WWII Lancashire: Barrage Balloon Centre No. 10, Bowlee, Middleton, Manchester (1)
Introduction
The photograph on this page of WWII Lancashire: Barrage Balloon Centre No. 10, Bowlee, Middleton, Manchester (1) by Mike Searle as part of the Geograph project.
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WWII Lancashire: Barrage Balloon Centre No. 10, Bowlee, Middleton, Manchester (1)
Image: © Mike Searle Taken: 12 Aug 2021
- Manchester's No. 10 Barrage Balloon Centre was established at Middleton in October 1939, and was the headquarters and maintenance depot for three barrage balloon squadrons manned by RAF personnel. It was attacked by the Luftwaffe on 7th March 1941 by 'Experten' aircrew in a Junkers 88, that dropped nine 50 kg HE bombs, and at least 12 incendiaries. Two were killed, an airman and an airwoman, and four were seriously injured. The site today has been completely cleared, and is now an open public area. As a reminder of its wartime history, a grassed area in the centre has been landscaped to represent the size and shape of a wartime barrage balloon. Its significance is only revealed however when viewed from the air. A nice touch nevertheless. Google Earth view: https://media.geograph.org.uk/files/7eabe3a1649ffa2b3ff8c02ebfd5659f/Middleton_Barrage_Balloon_Depot-original.jpg Image
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Image Location
Latitude
53.556969
Longitude
-2.231374