Plaque honours bomb dead

A SURVIVOR of the Abbeyhills Road bomb said she had realised a lifelong ambition by unveiling a memorial plaque on the tragedy’s 70th anniversary.

Doreen Highland hosted an unveiling ceremony at 145 Abbeyhills Road to honour the memory of the 27 people who lost their lives on Christmas Eve, 1944.

During the early hours, a German V1 — known as a doodlebug — slammed into a row of houses on Abbeyhills Road destroying a number of homes.

The deadly incident, one of the last V1 attacks of the Second World War, claimed the lives of 27 people and seriously injured another 49.

It is believed the original target of the raid was Manchester but the doodlebug had fallen short after running out of fuel.

Doreen, who now lives in Wales, lost a number of her family and friends in the attack and emotions ran high as she shared her recollections.

She said: “Every single day since that bomb went off, I have asked myself why all my friends were killed and I wasn’t. It’s something I think about all the time, they were wonderful people.

“My mum told me the best way to honour them was to live my life in the best way I can every day so that is what I’ve tried to do. It’s really upsetting to think about the lives they would have had, the children they would have had and the grandchildren.

“It’s absolutely wonderful that there will now be a permanent memorial to the tragedy at the house where I used to live. I feel like I have realised a lifelong ambition for me and my family by unveiling this.

“I may have moved to Wales but I always have been and I always will be an Oldham girl at heart.”

Councillor Jean Stretton, Cabinet member for town centres, culture and tourism, said: “Although this tragic event was 70 years ago I’m sure the memories of what happened that day are still with a lot of older residents even to this day.”