大象传媒

With the exception of Messines Park Londonderry escaped the war with out any real bad damage.In fact for its size and strategic importance we were luckly to survive with only a little scratch.Things could and would have got worse if the Germans executed operation green which would have focused more on Britain and Londonderry than the Russians and he Eastern Front.As it is Londonderry was only the target for one air raid.
On the night of 15 of April 1941,a German bomber dropped two parachute mines.Dawson Nobel recals"The night when the bomb fell at Messines Park I was at the Feis that night and the Guildhall was full of people, announcements were made that there was an air raid which was very silly because everybody started worrying and panicing."
Luckily one landed in Collon Terrace in a sand pit that cushioned the blast.But the one that landed in Messines Park was tragic.It landed in Messines a street of British Legion houses provided for the familes of world war one ex-servicemen.It brought devastation to the area,destroying four or five semi-detached houses and damaging more.Rescue services, backed with the RAF men and soldiers from the Belmont camp were quickly on the scene but could do very little to help the victims.As they searched among the crater created by the blast,the tragic death roll mounted. Charlie Gallagher also recals"I remember it well. The night was a Tuesday night of Easter week,iwas working as an Ambulance driver. My post was Church House in Great James Street; the sirens had gone to indicate enemy aircraft in the air. While we were sitting chatting and wondering what was going to happen then I heard a BANG! the operator phonede and said there was 12 killed in Messines Park."

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