| Description | Notes the difficulties of getting to his destination due to absence of sign posts, is shown the office which deals with welfare of the homeless, then the wardens' message room 'the original Report Centre at Shell Mex House, Ferensway, was destroyed by a direct hit', describes a visit around Hull to see the damage at Stoneferry 'the damage was practically indescribable, rows of houses have lost their front walls and roofs... some of the bedroom floors are still hanging in place... and what were the ground floor rooms are now huge heaps of bricks, rubble, wood and dust, but many stair-cases are still standing'. He then visited a crater on Holderness Road caused by a G mine 'it was 130 feet across and estimated to be 30 feet deep, Anderson shelters a few feet from the crater had withstood the explosion'. 'It is estimated that one third of the houses in Hull are now inhabitable; most side streets off major roads have been damaged, even when the major road has sustained no damage. During one raid an ammunition train of 187 wagons received a direct hit... What were the main shops are now nothing more than one large heap after another of bricks, rubble, etc... many other large mills and factories have been gutted and resemble ruined Abbeys'.
Taken from original report in East Yorkshire Local History Society 'Bulletin' No.29, Spring 1984 |