Southover Street Seagull
Well-known member
Missed my street, but a lot got Albion Hill, Richmond Street and Sussex Street it seems.
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Did Hitler bomb your house?
- Thread starter Bevendean Hillbilly
- Start date
Horton's halftime iceberg
Blooming Marvellous
16 strikes around it, I went to Hove Park Lower which was the old Knoll Girls site and that would have been flattened. There was always that water works site on OSR just along from the school I wonder if that was a target, although the Blitzkrieg was all about creating fear and terror so it may have just been random.
Spiros
Well-known member
Not on the map I know, but the house I live in now in Goring has a bomb shelter under the back garden (apparently - we haven't dug down to it yet) and the house next door was badly damaged when it was hit by a bomb. Apparently it was common practice for the Luftwaffe to drop them on coastal towns on the way home if they couldn't find their intended target.
I also remember my grandmother telling me many years ago that they also bombed a soap factory at Shoreham Harbour believing it to be the power station
I also remember my grandmother telling me many years ago that they also bombed a soap factory at Shoreham Harbour believing it to be the power station
KZNSeagull
Well-known member
Thanks for that - very interesting
Shows that Brighton came out of the war relatively unscathed, especially as it was in the firing line as it were, but then there was nothing of great importance there I guess.
Tony Towner's Fridge
Well-known member
My Grandmother recounted the tale of her and a few others being ta the promenade at Rottingdean and seeing three planes flying close to the sea coming over form the South. They all waved at the planes as they approached, believuing them to be Hurricanes. They weren't they were Messerschmitts. Did they jump! Apparently they never opened fire (The Messerschmitts that is not my Granny), probably on a day trip or something(my Granny that is not the Messerschmitts).
TNBA
TTF
TNBA
TTF
¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤
Banned
I'd speculate that they were ridding themselves of weight in order to get back...
Seagull's Return
Active member
My dad was a kid, and was in Egremont Place when a bomb hit across the road - you can see a modern building now where it landed. Also he was strafed when crossing the road by a plane going for the viaduct; he reckons a lot of the strafing of civilians was a bit collateral, as the planes were going 300-odd mph and low, so over/undershooting would spray the bullets and cannon shells for a long way. The Kemptown cinema bombing on 14th Sept 1940 was one of a stick of bombs jettisoned by a Dornier under attack, he says; they fell all across the area. He was in another cinema with his younger brother at the time, but remembers seeing the damage, etc.
Uncle C
Well-known member
As far as I know it took out the semis at 2 (mine) and 4 Amherst and the semis at 1 and 3 Aldrington.
My neighbour at 1 Aldrington was 'posh' and paid extra to have a peak put on!
The Large One
Who's Next?
Looks like a very near miss... on the junction of Holmes Avenue and Neville Avenue - opposite where Bishop Hannington Church now stands.
Why would they bomb the cemetary??
Why would they bomb the cemetary??
Bevendean Hillbilly
New member
- Thread starter
- #32
Because *ahem* its the dead centre of town?
Sounds like Mrs Daniels ?
Laughing Gravy
I'm a ****
My aunty lived in Bennett Rd Kemp Town and as you can see on the map, it got hammered. The Hun were trying to get the gas works near the Marina.
I remember her telling me about a house in Bennett Rd that took a direct hit and the elderly lady occupant and her bed ( that she was still in ) was blown out of the house and landed half way up the street.
Also some years ago in the argus there was a story about some builders that found a mumified hand in a loft in that area and its thought that it was from some poor bugger that died in that raid.
If you ever venture down White St just up from Amex, you can clearly see at the bottom left a couple of houses that are different to the others. They were taken out by Gerry also.
I remember her telling me about a house in Bennett Rd that took a direct hit and the elderly lady occupant and her bed ( that she was still in ) was blown out of the house and landed half way up the street.
Also some years ago in the argus there was a story about some builders that found a mumified hand in a loft in that area and its thought that it was from some poor bugger that died in that raid.
If you ever venture down White St just up from Amex, you can clearly see at the bottom left a couple of houses that are different to the others. They were taken out by Gerry also.
KZNSeagull
Well-known member
Did he really? I stand corrected. Not of great strategic importance though.
Bevendean Hillbilly
New member
- Thread starter
- #36
Marine flats..the big white ones above the Marina..still have lots of bullet holes visible today.
Evidently the Hun used to use it for target practice as it was strafed repeatedly during the War.
¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤
Banned
is it true that "false" villages and towns were very often set up in fields etc to try and prevent actual towns and villages from being bombed? Explains why so many random fields and farms took hits. I remember an elderly relative saying they used to lay out lights in the shape of streets to fool the Germans.
Publius Ovidius
Well-known member
Yes it is...its a nine hole course opposite the Dyke.
Horton's halftime iceberg
Blooming Marvellous
Cuckmere Haven (from Wiki)
In the Second World War the site was subject to significant attention from the Luftwaffe as they flew missions to identify potential landing sites for the invasion of the UK mainland. As a result a series of counter-landing constructions remains, including numerous pillboxes, anti-tank obstacles, ditches and tank traps. Cuckmere Haven featured heavily in the war effort: at night lights were placed to confuse bombers into thinking they were above Newhaven and an airfield was set up further inland.[1] As well as the permanent constructions, the river was heavily mined.[2]
In the Second World War the site was subject to significant attention from the Luftwaffe as they flew missions to identify potential landing sites for the invasion of the UK mainland. As a result a series of counter-landing constructions remains, including numerous pillboxes, anti-tank obstacles, ditches and tank traps. Cuckmere Haven featured heavily in the war effort: at night lights were placed to confuse bombers into thinking they were above Newhaven and an airfield was set up further inland.[1] As well as the permanent constructions, the river was heavily mined.[2]