World War 2 fire bombing of Bootle May 7 1942
-
FavellLee
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:25 pm
Can anyone help with information about Ronald Heys? According to Owen, Evan, What Happened Today Vol 2 (Blackwell, 1967) Heys was awarded the British Empire Medal for carrying on though injured in his work as a cycle messanger for the fire service during the fire bombing of Bootle on May 7th 1941. He was 16. Evans gives a detailed account of his heroism but I cannot find anything about Heys when I search google nor can I find his name on the list of BEM holders for 1941 or 1942. I find it hard to believe that Owen just made the story up but it is very odd that nothing shows on the searches.
-
BOBHAMO
- Posts: 5935
- Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:20 pm
- Location: BIG CITY
Welcome Favellee 
Some background on Ronald
he was born in the lodge of the north park son of park keeper
attended bootle grammar as a fire messanger he was blasted
of his bike and had more than 5 more damaged
and knocked unconscious his job under bombings was to take messages be tween thev fire station and pumps also meet incoming brigades
for his devotion to duty he was awarded the British Empire Medal
the youngest in merseyside and the country
he worked as a cub reporter for the bootle times
Ron served at sea for 28 years as captain on Ocean Monarch , Nova Scotia Queen of Bermuda
then became dock master Garston till 1987
i think i have a photo of ronald
what a brave kid only 15
as brave as May Logan
bobhamo
Some background on Ronald
he was born in the lodge of the north park son of park keeper
attended bootle grammar as a fire messanger he was blasted
of his bike and had more than 5 more damaged
and knocked unconscious his job under bombings was to take messages be tween thev fire station and pumps also meet incoming brigades
for his devotion to duty he was awarded the British Empire Medal
the youngest in merseyside and the country
he worked as a cub reporter for the bootle times
Ron served at sea for 28 years as captain on Ocean Monarch , Nova Scotia Queen of Bermuda
then became dock master Garston till 1987
i think i have a photo of ronald
what a brave kid only 15
as brave as May Logan
bobhamo
bootle born altcar road
-
Jrpilot
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat May 09, 2020 3:57 pm
Perhaps this helps:
Ron married my mum in 1970. So he became out stepfather and Granpa to my children.
My father worked for Furness Withy, sailing on the Newfoundland and the Novascotia and thus with Ron.
So Ron and he were friends from about 1950.
I remember visiting him at his flat overlooking the 5 Lamps in Crosby in the early '50s I think and he visiting us quite frequently until his posting to the Ocean Monarch which sailed between New York and Bermuda.
Obviously I know lots more - however the medal he was given for his Fire Messenger exploits was:
WW11 Civil Defence Gallentry Award.
So if further info is needed ask. His sister Marjory became an honary Gran to my family - so we have info there too.
Ron married my mum in 1970. So he became out stepfather and Granpa to my children.
My father worked for Furness Withy, sailing on the Newfoundland and the Novascotia and thus with Ron.
So Ron and he were friends from about 1950.
I remember visiting him at his flat overlooking the 5 Lamps in Crosby in the early '50s I think and he visiting us quite frequently until his posting to the Ocean Monarch which sailed between New York and Bermuda.
Obviously I know lots more - however the medal he was given for his Fire Messenger exploits was:
WW11 Civil Defence Gallentry Award.
So if further info is needed ask. His sister Marjory became an honary Gran to my family - so we have info there too.
-
BOBHAMO
- Posts: 5935
- Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:20 pm
- Location: BIG CITY
Welcome J, R
this is where i got the info the liverpool echo a reprint ww2 1989
it shows Ron starting his seafaring career 2 photos
now on the other page it shows a messenger
but does not mention name but from the same artical
bobhamo
this is where i got the info the liverpool echo a reprint ww2 1989
it shows Ron starting his seafaring career 2 photos
now on the other page it shows a messenger
but does not mention name but from the same artical
bobhamo
bootle born altcar road
-
ALAMO2008
- Posts: 1014
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:31 pm
- Location: Aberystwyth
My Dad aged15 in May 1941 was in the Walkers Linacre Mission with Dwarf Sonnie Ross the night the Bryant and May Match Factory was hit opposite. Both were Cyclists Messengers.
Dad always maintained his mate was given the Bravery award and not him.
This could be that record.
Last edited by ALAMO2008 on Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
Dot Rogers
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:19 pm
Bob would this be another good option for a local hero pioneer?
Do you have a photo where I can read all the info on that article at all?
I'm thinking as he was so young it would be a good story for local kids to hear.
Thanks in advance but no worries if you don't have it!
dot x
Do you have a photo where I can read all the info on that article at all?
I'm thinking as he was so young it would be a good story for local kids to hear.
