Casualties of the bombing of Dartmouth

CASUALTIES OF THE BOMBING OF DARTMOUTH

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Philip & Son - Noss Works in 2006

©Richard J. Brine

From "Dartmouth"

by Ray Freeman

"Philip & Son had, just before the war started, been working for the Admiralty on a ship, "Research", which was entirely non-magnetic. She was launched un April 1939 by Mrs. Harold Spencer Jones, wife of the Astronomer Royal, whose department was involved with the ship's projected work. On the outbreak of war all work on "Research" stopped and after the war she was scrapped. The shipyard instead turned over to Admiralty work for the war effort, and produced 230 steel and wood vessels, ranging from corvettes to wooden minesweepers. They also made air-sea rescue launches for the air force. Soon, the shipyard was as active as at any time in its history."

Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth

©Richard J. Brine

"The cadets continued their training at the Naval College. On September 18 1942, German planes bombed the harbour, hitting and sinking a lighter in mid-river, then dropping two bombs on the College and finally making a direct hit on Philip's works at Noss. Two men were killed in the lighter; the cadets were on leave but one of the W.R.N.S was killed at the college.

It was Philip's that suffered the worst. It was the middle of the day and a direct hit on the workshops sent lethal pieces of machinery and galvanised iron flying everywhere. 20 men and women were killed, and the wounded were ferried back to Dartmouth hospital with fearful injuries. The war work had to go on whatever happened and the General Manager later received the M.B.E. for his efforts which led to production being started again in 48 hours."

THE RAID ON PHILIP'S & SON'S NOSS WORKS - 18 SEPTEMBER 1942 Many of those who survived this raid suffered very severe wounds, including blinding and loss of limbs.
FREDERICK CLARENCE ADAMS	Civilian of 58 Victoria Road, Dartmouth. Son of Mr. W. H. Adams and husband of Kate Adams. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 22.
JOHN RICHARD ASH	Civilian member of the Home Guard. Son of Mrs. H. W. Ash of 3 Middle Street, Brixham. Injured 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works. Died the same day at Dartmouth and Kingswear Hospital aged 21.
DAVID BOTT	Civilian of 25 Crowther's Hill, Dartmouth. Son of George Bott, of Ranscombe Road, and of the late Elizabeth Ann Bott; husband of Vera Bott. Died at Philip's Noss Works aged 28.
JACK GEORGE CHARLES BUSTIN	Civilian of 25 Hill Park Terrace, Paignton .Husband of Gladys Bustin. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 52.
ROSIE ANNIE CRANG	Civilian of 4 Greens Court, Higher Street, Dartmouth. Daughter of William and Lily Crang, Injured at Noss Works 18 September 1942; died same day at Brixham Hospital aged 20.
THOMAS FARR	Civilian of 3 Britannia Avenue, Dartmouth. Son of the late John Farr. Born in Dartmouth in the June Quarter of 1884. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 58.
RICHARD FRANKLIN	Civilian Air Raid Warden of 183 Victoria Road, Dartmouth. Son of Lieut. G. and Mrs. Franklin, of Eversrey, Whitefield Road, New Milton, Hampshire; husband of Jennie Franklin. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 26.
LIONEL EDGAR HOLDEN	Civilian of 9 Ferndale Villas, Dartmouth. Husband of K. A. Holden. Born in the June Quarter of 1898. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 44.
WALTER LEWIS	Civilian of 182 Victoria Road, Dartmouth. Son of John Lewis of The Mount, Saron Row, Monmouth and husband of Jeanette Lewis. Injured 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works; died next day at Dartmouth and Kingswear Hospital aged 40.
GEORGE HERBERT FRANK LITTLE	Civilian - Fireman in the N.F.S - of 1 Agra Villas, Lower Road, Kingswear. Son of Frank Arthur Little and Eleanor Ruth Little. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 17.
HENRY JAMES LUCKHURST	Civilian of 3 Above Town, Dartmouth. Husband of Edith Emily Luckhurst ( née Swan) of Faversham. Born at Hollingbourne in the June Quarter of 1872. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 70.
JOHN MARTIN	Civilian of Preston Villa, Milton Street, Dartmouth. Husband of Edith Alice Martin. Born at Newton Abbot in the September Quarter of 1894. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 48.
ERNEST POOLE	Civilian of 15 Brown's Hill, Dartmouth. Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Poole, of Brimscombe, Stroud, Gloucestershire and husband of Edith S. F. Poole. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 51.
SYDNEY JAMES ALFRED POPE	Civilian - member of the Home Guard - of 41 Britannia Avenue, Dartmouth. Son of Alfred William and Emily Selina Pope. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 17.
HUBERT ERNEST WILLIAM PUTT	Civilian member of the Home Guard of 4 Grenville Close, Townstal. Son of Ernest and Florence Putt of Sandquay Road, Dartmouth and husband of Vera May Putt. Injured 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works and died the same day at Dartmouth and Kingswear Hospital aged 37.
EWART EDGAR TRANT	Civilian of Yew Tree Cottage, Manor Street, Dittisham. Son of John and Hilda Trant (née Hutchings); husband of May Trant. Born in Brixham in the September Quarter of 1915. Died 18 September 1942 aged 27.
NELLA EILEEN TREBILCOCK	Civilian of Lanarth, Indian Queens, Fraddon, Cornwall. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Osborne, of the same address; wife of William Cyril Trebilcock (H.M. Forces). Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 28.
SAMUEL JAMES VEALE	Civilian - member of the Home Guard - of 1 Crowther's Hill, Dartmouth. Son of Mr and Mrs W.F Veale. Injured 18 September 1942 at Noss Works and died the same day at Dartmouth and Kingswear Hospital aged 21.
FREDERICK THOMAS SKINNER VICKERY	Civilian of 5 Belgravia Terrace, Fore Street, Kingswear. Son of Mrs. F. K. Vickery, of 3 Curwoods Buildings, West Exe South, Tiverton; husband of Brenda W. Vickery. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 28.
HAZEL JOAN WEAVER	Civilian - member of the WVS. Daughter of Frederick William and Mary Roper of 153 Victoria Road, Dartmouth and wife of Pte. Thomas Weaver, The Gloucestershire Regiment. Died 18 September 1942 at Philip's Noss Works aged 20.

