Memorial – Wickford Essex Area – 30 years ago.

There are also roads named after a couple of pilots from 41 Sqn killed in the Battle of Britain, Hood and Terrence-Webster in Wickford.

One of my grandfathers brothers had some parts from that Zeppelin.

The memorial itself was moved from the original site when the new A130 was built. It now stands alongside the A130 although only visible from the road when heading southbound. It stands alongside the bridge named as ‘monument bridge’ that crosses the 130 and goes into Dollymans Farm. It used to stand on the high ground near the railway line.

The original propellor was stolen many years back, whilst a replacement also went missing albeit only a few years back was this to replaced when the memorial was moved.

The Hurricane crash in Wickford is also commemorated by a number of streets named after pilots who were killed in the area, including a Spitfire that came down by the A127/132 junction.

In the area also a Dornier came down at Runwell Hospital, another Spitfire on Tabrums Farm, an Me110 at Mill Hill Farm, a B17 just up the 130 near the reservoir and yet another Spit in West Hanningfield.

Hope thats of interest

Steve

More info here;
http://airfields.fotopic.net/dollymansfarm

and here;
http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?1301-Dollymans-Farm-Shotgate-Essex

Hope this helps

Thank you.

As –o-o-O-o-o– pointed out, it always amazes me that such an obscure question can be answered in such a short space of time, the forum really comes into its own. Thanks to all.

The links were particularly interested, and the picture in one was exactly as I remembered. Next time i`m near the A130 i will have a look for the new site, and Rochford Church ( St. Andrews ) is just up the road from me.

Once again many thanks.

Jamie

:)Yes the story of the Billericay Zeppelin is told along with a display of some artefacts at the AAC Museum at Middle Wallop.

I remember it being around where the ‘new’ A130 road crosses the railway line, so may have been moved during the construction phase. The road bridge ISTR is called ‘Memorial Bridge’. It was a 2 bladed propeller and from a Percival Prentice, although not sure that was relevant to the memorial. Haven’t seen it for years.

The memorial was / is at Shotgate which is not too far from Battlesbridge.
This link tells the story

http://ww1talk.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-2268.html

From what I found during a websearch Zeppelin L48 also crashed somehwere in the area and there is also another memorial as well to a Hurricane pilot.

http://airfields.fotopic.net/p55000646.html

I beleve a Zeppelin crashed at Billericay,near Southgreen

Peter

This forum never ceases to amaze me! All cleared up within hours…

Also some interesting information on the memorial, itself, here:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=55839

The memorial was / is at Shotgate which is not too far from Battlesbridge.
This link tells the story

http://ww1talk.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-2268.html

From what I found during a websearch Zeppelin L48 also crashed somehwere in the area and there is also another memorial as well to a Hurricane pilot.

http://airfields.fotopic.net/p55000646.html

Around 30 – 35 years ago, as a less than 10 year old enthusiast, we used to travel to London once or twice a year, by Train, on the London Liverpool Street Line.

I always remembered looking out of the train window at around Wickford, as we headed back to Southend. On the north side of the tracks, in a field on it`s own was a memorial of some sort. It was a white painted prop, and i think it was surrounded by a fence. It was very remote and not near the town, as it was then.

I`m wondering if its still there ? And indeed if it was near Wickford. Just wondered if anyone new, Google Earth shows nothing, apart from a New Industrial estate, with names such as Hurricane Way, and Sopwith Close.

Thanks…in advance.

Jamie

I think from memory it was a 4 blade prop surrounded by a white fence.It was between Wickford and Rayleigh. I believe it was in memory of an airship crash but cannot be certain.

The collision between Kynoch and Stroud I seem to remember.

It was still there in 1991-2ish when I used to commute on the same route. I have a vague recollection of it being WWI-related and possibly being vandalised at some point.