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Birmingham's memorial to the BSA in Armoury Road - 24th September 2007
| Please give a thought for the 53
forgotten BSA workers that were killed in a devastating air raid on the
BSA factory in Armoury Road, Small Heath on the night of Tuesday, 19th
November, 1940.
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There is no memorial at the site to these forgotten workers and sadly Birmingham has little interest in erecting one. The only site memorial to war workers in Birmingham is the Spitfire memorial at Castle Bromwich. BSA unfortunately did not have the romantic image of the Spitfire but the Spitfire would have just been a useless ornament without the guns provided by BSA. BSA's contribution to both wars was unsurpassed by any other British Company. BSA was Birmingham's largest employer, a diverse group which at one time was responsible for the manufacture of a range of products from a bolt to a Daimler car. For the First World War they made 1,500,000 Lee Enfield guns and 145,397 Lewis machine guns. For the Second World War they produced; 1,250,000 rifles 468,098 Browning machine guns and enough spares to make the equivalent of another 100,000 guns 42,532 Hispano 20mm Cannons for both Spitfires and Hurricanes 32,971 Oerlikon 20mm guns 59,322 Besa machine guns 68,000 anti tank rifles 404,383 Sten guns 750,000 anti aircraft rockets. BSA actually provided more than half of the guns used during the Second World War. They also produced 128,000 military bicycles and 126,000 military motorcycles. At the end of the Second World War the BSA employed 28,000 workers and controlled 67 factories, including Daimler Cars. One of the main targets for the Luftwaffe was the main BSA works at Small Heath, the factory was marked on every German navigators map of the area. On the night of 19th November 1940 there was a large German air raid on Birmingham. At 9.25 pm a low flying aircraft dropped two bombs on the BSA Small Heath works which devastated the southern end of the New Building in Armoury Road. Rescuers rushed to the scene,
including the BSA's own fire brigade who pumped the Birmingham and
Warwick canal dry that evening in their attempts to control the fire.
60 fire crews also attended the scene. This was Birmingham's largest single building air raid disaster during the war. There were many medals awarded for bravery in the rescue that night, the number awarded indicates the scale of the disaster;
Corporal John H. Beattie, awarded the British Empire Medal Sergeant Joseph Topham, awarded the British Empire Medal Private William Saragine. awarded the British Empire Medal Samuel S Ashburner, Commended Edwyn Hoof, Commended Private Frank Knight, Home Guard, Commended Private George Treen, Home Guard, Commended, Ernest Williams, Commended
Due to wartime reporting restrictions no mention of the raid was made in the local papers at the time. It is the intention of the organisers of The Birmingham Testers Run to try and establish a memorial to the 53 workers who were killed and also provide a memorial to the BSA company who were Birmingham's largest employer and have made a very valuable contribution to Birmingham. The planned site is either the Poets Corner roundabout on the A45 Coventry Road or at the entrance to Armoury Road. Sadly there is very little interest, as you will see from the letters written to our local councillors in January 2001 but we have not given up. You will see that out of 117 councillors, only two responded to our letter, which was sent twice. None of the three Small Heath Councillors replied. I thank local MP Roger Godsiff for his reply. What a disappointment that our elected representatives have no interest in remembering the war dead. We are also talking to the lottery commission about funding, however a memorial to war dead does not seem to be very important to them either. THE ROLL OF HONOUR Our current research has shown that only 52 names can be found, more enquiries are being made.
A copy of the letters are below; Dear Councillor, This is my second message to you, unfortunately I only received two replies from 117 councillors (Andy Howell and Andrew Coulson). I know a lot of you are very busy with other issues and problems but can I ask you to take a few moments to consider this campaign to get a BSA memorial erected. We now have the support of Carl Chinn and the MP for Small Heath, Roger Godsiff. Please consider lending your support to this project. Below is a copy of the message that was previously sent to you. ---------------------------COPY---------------------------------- Can I ask for your support in the campaign to have a memorial to The Birmingham Small Arms factory and workers that were killed there during the Second World War? This is a copy of the letter sent to Roger Godsiff, the MP for Small Heath and local Small Heath councillors. Dear Mr Godsiff, The recently erected Spitfire memorial, at Castle Vale, was a fitting tribute to the workers and personnel associated with the production and operation of these aircraft during the Second World War. I however, believe that there is another site that is equally deserving of a memorial here in Birmingham. First of all a reminder; There once was a Birmingham company that lead the world, both in peace time and in war. For the First World War they made 1,500,000 Lee Enfield guns and 145,397 Lewis machine guns. For the Second World War they produced 1,250,000 rifles, 468,098 Browning machine guns and enough spares to make the equivalent of another 100,000 guns, 42,532 Hispano 20mm Cannons for both Spitfires and Hurricanes, 32,971 Oerlikon 20mm guns, 59,322 Besa machine guns, 68,000 anti tank rifles, 404,383 sten guns and 750,000 anti aircraft rockets. This company actually provided more than half of the guns used during the Second World War. If I tell you they also produced 128,000 military bicycles and 126,000 military motorcycles you will probably realise I am talking about The Birmingham Small Arms Factory, better known as 'The BSA'. At the end of the Second World War the BSA employed 28,000 workers and controlled 67 factories, including Daimler Cars. The gun may not carry the same romantic image as the Spitfire but the gun is the most essential and fundamental tool of any war. From the points above that I have mentioned The BSA is equally deserving of a memorial. Now I want to remind you why The BSA is more deserving of a memorial than any other site in Birmingham. On Wednesday the 19th November 1940 there was a devastating air raid on the main BSA works in Armoury Road, Small Heath. The night shift in the factory remained at their machines till the last minute. In the raid one of the three towers of the factory complex was totally destroyed. 53 workers were killed, 89 were injured. Most of the dead was trapped in the rubble and it was six weeks before the last of the bodies could be removed. I think a memorial is long overdue for the 53 civilian's, some of them young girls, just out of school, who gave their lives but have never been remembered. A memorial near the Small Heath plant could also serve as a memorial to all those who worked in factories during the war, especially Birmingham factories. After all, was Birmingham not the city of factories? An ideal site would be the Poets Corner roundabout, at the junction of the Coventry Road and Golden Hillock Road. This is adjacent to the original BSA factory in Armoury Road. Perhaps a style similar to the excellent statue of 'workers over the years' near Symphony Hall would be appropriate. Jon Price
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