20 Firemen and 2 Boy Messengers were killed when a parachute mine landed on the AFS station at Bankhead School on March 13, 1941.

Below is a list of the 22 who died that night.

As already noted, landmines descended by parachute. This was to prevent them penetrating the ground to any great extent. The fiendish aim of this device was to cause the maximum amount of surface damage by exploding laterally. The mines were cylinders eight and a half feet in length and two and a half feet in circumference; an awesome instrument of destruction.

David McLintock, then a youth of 14, served as an A.F.S. Boy Messenger in the Bankhead unit along with five other boys of similar age. We can let David recount what happened next.

“It had been a lovely Spring day with clear skies. We had already experienced numerous air raids in the Glasgow area and much damage and loss of life had occurred, but these were carried out by single planes and often during day light hours.”

It has to be remembered that at this time there were no two-way radios fitted to fire engines, A.F.S. cars or ambulances, and certainly no such things as mobile ‘phones! The only means of communication was by telephone or written messages carried by, for example, Boy Messengers.”

“At approximately 8.30 pm a ‘Yellow’ warning was received by telephone at the Bankhead A.F.S. Watch Room. This was to signal a possible air raid. Shortly after this a ‘Purple’ warning was received to indicate a probable air raid and that all Civil Defence units should ‘stand to’. Shortly before 9.00 pm a ‘Red’ warning was then given which meant sirens to sound, and that all Civil Defence personnel must report to their respective posts; civilians should go to air raid shelters. My friend Donald Miller and I already knew that there had been a ‘Purple’ warning when we saw the street lights flashing. Shortly after this we made our way to the post at Bankhead School. As we approached the school gates the sirens sounded.”

“Donald and I met up with two other A.F.S. Boy Messengers, Danny Woodhead and Ron Paccitti. Both Danny and Ron were soon to be killed when the mine exploded. Just then the Station Commander Mr. Forbes came out of the sandbagged area of the watch room. He had just received a telephone call warning of an impending major air raid. The Commander instructed Donald and myself to collect paraffin lamps and take them to the air raid shelters right away and get them lit. Most of the firemen were either already in the watch room or standing just outside it. All firemen not on stand-by squad were to proceed to the shelters as quickly as possible.”

“It was now 9.10 pm. We could hear planes overhead. Donald and I walked smartly along the corridor through part of the main building (where the school entrance is situated) and out on to what used to be the Girls’ Playground. There were two shelters situated there.”

Suddenly I heard a flapping noise and looking up I saw a huge container with a parachute attached coming down. (I distinctly remember the canopy having a tear in it.). It hit the school roof and we could hear it sliding down the slates. Donald and I decided to run back and tell Mr. Forbes about this container. We thought that it could possibly be a prelude to a paratroop invasion. However before we could get far the device exploded as soon as it struck the ground on the CaIdwell Avenue side of the building (see plan). My friend was blown inside the shelter while I was thrown against the shelter wall. For a few seconds all was quiet and then debris began to fall all around me. Luckily neither of us was badly injured but had we not been given orders to hurry along to the shelters for the paraffin lamps we would surely not have survived. Many of the firemen were not so fortunate. The majority of those who lost their lives had been walking along the open veranda bordering the playground. The veranda support pillars were blown out so that the re-enforced roof collapsed on top of them. A number were trapped and failed to survive since there was no heavy lifting equipment to free them in time.” (The extent of the destruction is indicated in the school plan).

“Donald and I made our way out of the school by means of a side entrance and into Caldwell Avenue to find a chaos of debris and with fires burning in the surrounding houses. Some of the smaller fires we managed to extinguish using hand pumps. Eventually we reached nearby Killoch Drive and slumped down on the doorstep of one of the houses.”

“The rescue services noted that on the morning after the raid 19 personnel were found alive and 33 dead. The number of dead would subsequently increase to 39. The total number of those killed or who later died of their injuries were made up as follows, 21 firemen, 2 boy messengers, 15 A.R.P. and First Aid Post Personnel, plus a five year old boy. 23 firemen were injured but to date it has not been possible to determine the number of A.R.P. and First Aid Personnel who were injured within the school. The total number serving in the school was approximately 80.”

