My brother recently related a story of a vi rocket that came down in Tudhoe.

not bishop i know but close. anyone have any history relating to this incident.
i include my bro's email with details.

Jeff,

Whilst carrying out some research into V-1 (Doodlebug) attacks on the south of England during WW2 I came across some information which referred to a V-1 attack aimed at Manchester in the early morning of Christmas Eve 1944. This attack involved V-1s air-launched off the underbelly of Heinkel 111 bombers - in effect the first stand-off air-launched missiles.

Of particular interest is that one of the 31 V-1s which impacted on England that day found its way to Spennymoor! Probably as a result of a navigation error, the missile flew north west from its over-sea launch area, some 40 miles east of Grimsby, impacting at 0605 hrs on the Tudhoe Colliery cricket field at Charles Road, Tudhoe, a mile north of Spennymoor. I understand that the vicarage and 17 other houses were badly damaged and a further 70 houses and the church suffered minor damage. One man and three women were seriously injured.

Not sure whether this would be of general interest to people who use the Bishop Auckland Forum? There is an area that covers the Zeppelin Raid on Eldon (the Dene Valley) 5th/6th April 1916 and this may have similar interest.

Regards


Roy

Yes, the V1 landed on Tudhoe cricket ground. A cousin of mine who was on leave from the RAF where he was an officer flying Lancasters went down and, because of his rank, was allowed to get a close-up look whereas the site was closed off to the public by the police/army.

amazing stuff!!

amazing stuff!!

A bomb i think was dropped over old tottenham estate in coundon can anybody remember this

yvonne stephenson Wrote:
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> A bomb i think was dropped over old tottenham
> estate in coundon can anybody remember this

Bombs were dropped on Coundongate night of 26/27 April 1941
and Coundon 6/7 May 1941 according to this useful North East war diary

[www.ne-diary.bpears.org.uk]

Not a doodle bug but...On the day of the heaviest air raid on Britain (15th Sept 1941?) a lone german aircraft dropped a bomb which exploded of the bank of the river Wear at Birtley Farm,Toronto. That evening,with other sticky beaks I visited the site. The authorities had already been and gone. From memory the crater was about 50 feet across and about 6 feet deep. Much less than my juvenile mind expected,but only small bombs were being used in those days. The rumour mill was in high gear,the best one being that Gomer Terrace had been the target. More likely the crew had spotted the Newton Cap Viaduct which in those days carried the railway line to Hunwick and beyond. If that was the case they missed by a couple of hundred yards,which was probabley seen as a near miss.I didn't know of any other enemy action in Bishop during the war,but there was a story going round about incendiary bombs being dropped in Tenters Street. Don't if there was any truth in that. Ray