KILLED ON THE RIVER DART IN THE LIGHTER - 18 SEPTEMBER 1942
JOHN DAVID NORTHMORE (JOHN DAWE NORTHMORE?)	Civilian of 45 Britannia Avenue. Son of the late Simon and Susanna Northomore of Stoke Gabriel and widower of Jessie (née Rogers). Born at South Brent in the December Quarter of 1870. Died 18 September 1942 on the River Dart aged 70.
GEORGE EDWARD SAUNDERS	Civilian of 133 Victoria Road, Dartmouth. Son of A. K. Saunders of 25 Lake Street, Dartmouth. Born in Dartmouth in the March Quarter of 1899. Died 18 September 1942 on the River Dart aged 43.

KILLED ELSEWHERE IN DARTMOUTH - 18 SEPTEMBER 1942
JOHN HENRY HORNE	Civilian. Husband of Flora Mary Horne of 18 Brown's Hill, Dartmouth. Born in the September Quarter of 1888. Died 18 September 1942 in Dartmouth aged 60.
GEORGE FREDERICK PEDWELL	Civilian of 10 Broadstone, Dartmouth. Husband of Emma Pedwell. Born in Dartmouth in the December Quarter of 1883 and brought up by his aunt, Lucy Bellamy. Died 18 September 1942 at Dartmouth aged 60.

Higher Street Dartmouth in 2002

©Richard J. Brine

From "Dartmouth"

by Ray Freeman

"On Saturday 13 February, in mid-morning and with scarcely time to sound the alarm, one German aircraft swooped over the town. His first bomb hit Higher Street, just missing the primary school, but landing on a small shop and the Town Arms public house to the north of it. Two people were killed there. The second hit the Midland Bank, killing two more and a third hit the College.

The whole corner of Foss Street and Duke Street collapsed with the blast, including the old Tudor house and the Flavel Church Hall. The Butterwalk, badly shaken and windowless, leant over so badly that it was feared it too would fall down. Rescuers dug through the rubble for the living and the dead for 21 hours, until all hope of any more being found was gone. The toll of dead finally reached 14, all civilians and including women and children."

