MAYORS WALK BOMB

ADDED 14 MARCH 2007

Mrs Pamela Smith's account in the February 2007 issues of the Pontefract Digest, regarding the bomb which fell in Mayors Walk Avenue in August 1942, clearly pin-points the area where it landed, despite some contrary reports.

As she states, it was a stones throw from where she lived that the 1,000lb plus bomb buried itself in the garden of the house opposite, to a depth of 18-20 feet. We can only imagine the devastation it would have caused had the bomb exploded.

Mrs Smith's father, Mr. J. Maud, took the photograph that illustrated the scenes at that time.

After being safely defused the bomb was later put on display in the Buttercross where it was used as a collection box in aid of the War effort.

I was privileged to know Mr. Maud after his retirement when he told me many stories of his working life, including the bomb incident. He even produced the camera from his collection with which he took the wartime photographs.

It was clear to see what a professional and dedicated photographer he was and we have benefitted from the wealth of historical photographs of Pontefract and its people that he left us.

Norman Blackburn

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