“I started to make my way home to Kelso Street between 2.00am and 3.00am. I arrived just as the all-clear sounded and discovered that there had been some damage to my house. My Mother and Father were of course extremely upset believing me to have been killed. My Father, who was a member of the Special Police, had gone along to the school but had failed to find me. The Station Commander had told him that he was sure I had been caught up in the explosion.”

I returned to Bankhead the following morning and collected my bicycle which believe it or not was undamaged although covered with dust. By this time all fires had been extinguished. I spotted Mr.Forbes standing in the playground, face blackened, but seemingly uninjured. The scene was one of utter devastation with a large part of the building in ruins in addition to wrecked cars and fire pumps. Ambulances were still removing the dead and injured and rescue services would remain in the school for up to 12 days after the bombing.”

“The bombers returned the following night, Friday 14th March with the raid commencing at 8.45 pm and continuing until 2.24 am on the Saturday.”

“The following day my parents took me to stay with friends in Milngavie a small town about five kilometres due north of Glasgow--and there we lived for the following six months. When we returned to Kelso Street, the A.F.S. unit had become the National Fire Service and was stationed at Birrells Sweet Factory in Anniesland Road. I left the Fire Service about eight months later and joined the Home Guard. Their headquarters were located at Jordanhill Railway Station. I will never forget that night as long as I live nor the men and women who were so cruelly taken. There are times, even today, when I think of how lucky I was that when the mine landed on the very ridge of the school roof, it could just as easily have slid in my direction rather than away towards CaIdwell Avenue”.

(Bankhead. The Story of a Primary School at War by Bryan Cromwell. Pages 55 to 58)

CARLILE, HENRY GILBERT

Fireman, A.F.S. Husband of Agnes Ross MacDonald Carlile, of 25 Cedric Road, Knightswood. Died at Bankhead School. Age 35.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

The Memorial at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Headquarters, Hamilton and the Memorial at Bankhead School show the name as HENRY CARLISLE. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission and  The Scottish National War Memorial have a HENRY CARLILE and no entry for CARLISLE. Scotland's people WEB site have a death certificate for HENRY CARLILE but nothing for a HENRY CARLISLE. I could not find a Death notice in the Glasgow Herald. The Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1940-41 and 1941-42 show 25 Cedric Road, W3, Knightswood CARLYLE, M. I have decided to use the name on the Death Certificate CARLILE on this page. All three spellings are pronounced the same.

CLELLAND, ALEXANDER FLORANCE

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of Duncan and Elizabeth W. Clelland, of 13 Williamson Street, Clydebank; husband of Isabella M. Clelland, of 53 Wykeham Road. Died at Bankhead School. Age 33.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

COLLINS, HARRY

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of Margaret Collins, of 9 Thom Street, and of the late Harry Collins; husband of Margaret Collins, of 27 Raploch Avenue, Scotstoun. Died at Bankhead School. Age 35.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

DONALD, ARCHIBALD ABERCROMBIE

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of Archibald Main Donald and Elizabeth Paterson Donald, of 23 Crusader Avenue, Knightswood. Died at Bankhead School. Age 29.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

DONNELLY, HUGH

Fireman, A.F.S. Husband of Mary F. Donnelly, of 81 Thane Road. Died at Bankhead School. Age 31.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

EDMISTON, JOHN

Fireman, A.F.S.; of 112 Kinellar Drive, Garscadden. Son of David and Mary Edmiston, of 16 Crusader Avenue; husband of Margaret P. Donald Edmiston. Died at Bankhead School. Age 29.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

FINDLAY, THOMAS MUNN

Fireman, A.F.S.; of 27 Lesmuir Dive, Scotstoun. Husband of Gladys E. Findlay. Died at Bankhead School. Age 32.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

GEDDES, GEORGE WILLIAM

Fireman, A.F.S.; of 31 Rampart Avenue. Died at Bankhead School. Age 36.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

HUNTER, WILLIAM CRAWFORD

Fireman A.F.S.; of 9 Fairburn Street. Died at Bankhead School. Age 41.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

IRWIN, ALEXANDER

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of the late William and Rebecca Irwin; husband of Ethel Woodhouse Irwin, of 122 Shafton Road, Knightswood. Died at Bankhead School. Age 32.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

MACDONALD, JAMES JOHN

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of James and Louise MacDonald, of 3 Etive Avenue, Kessington, Bearsden; husband of Helen Lang Gray MacDonald, of 180 Boreland Drive, Knightswood. Died at Bankhead School. Age 31.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

The Memorial at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Headquarters, Hamilton shows JAMES McDONALD.

