Yes ! Northampton was bombed during World War 1 !

In October 1917, a German Navy Zeppelin airship (LZ45 aka L13) was supposed to bomb Sheffield but was unable to make it and so was directed to Leicester instead. There it was fired on by a Royal Flying Corps bi-plane so carried on southwards, arriving over Northampton at 10:45 in the evening.

The airship dropped 22 bombs, including 9 incendiary firebombs, on Kingsthorpe, Dallington, Far Cotton and St. James End. A Mrs. Eliza Gammons was killed instantly when one of the bombs passed through the roof of 46 Parkwood Street, just west of Northampton Station, while she was asleep in bed. Tragically, her 13-year old twin daughters were also in the house and died later from their injuries, despite heroic efforts by their uncle, Private Albert Bazeley of the Army Veterinary Corps, who was home on leave. The Gammons family were Northampton’s only civilian fatalities from WW1 air-raids.

The airship continued southwards, causing further damage and fatalities across London before running into trouble over France. The captain and crew landed the Zeppelin and set it ablaze before they were captured.

One of the Northampton incendiary bombs did not explode and is on display at Sywell Aviation Museum.

There is no record of any of the bombs falling on Hunsbury Hillfort.

In 2017, a commemorative plaque to honour the twins’ lives lost was unveiled and a tree planted at the St. James Road junction with Weedon Road and Harlestone Road, in the tiny space (between DIY Local Shop (previously It’s A Gift) and Euro Supermarket (previously Nat. West Bank)) known since WW1 as Gammons Square.

   The square was officially named Gammons Place. Unfortunately, only the tree remains, although a plaque is now at nearby St. James C of E Primary School (plaque photo courtesy of St. James School).

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