There are stories along the East Anglian coast that have never quite settled – rumours passed through generations, fragments of memory, and questions that refuse to fade.
Enduring enigma
A ‘new to Norfolk’ documentary film Fire Over Shingle Street (Director: Tim Curtis, 2025) brings one of the region’s most enduring wartime mysteries into focus. It revisits unexplained reports from the Second World War that have lingered for decades, based on rumours of a foiled German invasion, burning seas and bodies on the beach.
What really happened on that remote stretch of Suffolk shoreline – and why do the rumours still persist?
Perhaps nothing happened at all, and that absence of evidence explains the silence. Yet across East Anglia, many remain convinced otherwise, holding onto accounts passed down to them from their parents and grandparents who lived through the war – stories that still demand attention.
‘Bodies on the beach’
Years ago, Suffolk-based film maker Tim Curtis read James Hayward’s book Bodies on the Beach and was intrigued by the Shingle Street story: so many strange, reported happenings, but no verified accounts. When he talked to people about it, many different stories were revealed. People were either 100% convinced something happened, or 100% convinced nothing did.
The story is backed by decades of research from author James Hayward and former lecturer Ron Clayton. It also features former East Anglian Daily Times reporter Henry Creagh who recounts a 1992 call from a source claiming to have seen secret MOD files. These files described a deadly ‘friendly fire’ incident on the Suffolk coast.
Blending historical research with atmosphere and intrigue, Fire Over Shingle Street offers a rare chance to confront a mystery that has long intrigued the region. Whether drawn by history, suspense, or a deep connection to East Anglia, audiences are invited to rediscover a story that all these years later, still offers no easy answers.
First screening outside Suffolk
There will be a screening on 27 May at 6pm at Cinema City, St Andrews St, Norwich NR2 4AD, after which you are invited to join filmmaker Tim Curtis and investigative journalist James Hayward for a live Q&A.
This is an opportunity to be part of the conversation and perhaps share memories that could help shed new light on this enduring tale.
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