Bomb hole at Northwick.
basil | 2/16/2005 | 8:23 amDid a German Bomber make the big hole on the riverbank?
John Phillpott wrote this article in Worcester News June 16 2007
I bumped into a boater by the name of Andy the other day and he came up with this interesting little snippet.
There is a lagoon cut into the riverbank just below the Slip at Barbourne known as the bomb hole.
I’ve always thought that this bay was far too large to be caused by an explosion-but in fact, this is exactly how it stated life.
Apparently, a German plane followed the line of the Severn to make a bombing run on the old power station, which used to stand near the main River Bridge.
The pilot must have loosened one bomb prematurely, for it fell way short and blew a gap in the bank.
This was subsequently enlarged by the landowner and became a marina of sorts.
I’ve always believed that the only bombs to fall on Worcester during the Second World War were during the infamous Meco raid. If you know anything about the origins of the Bomb hole, please write into the letters page.
Max replied with this factual information.
Letter to the Editor from Max Sinclair.
Hole in riverbank not caused by a bomb.
A very large willow tree collapsing in the 1940 flood (Seven Days, June 16) caused John Phillpotts “Bomb Hole” in the riverbank below the Northwick slip.
As it twisted out of the ground, its large root ball carried several tons of soil with it into the river.
It then rolled down river to the city Road Bridge,
The Army was called in to destroy it with explosives, as there was fear the bridge would collapse.
Mr Morris from Pitchcroft subsequently excavated the site to create boat moorings.
The only bombs north of Worcester were a stick of three in a field at Hindlip, which caused me to fall off a chair in my Ombersley Road home.
RM Sinclair
Lower Broadheath.