estate and still show the bomb damage.
Grandma Phyllis was on her way to work at the Wills tobacco factory on Colbourne Street.
As she walked along Manchester Road, she had to dive for cover as the bomber shot up the street on the way overhead.
As she walked along Manchester Road, she had to dive for cover as the bomber shot up the street on the way overhead.
The Wills' factory used to be in what is now the Tesco car park, overlapping the roundabout on Ocotal Way.
Here's what it used to look like, courtesy of Swindon Libraries. https://www.flickr.com/photos/swindonlocal/3966497004/in/album-72157622356353095/
...and sort of the same view today.
This all happened on her 21st birthday.
("I got machine gunned too, you know!", she'd tell Grandad)
("I got machine gunned too, you know!", she'd tell Grandad)
