Hope Mountain
Last updated: 29 April 2008
Q: Shaun from Wrexham asks: "I am told that during World War II, Hope Mountain had beacons lit up on it, to make the German bombers think it was Liverpool and this mountain was bombed. Is this true?"
your comments
Abbie, Hope, Nr. Wrexham
My dad said he found a tail end of a Nazi bomb on Hope mountain. About the bombing of Hope mountain, I heard that from my grandad except he said they bombed it and locals kept it burning by bringing wood and stuff so they thought it hit Liverpool...
Mon Apr 28 09:36:47 2008
Ivor R Evans
I moved from the Liverpool area to a farm on Hope Mountain in 1949. I was 5 at the time. I can remember my step father saying that the mountain had been set on fire. I think he, with other farmers, acted as FireWardens for the mountain. It had also been bombed on more than 1 occasion, I believe, as I clearly recall 1 large crater on one of our fields and several smaller craters on the top of the mountatin in what is now the Country Park.For those who have never been on the top of the mountain it is about 1 or 2 mins flying time from DeHaviland's factory at Broughton and a similar time from John Summers steel works at Shotton and only some 3 or 4 mins from Liverpool and Birkenhead. In 'Fields of Deception' Llandegla is listed as a Civil 'Starfish' Site for Liverpool. However there is also listed a joint Army 'A' Series decoy site and a Civil 'C' series 'QF' site at Cilcain. This site was parented by Mold, it is possible that Hope Mountain could have been used as a southern decoy for Mold.
Tue Aug 21 10:39:17 2007
D.Ingham, Llandyrnog.
I lived in Pentre Broughton. One night a bomb was dropped under The Queens pub in the Green and we were evacuated to Black Lane School. My dad put his beer in the baby's pram. One night there was a bomb near the Steelworks where he worked and he was blown off the furnace platform. We did not know until a friend happened to remarks how lucky he had been, then he told us.
Wed Nov 22 08:11:46 2006
Martin Briscoe, Fort William
Minera is listed as a decoy site for RAF Wrexham in the book "Fields of Deception" published by English Heritage. The location is given as SJ255486. The decoys were carefully controlled and each one was there to decoy a particular target. There was a concrete control bunker which often survives.
Thu Mar 16 10:57:54 2006
Kev, Buckley
Denbigh Moors were lit up as if it was Liverpool. According to Buckley people that thought in WW2 seven planes crashed on Hope moutain, I think they could light up Hope mountain because it was too close to Wrexham and Chester. It's only a minute away in the sky.
Wed Nov 23 15:16:48 2005
Jacqueline Anne Win-Jones, Chirk, nr. Wrexham
My mother was living in Pentre, Whitehurst nr. Chirk at the time of the bombing. She heard German Planes making their way to Merseyside laden with bombs (she could tell the sound of laden planes because of the heavy drone they used to make). A bomb was dropped on Minera Mountain but unfortunately it hit a dwelling/house and a woman was killed. She believes the German Plane may have thought it had hit either Monsantos or Brymbo Steel Works. The irony is my father was serving with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers out in France and Germany at the time not thinking my mother and family were so near to the bombings. There was a landmine dropped near Oswestry which was heard from Pentre and a mother and daughter were killed, the other daughter lived in Chirk after the war.
Wed Aug 24 09:10:20 2005
Mike from Gwernymynydd
There were 2 bombs dropped near Plas y Bwl in Caergwrle which rattled windows and caused door knobs to drop off! I was always under the impression that 'Minera' mountain was where the beacons were lit.
Fri Nov 12 11:17:51 2004