McGIBBON, ALEXANDER

Fireman, A.F.S.; of 10 Lady Anne Street, Yoker. Son of James McGibbon, of 143 Norfolk Street, and of the late Jane McGibbon; husband of Catherine McGibbon. Died at Bankhead School. Age 34.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

 McLEAN, JOHN KIGGINS

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of Hugh and Mary McLean, of 285 Alderman Road; husband of Margaret Gemmell McLean, of 41 Caldwell Avenue. Died at Bankhead School. Age 28.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

MORRISON, ROBERT

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of Robert Morrison, of 33 Ingram Street; husband of Catherine Morrison, of 62 Glanderston Drive. Died at Bankhead School. Age 31.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

MULVANY, CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of Hannah Mulvany, of 28 Carrickarden Street; husband of Aimee M. Mulvany, of 42 Trinley Road. Injured 13 March 1941, at Bankhead A.F.S. Station; died at Knightswood Hospital. Died 14/3/1941 Age 36.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

The Memorial at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Headquarters, Hamilton shows CHRISTOPHER MULVANEY.

PACITTI, RONALDO

Messenger A.F.S. Son of Michele and Consetta Pacitti, of 42 Queen Victoria Drive, Scotstoun. Died at A.F.S. Station, Bankhead School. Age 16.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

ROBERTSON, WILLIAM AITKENHEAD

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of Margaret Robertson, of 173 Parliamentary Road, and of the late John Robertson; husband of Annie Burt Robertson, of 62 Kirkton Avenue, Knightswood. Died at Bankhead School. Age 35.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

SIMEON, HARRY THOMAS

Fireman, N.F.S.; of 29 Dalgarrock Avenue. Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Simeon, of Garfield Street, Denniston; husband of Agnes Allan Simeon. Died at Bankhead School. Age 33.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

TURNBULL, JOHN DAVIE

Fireman, N.F.S. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Turnbull, of 1231 Argyle Street, Sandyford. Died at Bankhead School, Knightswood. Age 34.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

WALKER, ROBERT

Fireman, A.F.S. Son of Lachlan and Sarah Walker, of 516 St. George's Road; husband of Mary Walker, of 26 Glanderston Drive. Died at Bankhead School. Age 31.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

WOODHEAD, ROBERT DANIEL FRIZELL

Driver, A.F.S.; of 27 Manor Road, Drumchapel. Son of Robert H. Woodhead, of 17 Earlbank Avenue. Died at Bankhead School. Age 28.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

WOODHEAD – Killed by enemy action in March 1941, Robert D Woodhead (A.F.S.), aged 28 years, (late of Windressco? Ltd., 67 Cadogan Street), beloved husband of Agnes M’Allister, of Manor Road, Drumchapel and elder son of Mr and Mrs Robert Woodhead, of Earlbank Avenue, Scotstoun. W.4. Service in Glasgow Crematorium on Wednesday, 19^th inst., at 1 p.m., to which all friends are invited; no flowers.

(Glasgow Herald, Monday, March 17, 1941. Page 1)

WOODHEAD, DANIEL BOYD

Messenger, A.F.S. Son of Robert H. Woodhead, of 17 Earlbank Avenue. Died at Bankhead School. Age 16.

(CWGC WEB Site.)

WOODHEAD – Killed by enemy action, in March 1941, Daniel B Woodhead (Messenger A.F.S.) aged 16 years (late of Windressco? Ltd., 67 Cadogan Street), beloved younger son of Mr and Mrs Robert Woodhead, of Earlbank Avenue, Scotstoun. W.4. – Funeral arrangements same as above, no flowers.

(Glasgow Herald, Monday, March 17, 1941. Page 1)

The Memorial at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Headquarters, Hamilton shows DAVID WOODHEAD this is a mistake his name was Daniel..

STRATHCLYDE MEMORIAL PAGE