Zeppelins over Essex: 31
March 1916
Blackmore
residents had a very close shave a hundred years ago when the German Zeppelin L14
dropped bombs in the parish. The stained
glass in what is now the kitchen of St Laurence Church commemorates the night
with these words: “This window is erected as a thank-offering to Almighty God
for the protection in the Great Air Raid of March 31st 1916” (see illustration).
Andrew
Smith has researched what happened that night and tells the story in a
presentation to be given to the High Country History Group on 31 March 2016
(8pm Toot Hill Village Hall), and this summer at the Friends of St Laurence
Church Blackmore AGM.
The
Rector of Stondon Massey, Revd. Reeve recorded details in his ‘Notes for a
Parish History’: He lived at the Rectory,
what is now Stondon Massey House.
“At
11.45[p.m.] a Zeppelin dropped a series of bombs at the point where is the
junction of Stondon with the parishes of Blackmore and Kelvedon Hatch: within
easy distance of Soap House Farm. A
machine-gun had been lately established at Kelvedon Hatch to watch for the
raiders … causing it to drop the bombs hurriedly.
“Large
numbers of persons from Brentwood and the surrounding district visited the spot
next day, and the large craters caused by the bombs, some 15 feet in diameter
and varying from 3 to 9 feet in depth, were the astonishment of all. The whole saucer-like cavities were left
entirely clean by the explosion. … Nine of the thirteen holes were quickly
found: and fortunately no life was lost or building injured. … Our windows at
Stondon Rectory were violently shaken and considerable alarm was naturally
caused.
“Further
enquiry shows that the bombs dropped on March 31st fell between the
Soap House and the corner of Blackmore between the Church and Miss Barrett’s
house. Two were dropped in the lane near
the site of the old Blackmore Mill. The remaining
holes were to be found in a straight-line across the fields to Miss Barrett’s
at very short intervals. Many panes of
glass were broken in the house by the concussion.”
Four
people were killed in Braintree that night by the same Zeppelin crew. To hear the full story come along to Andrew’s
talk.
No comments:
Post a Comment