Zeppelin raid East Dereham

[norfolk5]

Hello,while researching THE GREAT WAR for East Dereham Norfolk I have come across three soldiers who were killed by a bombing attack on the town September 8th 1915.They are as follows

Lance-corporal Alfred Edward Pomeroy,2/1st City of London Yeomanry

Private H G Mcdonald 2/1st City of London Yeomanry

Private H G Parkinson 2/1st City of London Yeomanry

I cannot find any trace of either Mcdonald or Parkinson and wondered whether anybody has any knowledge of them,I am suspicious of them both having the initials H G which was in the newspaper at that time,many thanks Tim.

http://www.dereham-rollofhonour.org.uk/index.html

[centurion]

Can't help with the soldiers I'm afraid.

The commander of the Zepp in question (L14 ) thought he was bombing Norwich, actually jetisoning bombs because of engine problems. So they were definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time

[Brigantian]

Norfolk5

SDGW has a Pte. 3081 Leslie Frank McDonald, City of London Yeomanry, Bn. Putney, Res. Southfield, DOW Home on 11-9-15. He is also recorded on CWGC, but with the date of death shown as 11-9-18.

Can’t find a SDGW match for Parkinson.

Regards

Mark

[norfolk5]

Can't help with the soldiers I'm afraid.

The commander of the Zepp in question (L14 ) thought he was bombing Norwich, actually jetisoning bombs because of engine problems. So they were definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time

many thanks for your reply,regards Tim

[norfolk5]

Norfolk5

SDGW has a Pte. 3081 Leslie Frank McDonald, City of London Yeomanry, Bn. Putney, Res. Southfield, DOW Home on 11-9-15. He is also recorded on CWGC, but with the date of death shown as 11-9-18.

Can't find a SDGW match for Parkinson.

Regards

Mark

Mark,thanks for your search,Mcdonald did die of wounds and not directly in the bombing, so it is highly likely you have found the right one,I had my doubts about the identical initials,best regards Tim.

[norfolk5]

Mark,thanks for your search,Mcdonald did die of wounds and not directly in the bombing, so it is highly likely you have found the right one,I had my doubts about the identical initials,best regards Tim.

Mark,Frank is confident that Mcdonald is the one we are looking for and has added it to the site as you can see on the link,once again many thanks for your research,

best regards Tim

http://www.dereham-rollofhonour.org.uk/zeppelin.html

[Kitty55]

Hi All

Anyone who wants more informatiom on the Dereham Zeppelin Raid and are in Dereham, Norfolk, U.K. on Wednesday, 24th September 2014 should come along to the Dereham Library at 7.30pm where I'm giving my talk on it. The show only costs £3 which includes refreshments.

On the evening there will be two shows - the 1st is an 1 hour long and is what I call an enactment show - this features two women walking around town the day after looking at the ruins whilst gossiping about what happened. The 2nd show is an explanation of why I personally believe they intended to hit Dereham in the first place - in this I reveal previously unknown facts that I've found out over the years, i.e. what the town's factories were making etc.

I've been study Dereham's history since I was at school in the 1960's - my first project was on the Zeppelin Raid and I was lucky enough to have been able to reminisce with many of the local inhabitants who were there that night. This is why I made a show featuring the two women, it was a way of getting over not only the documented facts but also all the stories I've heard over the years about it as well as showing postcards from my 3,000 plus collection - over 200 on the First World War alone.

I will answer any person questions people have but it may take a short while for me to reply as I'm rather busy doing shows/talks about the war at present. Next year I'll be disappearing from public view so I have time to write several books on Dereham's history - long over due in my opinion, but I had to give the general public their chance to add anything they might want mentioned in them. Dereham during the First World War will be one of the books.

In reply to the soldiers involved - I've got all the details as I was lucky enough to talk to Dr. James Wilson McIntosh of the 2nd London Mounted Briade - Field Ambulance who was in town on the night - actually having a pint with Pte Leslie Frank MacDonald in the Eagle Pub in the Market Place before the Zeppelin came over head. - But the rest will be have to be saved to be told in the show and book - Unfortunately I too have to fund my research somehow being a housewife with no other income.

[barkalotloudly]

Living close to Dereham I shall try to make an appearance!

[RoninReepham]

Hi I'd be very interested in coming along

[Loader]

You have done a real labor of love there & I hope the townsfolk appreciate it. I hope you have indeed found the 3 soldiers who were killed by that raid. They died by enemy action without a chance to fire a shot & on their home ground. They served honorably all the same & are just as dead as if killed at the front. Thanks for sharing this info with us. Good luck on the presentation & I hope it's a sell out & the book too! Good Luck.

[Kitty55]

Hi

For anyone interested in the show I'll happily send you a copy of the poster at the beginning of September and details of the few booklets I've still got for sale from a couple of years ago - it's a follow up for those who have seen the shows. Both will be shown on the same night (1 hour & 1 at just half an hour) in September at Dereham Library - venue open to the general public. Details as I said to follow.

The Zeppelin Raid was my first ever Dereham Local History Project - seems funny 46 years later going back to where I started.

thanks and take care, Kitty

[Kitty55]

P.S. Should have said for those interested in comparing the local life to the War front life then my Dereham Great Timeline will be up by Wednesday 6th August - free once again in Dereham Library during their opening times. it also includes a print out of my soldiers in Dereham town during the Great War.

So far I've completed 1914, 1915 & 1916. 1917 is in the make and so should also be up by then and 1918 & 1919 will follow roughly a week later.

I thought I'd have it all done on time but didn't allow for being seriously ill and added to this just as I'm getting a bit better, my daughter's gone into labour - on the actual day the baby's due, yep right now - can't believe it - things keep happening here.

So bye.

Kitty

[Kitty55]

Hi All

Here's the poster for the Zeppelin Raid Show this month - check out the calender for more details and a short quiz to see how much you know.

[JimmyMac]

Hi, new to this site and appreciate this is a very old thread but Leslie Frank MacDonald was my great, great grandfather. Owing to a complicated relationship between my father and his father I’ve only recently found out about Pvt Leslie Frank MacDonald and the circumstances of his death. I’m an ex-serviceman myself and I’d be very interested to speak with anyone that knows more about the zeppelin raid and the circumstances around it so if anyone has any information I’d be really grateful if you could get in touch, thanks.