Wartime in the three towns (Nov 1999)

[Archivist]

From: "hewmac" <hewmac@xxxx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 1999

Can anyone answer these questions. Were there any air raid shelters in the three towns? Where any bombs dropped in the locality and where were the defence gunners for the ICI Explosives factory positioned.

Hugh McCallum
in Melbourne



From: "Martin Kelly" <Martin@xxxx.uk>
To: <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Monday, November 29, 1999

I remember a story when I was at school (in the 70's) of two boys who discovered a canister which they rolled from the bottom end of Stevenston up to the top end only to discover that it was in actual fact an unexploded WWII bomb!

I don't know how true that story is but Stevenston was bombed by bombers from Norway who used the railway lines in Scotland as navigation.

I have consulted with my father (b. 1930) who remembers the night that the factory was bombed. The night was the same night as the Clydebank blitz (13th and 14th March 1941) and apparently the sky was lit up by the incendiaries (there were a few explosive bombs) but little damage was done to the area.

That night, around 11 o'clock, a well known voice came over the radio (or wireless):

"Germany calling, Germany calling,
Good evening Clydebank,......
:
Good evening Ardeer.
We were not trying to destroy you tonight, we know you are well protected by sand, we know where Townhead Street is, we know where Hayocks Road is (Hayocks Road was being built at that time), our bombers were just unloading their bombs in order to preserve their fuel to return home."

This is the version of events according to Lord Haw-Haw - Ardeer may have been a secondary target or it may just have been a convenient site on which to unload unused bombs. The undistputable fact is that Stevenston was bombed during the war - but only once.

The bombing of Clydebank and Ardeer was reported the next day in the press but due to wartime censorship, the effect of the Clydebank blitz was played down (there was not much to report about Ardeer).

My dad's recollections of anti-aircraft positions in the town suggest that there was a battery at Hawkhill Farm to the north of Stevenston and at the water works. Home Guard units were also stationed in the Ardeer factory.



From: <Argyllxx@xxxx.com>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Monday, November 29, 1999

Hi. Hugh. The only shelter I can remember was the surface one up at Anderson Drive and New England Road, in the wee park there, How ever no one could use it as it was used as a toilet away from home. In the summer, when the siren sounded, we all went further up Dalry Road into the fields, and lay at the bottom of the hedges. In winter we just stayed at home. The only guns I ever saw were the two four inch guns at the farthest out part of Ardrossan Harbour, pointing out to the firth of Clyde. The guns crews (sailors) lived in a two story building next to the guns. When I worked at the shipyard, on night shift, part of my job was keeping the dry dock pumped dry, and I used to walk down there and buy my supply of fags from the navy chaps. Those were the days, hope they never return. Cheerio for now.
Jimmy Laughlan.

Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 1999 3:46 AM
Okay sorry about that Hugh, I just remembered another one, before we moved from Arthur St. to our new house in New England Road, I remember that there a big steel tank full of water in the middle of Arthur St. Now that I think of it, I'm surprised none of us youngsters were drowned, but we all survived, and here we all are, scattered all over the globe. Cheerio for now.
Jimmy Laughlan.


From: "Jean" <sparralegs@xxxx.uk>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 1999

Hi
The only air raid shelter that I heard of was the one at Montfode where the shell mex had under ground fuel tanks the reason I know this was that Harry had to go up there every day to dip the tanks. According to my dad the planes involved were Dornier 17's and the aircraft cannon shells landed on the roofs of the buildings in Saltcoats I was under the table in my crib. They bombed ICI without any great effect.He doesn't remember where the A.A. emplacements were. Also that Ex-Provost Ford's (of Stevenston) brother was
awarded the George Cross for bravery at that time.
Cheers Jean


From: "sally o" <salgeo@xxxx.com.au>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999

Hi Jimmy, Where was Arthur St?. I lived up the Dalry Rd in Saltcoats. I know where New England and Anderson Rd is but not where Arthur St is.Did you know the Strachans from Anderson Dr.?. They lived in the corner house next to the park.
Sally O Aus.

Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 2:31 PM
Hi Jimmy, I can picture some of what you were describing. You must have a good memory. I have that Kraft disease.(can't remember a flippin thing). Did you know a Jimmy Jamieson?.My maiden name is Jamieson. My brothers are fairly well known. I was a wee bit quieter. I also had a cousin in Anderson Drive called Clark Webb. Ring any bells?. Cheers Sally O xx


From: "Hugh McCallum." <hewmac@xxxx.au>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999

Thanks folks enjoyed the input on this subject. Been away celebrating St. Andrews day at the 'Drunken Duck' here in Melbourne. After a day of 30 degrees heat chilled McEwans went down well. In attendance three Ardrossan lads and our wives, one from each of the three towns. Thanks for the B&B George and Sally O.

Must have been after WW2 ended but the North Shore at Ardrossan was littered with hundreds of incendiary bomb casings which had been washed ashore. They were about 9 inches long and were hexagonal ended; they had a white mushie substance inside the casing. The casings were badly rusted and were certainly a danger to the barefooted. This was in the vicinity of the Shell-Mex oil refinery. My wife a native of Stevenston recalls the same casings there.

Hugh McCallum
in Melbourne


From: <Mairifrew@xxxxxx>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999

Hi, My grandparents had Gordon Fish shop in Countess Street in Saltcoats which they started in 1916, when my parents took it over in the 50's they decided to knock down the Air Raid Shelter which was in the backyard. It was used by the shops and the houses above the shops. It was a quick decision which took a lot longer than anticipated to carry out. It took 2 weeks with pneumatic drills and a great deal of work, sweat and almost tears before it was cleared away. I am not old enough (b.1943) to remember the war only the things like coupons which were there long after the war finished. I have just subscribed to this list and I am enjoying it very much.
Thank you,
Mairi Frew


From: "Hugh McCallum." <hewmac@xxxx.au>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999

Hi Mairi,
Nice to hear from you. Would I be right in saying the Gordon fish shop was more or less opposite the Countess picture theatre? As a fish and chip lover I remember it well. My Morrison relatives lived in Nineyard Street opposite the Mission Coast Home and I imagine their property would have been back to back with the Gordon fish shop. Perhaps they shared that same air-raid shelter.

Hugh McCallum
in Melbourne


From: <Mairifrew@xxxxxx>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999

Hi Hugh,
Yes Gordons was opposite the Countess Picture House, it was a Fishmongers and
poulterers though, you had to make your own fish and chips from our shop. We were two doors up from a "proper fish and chip shop" and next to Fleming fruit shop. We used to deliver fish round to the Mission Coast Home. One of the other places we delivered to was the Miners Home in Canal Street, which is now Seabank Home for the elderly.
Mairi



From: "Betty Woodland" <bettywood@xxxx.au>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 1999

I can remember playing in bomb shelters in backyards. One was at the top of Wellpark Road. I remember the Gordon fishmongers well, and the gutting and scaling on the marble slabs with running water that went on, I lived at The Braes. Wee Joe's is the fish and chip shop that others are talking about I remember well the fish and chicken suppers. John my husband and I occasionally sat in for a chicken supper after the pictures at the Countess.
Betty Woodland South Australia.




From: "Hugh McCallum." <hewmac@xxxx.com.au>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Friday, December 03, 1999

There was a shelter in Harvey's Park which was to the West of the Dalry Road Hill just before you cross over the Largs railway line at Ardrossan. Also recall one at the Shipyard it was a large sunken pipe and was whitewashed inside. Candle smoke graffiti kept us kids amused. My wife reckons there were some shelters down near the slip at Stevenston too.

Hugh McCallum
in Melbourne




From: "TLHanlon" <tommy_h_mentor@xxxx.net>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Friday, December 03, 1999

Hugh,
I too remember the shelters down at the slip many a time we should to play there .I also have vague memories of the war and where I stayed in Moorpark West our shelter was in a press under the stairs. The stairs being made of stone gave us good protection.
Regards




From: <Argyll45@xxxx>
To: <Threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 1999

Yes, Hugh. Now that you mention it, there were bomb shelters down at the slip in Stevenston, big Bill Curlett and I used that slip to launch his boat, when we went fishing for Haddie, almost every night in the summer, even coming off the three to eleven shift at Ardeer. In the winter, the boat was kept in one of the shelters, but we never knew they were shelters at the time, (about 1950 till 1954), when I left for the states. Lots of memories coming back, I wonder if my old pal Bill Curlett, and his Wife Mary are still
around. Haven't heard of them since 1954. Anyone in Stevenston know them?
Cheerio for now. Jimmy Laughlan.