Author Topic: Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941  (Read 6008 times)

Offline Phodgetts

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Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941
« on: Thursday 06 November 14 16:41 GMT (UK) »
Hi Rootschatters and Blyth folk.

I have an old photo of a scene in Blyth Market place of a Messerschmitt (109?) which was shot down and the pilot managed to land in the square! I don't know what happened to him.

I haven't been able to find out anything about this, and was uncertain that it was even Blyth, however, you can see the Hedley Fountain just in front of the propellers. From what scant information I do have, it happened in January of 1941.

Can anyone tell me anything? I'd love to know more, as no doubt would other Blyth folk.

Philip
Northumberland; Johnson, Johnston, Dodds, Rutherford, Gray, Kennedy, Wilson, Sanderson, Davidson and other Border Marauders as they are discovered on this journey.
Berkshire; Knight, Bristor, Sharpe, Sharp, Ashley.
Suffolk / Essex; Perce, Pearce, Pearse, Pierce, Hayes.
Midlands; Hodgetts, Parker, Easthope.

Offline Tickettyboo

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Re: Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 06 November 14 17:06 GMT (UK) »
I did a quick look in the newspapers but nothing coming up. (though that could be down to my search terms!)

I haven't looked, but these pages may have something: http://www.nediary.bpears.org.uk/index.html

Boo

Offline Phodgetts

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Re: Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 06 November 14 17:16 GMT (UK) »
I already looked in the North East Diaries and there is nothing of this matter described on any dates through December of 1940 through to the end of January 1941. I had hoped there might be something in the newspaper archive at Blyth Library, but I am too far away from there to go look myself, or perhaps there is something at Woodhorn about it.

P
Northumberland; Johnson, Johnston, Dodds, Rutherford, Gray, Kennedy, Wilson, Sanderson, Davidson and other Border Marauders as they are discovered on this journey.
Berkshire; Knight, Bristor, Sharpe, Sharp, Ashley.
Suffolk / Essex; Perce, Pearce, Pearse, Pierce, Hayes.
Midlands; Hodgetts, Parker, Easthope.

Offline TriciaK

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Re: Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 06 November 14 17:35 GMT (UK) »
I don't remember anything about this, I was 5yrs old at the time.
There's another Blyth in Nottinghamshire - perhaps it was there?
Knott - Northumberland; Yorkshire (?Bridlington.)
Fenwick, Johnston - Northumberland.
Dixon; Hutchinson - York.
Shaw - ? Glasgow


Offline emmadog

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Re: Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 06 November 14 19:39 GMT (UK) »
Hi, I live not far fron Blyth in Nottinghamshire and spent my early years in Blyth Northumberland where I was born.  Looking at the photo I do not think that this is at Blyth Notts as it is only a small village and not really any large areas as in photo.  There is a green but nothing like on photo. 

To me it looks more like Blyth Northumberland market place. 

I cannot remember my mother talking about this incident but she used to tell me and my younger brother of the time when the air raid siren went off and she didn't want to get out of bed to go down the yard.  She did go down and minutes later a bomb came down through the roof.  The family lived in Salisbury Street at the time.  She always thought that she was so very lucky.

Barbara
DURHAM - Johnson
NORTHUMBERLAND - Hunter,  Pigdon, Hansen, Waddell?, Turnbull
LANCASHIRE - Crabtree
SCOTLAND - Mallachin or Mallichan or Mallaghan
NORWAY - Hansen

Offline Regorian

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Re: Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 06 November 14 20:18 GMT (UK) »
Yes, it's an Me Bf 109 fighter (33,000 built). Looks like it's being set up as a trophy of war. Port wing is off to left. Cockpit canopy not in view. Must have landed more or less intact, very little damage visible.

Northumberland or Nottinghamshire, not sure whether they had the range. Former possibly from Norway but I don't know.

The I was pilots rank I think and the 7 the aircraft number in unit. There's also a unit insignia on the aircraft. Too small to identify.

Hopefully someone knows more.

   
Griffiths Llandogo, Mitcheltroy, Mon. and Whitchurch Here (Also Edwards),  18th C., Griffiths FoD 19th Century.

Offline Phodgetts

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Re: Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 06 November 14 21:13 GMT (UK) »
Must have landed more or less intact, very little damage visible.

Thanks Regorian. I see the propeller blades are bent so the engine was running when it landed and must have tipped forward for the blades to hit the ground.

It is definitely Blyth in Northumberland because the Hedley Fountain is recognisable. I am assuming that the plane was in front of the Central Cinema, and the photo is taken from one of the upstairs windows at the cinema.

P
Northumberland; Johnson, Johnston, Dodds, Rutherford, Gray, Kennedy, Wilson, Sanderson, Davidson and other Border Marauders as they are discovered on this journey.
Berkshire; Knight, Bristor, Sharpe, Sharp, Ashley.
Suffolk / Essex; Perce, Pearce, Pearse, Pierce, Hayes.
Midlands; Hodgetts, Parker, Easthope.

Offline Phodgetts

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Re: Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 06 November 14 21:27 GMT (UK) »
Excellent news has filtered through from someone at Blyth.

"The photo is of either the plane arriving or leaving after War Weapons Week, as you will see by the attached photo which appeared in the Blyth News during that week. The shearlegs means it was either arriving or leaving. In my copy you can see the collection box in the cockpit.  It arrived on Monday 27 January, 1941, but I haven't got a firm date for it leaving, which was early in February, 1941."

Gordon

I love it when there are answers to these questions.

Thanks to everyone for their comments thus far and to Gordon (and Dave for his help) for his confirmation of what it was all about.

;D
Northumberland; Johnson, Johnston, Dodds, Rutherford, Gray, Kennedy, Wilson, Sanderson, Davidson and other Border Marauders as they are discovered on this journey.
Berkshire; Knight, Bristor, Sharpe, Sharp, Ashley.
Suffolk / Essex; Perce, Pearce, Pearse, Pierce, Hayes.
Midlands; Hodgetts, Parker, Easthope.

Offline stanmapstone

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Re: Blyth Market Place Messerschmitt January 1941
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 06 November 14 21:29 GMT (UK) »
Stock Photo - Unloading a German Messerschmitt plane shot down over England at Blyth Market Place January 1941.  http://www.rootschat.com/links/01e4o/

Stan
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