Bomb crater

NE02728

Bomb crater

13th Nov 1939

Postcard of bomb crater from the first enemy attack on Shetland on 13th November 1939. Person in crater is John W.L.Halcrow, brother-in-law to the photographer, who was working for Ganson Bros., and the car in the background is PS 1089, a taxi.
The first German plane spotted over Shetland was on 27th October 1939. It was in Sullom, Delting, that the first German bomb dropped on British soil landed 13th November. The bombs had been trying to hit flying boats that were sheltering in the voe. It was claimed that the only damage the bombs had done was to kill a rabbit. The event made headline news across Britain and a photograph was taken of a man holding two dead rabbits at the site of the crater. The rabbits came from a butcher shop in Lerwick. The story popularised the song Run, Rabbit, Run, which was seen as a skit on the ineffectiveness of the German air force (Luftwaffe).
Run Rabbit Run was first performed in the George Black Revue 'The Little Dog Laughed' which opened at the London Palladium on 11th October 1939, at a time when most of the major London theatres were closed. Performed by Flanagan and Allen, written by Noel Gay and Ralph Butler.

Run Rabbit Run was first performed in the George Black Revue 'The Little Dog Laughed' which opened at the London Palladium on 11th October 1939, at a time when most of the major London theatres was closed. Performed by Flanagan and Allen, written by Noel Gay and Ralph Butler.

Public

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