Luftwaffe Photo Bootle Gasworks (1940)

Post your photo's and video memories about Bootle here...
Post Reply
Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Spotted this in Liverpool's Central Library today;

This was taken by the German Luftwaffe in 1940.

Look closely at the lower, central area boxed off, numbered 5283...........you should be able to make out the circular shapes of the Gas-Holders.............then pan slowly in a "5-o-clock" direction, & you can see 'Derby Park' & it's footpaths.

The docks are also numbered but the prime target was obviously those Gas-Holders..........see title at the top; "Liverpool-Bootle Gaswerk"

Scary stuff.

Image
User avatar
BOBHAMO
Posts: 5930
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:20 pm
Location: BIG CITY

Have not seen that one Paul :D :D :D
its an early photo as the corner of litherland and linacre lane is still standing
a parachute mine took the dairy and houses down my mum was moved to blackpool with my eldest sister

bobhamo
bootle born altcar road
lynne99
Posts: 1206
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:55 pm
Location: Rugby

Thanks Paul, scary but interesting. I could never understand why Radnor Drive area was bombed, but it was very close to gas works.
User avatar
BOBHAMO
Posts: 5930
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:20 pm
Location: BIG CITY

Image
Radnor drive
Lynne it might have just been off target
bobhamo
bootle born altcar road
lynne99
Posts: 1206
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:55 pm
Location: Rugby

Thanks Bob. I thought it was off target, but for a miss at the docks I thought it was a bit far. Thanks for posting the picture. You are sooooo kind. PS We lived on the opposite side of Radnor Drive and the only damage my parents had was blown out glass in the front. :)
PeterR
Posts: 232
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:16 pm
Location: Evandale Tasmania

They did score a direct hit on the gas holders alongside Marsh Lane and Litherland road, Another of their objectives was The bridge over the canal in Marsh Lane, their idea was to bomb into the railway tunnel there (Half miley) and pour the canal into the tunnel, the bridge was damaged but they never managed the big prize-luckily.
Peterr
Born in Spenser Street
Patricia
Posts: 4576
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:00 pm
Location: Virginia

Remember my Dad telling us that the same thing happened to Annie Road off Harris Drive.A landmine attached
to a parachute was blown away from the docks and landed in Annie Road demolishing the entire Road.
The house we lived in was also hit by an incendiary bomb demolishing the entire upstairs of the house. My
parents lived with relatives until the house across the same street became vacant and they then moved in there!
john j connell
Posts: 1249
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:18 pm
Location: The Fourth Grace.

Somewhere on the site is a photo of the bomb damaged Marsh Lane road bridge over the canal, it is thought that the tunnel/railway was the main target as the line which led directly from the docks conveyed bomb making materials supplied from the U S A to the massive railway sidings in Fazakerly, from there it was used in munitions factories in Fazakerly and nationwide. If someone does put the photo up you will see just how close the Luftwaffe came to disrupting the supply of vital materials. JJC.
User avatar
BOBHAMO
Posts: 5930
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:20 pm
Location: BIG CITY

Image
Image
Image
bobhamo
bootle born altcar road
PeterR
Posts: 232
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:16 pm
Location: Evandale Tasmania

Thats it Bob -Great pictures-I remember My Mam say the fire from that gas holder was enormous, I remember the bridge which was damaged being "One Way" as both sides had been damaged, At this time most of the Bootle "Children " had been evacuated to places like Southport--We brought the war to them- :D
Born in Spenser Street
Forshaw
Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2013 10:24 am

Fabulous photos Bob.My Granddad worked in the gassy all through the war while the lads were all away fighting. He came home from work at lunchtime early July 1945 not feeling too well and died that afternoon. He did his best to keep the jobs for all the boys and he just about made it No retirement back then . All the oldies had to show up to keep things going. My Dad and his three brothers all worked in the gas works . Quite honestly its lucky us lot are here at all when you see how close we lived. Now I am trying to remember what was that Latin saying on the Retort house where my Dad worked . It was in the brickwork always nearly hidden by smoke. Ex Something lumen. Is it "Out of gas comes light " ? You could see it from Marsh Lane Bridge . Bet Bob knows. Cheers thanks for the memories
Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Made a visit to Derby House (Battle of the Atlantic HQ) yesterday. Highly recommended.

Enclose Luftwaffe maps of Bootle & Liverpool..........targets inked in red. (Gulp)


Image

Image
User avatar
Bernie R
Posts: 5599
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:30 am
Location: Netherton

Not the gasworks but I found these pics of Gonville Road some years back and thought they may be of interest.

The ruined house is 6 up from where I lived through most of the 1990s.

Image

Image

Image
Born and raised in Romeo Street, later Lambeth Walk, Jersey Close, Garden Place, Hawthorne Rd, Gonville Rd now Netherton
Post Reply