hi just reading back through some old threads, cos I been away for a bit, to try and catch up. I noticed this thread regarding the age of clubs, South Shields Model yacht club was established in 1886 and is still going stong but the Tynemouth Club members say that it was closed during the war so therefore it doesnt count. Well, I know the club was completely demolished due to enemy action and I will copy a link (page which is interesting reading of how it was demolished. The reason the two clubs were formed was that the Tyne pilots on the river used to meet and race their yachts along with other gents and there were fierce competitions of yacht racing between the classes.
Miss Flagg's is a more comprehensive report of the above raid on South Shields, but there are minor differences.
South Shields.. This night will be long remembered in South Shields. 130 enemy aircraft were engaged in an action on the coast from Hull to Berwick. Bombers& minelayers came over in waves and were met with intense AA fire.At 00.25.. a Heinkel 111, was hit by gunfire& collided with a Barrage Balloon cable on the North Foreshore. Part of one wing was broken off and fell on the shore. The plane lost height very quickly and crashed in Beach Rd., exactly on the crater made in 1940. One member of the crew bailed out but his parachute caught on the overhead wires and he hung downwards until rescued. He was badly injured and died shortly after admission to the Ingham Infirmary. The remainder of the crew perished with their plane on impact with the ground.
At 00.50.. a mine, which had not been released from the bomb rack of the plane, exploded with terrific force. Some idea of the explosion may be gathered from the facts that it was seen and heard from beyond Newcastle and many windows were broken as far away as Tynemouth, North Shields, Westoe and Laygate.
The Model Yacht House in the South Park and a small building were completely wrecked; and parts of the plane, maps, papers and clothing were subsequently collected from the South Park and dredged from the Lake.
Unhappily the explosion had tragic results; one officer of the Borough Police Force& one Auxiliary Fireman were killed; two other members of the AFS died in hospital. Seventeen more members of the Police Force, Fire Brigade and Auxiliary Fire Service were injured, some very gravely, and were admitted to the Ingham Infirmary.
Other enemy aircraft, apparently taking the flames as target, dropped bombs on Brodrick Street, where an elderly couple lost their lives and several houses were demolished; on the junction of Lawe Road and St Aidan's Road, damage was caused to a number of houses; "Sea Marge"& "Tyne View" being completely wrecked; and to St Aidan's church. During the same raid six Parachute mines descended on the South Sands near Trow Rocks, and on some fields near the New Marsden Inn, but caused no damage or casualties.
Bombs and Casualties: HE bombs fell as follows:- 00.36, 1 on Brodrick Street, 3 killed, 2 injured / 00.55, 1 on St Aidan's Road, 5 injured / 01.05, 1 near Redwell Lane, no casualties / 02.30, 1 on South Sands, no casualties / 03.13, 1 on South Sands, no casualties / plane explosion, 4 killed, 17 injured / TOTAL 5 bombs, 7 killed, 24 injured. Many houses severely damaged and widespread breakage of windows
aye
john
bluebird