HERITAGE PLUS Posted 22 November , 2005 Share Posted 22 November , 2005 I have been told that the original Black Swan pub which stood on the corner of Bow Road and Bromley High Street was destroyed in 1916, with 4 fatalities, by a bomb dropped by a Zep. Can anyone provide any further info. on this event please. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladon Posted 22 November , 2005 Share Posted 22 November , 2005 Not sure if this is what you are after but here goes. On the 23rd / 24th September 1916 L-33 under the command of Alois Bocker, dropped its bombs in the East End at Bromley and Bow. Fires and severe damage was caused to the Homelight Oil Company in Old Ford Road, Lusty & Sons Timber Yard in Bell Road and the Black Swan in Bow Road. In all 11 people were killed. L-33 was hit by anti-aircraft fire and was engaged by Lt A Brandon. Damaged L-33 finaly came down intact in Little Wigborough. Where Bocker set light to the Zeppelin to ensure it didn't fall into enemy hands. The Commander and crew then surrendered to Special Constable Edgar Nichols. Apparently these were the only armed German personnel to set foot in England during the war. Regards Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 22 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 22 November , 2005 Matt Spot on. Many Thanks. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockney tone Posted 22 November , 2005 Share Posted 22 November , 2005 Dave, possibly of no interest what so ever at all to you, but my late Uncle remembers the L33 passing over London that evening as my mother was born shortly after the event in the early hours of the 24th September!!!!!!! Matt, I new that it came down in Little Wigborough, (apparently they have a piece of the wreckage on display on the wall of the church) but didn't know the other bits you posted which are really interesting, thank you. Sorry for hijacking your post with my family trivia, regards, Scottie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_B Posted 22 November , 2005 Share Posted 22 November , 2005 Matt and others, A great bit of Zeppelin history. The Times newspaper of Monday 25th Sept 1916 states a dozen Zeppelins raided on night 23/24th and two were brought down in Essex. No specific mention of the Zep coming down at Little Wigborough. An editorial entitled "The British Answer to Zeppelin Raids." talks of "We are hitting back, and hiitng back effectively... Zeppelins can longer cross the coast and roam about the country with impunity...". Stirring stuff perhaps, the other side of the raid is notice of the inquest of the 19 person who died as a result on the raids on the London suburbs that Saturday evening. I wonder what happened to the Alois Bocker and his crew. Put up against a wall and shot? I don't thinks so. The 22 crew members of one Zep who did not survive when it crashed were all buried by the RFC with honours in the local Parish chuurch near to where they crashed. Commander Brodruck being buried in one grave and his 21 crew in another. Scottie, Family trvia no, fascinating bit of your family history, yes! Almost as good as my Nan saying the Germans blow her garden fence down in WW2, all because a doodlebug landed and exploded over a mile away! Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladon Posted 23 November , 2005 Share Posted 23 November , 2005 Apparently prior to setting light to the Zeppelin, the crew attempted to warn the occupants of two nearby houses. However the occupants, refused to open their doors ! So they had to give up. In addition a passing motor cyclist seeing the Zeppelin rushed off to tell the authorities but unfortunately hit another vehicle. He died in hospital a few days later and is buried in the local cemetery, where the story is apparently retold on his headstone. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockney tone Posted 23 November , 2005 Share Posted 23 November , 2005 Matt, just out of interest do you know the location/name of the poor chaps gravestone? Chris, I hope your Nan claimed for a new fence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers, Scottie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladon Posted 23 November , 2005 Share Posted 23 November , 2005 My original reply was a somewhat abridged version of events, so I shall try and fill in some of the blanks. L-33 landed in a field at Little Wigborough close to New Hall Cottages. The cottages were occupied by farm workers families (a Thomas Lewis and a Frederick Choat). Alfred Wright, a 45 year old seedsman was the motor cyclist and is buried in Little Wigborough churchyard. As said Bocker surrendered to Constable Nichols. Continuing towards Peldon, with the Constable wheeling his cycle at the rear of the column (I hope you picture this), they were joined by two other policeman and proceeded to the post office, where Alois Bocker asked if he could make a telephone call. “Certainly not” was the reply. An escort party then took the crew to Mersea Island where they were handed over to the 83rd Battalion. And finally a baby girl was born that night at Abbots Hall Cottages, Great Wigborough. She was named Zeppelina Clark !! Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockney tone Posted 23 November , 2005 Share Posted 23 November , 2005 Matt, thank you for filling in the bits, really interesting and another little girl born the same time as my mother, thankfully she was not given the same name as poor old Zeppelina, suppose she was lucky that the Germans were not using Fockers at that time. Regards, Scottie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_B Posted 23 November , 2005 Share Posted 23 November , 2005 Scottie Did my Nan claim for new fence? Cor luv a chicken (one of her favourite sayings - don't ask me why/what), more like a new house Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockney tone Posted 23 November , 2005 Share Posted 23 November , 2005 Chris, being born in Middlesex myself (when it really existed as a place before London swallowed it all up) I am somewhat familiar with those sort of confusing sayings from elderly relatives, our version was "cor luv a duck guvnor" Anyway, well done your Nan, regards, Scottie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rob_d Posted 12 April , 2006 Share Posted 12 April , 2006 Not sure if this is what you are after but here goes. On the 23rd / 24th September 1916 L-33 under the command of Alois Bocker, dropped its bombs in the East End at Bromley and Bow. Fires and severe damage was caused to the Homelight Oil Company in Old Ford Road, Lusty & Sons Timber Yard in Bell Road and the Black Swan in Bow Road. In all 11 people were killed. L-33 was hit by anti-aircraft fire and was engaged by Lt A Brandon. Damaged L-33 finaly came down intact in Little Wigborough. Where Bocker set light to the Zeppelin to ensure it didn't fall into enemy hands. The Commander and crew then surrendered to Special Constable Edgar Nichols. Apparently these were the only armed German personnel to set foot in England during the war. Regards Matt Matt, I've found this forum as a result of searching for information on the specific raid you describe. My great grandfather was a fireman in the East End of London and was awarded a commendation for bravery on the night of 23/24 September 1916 at the site of the bombings in Bromley and Bow. We currently do not know if this commendation was awarded to all of the fireman who were called out, or if it related to any specific action on his part. However, your information has already added considerably to what we know. Can you tell me the source of your information? Many thanks, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted 13 April , 2006 Share Posted 13 April , 2006 My original reply was a somewhat abridged version of events, so I shall try and fill in some of the blanks. L-33 landed in a field at Little Wigborough close to New Hall Cottages. The cottages were occupied by farm workers families (a Thomas Lewis and a Frederick Choat). Alfred Wright, a 45 year old seedsman was the motor cyclist and is buried in Little Wigborough churchyard. As said Bocker surrendered to Constable Nichols. Continuing towards Peldon, with the Constable wheeling his cycle at the rear of the column (I hope you picture this), they were joined by two other policeman and proceeded to the post office, where Alois Bocker asked if he could make a telephone call. “Certainly not” was the reply. An escort party then took the crew to Mersea Island where they were handed over to the 83rd Battalion. And finally a baby girl was born that night at Abbots Hall Cottages, Great Wigborough. She was named Zeppelina Clark !! Matt Apparently, Böcker wanted to call a relative somewhere in England so they could let his wife in Germany know he was safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Warren Posted 18 April , 2006 Share Posted 18 April , 2006 I have been told that the original Black Swan pub which stood on the corner of Bow Road and Bromley High Street was destroyed in 1916, with 4 fatalities, by a bomb dropped by a Zep. Can anyone provide any further info. on this event please. Dave Dave A plaque inscribed THIS BUILDING WAS DESTROYED BY GERMAN AIRCRAFT SEPTEMBER 1916 REBUILT 1920 was externally mounted above the main door. I recall The Black Swan still being there up until the 1970's. I have attempted to trace the plaque in recent times but alas without success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 18 April , 2006 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2006 David Thanks for this interesting info. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladon Posted 19 April , 2006 Share Posted 19 April , 2006 Matt, I've found this forum as a result of searching for information on the specific raid you describe. My great grandfather was a fireman in the East End of London and was awarded a commendation for bravery on the night of 23/24 September 1916 at the site of the bombings in Bromley and Bow. We currently do not know if this commendation was awarded to all of the fireman who were called out, or if it related to any specific action on his part. However, your information has already added considerably to what we know. Can you tell me the source of your information? Many thanks, Rob Rob The source of the information was a book called 'First things first, RAF Hornchurch and RAF Suttons Farm, 1915-1962 by Eric Smith'. An interesting book that I bought in a junk shop. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Clay Posted 19 April , 2006 Share Posted 19 April , 2006 And finally a baby girl was born that night at Abbots Hall Cottages, Great Wigborough. She was named Zeppelina Clark !! Matt Fascinating story. And here, just for interest, is the GRO index record of Zeppelina Clarke's birth registration in the December quarter 1916 at Lexden (her mother's maiden name was Theobald): Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Termy Posted 24 April , 2007 Share Posted 24 April , 2007 hi all, i lived at the farm abbots hall in great wigborough from 1973 until around 1994 when i moved out from my parents . My father has worked the farm there for over 30 years now. The farm itself has a lot of history with various kings and queens that have stayed at the main house there. All the names who have stayed there from Queen Anne to Oliver Cronwell etc... are posted on the wall in Great Wigborough church. Also there is a part of the downed Zepplin mounted on the wall in the church also. As i dont live in the area now im not sure if the Church itself is still open but im sure you can find out if it is on the net somewhere. Abbot Hall farm now is a National Trust Nature reserve now and you can go for walks (by appointment) around the farm and marsh land with a guide. hope some of this information in helpful martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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