Hi all.
Just looking into a family connection and a story I heard about the 12th March bombing of Birkenhead Docks and the Cathcart St/Price St/Cleveland St/ St Anne St areas.
I am looking for any info at all, anyone recall any stories surrounding the 12th March 1941?
There was a story I remember being told about some of the Cavanagh family.
I think they lived in St Anne St or Beckwith St, they saw a group of parachutes raining down on the night of 12th March and ran out to see if they were German Soldiers, they ran into an entry and sadly came face to face with some bombs.
Michael Cavanagh was killed and his son William has serious injury and later died.
Does anyone know anything about this story of the family?
Would so grateful for any info at all.
I have checked the local papers at the library and found nothing relating to this.
Thank you in advance.
In the book Birkenhead At War, by Ian and Marilyn Boumphrey, the air raid on 12/13 March 1941 is recorded as the worst inflicted on Birkenhead, with 288 people killed and 275 seriously injured. A large area of the town and its suburbs were blitzed.
The Civilian Roll of Honour in the book includes -
Michael Cavanagh, age 41, of 70 Beckwith Street, husband of Elizabeth Cavanagh. Killed March 12 at Beckwith Street.
Their son William Thomas Cavanagh, same address, age 15. Injured March 12, died at General Hospital.
It's worth noting when researching the Blitz that wartime newspapers were heavily censored and details of casualties and locations would probably not be given at the time.
It may instead be useful to check newspapers from subsequent anniversaries, when they may have published retrospective stories with more details. For instance, in 1971, the Birkenhead News did a series of features marking the 30th anniversary of the Blitz, with lots of interviews of those who had lived through it and stories of the destruction.
Thank you so much Yoller and Bert 1 , this info is much appreciated.
I will do as you advise and see if I can find anything out from the 1971 newspapers, worth a try.
Thank you again.
xxx
Wow love that pic.Its a big bomb i bet there are still alot underground on the wirral ,Tramere did come into my mind.Anyone got into it?
Doubt if there where a group of parachutes, as I remember it land mines were dropped by parachute singly. for instance I remember one dropped in Patten st where my mates Father was killed name of Davenport. Another dropped in the park where their used to be a bandstand.
A parachute mine caused the worst loss of life in a single incident during the Merseyside Blitz.
On November 29, 1940, a direct hit on an underground air raid shelter in Edge Hill, Liverpool, killed 166 people. See ...
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/exhibitions/blitz/blitz.aspx
Parachute mines were indeed dropped singly. More than one parachutes could have been flares falling.
I remember a land mine being dropped in Well Lane close to Old Chester Road just down from the police station. There was a great loss of life and you can see the newer houses that were built on the site after the war!
Sorry I should have said that this was in Tranmere!
You're right about the shock wave explosion thing Bert - a land mine dropped at Port Rainbow at the top of Port Causeway in Bromborough in about 1941, and the blast was channelled down the Levers' railway cutting and blew the roof off my grandparents house in Magazine Village, about a third of a mile away.
Sad seeing all those names, seems all the more poignant somehow when they're shown as whole families...
Mentioned it before on another thread. Think it was a landmine that hit the flour mills causing a huge dust explosion and a paving slab shot through a window in Livingstone Street, just by Massey Street, and landed in bed besides one of the women who slept downstairs as her hubby was away in the army. She escaped unscathed. Used to remember her name years ago but can't now.
Great photo, bert. I see it says militaryimages.net. Looks very similar to ones from the Merseyside Police Archive...
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/merseyside-police-release-archive-photos-6367802
Cheers Yingyang, so that's where my post was. Remember being told about the Zeppelins doing a courtesy visit to UK before the war and they sailed up and down the docks showing themselves off to all and sundry, same with Liverpool docks, the Mersey front, London docks and all other strategic sites. Turns out they were also taking surveillance photos ready for when it kicked off. My old man watched the Zepp from up by what is now Our Lady's. When I was a kid there were lots of bomb damaged buildings and areas still about. Some parts of the town look similar now.
My Uncle Joe Balshaw took this snap, undated, of a zeppelin, probably from Rock Ferry where he lived. Actual photo size is 2.5 x 1.5inches on Kodak 127 film. Must be from that era as he died in 1922.
