Night’s Heavy Blitz – April 1941 This report describes the aftermath of a heavy night of bombing on the town of Bromley in Kent on 16th April 1941. Due to government censorship of newspapers at the time, no exact location is given, other than a South-East residential location, but we now know this location to be Bromley, St Peter’s and St Pauls’ as the parish church which was destroyed, and the furniture depository being Dunn’s of Bromley which was located on Market Square. Heavy Bombs and Incendiaries in a residential…
Tag: bombing
RAF “Presents” for Hitler
By the mid end of the Second War World, Britain began using larger ‘giant’ bombs against the enemy. They were nicknamed the ‘blockbuster bomb’ by the press and referred to a bomb which had enough explosive power to destroy an entire street or large building through the effects of blast in conjunction with incendiary bombs. By informing the reader of the weapons being used upon the Germans during the Second World War, was this a form of propaganda to scare the enemy? This small feature appeared in the local newspaper in May 1943,…
Residential Areas Suffer, 1941
Night Raiders bring tragedy to families Some places attacked second time Daylight Air Battles: Ten Enemy Machines Down in One Fight Continuing their nightly raids on this country, German raiders have again dropped bombs on towns and villages in South-East England. Residential areas, far from military objectives, have suffered badly, many houses and cottages bring wrecked. The bombers have brought tragedy to several homes in the area, but it is remarkable how few fatal casualties there have been in view of the extent of the material damage. In daylight raids…
Bombed Railway Line fixed within Hours!
During WW2 the railway system in Britain was used heavily, and so it was of vital importance to keep the lines running effectively. The four main railway companies’ managements joined together, effectively becoming one company; London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), Great Western Railway (GWR), London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and Southern Railway (SR). The railways system suffered greatly from the bombing by German Luftwaffe, especially around cities such as London and Coventry. These ‘before’ and ‘after’ images show the efficiency of the British railway companies in fixing lines that…
Hitler will Never Defeat our Spirit
This wonderful article, published in the local newspaper, shows that even business rivals were determined to carry on no matter what the enemy throw at them during the severe bombing of England in World War 2. It is this spirit of determination to carry on that Hitler will never defeat. Good Will Among Rivals Sir Waldron Smithers, Member for the Chislehurst Division, writes to The Times : Sir – I have received a letter from a young Naval officer from which I send you an extract :- “My father…
The realities of life during a WW2 air raid
Reports in local newspaper gave a harrowing account of what life was like during the height of the air raids attacks by the German during the Battle of Britain. Whilst it became the norm to take shelter whilst a battle took place high in the sky above, imagine what it must of felt like not knowing what horrors lie outside. Stories of both immense tragedy and sheer heroism filled the newspapers. This example was published in the local newspaper in October 1940. Four Killed in Shelter Woman Buried, but Rescued…
Tragic Result of S.E. Suburb Bombing
Three Children Killed Tragic result of S.E. Suburb Bombing Sheltering in Dug-out Three children were killed when bombs were dropped prolifically on two parts of a South-East suburb on Tuesday night. They were sheltering in dug-outs. One of the victims was Joan Wooton*, daughter of an auxiliary fireman. Her mother was also injured and was taken to hospital. A high explosive bomb dropped between two shelters. Another high explosive bomb completely destroyed the homes of Mr A.E. Jeffreys, Mr G. M. Knowles and Mr G.B. Willis. Adjoining houses were badly…
Father And Daughter Killed
Mother had gone to Hospital Seven Bombs on S.E. Area Wife Killed: Husband and son injured Tragedy came to two houses in a South-East residential area on Tuesday morning when an enemy plane came from behind a dark cloud and dropped seven bombs. Several dropped at a road junction and in a garden, making wide craters, and three on or near houses in three different roads. A father and his daughter were killed and another daughter gravely injured. In another house a women was killed, but her husband injured and…
Newsagents continue despite bombs falling
This local newsagent, and his wife, continue working despite the falling bombs in the September attacks over Kent and London. I wonder who they were? If you have any news on the; if they appear in your family tree, then I’d love to hear from you.
Air Raid Damage: SE London and Kent
Some pictures of the damaged caused by bombing one weekend in SE London and Kent. Most people were in their shelters, and in one case five people escaped injury when their house collapsed on top of them. They were under the stairs. Workmen were soon at work in another area filling up a huge bomb crater in the road. Several Council houses were damaged in a village, but the Anderson shelters once more proved their value, and there were no causalities. Reported in the Bromley & District Times, September 1940