Special Acknowledgement: Once again we are greatly indebted to John Maple for his kindness in sharing these rare images from his family archive. Thank you, John, for helping us bring these men back into the light.
The Lancing Belle: The Industrial Arterial
While Frank Lucas was ferrying workers across the canal at Portslade, a much larger operation was moving the masses. The Lancing Belle was the dedicated workmen's train serving the Carriage Works.
- The Route: It collected staff from Brighton, Hove, and Portslade, steaming along the coast to the Lancing workshops.
- The Defence: Because this train carried the lifeblood of the works, the entire route had to be heavily defended by Bofors guns.
Part 6: Bomb Alley – The Day the FW-190s Came to Lancing
The Lancing Railway Works’ proximity to the coast made it a prime target for "hit and run" raids. At exactly 12:06 pm on the 30th of September 1942, four or five German Focke-Wulf 190s swept in low. Having just bombed Worthing, they turned their machine guns toward the Works.
| Location | Damage Sustained | Operational Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Panel Shed | Direct hit by 250lb H.E. Bomb. | Floor destroyed; roof & sides shattered. |
| Pullman Car Shop | Blast damage to roof and sheeting. | Major glass breakage across the shop. |
| Timber Store | Significant cratering (50ft radius). | Disruption to timber supplies. |
Ground Zero: The official report notes the Spotters' post was physically displaced by the force of the blast shown here.
The Great Coal Rush: The Sinking of the SS Portslade
Life in 'Bomb Alley' wasn't just about the sirens and the shelters; sometimes, the war brought unexpected gifts from the sea. In September 1940, the collier ship SS Portslade was torpedoed and sunk just offshore. While a tragedy for the crew, the resulting wreckage provided a lifeline for the village.
Thousands of tons of coal began washing up along the Lancing shoreline. In an era of strict rationing, this was 'black gold.' Villagers descended on the beach with anything that could carry a load—burlap sacks, old prams, and even wash-tubs. It was a massive community effort, with people working under the cover of the dunes to bring home enough fuel to see them through the winter. It remains one of the most vivid memories for those who lived through the Lancing 'blackout'—a rare moment where the tide turned in the favour of the locals.
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Adlertag: The Day the Eagle Landed
August 13th, 1940, is a date etched into the memory of every Lancing and Shoreham resident who was there. To the Germans, it was Adlertag—the day they expected to break the RAF.
As the sirens wailed, a massive formation of Ju 88s dived on Shoreham Airport. In the chaos, a Messerschmitt Bf 109, piloted by Oberleutnant Paul Temme, was brought down. He didn't crash in the sea; he landed his fighter right on the aerodrome grass. For many locals, seeing a 'captured' German officer being led away was the first time the enemy felt human—and beatable.
But the raid left its mark. The 'strays' from that morning’s bombardment are the reason for the craters many of us remember in the local fields and the shrapnel scars that remained on the walls of the Carriage Works for decades.
The Pilot at New Salts Farm
"One of the most remarkable sights of August 1940 was the pristine Messerschmitt Bf 109 sitting in the fields of New Salts Farm.
The aircraft was so intact that it was later hauled away to be displayed as a trophy of war.
Go to this external site to see photos
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"The Silent Descent: Parachute Mines"
"Perhaps the most terrifying sight of the 'Bomb Alley' years was the parachute mine. These were not dropped like traditional bombs; they drifted silently on large silk chutes, caught by the coastal winds. To see one caught in the searchlights over the harbour was to witness a slow-motion disaster.
Many landed in the Shoreham Harbour mudflats, where they remained a deadly 'ticking clock' for the disposal teams. The blast from a single 'Luftmine' was immense, capable of levelling houses and stripping roofs for hundreds of yards. For the families living along the coast, the silence of their descent was far more frightening than the roar of the Junkers overhead."
The Active Defence: The Bofors Gun
The Bofors 40mm could fire 120 shells per minute, creating a "curtain of steel." These guns were one of the few capable of hitting "hedge-hopping" fighters flying below the level of the workshop roofs.
| Event | Date | Strategic Detail | Local Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| SS Portslade Sinking | 25 July 1940 | Dive-bombed by Stukas in Convoy CW8. | Loss of town's namesake collier; crew of 17 saved. |
| Eagle Day Raid | 13 Aug 1940 | Massive raid on Shoreham Airport. | Guns at Ham Field in heavy action. |
| Parachute Mines | WWII | Harbour Blockade. | Dropped in "Bomb Alley" to trap colliers. |
The Resistance: These "pylons" were specifically engineered to withstand the heavy recoil of the Bofors Gun.
Series Links: Lancing Village Memories
Acknowledgements & Sources: sincere thanks to Shoreham Fort Society and the Lancing Village Memories community. Data drawn from National Archives and CWGC records.
