Were there any unusual happenings on Breydon Water on the nights of July 11 and September 14 this year? Amongst the ghosts, spirits and other flighty phenomena in Charles Sampson's "Ghosts of the Broads," is an account of an eerie experience which befell friends of the author on 11 July 1929.

Breydon Water, Great Yarmouth.

They went for a fishing trip on Breydon Water on a "warm, balmy night with a clear sky" when suddenly they heard a loud noise coming towards them. To quote the narrator "It was the tumult of several thousand voices raised in exultation and although the night was still dark, it was illuminated by a strange phosphorescence."

The noise became louder and appeared to come from the direction of Caister. Then there appeared the "luminescent forms of scores of large sailing galleons crowded with soldiers and rowers."

The fishermen went on to say that the ships seemed to hold thousands of men who appeared to be "rejoicing, singing and shouting." The vessels carried brightly lit lanterns and on the "bellying sails were huge emblems of the sun."

This ghostly fleet vanished up the Waveney river in the direction of Burgh Castle, and we are told that "as the last ship followed on, so the luminescence of the sea closed in behind them leaving darkness in their wake."

The writer expressed the view that as the ships were Teutonic in type and appeared to be of the fifth of sixth centuries, they may have been those of some of the early invaders of this part of the coast. Two famous Saxon chiefs did actually arrive with their armies from over-seas, and that was in AD 447, and that Elle or Ella landed somewhere on the east coast at the same time as Cissa landed on the south coast.

Following this weird business, some investigation appears to have been made in Yarmouth, and some North Quay worthies were able to add fuel to the ghostly fire by relating how they had seen a furious battle on Breydon between a type of pirate ship and two smaller vessels "packed stiff with soldiers in steel helmets and armour on a dark night on September 14 two years before."

This Battle of Breydon is alleged to occur on the night of September 14 each year.

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