The night the Nazis bombed Haddington

For whatever reason though, they missed, and instead six bombs were dropped on the small town, sending shock waves through the tight-knit community on that otherwise quiet evening.

It was around 8.30pm on March 3, 1941 when the first German bomb landed on Haddington. Today, the 70th anniversary of the air raid in which three people died, local historians are eager to learn more. While the facts are there - the injuries, the deaths - and newspaper coverage from the aftermath is strong, locals are confident there is more to be told, which explains their urge to hear from any survivors of the bombing, or their relatives, to learn of their experiences.

All the findings will form part of a presentation on the attack at the Haddington and District Festival this summer.

"While I have researched East Lothian at war for many years, the bombing of Haddington was something I had never really got into until now," explains Jack Tully-Jackson, 87, who is leading the research.

"The public have been excellent so far, and I have even heard from an ex-soldier in Cornwall who was stationed in Haddington at the time.

"He is in his late-80s now, but he explained how he was canoodling with a woman in a close when the bombs were dropped!"

Thankfully, most other locals were in their homes or safely packed into the town's cinema when the Germans flew overhead. The casualties would most definitely have been much higher if not.

Yet for those unfortunate to be taking a stroll through the town that evening, many were struck by flying debris, including local man John Moggie, 37, who lost his life that night. Also killed were two soldiers, one of whom was Sergeant J Mathieson, also hit by debris.

Tucked up at home were the three children of local butcher Frank Anderson, who lived with his wife and family in a property above the town's newspaper office.

Settling down for the night, Mr Anderson was shocked when he noticed from his window a glare in the back garden, leading him to believe his shop was on fire.

"He dashed downstairs and found an incendiary bomb blazing away," the Evening News reported the next day. "Anderson seized two buckets of sand and emptied them over the bomb."Just then he heard a clash, and on investigating saw that a high-explosive bomb had struck the sloping roof of the newspaper office and had bounced off, going clean through the side wall of the butcher's house.

"The bomb had then struck the doorway and came to rest on his doormat."

It is nothing short of a miracle that the bomb did not explode or that Mr Anderson, his wife and children were able to escape, stepping over the bomb on the doorstep on their way to safety.

"They were very lucky indeed," says Mr Tully-Jackson. "The son of the butcher is still living in Haddington, so we have been able to get him to tell his story, which is great."

While bombs destroyed buildings, caused large craters in the main street, tore through gas and water pipes and rendered many residents homeless or injured, a brave group of women working in the town's telephone exchange on the High Street remained at their posts to pass on vital calls. At one point, curtains in the exchange caught fire, yet they stayed calm and continued to transmit urgent messages.

"We are desperately trying to find out more about who was in charge that night," says Mr Tully-Jackson.

"Her name was Miss Churnside. There was no other way of getting information out if the women had not continued working - they were strong people.

"We'd love to track down relatives of Miss Churnside."

More information from the relatives of fireman Roy Hutchison is also sought.

As part of the emergency services responding to the bombing, he was forced to carry on with his job even though he knew the tenement where he lived with his wife and children was on fire.

He was clueless as to whether they were dead or alive.

"Fortunately, the tenement did not receive a direct hit," the Evening News reported, "but had collapsed from a 'near miss' and all the occupants were removed to safety."

Such scenes of destruction are to be told in a DVD Mr Tully-Jackson is directing and producing, along with the backing of the Haddington History Society and the Haddington Camera Club.

Filmed in one of the town's remaining air raid shelters and using digital effects, the team is attempting to recreate the night as it would have been experienced by the townsfolk who lived through it. The project includes interviews with survivors and relatives and will form a vital piece in the jigsaw of Haddington's history.

"People often ask 'Why Haddington?'" says Mr Tully-Jackson.

"It seems it was known that night there was an army convoy on the A1 at the time, because for some reason, it was showing lights.

"Every plane would have seen this convoy, so we think it was the Germans' intention. Thankfully they were not carrying huge bombs though, rather the smallest an aircraft would have carried."We know the German unit was based in Norway, and that there may have been two planes that night, but we cannot find the German records for the attack."

It is hoped a trip to Germany by one of the researchers may throw up the missing documents soon, adding much sought-after information to the venture.

The project is the latest for retired serviceman and postal worker Mr Tully-Jackson, who moved to Haddington from Dublin during the war. He has worked heavily on much local historical research, as well as assisting with the BBC's Scotland's Secret War, over the years.

"This will probably be my last project though," he laughs. "I am 87 for goodness sake!".

Do you have information?

Can you help shed more light on the 1941 Bombing of Haddington?

If you are a survivor, or a relative of someone who experienced the attack, local researchers are eager to hear your stories.

Anyone keen to make contact can call 01620 822 292, e-mail [email protected] or write to 14 Hawthornbank Road, Haddington, EH41 3AU.

For more information on East Lothian during the Second World War, visit www.eastlothianatwar.co.uk.