POOLE AIR RAIDS WW2 Second World War History Dorset Bombing Raid Precautions ARP

Poole Air Raids and Air Raid Precautions 1939-1945, by David Warhurst

Published privately by the author, 50 pages. A4 size Booklet (N7316PE)

This booklet provides a fascinating account of Poole air raids and Air Raid Precaustions (ARP) during the Second World War, and is mainly based on a Scrapbook kept by Harry Mears during the war. Harry served as Civil Defence Controller for Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch during WW2, and he collected newspaper cuttings and photographs related to the ARP locally. The booklet also chronologically lists the air raids that did take place, and it's illustrated throughout with lots of small black and white photographs and drawings. From the preface: Poole and the Harbour should have been a prime target for German air and bombing raids during WW2. Two major war factories were located in the area, the Royal Naval Cordite Factory at Holton Heath manufacturing propellants for naval guns and the Poole Royal Ordnance Factory situated in Sopers Lane, Creekmoor which manufactured Hispano canons for a range of RAF planes including the Spitfires and Hurricanes. In addition there were shore establishments at Hamworthy - RAF Hamworthy, later HMS Turtle, and RN Air Station at Sandbanks. The Harbour was home for both RAF and BOAC Seaplanes and Flying boats. Studland was being used for the D - Day rehearsals. A number of civilian factories and ship builders were activity involved in building and maintaining RN ships and landing craft. Indeed leading up to D-Day, Poole shipyards were producing at a rate of one landing craft per day. Other factories involved in the war effort were Wallis Tin in Hamworthy, Charwyn Lamps, Newtown, Aish & Co., Hamwothy Engineering and Dorset Iron Foundry. I am sure many other Poole firms were involved in the war effort. There were of course the Gas Works in Poole and Bourne Valley. The gas works at Bourne Valley was bombed on the 27 March 1941, when 34 workers were killed. A memorial to these workers is situated in St Aldhems Church, Branksome. In preparation for war, air raid shelters were erected in all areas of Poole and AA gun emplacements, with additional searchlight posts and barrage balloons protected some of the venerable sites. To protect Poole from invasion an important Anti Tank Island was formed and there were pillboxes and anti tank dragons teeth and ditches surrounding the inner perimeter of the Town and Quay. Areas around the Town were laid out with mine fields and the sea shorelines were protected just off shore with scaffolding. In addition there were Decoy Starfish sites on Brownsea Island and on Arne. The Brownsea decoy saved Poole from much damage on the German bombing raid sent over from Cherbourg on the night of the 24 May 1942, when the target was Poole's naval and air bases. It seems strange that Poole was not attacked in the build up to D - Day in June 1944. There was a raid on the 23 April 1944 but the bombs were land based. The previous air raid was on the 11/12 August 1943. When you consider that the Germans were only about 60 miles away across the Channel in Cherbourg from an early time in the War and in 1943/4 there were 42 V1 rocket sites situated on the Cherbourg peninsula that were never used, it is even more surprising Poole did not receive more attacks. Also Poole was under the beam originating from Cherbourg peninsular for enemy bombers to follow when attacking targets in industrial Midlands. There were only three serious attempts to specifically target Poole throughout the War. Sections include: Preface Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Wardens Gas Masks Air Raid Shelters Air Rais My Personal Recollections

Condition of the booklet is generally very good. The cover has one or two very minor scuffs, and some light creasing and wear aong the edges and corners, but the staple spine is intact, and all pages are clean, intact, unblemished and tightly bound.