Battle Abbey 1066 and all that

[keybasher]

On 2/2/1943 a hit-and-run raid took place on Battle, Sussex - Historically important as the Battle of Senlac/Hastings - when 3 aircraft, reported as Messerchmidts, dropped bombs on the town. One fell on the area now known as the cricket ground, one destroyed a Newsagents' shop with the loss of 2 lives, and the third landed in front of the Abbey, on the Abbey Green. This failed to explode, bounced through the Abbey Gateway, surprising a Canadian soldier 'on guard'. The Gateway contained two tons of explosives at the time, so had the bomb 'gone off' it could have destroyed much of local history. As a schoolboy, passing by on my way to school at the time, I am interested in finding details of the attacking force who so narrowly avoided annihilating me. Can anyone help with details, please.

Gordon

[Larry]

Wasn't JG2 about the only unit flying Bf 109s at this time in the West?

[Andy Saunders]

Chris Goss is your man for this. However, I believe it was an attack by three Fw 190's. I have a photograph of the gatehouse with a big chunk out of it before it was restored to its present state and I think there is a plaque to mark where the shop was hit. I ought to know (I live just along the road!) although I am honestly not sure if I have imagined that!!

[Andy Saunders]

For what its worth, here is the 1960's photo of the gatehouse to Battle Abbey. If you look to the left of the gate, at ground level, you can see the repaired patch where the bomb smashed through and which has just been concreted and rendered over. English Heritage have now "restored" this to its original state. It all looks a bit different now. Personally, I rather liked its old battle (no pun intended!) damage and feel it should have been left. After all, English Heritage have rather missed the point that this damage was of itself historic and ought to have been preserved as part of the real history of the abbey.

[Chris Goss]

All I have is 3 FW 190s of an unidentified unit (probably 10/JG 26) attacked Robertsbridge at 0850 hrs

[Andy Saunders]

Robertsbridge is about four or five miles to the north of Battle.

Is that from a German source Chris? If so, I suspect that they thought they had hit Robertsbridge. If a British Source (Home Security?) then maybe Robertsbridge was struck as well in this attack.

Local ARP reports at Lewes ESCC County Archives will reveal more detail, Keybasher.

[keybasher]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

All I have is 3 FW 190s of an unidentified unit (probably 10/JG 26) attacked Robertsbridge at 0850 hrs

Chris,

Assuming this was the unit involved, where were they based at the time, please?

Gordon

[keybasher]

Thanks, Andy, for the reply. No, I'm afraid we've never met; I seem to be mixing you up with another Tiger flyer who lived in Robertsbridge and did those other things.
At the time of that particular Battle raid I was living in Stream Farm Cottages, Netherfield Road. Were you in the living in the local area at the time?
BTW, I have your book 'Battle over Sussex', and the series - very informative in the context of local history of the time and a reminder of the many wartime aircraft crashes I visited. Thank you.
Coincidentally, I am married to a member of the Saunders family from Robertsbridge.

kb/Gordon

[Andy Saunders]

Gordon

No....I wasn't there! Not born until 1955.

I'm afraid the Saunders family are prolific in these parts.

Did you ever visit the He 111 crash at Mountfield, perchance? I would love to establish exactly where it was and presume it to have been in the woods near the Gypsum Mines.

By the way, I was in Battle this afternoon and must have retraced your steps from that day. I went to have a look at the repair job and if you look carefully you can just see the "new" stonework. We ought to get English Heritage to display something about the event in the visitor centre, although in this PC world I expect it would be viewed as potentially offending some overseas visitors.

[keybasher]

I totally agree with your sentiments, Andy. The event, and damage to the Gateway, ARE of historical importance and should be portrayed as such, irrespective of PC concerns.

No, I didn't visit the He-111 crash site at Mountfield - when was that, as I can ask among my relatives. Perhaps it is time for a re-read of your book series - required bedtime reading! I did go to one crash - a Marauder? - at Whatlington and watched the fiery descent of a Typhoon or Tempest while I was roller-skating in North Trade Road. It crashed, as I recall, in a field in Netherfield so I skated off in that direction, arriving well after dark, giving rise to much telling-off on arrival back home.

Sorry I never managed to get to Tangmere for a visit to the Museum, as I left Sussex in 1950 and have only paid fleeting visits back there since. One day, perhaps!

Gordon