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Monday 21 April 2014

WW1 Air Raid on Well Hall,

draft

The War in the Air, a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells written in four months in 1907 and serialised and published in 1908 in The Pall Mall Magazine.

" For the workers toiling in the munitions factory in Woolwich the threat of an aerial bombardment seemed like a science fiction story rather than a real threat. Yet by 1915 the large looming Silver Fish in the sky, guided by the moonlit gilded Thames would wind their way to London. They knew that if they dropped their bombs before they reached the bulge in the river, Greenwich Peninsula, there was a chance they could hit the Royal Arsenal, so crucial to Britain’s war effort. "

Munitions workers who had flocked to Woolwich to take up work in the Royal Arsenal soon had experience of the Zeppelin raids.


1916.08.25 Raid
damaged property in Dickson Road, Sandby Green and completely demolished a house in Well Hall Road all on the new Garden City Estate that had been built to house workers. Three members of the same family were killed.

1916.09.03 Raid ?

2014.04.22
http://thamesfacingeast.com/2014/03/31/silver-fish-over-woolwich/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_in_the_Air

Saturday 12 April 2014

1936 explosion



Memorial
Plumstead Cemetery SE2

 

1936.07.08 accidental explosion at 3pm in the Research Department of Woolwich Arsenal in which five men were declared killed. Testing a way of filling a High Explosive Shell. The isolated building in the Danger Area about a mile from the gate, was completely destroyed. The sound was hidden by the normal firing(testing) of a 15inch guns at the time.

 

 

Commander PaulAlaricMasters LONG RN(retired) aged 43year an Officer in the Armament Supply Department of the Admiralty. Worked in the Arsenal for thirteen years. 

Lived in Holley Bush House Sevenoaks, Kent. With his wife and two children

 

FrancisCharles LEWIS  scientist

Lived Commonwealth Way, Abbey Wood, London.

 

Jack BRIGNALL  laboratory assistant aged 26year
Lived Somerset Avenue, Welling, Kent with wife married in 1935

 

StanleyHerbert COOPER leading factory hand aged 41year

Lived in Raglan Road, Plumstead, London with wife no children.

 

WilliamEdward JOHNSON factory hand
Lived Spring Street, Deptford, London

 

 
Ernest CLARK factory worker injured abrasions and shock.

 

1936.07.10 Inquest held in Greenwich

 

1936.07.14 remains buried Plumstead Cemetery by the War Office.

 

 

 

2014-04-13

Friday 4 April 2014

HUGGETT, RichardHenry(1864-1927 )

worker

HUGGETT, RichardHenry

 

Wife MaryAnn CULLEN(1863- 0

1886.12.25 Married St Margaret Plumstead Common,

 

1891census 61 Hanover Road, ‘Gauger of Projectiles’

1901census 48 Plumstead Common Road, ‘Overlooker of Projectiles’

1911census Gipsy Road, Welling, Kent

 

See …

http://www.ewt.org.uk/memorial/huggett/