THE ENEMY BRINGS THE WAR TO MILLOM With the German aerial bombardment of Britain gaining momentum, all centres of industry and those living close to them were at risk. Whilst the construction of RAF Millom was nearing completion, the Luftwaffe operating from occupied western France launched a bombing raid on Millom Ironworks. The date was 2 January 1941 when, in the small hours of the morning, the German raiders released their bomb load, missing the Ironworks and instead hitting the houses of Steel Green on the outskirts of Millom, destroying three houses and killing five civilians. Those killed were John Morgan, aged 56, Stephen Balton, aged 62, and three members of the Geldard family – William, aged 51, Isabella, aged 43, and William, aged 17. William and Isabella’s daughter, Margaret, survived as, by good fortune, she was staying that night with a friend in Newton Street, Millom. The small community was still reeling with shock from the horror of that night when days later a lone German raider dropped two 2,300 pound bombs on Haverigg village. Fortunately they fell in a field close to the edge of the village and missed any housing. It was fortunate too that both missiles were fitted with time delay fuses and evacuation of the area was possible. After several hours one of the bombs exploded leaving a huge crater, but the other remained dormant and in due course people were allowed to move back in to their homes, where they tried to ignore their new German neighbour! It was obvious to those who investigated immediately after the event that the unexploded bomb had penetrated to a great depth and extraction at the time was not thought possible. It would be 1949, after many days of hard work, before the bomb was found, removed and disarmed Aerial photo taken morning after bombing of Haverigg. Small and large craters at top left of frame. – a great relief to the residents of Photo RAF Millom Museum Haverigg I am sure!!! 1941 – FLYING MACHINES BUT POOR LATRINES! Whilst men and machines had been arriving for several days, it was on 20 January that RAF Millom was officially opened as No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School. The airfield’s operational records book (ORB), a daily service diary, records on that day the opening up party consisted of Flt/Lt Davenport Adjudant and 112 NCOs and Airmen Available on-site equipment was listed as: 1 Blackburn Botha Aircraft L6169 from No. 48 Maintenance Unit 2 Ford V8 3 Tonner Lorries 1 Albion Ambulance 2 Morris Light Ambulances 1 Hillman Minx Staff Car 5 Fordson Tractors 1 Norton Motorcycle
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