the online A-Z of Southampton's history.
Houses damaged in the air raid of 21-22 June 1942
on "a South Coast Town"
(Southern Daily Echo 24 June 1942)
Houses damaged in the air raid of 21-22 June 1942
on "a South Coast Town"
(Southern Daily Echo 24 June 1942)×
EIGHTY YEARS AGO
Remembering Southampton's war day by day
Sunday 21 June and Monday 22 June 1942
“During the shortest night of the year neighbouring towns [Southampton and Eastleigh] in a southern area had their longest and sharpest raid for many months.” (Southern Daily Echo Monday 22 June 1942) “Both towns were lit up by flares … Showers of incendiaries were dropped while the flares were falling, but most of the fires they started were put out by Civil Defence workers, ably assisted by street fire guards.”
13 year old Pamela Bunn, was trapped when a reinforced concrete shelter collapsed when a large bomb fell at the bottom of their garden in Saxholm Way. Pinned down by debris and an iron bunk she chatted and sang “The White Cliffs of Dover” and “The Band Played On” while the rescue workers pulled the shelter to pieces and lifted the blocks away. Shocked, but unhurt, Pamela was taken to a neighbour’s house, and the rescue squad continued their work. Sadly, although her Aunt was brought out alive, her mother Violet Constance Bunn did not survive. Pamela’s father, James Bunn, received head injuries.
Major R Ross-White of 37 Burlington Road, was taking shelter under an earth bank when a bomb fell. One of his daughters told the Echo reporter that her father would not use a shelter as he had been buried “as a result of a shell burst” in the last war. He suffered an injury to his hip.
These are the other casualties that night:
At 8 Richmond Gardens, Portswood
Walter Charles Frederick Webb, His wife Dora Gertrude, and their two-year-old daughter Janet
At 9 Richmond Gardens, Portswood
Ernest Sydney Frank Wright, his wife Doris May, and their four-year old daughter Stella Elizabeth
The Wrights and the Webbs were in the same shelter, which had an almost direct hit.
At 11 Richmond Gardens, Portswood
When Peggy Montgomery left her parents Thomas Mongomery, and his wife Harriet at the back of the house to go to the front door a bomb brought the house to the ground. Peggy went to hospital suffering from shock and other injuries, but her parents and her sister Dorothy Mary did not survive.
Nearby, at 8 Donnington Grove
Home Guard Victor Oliver and his wife Winifred Betty “who were married only a short time ago” (Southern Daily Echo 22 June 1942)
At 5 University Road
Air Raid Warden Robert Stanley Sedgman who lived at 22 Hilldown Road. A bomb fell close to the spot where he was patrolling. The following day, the Echo reported that he had been a director of Herbert Ferryman Ltd, wholesale chemists for seven years. He left a wife and three young daughters. Mr Sedgmen had been an enthusiastic first aider and Air Raid warden, and had just joined one of the new Home Guard anti-aircraft units.
Acrross the river in Bitterne Park and Midanbury:
At Bitterne Brewery:
William James Sly , the landlord of 34 years. His mother had held the licence before him.
At 42 High View Way
Sarah Ann Welsh
At 44 High View Way, Midanbury
Evelyn Edna Welsh, her husband John Henry Charlton
At 235 Vale Drive, Midanbury
Mary Notton, her husnad Walter William and their four year old son Michael
At 236A Vale Drive
Grace Evelyn May Page
At 238 Vale Drive
Gwendoline Vera Hatcher
At 7 River View Road
Ralph Fenton Bulled, of 91 Manor Farm Road
Injured at 9 River View Road
Eight year old Anthony John Blake who died the same day in the Royal South Hants Hospital
At 15 Bullar Road
Home Guard Arthur Henry Paine
At 89 Chesil Avenue
Eight-year old Fay Lily Martin
At 130 Dean Road
Ada Adelaide Wiltshire
At 128 Dean Road
Alfred Richard Wells
At 134 Dean Road
Edith Standen and her husband Frederick Charles
ARP post, 3 Merry Oak
Air Raid Warden Edward Archibald Frank Newman Mr Newman had taken cover in a slit trench he had dug himself outside the post, but was hit in the back by an incendiary, which killed him. He was a full-time warden from the beginning of the war, highly thought of by his colleagues and superiors. (Southern Daily Echo 23 June 1942, p 5)
His daughter, Mary Newman, had been awarded the George Medal 22 February 1941 (see 23 November 1940 “Nurse Mary Sible Joyce Newman who worked at the Hollybrook Homes, was visiting her parents at 70 Magnolia Road, Merry Oak, when bombs fell on 17 and 19 Cypress Avenue, opposite, on the corner with Magnolia Road. At no 17, Ernest Hatch was blown out of the front door, and his son Albert was trapped in the building, hanging upside down by his ankles. Nurse Newman tended to Ernest’s injuries, and then, when Albert was discovered by the rescue party “in an extremely excitable condition … in spite of debris falling all around, and escaping gas … went into the hole … and comforted and quietened [him]” (Civilian Gallantry Awards Case 495) When he was at last freed, she treated him for shock with hot water bottles and coffee until an ambulance arrived to take him to hospital.”)
Injured at 15 Temple Gardens, Woolston
William Gordon Rollett, who died the same day at the Royal South Hants Hospital.
Injured at 23 Ashby Road, Maybush
Millicent Jane Marshall, who died at the Borough Hospital
Thursday 25 June 1942
Arthur Ernest Johnson died at the Borough Hospital from injuries received 21 June at 6 Donnington Grove.
Monday 29 June 1942
May Georgina Evelyn Humphrey died in the Royal South Hants Hospital from injuries received 21 June at 40 High View Way.
Wednesday 1 July 1942
Doris Gwendoline Martin died in the Royal South Hants Hospital of injuries received 21 June at 89 Chesil Avenue. Her eight year old daughter Fay had been killed in the raid.
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Sotonopedia last updated 30 June 2022
