In 1942 I was a messenger boy working in the ICI, I can remember the night Billingham was well and truly bombed. After the all clear had sounded I, amongst a few others stood on the corner of Belaisis Ave and Mill lane watching the flames lighting the sky from the oil tanks at Billingham Reach wharf. Next morning going to work one could see the Chalk Tower with all one side blown off. I worked in Oil Works, all numbers for Oil Works workers began with the number 11, I believe mine was 11020. Also that night a bomb fell in Weardale Cresent, right behind Billingham Intermediate School ( later South Modern)I lived in Wharfdale Ave , so I heard it drop ,with a thud, it never went off, It fell right at the foot of the gable end of Harry Janes house, lucky for that familyand others of course. Goodness knows what the end result could have been.
In 1942 I was a messenger boy working in the ICI, I can remember the night Billingham was well and truly bombed. After the all clear had sounded I, amongst a few others stood on the corner of Belaisis Ave and Mill lane watching the flames lighting the sky from the oil tanks at Billingham Reach wharf. Next morning going to work one could see the Chalk Tower with all one side blown off. I worked in Oil Works, all numbers for Oil Works workers began with the number 11, I believe mine was 11020. Also that night a bomb fell in Weardale Cresent, right behind Billingham Intermediate School ( later South Modern)I lived in Wharfdale Ave , so I heard it drop ,with a thud, it never went off, It fell right at the foot of the gable end of Harry Janes house, lucky for that familyand others of course. Goodness knows what the end result could have been.