CHESTERTON CINEMA bombed WW2?

[Billiegirl]

Hi there - just wondering if anyone knows anything about Chesterton Cinema receiving a direct hit from a German bomber during WW2? The tragic story I've heard is that it was a Saturday Matinee and hundreds of children were killed.

According to the story, the bomber had been hit on a raid somewhere else, and was offloading its bombs in broad daylight before limping back across the Channel. When the German pilot heard what had happened, he apparently committed suicide.

I haven't been able to substantiate this, so I wonder if anyone else knows of it. The explosion was heard in Newcastle Under Lyme.

[rosie99]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/23/a4297223.shtml

Just google WW2 chesterton 

Have you looked on the CWGC web site for civilian war dead 

[Billiegirl]

Many thanks for that link Rosie - I'd never have found it by myself! It certainly confirms that the "Picture Palace" was hit. I wonder how many children had a lucky escape, having just come out before the bomb(s) were dropped? I'm totally amazed at how many bombs were offloaded in broad daylight over the Newcastle/Stoke area, and how low the planes flew.

I'll keep looking for more info, thanks again.

PS I love your pooch 

[griffo]

 Hi
  I dont know where your Info about there being lots of children being Killed or that the German Pilot committed suicide, but just to say that the Cinema did not recieve any type of hit.
  The direct hit was on John Street and 14 People were Killed, including a young evacuee that had only arrived I believe the day before. There had been a Matinee in the Cinema, called the Alexandra, or more commonly known by the people of Chestertonn as Maggies, the name of the Owner one Maggie Shemilt which by coincidence a German name. it was situated in Heathcote Street one up from John Street. The Death toll of this Incident was the highest amount of casualities suffered inbombing raids in North Staffordshire during the War. It was thought that the Pilot had seen a light coming from the Corona Pop factory which was at the end of John Street and off loaded his bombs, Hope that I have cleared up the miss information given to you.
    Cheers Grffo

[Billiegirl]

Hi Griffo, thanks very much for those additional details - I was wondering if it was the same incident as the John street tragedy. I got the story from my Mum, who was a child at the time, living near Milehouse Lane, and she remembers the windows shaking and her mother standing at the door trying to see what was going on. It puzzled me as to how they knew the pilot committed suicide!

It seems that rumours abounded and perhaps memories get warped into "urban myths", so that's why I'm trying to sort out fact from fiction.  The funny thing is, the lady in Rosie's first link (above) remembers the cinema being bombed too!

   Regards, Billiegirl

[IMBER]

Some more detail here:

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/DATE-1940-PLACE-North-Staffordshire/story-12512997-detail/story.html

Imber

[griffo]

Hi Billiegirl
 I think your Mum living in Mile house lane would have heard the noise of the bombing,but as the John Street air raid loss was the biggest loss of life in North Staffordshire the  story you have related about the children being killed is a total untruth. When I said the Cinema was not hit by the bomb directly was because of the close proximity to the bomb blast I suppose that there was some damage caused from flying debris.Sayig that your Mum lived in Milehous Lane I believe the Rouse Family were moved to there when their house in John Street was Damaged hope this has cleared it up a bit more for you.john Street no longer exists, but a Plaque commemorating the event is on display
  Cheers Griffo

[Billiegirl]

Thanks for that Imber, amazing photos of the awful damage and the visit by the Duke. I wonder if Chesterton was specifically targeted, or was it just a random bombing? No mention of the plane being disabled in any way.

Griffo, its good to know that the children at the Matinee escaped unscathed, it was such a horrible story, and I can see how it had a profound effect on my Mum. Those poor people in John street. Another fatality occurred in Silverdale when a shell was offloaded from another German plane. The shell didn't explode but went through the roof and hit a girl who was resting in bed. I think her name was Eunice Stubbs. It was near the school I went to in the 60's. Maybe they were just offloading bombs to save fuel on the trip home from their main target - Manchester? Liverpool?

Thanks 

[griffo]

Hi Billiegirl
  I dont think Chesterton was Specificaly chosen , as there was nothing of Importance as far as I know, the targets could have been as you say Manchester or Liverpool, or could have been Rolls Royce at Crewe, or even Radway Green R.O.F Factory, I dont suppose we will ever know,so I think he was just unloading to Lighte his bomb load and it was only one bomb
  cheers griffo