Whatever Happened To Bill Milner?

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Middlesbrough - 1940's

Like many river based towns and cities, Middlesbrough was heavily bombed during the war. Middlesbrough's docks were a vital resource to the town. Along with a booming steel industry, then this made raids by the Luftwafe a nightly occurrence

The River Tees runs through the heart of the town and is the artery running to it's beating heart, the docks.

1940 was a partically entriguing year in Middlesbrough's history. The town was the first targeted site of German bombers. South Bank Road was peppered with bombs on the 25th of May. St Peter's Church was destroyed on the 26th of June, the first ecclesiastical casualty of WW2.
A very special person visited Middlesbrough in July. Prime Minister Winston Churchill came on a tour to inspect coastal defences.

On the morning of the Bank Holiday Monday, August 4th 1942, Middlesbrough Railway Station was blown apart by a German incendiary device. This came only eight days after the worst bombing the town had seen. 16 people died and over 80 were seriously injured. Even after such a disruption, train services were up and running 2 days later.
Later on in the same year, Lees Street was ripped apart by another frenzied German attack. Houses numbered 1 -9 were flattened. Bill's wife and her young family lived in number 13.

In 1944, Middlesbrough became the first town in the country to start planning a redevelopment scheme on housing. An intense rebuilding project was ready to go just as soon as the war was over.
When the war finally did end, areas of early and mid-Victorian housing were demolished. Much of central Middlesbrough was redeveloped and the town took on a totally different look. Heavy industry continued to change. It was relocated to new sites, downstream of Middlesbrough, where land was available to cope with modern demands and technology.

A major industrial area ravaged by intense bombing was about to get back on it's feet quickly.