IRA Broadgate Bomb 1939

There was no second bomb. What is your source for this information?

The story that the bike bomb was not intended to be planted there except that the tyres kept getting stuck in the tram lines does not hold up as a mitigating plea, if another bomb had deliberately been planted at the same spot. The report of a second bomb does seem stange. Placing a device at that height could hardly have been done as a covert operation. Anyway, in the aftermath of the bike bomb, how could anyone determine with any certainty that the second mechanism had been dislodged from the clock.

Brotherjoybert, mcsporran - The report was with the picture that I posted on nine of this topic. The making and planting of bombs is not difficult to trained people. The question to me is where did the reporter get the picture and story? The picture looks within a short time after the explosion, who could be on hand with a good camera in those days and who told him about the clock bomb. If the reporter was on the scene so quick then I would tend to believe him for he would have first hand accounts of what really happened as his report suggests. There was also a report that Scotland Yard knew the IRA would take advantage of the crisis of those days.

Do you believe everything you read in the papers? There was no Daily Mirror reporter or photographer on hand when the bomb exploded. The Midland Daily Telegraph photographer and a local amateur photographer called Alfred Reynolds were on the scene within minutes and all took photographs - the photo in the Mirror looks like it was taken by Alfred Reynolds. The Police sent a photographer not long after who also captured similar images to the one in the Daily Mirror. The clean up operation and boarding up of shops didn't start until hours after the bomb exploded so the Mirror presumably managed to get a reporter / photographer to the scene before this began. Chances are the reporter heard some hearsay or decided to make the "clock bomb" story up for dramatic effect. The image you posted is from the day after and details of what actually happened were still not clear - for example the Midland Daily Telegraph initially reported that a "Mr Hollander" had died in the attack. This turned out to be incorrect but by your logic - as it was printed in a newspaper - a Mr Hollander must have died ? The IRA campaign began in January 1939 and there were attacks all over England - 40 alone in Coventry, so yes, Scotland Yard knew all about it - they prevented 3 more "Bicycle Bomb" attacks in London on the same day as the Coventry bomb. During this campaign, other than the Broadgate Bomb, the IRA did not deliberately target civilians and no bombs were planted inside clocks in public places.

Brother Joybert, not sure if you mean me, 'but by your logic' I take it so. 'Do you believe everything you read in the papers?' No Sir I do not. My only topic on this forum is 'What do you believe' Yet you seem so certain. I asked where did the reporter get his story and pictures, the idea a reporter could be on the spot sounded dubious to me. You say 'the image you posted was the day after' (I doubt that also) a second picture of the same report shows a policeman assisting a small boy, hurt in the explosion. I read of a 5lb bomb, really, who were the experts in those days, in 1947 a bomb went off in a building, explosives in a suitcase, experts and experienced could not say for certain the amount of explosives but estimated at more than 5lbs in a confined space, not so much damage as Coventry. So no I do not believe everything I read. I was a Coventry schoolboy in 1939, so I have every sympathy and feeling for the relatives.

I do believe the unveiling of the memorial is taking place at this very moment. So I am glad I made it on time

Photos from this afternoons service

You are a dear, thank you Tony. That looks like a beautiful piece of granite, so it will last forever.

Dutchman, yes, the picture intrigues me, my eyes are not so good these days, but it looks like a nurse in the picture, and police taking notes behind the car so by my reckoning the picture looks within a few hours of the explosion, there is no cordon like these days and people moving about, even sweeping up, bit slapdash don't you think? Now I don't believe there was a second bomb, to me and my old experience of making bombs the clock would have taken more damage, but at the same time had a second bomb exploded simultaneously it would be doubtful to me of any average person knowing the difference between a double detonation to a single one, but someone of authority might have, so isn't it feasible the Mirror bought the picture and the story, only to find part wrong or someone 'blabbed' out of order. I do not believe everything I read hence my query on the story. But in 1939 the newspapers were our only means of knowing what was happening, we had the wireless, but pictures with stories, that picture and story would have been in every household in the country that morning, and in those days a reporter was fearful of his job. To me the Mirror during the war had a good reputation, and some first true front liners. I could name some if need be. I found some old papers on sale in the market, I bought for a pound, and this story refreshed some of the past. When it comes to explosions and experts, well nothing is certain, the experts placed hundreds of soldiers safe from an explosion, now those soldiers want compensation. The experts got the strength of the blast wrong, I read in the paper.

In 1949/50 I started to look for answers, and ask questions, but I was quickly brushed aside, one police officer told me it was a dead pigeon to forget it or I might find myself in hot water, and that's more or less what I did, but quite by chance I came across an old newspaper a few months ago and the 'Internet'. One hundred years ago, Britain had ruled Ireland for a number of years. But rebels killed British soldiers there was a running war between them. But the 'Home Office' recruited a secret intelligence group. In 1918 Sinn Fein won the elections by a vast majority. In 1920 the rebels shot and wiped out most of the intelligence force, the British retaliated by opening fire on a football crowd, the first Bloody Sunday. It became more savage, and the structure of the IRA was formed. to try and ease the situation. In 1921 Britain partitioned off Ireland, Northern Ireland became a British province, with its own police force and an Army Garrison. But Europe was about to explode. Through the mid-late thirties the Home Office had its hands full, with hundreds of fascists, security of the nation was at risk, a great many were interned for the duration of the war, the Home Office had built up a great intelligence force, undercover men that was above the police, but fed them the information. Meanwhile the IRA had been planting small explosives across England, did little real damage, with little loss of life in over eight years and really cut no ice with the general public. In 1939 people had no idea of the meaning of the word terrorist and they would have thought you were talking about dogs. Now a terrorist to me has two things a target or a motive or both. But British intelligence knew the IRA intellegence and the German Intelligence were repeatedly meeting and thought the Germans were financing the IRA. So there was a much larger picture, and more tension than we can image these days, about seven weeks before the Coventry bomb, Leicester railway station had an explosion, just as a school party left the station, and timed as a crowd of holidaymakers was due in from Brighton. But the train was 45 minutes late, would have killed more than in Coventry. but 'wham' a city in the heart of England, with a great number of Irish people. Many killed and injured, friends became enemies, the town torn apart with hate and fury, maximum unrest, a few days before the war (Motive) The Germans loving it. The Home Office had a crisis on their hands, they had to nip it in the bud, wasn't meant to kill, you kidding. What should have been front page pictures on page three, no name reporter. Police would only tell half a story, much of the real facts hidden, security of the nation uppermost. 75 years on, history. Police said they did not catch bomber, no mention if MI5 did.

Nearby Milverton railway station was also bombed around the same time as Broadgate. There were no injuries as far as I know.

Dutchman, I am finding it difficult to find the true amount of incidents before Aug 39, what I have just found, a Dr O'Donoghue said "The real motive was to put on a 'Public display' to Nazi Germany about the IRA's capabilities, that fits my description a central city and the real motive".

I'd never even heard of the Milverton station bombing until a local artist mentioned it on his website a few years ago. The waiting room was badly damaged apparently.

Does anyone know exactly where the main police station in town was back then?

It was at the Bayley Lane end of St Mary's Street.