Sunday 4 September 2016

Tracing the bombs that fell on Eltham .............. the online bomb maps

Now I am following up on the story I posted yesterday featuring eight short films about London, and Manchester during the Blitz with a link to a fascinating interactive map from the National Archives.*

London Can Take It is a collection of documentary films made by the GPO, the Ministry of Information and the Co-op recording the experiences of people during the Blitz.

And after reading the post my friend Debbie introduced me to BOMB SIGHT ..... Exploring the London Blitz during October 7 to June 6 1941.*

Now I have only looked at Eltham and Peckham but it covers all of London and allows you to see where the bombs fell, switch from a modern map and satellite picture to the original maps of 1940 and much more.

I started with Peckham where I spent the early years of my life and the map confirmed some of what I knew about the damage to our road but also threw up new mysteries which in time I will try to solve.

And in the same way the map of Well Hall offered a bomb on the corner of Rochester Way and Well Hall Road but not the site of the church along with a spread of hits near the station.

I reckon it will be fascinating for anyone wanting to know more about their bit of Eltham and of course the rest of London.  Not that it ends there other cities will have their bomb maps, including those for  Manchester.***

Pictures; barrage balloon on the Rec from the collection of Alan Brown

* Living through the Blitz ........... Manchester and London and eight short films, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/living-through-blitz-manchester-and.html

**BOMB SIGHTS, http://bombsight.org/#16/51.4708/-0.0539

***Manchester bomb maps, http://enriqueta.man.ac.uk/luna/servlet/view/all/who/Manchester%20City%20Council%20City%20Architect's%20Department%20(Building%20Surveyor's%20Division)?sort=Reference_Number,Page,Current_Repository

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