Foss Street in 2002

The properties on the right replaced those destroyed by the bomb blast

THE BOMBING OF THE HIGHER STREET AREA - 13 FEBRUARY 1943
MABEL ABRAHAMS	Civilian. Daughter of James and Emily Cottey of 4 St Michael's Terrace, Torquay and wife of Police Sergeant Alexander A. T. Abrahams of the Devon Constabulary, Strete. Born in Torquay in the September Quarter of 1906. Died 13 February 1943 at 20 Duke Street, Dartmouth aged 36.
DOROTHY IRENE ANDREWS	Civilian. Daughter of George and Alice Mary Andrew of Norton Cottages, Dartmouth. Died 13 February 1943 at 20 Duke Street, Dartmouth aged 22.
DAVID ASH	Child. Son of James Ash of 2 Higherside Flats, Higher Street, Dartmouth. died 13 February 1943 at Higher Street. aged 13
BARBARA JOAN BALL	Civilian of 20 Higher Street, Dartmouth. . First Aid post member and member of the WVS. Daughter of Tom and Mary Elizabeth Ball (see below). Died 13 February 1943 at 20 Higher Street aged 20.
MARY ELIZABETH BALL	Civilian of 20 Higher Street, Dartmouth. Wife of Tom Ball (née Dymond) and mother of Barbara Ball (see above). Born in the March Quarter of 1891. Injured at 20 Higher Street on 13 February 1943 and died the same day at Dartmouth and Kingswear Hospital aged 52.
JESSIE REBECCA CHAPMAN	Civilian and WVS member of Wadstray Cottage, Blackawton. Daughter of Henry and Amelia Hadyn of Bracknell, Berkshire and wife of Cecil John Chapman. Died at Howes' Shop in Duke Street 13 February 1943 aged 36.
HARRIET KATE COLES ("KATE")	Civilian and WVS member of 8 Higherside, Dartmouth. Wife of William Charles Coles (née Prout). Born in the March Quarter of 1882. Died at 8 Higherside on 13 February 1943 aged 61.
MARJORY LOUISE DODRIDGE	Civilian of 16 Duke Street, Dartmouth. Daughter of Mr and Mrs A. G. Hurley of 35 Crowther's Hill and wife of Frederick W. Dodridge. Died 13 February 1943 at 16 Duke Street aged 26.
CAROLINE AGNES GRANT	Civilian of 13 Higher Street, Dartmouth. Daughter of the late John Paisley and wife of John Grant. Died 13 February 1943 at 13 Higher Street aged 50.
FREDERICK DENNIS HEARD	Child of 5 Crowther's Hill, Dartmouth. Son of John Dennis Heard and Doris Evelyn Heard. Died 13 February 1943 at Eastman's Shop in Duke Street aged 2.
RONALD HOCKIN	Civilian Special Constable of 5 Kingston Estate, Dartmouth. Son of John Hockin of 6 Quay Road, St. Austell, Cornwall and husband of Mona Hockin. Died 13 February 1943 at the Midland Bank aged 37.
JOHN WILLIAM JOSEPH	Civilian member of the Home Guard of Old Rock, Bridge Road, Kingswear. Son of John A and Jean Joseph. Died 13 February 1943 at the Midland Bank, Dartmouth aged 17.
BEATRICE PLUMMER	Civilian of 20 Duke Street. Wife of George Plummer. Died 13 February 1943 at 20 Duke Street aged 48.
TREVOR LEWIS PLUMMER	Child of 20 Duke Street, Dartmouth. Son of George Plummer and Beatrice (see above). Died 13 February 1943 at 20 Duke Street aged 4.
ERNEST JAMES POOK	Civilian of 1 Fairfax Place, Dartmouth. Husband of Emma Pook. Born in the June Quarter of 1882 in Kingsbridge. Died 13 February 1943 at the Midland Bank in Duke Street aged 60.

Temporary repairs being made to the Butterwalk after the raid

Courtesy of Gerald Wasley

CASUALTIES OF OTHER "TIP AND RUN" RAIDS
HAROLD DAVEY	Civilian of 5 Board School Steps, Dartmouth. Son of the late James and Mary Ann Davey and husband of Marion Davey (née Wellilngton). Born in Plymouth in the March Quarter of 1884. Died 5 September 1943 at Board School Steps aged 59.
HENRY JOHN CHARLES HARFORD	Civilian, leading Fireman in the NFS. Son of Mr. and Mrs H. E. Harford of 11/15 High Street, Thornton Heath, Surrey. Died 26 July 1944 at Halwell Road, Dartmouth aged 33.
HARRY STANLEY WHITTAKER	Civilian Special Constable of Oldwalls, Slapton, Kingsbridge. Injured 9 October 1942, at Oldwalls, Slapton; died at Dartmouth Hospital aged 60.

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