1943 – The German Bomber

Last Updated on Monday, 22 November 2010 09:54

1943 – The German Bomber:  Dornier 217 Werke no. 5428 out of Eindhoven.   On 16 February 1943 a German bomber, on its way back from the last major raid on Swansea, was intercepted and fatally damaged by planes from a fighter squadron based on Fairwood Common.   It was seen to circle Port Eynon  bay, “flying low and on fire”, and to crash  into the sea, setting all the waves alight with the spreading oil.    Sir Robert Hastie, then nine years old, remembers standing watching with his parents from the porch at The Dingle.   Just along the road was the very young Michael Roberts.   It is his earliest memory:  being held up, wrapped in a shawl, to see the whole bay burst into flame.