ww2 Barrage Balloon in grounds of Alleyn's school

[Rocky742]

Long shot I know.

Does anyone have any info on the balloon that was in the school grounds in ww2?

[KidKruger]

computedshorty is your man as he will actually remember and no doubt have stories.

not sure if he posts on here anymore / how his health is fairing.

maybe try IM him (and say hi from me).

[IlonaM]

A quick google turned up this, so maybe James Barber would know more or the leaflet might point you in the right direction: https://jamesbarber.mycouncillor.org.uk/files/2015/01/Dulwich-WWII-Air-Raid-Trail.pdf

Also the archivist at Alleyn's might have record (see school website).

[Rocky742]

Thank you. I think computed..... passed away some time ago. If I'm wrong I humbly apologise.

[se22cat]

If that's so about computedshorty I'm very sad to hear it, I learnt a lot about the area from his posts as he had been in ED much longer than my almost 40 years and thought he just got tired of the occasional clash of words on here.

[ed_pete]

You could try the font of all Dulwich knowledge that is Brian Green, proprietor of the Art Stationers / Toyshop in Dulwich Village.

[Townleygreen]

Rocky asked: Does anyone have any info on the balloon that was in the school grounds in ww2?

I believe it was based in what is now the school's Memorial garden, located on the corner of Townley and Calton - it's a triangular space.

[skylorikeet]

Townleygreen is right, the barrage balloon was tethered where Alleyn's have their memorial garden, at the corner of Calton Avenue and Townley Road. This is from the Dulwich Society's website:

The balloons or ?blimps? were tethered to the ground by metal cables and were designed to protect against aircraft attack either by obstructing the aircraft or by damaging the aircraft on collision with the cables. The balloons only interfered with low flying aircraft as the cables made them impractical for higher altitudes. The balloons were huge; they overshadowed Alleyn?s main building and sometimes landed on the roof itself. Former pupils of Alleyn?s remember avoiding a barrage balloon when it came down in flames during a football match. The balloon site is now the school memorial garden.

This is from 'Alleyn's in the 1940s':

Over the capital, large silver balloons wobbled. These were barrage balloons, designed to prevent German aircraft from flying lower over London. Alleyn?s anchored one of these balloons for the duration: Out of commission for the whole of the war was the Townley Field as new brick and concrete buildings appeared to house the RAF barrage balloon crews?. The huge balloon overshadowed the main building at times and, more than once, nearly settled on the School?s roof...Beryl the Barrage Balloon was somewhat temperamental... being impaled on one of the railings after a high wind. Several of our boys remember when Beryl was struck by lightning and, scarily, came down during a House football match which was being watched by the whole school who were ?lined up round the football pitch between the Pavilion and Townley Road. We were watching the final of the inter-House ?league?. ? The balloon came slowly down crossing to our side of the road and ended up on the pitch.? The magazine gave an even more vivid account: After three quarters of the time had gone, with the rain beating down and thunder and lightning marking off the minutes, amid roars of enthusiasm and derision, McClymont's diminutive goalkeeper let a 40 yard crawler roll through his legs, and the match was almost over. The shock was too much for our balloon, which came down in flames and dragged its cable over the pitch like a skipping rope, so ending perhaps the most spectacular argument ever decided on our grounds: Evans' are the football champions....' Mr Feeley remembered it differently saying that ?the game had to be abandoned which, as team captain, was disappointing to me because we were on a winning streak?.

I don't believe any photos still exist but Brian Green would know. Or try the Imperial War Museum or the London Metropolitan Archives

[Townleygreen]

I believe there may have also been an anti-aircraft battery on the main school site, perhaps near the back of the houses on Playfield crescent?

[Rocky742]

Thank you to all who have replied to my post.