- Contributed by听
- Bobhamilton
- People in story:听
- Bob Hamilton
- Location of story:听
- North Queensferry, Fife
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A7464422
- Contributed on:听
- 02 December 2005
On Monday 16th October 1939 I was a schoolboy nearly 8 years old iiving in the village of North Queensferry beside the Forth Railway Bridge on the Firth of Forth.That afternoon at about 2.30pm Three friends and myself who for some reason had the day off school were watching from a good vantage point several naval ships which included the cruisers HMS Southampton and HMS Edinburgh which were anchored on east side of the Forth Bridge.
Suddenly three aircraft approached and we thought they were British aircraft on an exercise and we continued to watch and saw
bombs explode in the sea slightly damaging the Southampton.During this period there had been no air raid warning sounded and no anti aircraft fire but we realized that this was an air raid. We ran for home and after some time the air raid warning sounded and anti aircraft fire started from the ships. I found out years later that a total of 12 Junkers Ju 88 bombers in several waves attacked that day, Two were shot down by Spitfires from RAF Turnhouse. The only fatal casualties were on HMS Mohawk which was attacked several miles away.
Following this raid as we lived only three miles from Rosyth Dockyard All the village children was evacuated, I went to live in the West of Scotland with my Grandparents but returned home after nine months.
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