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This story was submitted by Allen Buckroyd, who compiled ‘Great Baddow Oral History’, published in December 2003. The book contained this contribution from John Kemp and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the terms and conditions.

John Kemp — Parachute Mine

A land mine landed in the Great Baddow Recreation ground. It was a parachute mine. Everybody who saw it thought it was a torpedo. I was staying with Mr Willsher, who I called Buller. (He was nicknamed Buller after General Redvers Henry Buller, who commanded the British Armies during the relief of Mafeking in the Boer War). He saw the mine in the air. He said it was attached to a parachute that had not opened properly. I was young and under the stairs at the time, which we used as a shelter.
I think it was aimed at Hoffman’s, but I don’t know how a bomb with a parachute can be aimed. It had to be a hit and miss attempt as the wind was in the wrong direction. It was lucky for us it landed in an open space. It made a very large crater. Large amounts of it went through what was then the Co-op grocery shop, which is now Robert Michael Interiors. One large piece went through the back room of number one Valley Cottages where Mr and Mrs Moore lived, and chopped the back leg off the sofa. We were under the stairs in 2, Valley Cottages (Mrs Moore as well).

There was much damage. The fallout and debris came over the Blue Lion and landed in the road. It’s difficult to pinpoint where the crater was, though the extra pond is marked on a map made soon afterwards. Later on it was filled in.

I remember several air raids. As boys we used to find bits of incendiary bombs on what was the farm chase, on Manor Farm. They were collected and hidden. I suppose it was a bit dangerous, but it was interesting to us as boys.

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