As reported on the air-raid damage reports from the period. On the 16th January 1941 at 05-15 at Canvey Island – A German Heinkel 111 shot down by night fighter crashed in flames in River Thames 100 yards off Oil Wharf Jetty Hole Haven. Occupants 2 dead and 3 prisoners (1 at Old Church Hospital).
According to another report the photo shows ‘it has been caught by port authority vessel and is slowly being edged ashore for examination by RAF Intelligence Officers and eventual scrapping’.
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This item reminds me of my time on Canvey during WW2, starting in 1941 and living with my Mother and sister at 118 The Parkway. My Father was in North Africa with the Sixth Armoured Division.
I remember the droning sound of the Henkel 111’s and also the heavily laden Dornier bombers as they used the Thames as an easy navigation method of reaching London. Of course, this usually meant that they would often pass right over Canvey and bringing the Island anti aircraft units into action! The noise was horrendous, and as our Anderson air raid shelter in the back garden was always flooded and unusable, my sister and I would stand near the front door during all night time air raids, with our Mothers arms shielding our ears. The anti aircraft guns, shells bursting and shrapnel falling were all terrifying sounds but that is what had to be endured until the “ all clear “ sounded. The safest shelters were the brick and concrete ones at Long Road School, however, they always smelled terrible but were equipped as classrooms with a 40 watt light over the blackboard!!
I don’t remember the Heinkel being shot down and crashing near Hole Haven but that may have been just before our moving to Canvey from Leigh On Sea. Many more wartime stories on my History page.
The Heinkel in this photo is a Heinkel He 111 (of Squadron 5/KG53) which was shot down by a Spitfire V (armed with cannons) of 92 Squadron at 3.50 pm on Monday 3rd February 1941.
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