Comments on: The Bethnal Green Tube disaster http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster Airpower and British society, 1908-1941 Wed, 23 May 2012 10:08:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-163446 Brett Holman Tue, 01 May 2012 16:49:41 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-163446 Herbert: Thank you for that, it's a remarkably vivid insight into what the rockets sounded like and why they caused panic. May I ask if you remember hearing anything about the disaster at the time? Or did you only find out what happened after the war? Herbert:

Thank you for that, it's a remarkably vivid insight into what the rockets sounded like and why they caused panic. May I ask if you remember hearing anything about the disaster at the time? Or did you only find out what happened after the war?

]]> By: Herbert Woodthorpe http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-163433 Herbert Woodthorpe Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:53:23 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-163433 My sister and I were near Victoria Park, on our way home to Bow, on the evening of March 3rd. The sirens sounded and we heard gunfire getting closer, then suddenly the rocket battery in the park fired a salvo. This was the first time we had heard them and they literally screamed up into the sky - a most terrifying sound. This was followed by the noise of the warheads exploding, and the we heard quite a lot of clanking noises as bits of the rockets fell back to earth nearby. I'm not surprised that some people pannicked, and it only needed a few to fall to cause the ensuing disaster. My sister and I were near Victoria Park, on our way home to Bow, on the evening of March 3rd. The sirens sounded and we heard gunfire getting closer, then suddenly the rocket battery in the park fired a salvo. This was the first time we had heard them and they literally screamed up into the sky - a most terrifying sound. This was followed by the noise of the warheads exploding, and the we heard quite a lot of clanking noises as bits of the rockets fell back to earth nearby.
I'm not surprised that some people pannicked, and it only needed a few to fall to cause the ensuing disaster.

]]> By: Airminded · Monday, 7 October 1940 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-150426 Airminded · Monday, 7 October 1940 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:18:37 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-150426 [...] thousand people of Bethnal Green took over a deep shelter last night 65ft. below ground in the station at the end of the incompleted Liverpool-street-Bethnal Green extension of the Central London tube [...] [...] thousand people of Bethnal Green took over a deep shelter last night 65ft. below ground in the station at the end of the incompleted Liverpool-street-Bethnal Green extension of the Central London tube [...]

]]> By: Terry Saunders http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-116532 Terry Saunders Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:35:30 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-116532 I remember my Mum telling us that when she visited Bethnal green hospital to see her Mother at that time she had to walk past tons of dead bodies in her walk to the ward. She knew nothing of the disaster and wondered what was going on. I think he may have been mistaken but my Dad mentioned that he was told that local pickpockets were at work at the time and were thought to have panicked people and caused the disaster. I remember my Mum telling us that when she visited Bethnal green hospital to see her Mother at that time she had to walk past tons of dead bodies in her walk to the ward. She knew nothing of the disaster and wondered what was going on.
I think he may have been mistaken but my Dad mentioned that he was told that local pickpockets were at work at the time and were thought to have panicked people and caused the disaster.

]]> By: anna courts http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-106373 anna courts Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:17:04 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-106373 Dear Sarah Barratt you can see a list of names on the stairway to heaven web site. My neighbour Joan Elsom was 19 and she was the first one to take the phone call at control headquarters on that terrible night. she had to type the list of names, she wasnt allowed to talk about it and when she eventually was allowed home two days later she wasn t even allowed to tell her parents. At 19 this must have been dreadful for her, it has stayed with her all her life, she is now an amazing lady of 86, with the most remarkable memory. she has wrtten her account of The tube disaster and sent it to Alf who was saved at the age of 7 and has campaigned for a fitting memorial for the people who lost their lives. So hope this helps you. regards anna courts Dear Sarah Barratt you can see a list of names on the stairway to heaven web site. My neighbour Joan Elsom was 19 and she was the first one to take the phone call at control headquarters on that terrible night. she had to type the list of names, she wasnt allowed to talk about it and when she eventually was allowed home two days later she wasn t even allowed to tell her parents. At 19 this must have been dreadful for her, it has stayed with her all her life, she is now an amazing lady of 86, with the most remarkable memory. she has wrtten her account of The tube disaster and sent it to Alf who was saved at the age of 7 and has campaigned for a fitting memorial for the people who lost their lives. So hope this helps you. regards anna courts

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-71043 Brett Holman Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:29:27 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-71043 As it happens, I can, but only because a post by <a href="http://diamondgeezer.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html#4787324548453135568" rel="nofollow">diamond geezer</a> has just popped up with the answer in my RSS reader! There's a group trying to raise funds to build a more striking memorial to the Bethnal Green tragedy, and they have a website with a list of names of the dead: <a href="http://stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org/" rel="nofollow">http://stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org/</a>. As it happens, I can, but only because a post by diamond geezer has just popped up with the answer in my RSS reader! There's a group trying to raise funds to build a more striking memorial to the Bethnal Green tragedy, and they have a website with a list of names of the dead: http://stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org/.

]]> By: Sara Barratt http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-71033 Sara Barratt Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:16:32 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-71033 Does anyone know where I can get a list of names of those who died? I vaguely remember my grandmother saying she was there with her sister. Can anyone advise me? Thanks. Sara Does anyone know where I can get a list of names of those who died? I vaguely remember my grandmother saying she was there with her sister.

Can anyone advise me?

Thanks. Sara

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-376 Brett Holman Thu, 09 Mar 2006 04:12:06 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-376 When I get to London I'll have to visit Befnal Green and check it out! When I get to London I'll have to visit Befnal Green and check it out!

]]> By: Alex http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-374 Alex Wed, 08 Mar 2006 10:35:29 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-374 There is a small monument near the tube station. There is a small monument near the tube station.

]]> By: Jack http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/comment-page-1/#comment-372 Jack Tue, 07 Mar 2006 14:20:13 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/03/04/the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster/#comment-372 Bethnal Green, or 'Befnal Green', as it comes out in cockney pronunciation, is still a predominantly working-class area. In fact, it still comes very close to the quintessential London 'East End' (and even "EastEnders") cockney stereotype - with the welcome added factor that it is now a highly multicultural area. I had a little look around recently, as it is where The People Show, who I've been researching and blogging about, are based. It is also very close to Mile End, home of Queen Mary, University of London. As you know, it was the whole Bethnal Green-Bow-Mile End-Stepney Green area, i.e., the historic East End, which was hit particularly hard by the Blitz. (One stated aim of basing the 2012 Olypics in nearby Stratford is to help 'regenerate' this whole area...) Bethnal Green, or 'Befnal Green', as it comes out in cockney pronunciation, is still a predominantly working-class area. In fact, it still comes very close to the quintessential London 'East End' (and even "EastEnders") cockney stereotype - with the welcome added factor that it is now a highly multicultural area. I had a little look around recently, as it is where The People Show, who I've been researching and blogging about, are based. It is also very close to Mile End, home of Queen Mary, University of London. As you know, it was the whole Bethnal Green-Bow-Mile End-Stepney Green area, i.e., the historic East End, which was hit particularly hard by the Blitz. (One stated aim of basing the 2012 Olypics in nearby Stratford is to help 'regenerate' this whole area...)

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