The Day a Barrage Balloon Landed in Horseshoe Field by Michael Llewellyn
The Day a Barrage Balloon Landed in Horseshoe Field
by Michael Llewellyn
It was a fine sunny day, I think in 1943 or 1944, probably on a Saturday or during the school holidays. The small barrage balloon drifted over the Mumbles Hill from Swansea Bay, trailing a rope beneath it. It must have broken adrift from a ship, where it would have been moored to the deck to give protection against low flying enemy aircraft, the theory being that aircraft would fly into the mooring rope if attacking or at least fly elsewhere to avoid the danger. However, I'm not aware that they were much of a deterrent to the Messerschmitts and Heinkels, which attacked shipping in those days.
The balloon slowly lost height and eventually settled at Limeslade in the middle of the Horseshoe Field. As it collapsed onto the ground, it was immediately surrounded by hordes of children who had followed its progress with enthusiasm and excitement, as it descended. As if at a given signal, we all fell on the balloon with pocket knives, sheath knives and scissors and cut it to pieces. This was not wanton damage or vandalism, but wartime initiative and the determination to survive!
Balloon fabric was highly prized for making such things as shopping bags and gas mask containers, being a waterproof silvery material, which could easily be pierced with a needle. The ropes, which festooned the balloon, were made of lengths of elastic wound together and covered with cotton. Elastic was almost unobtainable (presumably because it was needed for such wartime activities as making balloon ropes) but was a necessity for stocking garters (little boys and girls wore knee stockings in those days, whilst their mums and elder sisters also needed garters for their stockings). Knickers and pants particularly needed elastic if they were to be sustained in position.
Such articles were extensively darned and repaired; to replace them required clothing coupons (and money) either of which might not be readily available.
Without the support of elastic, renovated knickers could be a real problem for the wearer. So much for domestic concern, balloon elastic was also much sought after by small boys for use with catapults, even a single strand would efficiently fire paper pellets from between one's fingers.
We children therefore instinctively recognised a treasure trove when we saw one and claimed it without hesitation. Within minutes, all trace of the balloon had disappeared and we all went home happily bearing our balloon fabric and elastic, which our mothers would put to good use— probably better use than in its previous existence tethered to the deck of a ship!
Sometime later a party of sailors arrived at Limeslade in a Naval lorry looking for their balloon. ‘Probably at ‘Combe by now, boy!’ some wise adultadvised them.
No. 14 Balloon Centre, Llandaff, Cardiff (31st August 1940)
WW2 RAF Balloon Squadron 958:
Served in the Swansea area from July 1940 to June 1944 and had 25 Balloons (including 3 waterborne).
Reformed in 23 Balloon Centre for Anti-'Diver' duties (defence from V1 Flying Bombs).
Ref: Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation and Barrage Balloons around Barry
Barrage balloon mooring site near Swansea - walk
The site of a World War Two barrage balloon to deter German air attacks on the Llandarcy oil refinery – you can still see the circular concrete anchor points set in the ground, (see photos below).
Crymlyn Bog National Nature Reserve, near Swansea
Natural Resources Wales - Places to Visit >
The largest lowland fen in Wales
1¼ miles, 2.21 kilometres, easy
This slightly longer walk also follows the boardwalk but it returns via the ‘Balloon Field’. This was the site of a World War Two barrage balloon to deter German air attacks on the Llandarcy oil refinery – you can still see the circular concrete anchor points set in the ground.
The walk noted above, was made with colleagues, Robin and Peter,in 2010, photos: co-editor - Any more information is welcomed
"WAAFs and barrage balloons" - video
A uTube video by British Pathé
Note: skip the advert
More: Remnants of Home Front Defence >
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrage_balloon