Record

D331 - Ogden family of Stanley - 1636-20th cent
- 1 - Frederick Soresby Ogden (1887-1980) - 1860-1972
  - 52 - Letters and Field service postcards sent to Frederick Soresby Ogden - 1915-1918

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Archive Reference / Library Class No.	D331/1/52/7-19
Title	Letters sent to Frederick Soresby Ogden
Date	1915-1916
Level	File
Repository	Derbyshire Record Office
Archive Creator	Ogden family of Stanley
Copyright	In copyright
Copies	A digital copy of this file can be viewed on the public computers at the record office
Term	Airships
	Aerial bombardment
	Military personnel
Transcript or Index	Transcript of D331/1/52/10-11 (single letter on two pages) The College, All Saints Derby 2 Feb 1916 Dear Fred I was pleased to hear from you – There were 3 centres of attack in Derby but although there are no official details I think the following is a fairly accurate statement of affairs – Derby was warned about 7 oclock of the approach & Bemrose’s (I think) hooter was sounded at 7-15 – Lights & electric power were cut off & cars stopped where they happened to be at the time – Soldiers & sp. Constables sent round to order “lights out” –– this was all right & had it been adhered to there might have been little damage – I believe the Zepp saw the express from Burton arrive and this was stopped outside the M R. Station – Then foolishly the M R Co. lit up & allowed the train to enter the station (at 12pm) & also restarted ^again their night shift to work in their boiler shops. ^About the same time I believe the tram cars were started to their car sheds.^ Evidently this was exactly what the men in the air ^were waiting for, for at 7 min past 12 the bombs commenced to drop on the M R boiler shops (The exact number is I cannot tell but probably about a dozen) 4 or 5 men were killed & some injured –– the shop wrecked The second attack followed immediately after this & was at the top of Bateman Street where it joined Osmaston Road – I will try & run up & see what resulted here & add it to this letter. The 3rd attack followed immediately afterwards & was close to Rolls Royce works. 4 bombs I believe – One fell on their car testing tracks & made a big hole – ^(hole big enough to hold a horse & cart)^ Another fell near a wall with a like result. I third fell on the lamp factory near (the place that used to be an incandescent mantle factory) & wrecked the place – The 4th I have no details of but believe it simply made a hole in the ground This is about the sum of the wreckage at this point & Rolls Royce works themselves escaped almost entirely –– no casualties –––– I cannot quite fit in the number of bombs dropped but these 3 spots represent the whole of the attacks – I heard the bombs as I lay in bed & counted as I thought 20 to 24 explosions but some ^were very close together – [illustration] I have heard of no deaths here & only wounds from broken glass etc. I hope I have made this intelligible – Burton suffered considerably _ several deaths – Just Coopers maltings & Charringtons Yard (where the bombs just missed the buildings & the boilers but fire the coal stacks) This was about 9 oclock & Burton was lit up in fact the lights were not burned down at all. The Loughboro also suffered considerably I am told – The first bomb woke me up I think for I did not hear the clock strike 12 – It was all over in about 15 or 20 minutes – Mrs Hooley & Raymond slept calmly through it although one of the explosions was loud enough to make me quake – as I lay in bed – The reports where were of such a sharp shattering nature they seemed to make one jump even against one’s will – My chief concern was not to wake my wife as she would have been very upset I expect. Well! I am glad to have had an opportunity of writing to you & hope you are improving in health. With kind regards to Mrs Ogden. Yours very sincerely Arthur J. Hooley

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