Thanks in advance but no worries if you don't have it!
dot x
-
Dot Rogers
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:19 pm
Hi all, can I just apologise, people replied to me via this forum months ago and I didn't notice I'm afraid, I've just realised that you can tick a box to get email alerts, I'll be doing that from now on. You must think me very rude! Anyway, thank you for all this information, I will look at it properly tomorrow. There is such a wealth of history in bootle it seems and I am really keen to get it noticed. It's such a shame that the bootle museum closed but I suppose that's just the way of things. If I can get Ron recognised, I will! Leave it with me! Would be nice to interview a few of you about it, anyone game?? xx
-
Dot Rogers
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:19 pm
p.s all of those photographs are beautiful! are they all of bootle people? d
-
Dan
- Posts: 4730
- Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:24 pm
Bootle Times January 5 1945.
The Civil Defence volunteers in Bootle during WWII.
Below, Mayor Kelly presents the Silver Cross to the 7th (Ash Street), 10th (St. James'), and 12th (Linacre) Bootle Scout Troops
in recognition of their gallantry as Civil Defence Messengers.
The Civil Defence volunteers in Bootle during WWII.
Below, Mayor Kelly presents the Silver Cross to the 7th (Ash Street), 10th (St. James'), and 12th (Linacre) Bootle Scout Troops
in recognition of their gallantry as Civil Defence Messengers.
-
Dan
- Posts: 4730
- Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:24 pm
Cheers Bob.
Took me a little while to connect the Mayor Kelly report to the photo on the internet.
What use to take microseconds now takes a few seconds.
Got a bit more to post about WWII. I was looking at 1946 on Monday.
It's mainly about the effect of bombing and temporary housing plans.
There wasn't a lot printed because of paper rationing. The Times had fewer pages in those days.
Took me a little while to connect the Mayor Kelly report to the photo on the internet.
What use to take microseconds now takes a few seconds.
Got a bit more to post about WWII. I was looking at 1946 on Monday.
It's mainly about the effect of bombing and temporary housing plans.
There wasn't a lot printed because of paper rationing. The Times had fewer pages in those days.
-
Paul McCabe
- Posts: 294
- Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
- Location: Bootle, Merseyside
Fascinating to read Major G Salt's recollections from his WW2 .....this episode reads like a long lost "Dad Army" script based on the nursery rhyme "The 3 Little Pigs".......!!.....hilarious.........as the script / story ends "continued".........can't wait to read the ending of 'The Paratroops Land'. (!)
Great thread / photos............Thanks to everyone who's contributed.
Cheers
P
PS; I noticed the book "Bootle in the Blitz" is based on the manuscripts of our hero Major G Salt.
https://seftonwarmemorials.org/bootle-in-the-blitz/
-
Ernie Jackson. (Bunty)
- Posts: 1040
- Joined: Mon May 21, 2007 4:25 pm
- Location: Stalybridge Manchester
- Contact:
Hi Dan. This is a very interesting and informative subject, many of the reported incidents were unknown to us at the time.
Your heading of 'fire bombing' is a little misleading as most of the fires were caused through broken gas mains and collapsed electricity cables.
From memory I believe that only a percentage of actual fires were caused by the incendiary bombs after they scattered across our roofs before falling harmlessly to the cobbled street.
One point of interest is that purpose built shelters only appeared long after the air raids.
I only fully realised how fortunate I was to actually live through it when I recently visited the War Museum at the Pier Head and saw photos of the widespread devastation. TV scenes from Gaza are minimal in comparison but might convey something similar from those far off days but nobody ever complained. We were convinced that we would eventually win and just got on with it. I think that I have already mentioned on this site that no amount of written or photographic history will reproduce the awful smells and the screams of neighbours waiting to be dug out from the collapsed houses.
One sad memory I have is when we were dug out from our collapsed home and went to the church near Balliol Road/Stanley Road to get cleaned up and sleep on the pews.
Religious separation was rampant in those far off days and the Priest told us we would have to leave as we were not RC. He backed down when my mum said he would have to physically eject us as we were not going anywhere. Indeed there was nowhere else to go.
Eventually we found other accommodation in the more safe Rochdale area but only after we were bombed out of two more houses. My Dad, a docker, remained in Bootle as we needed his wages.
Your heading of 'fire bombing' is a little misleading as most of the fires were caused through broken gas mains and collapsed electricity cables.
From memory I believe that only a percentage of actual fires were caused by the incendiary bombs after they scattered across our roofs before falling harmlessly to the cobbled street.
One point of interest is that purpose built shelters only appeared long after the air raids.
I only fully realised how fortunate I was to actually live through it when I recently visited the War Museum at the Pier Head and saw photos of the widespread devastation. TV scenes from Gaza are minimal in comparison but might convey something similar from those far off days but nobody ever complained. We were convinced that we would eventually win and just got on with it. I think that I have already mentioned on this site that no amount of written or photographic history will reproduce the awful smells and the screams of neighbours waiting to be dug out from the collapsed houses.
One sad memory I have is when we were dug out from our collapsed home and went to the church near Balliol Road/Stanley Road to get cleaned up and sleep on the pews.
Religious separation was rampant in those far off days and the Priest told us we would have to leave as we were not RC. He backed down when my mum said he would have to physically eject us as we were not going anywhere. Indeed there was nowhere else to go.
Eventually we found other accommodation in the more safe Rochdale area but only after we were bombed out of two more houses. My Dad, a docker, remained in Bootle as we needed his wages.
