Casualties of the bombing of Kingsbridge & Dodbrook

CASUALTIES OF THE BOMBING OF KINGSBRIDGE & DODBROOKE

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A visitor to Kingsbridge today could well be amazed that this place would ever present a strategic military target to an enemy. In the middle years of the second world war it would have appeared just as peaceful as it does today on the ground but sharp-eyed German pilots flying above could see more. Preparations were being made throughout the South Hams, both by the British and their American allies, for the D-day landings which ultimately would bring about the end of that war and in spite of every care being taken to guard the secrecy of these preparations, from the air, there was always the chance of spotting something out of place in this otherwise rural landscape.

The raiders did not necessarily come to bomb targets in the South Hams but often, fighter bombers flying back home after major air raids in other parts of Devon, kept a few bombs back for what local people called "tip and run" raids, the purpose of which was to spread the fear of bombing to remote areas to heighten the message that there was no hiding place from the Luftwaffe.

Kingsbridge wasn't alone - there was bombing at Salcombe, Torcross, Kellaton, Middlecombe, Beesands and Aveton Gifford to mention just a few of the South Hams targets.

61 Fore Street in Kingsbridge was the local branch of Eastmans the Butchers. As the raid began, the staff took shelter in their walk-in freezer but the premises next door (No.63) received a direct hit which fractured the gas main, gassing the Eastmans employees sheltering in the freezer before they could escape.

Civilian names appear on the Kingsbridge Second World War Memorial but not all the names below are included.

The civilian War Memorial at Kingsbridge

MARGARET BLAKE	Information kindly supplied by family members Simon Blake and Michael Robbins. Civilian. Margaret Blake was the daughter of Mr & Mrs James Blake of Wallingford Road,Kingsbridge. Margaret worked as a cashier at Eastman,s the Butchers,Kingsbridge. Margaret Blake had been to the bank in Kingsbridge that day and had returned to Eastman's , when the bomb was dropped. She was seriously injured and admitted to Kingsbridge Cottage Hospitaland then transferred to Basingstoke for specialist treatment Sadly she died there 16 January 1943 as a result of her injuries."
ALFRED PERCY FORD	Civilian. Special Constable. Alfred Percy Ford of 63 Fore Street, Kingsbridge. Son of Mrs. J. P Ford of 104 Fore Street and husband of H. E. Ford. Born in the September Quarter of 1899. Died at 63 Fore Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 43.
BRIAN EDWARD FORD	Child. Brian Edward Ford of 63 Fore Street, Kingsbridge. Son of H. E. Ford and Alfred Percy Ford (see above). Died at 63 Fore Street. Kingsbridge on 2 Jan 1943 aged 7.
IVY MAY FORD	Civilian. Ivy May Ford of 40 Church Street, DODBROOKE. Daughter of the late John Henry and Emma Blight Ford. Died at 63 Fore Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 43.
JACK LIDSTONE FORD	Child. Jack Lidstone Ford of 63 Fore Street, Kingsbridge. Son of H. E. and Alfred Percy Ford (see above). Died at 63 Fore Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 14.
JOHN CLEMENTS GILLARD	Civilian. John Clements Gillard of 9 Leigham Terrace, Kingsbridge. Son of Frances Ann Pile Gillard and the late Albert Edwin Gillard. Injured 3 Jan 1943 at Fosse Road, Kingsbridge; died of his injuries 28 Jan 1943 at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Plymouth aged 40.
EILEEN GRIFFIN	Civilian. Eileen Griffin of 22 Church Street, Kingsbridge. Daughter of John William and Florence Ann Griffin. Died at 63 Fore Street, Kingsbridge on 2 Jan 1943 aged 22.
ALMA DOREEN MARY LANE	Civilian. Alma Doreen Mary Lane of Bowden Farm. Daughter of William Henry Bullen MM and Lilian Matilda Sophia Bullen; wife of Bombadier Thomas Victor Lane of the Royal Artillery who was killed in the same incident (see below). Injured 16 Feb 1943 at Bowden Farm; died at Kingsbridge Hospital 25 Feb 1943 aged 21.
THOMAS VICTOR LANE	Bombadier Thomas Victor Lane of the 6th Battalion, The Welch Regiment, the Searchlight Regiment. Son of Charles Victor and Florence Lane of Roath, Cardiff and husband of Alma Lane (see above). Died of injuries received at Bowden Farm while home on leave, on 16 Feb 1943 aged 30.
GWENDOLINE AGNES LETHBRIDGE	Civilian. Member of the W.V.S. Gwendoline Agnes Lethbridge of Fore Street, Kingsbridge. Daughter of Mrs. A Davis of Chapel Hill, Aveton Gifford and wife of Leslie Thomas Lethbridge. Died at 63 Fore Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 32.
FRANK LEWIS	Civilian. Frank Lewis of 7 Duke Street, Kingsbridge. Son of William Thomas Lewis and Ann Lewis of 102 Union Street, East Stonehouse, Plymouth and husband of Mary Lewis (see below). Born in 1886. Died at 7 Duke Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 56. Frank Lewis was a watch & clock maker at this address.
MARY LEWIS	Civilian. Mary Lewis of 7 Duke Street, Kingsbridge. Daughter of John Rundle Brown and Rebecca Brown of Athenaeum Place, DODBROOKEe and wife of Frank Lewis (see above). Died at 7 Duke Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 59.
EMMA MARY LUSCOMBE	Civilian. Emma Mary Lusconbe of Fore Street, Kingsbridge. Daughter of John Thomas Luscombe and the late Mary Luscombe of 76B Fore Street. Born in the June Quarter of 1882. Died at 63 Fore Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 60.
HAROLD LESLIE MARSHALL	Civilian. Member of the Home Guard. Harold Leslie Marshall of 11 Headland Place, Kingsbridge. Son of Mrs. C. Marshall of 7 Rock Park Crescent, Kingsbridge and of the late G. Marshall; husband of Doris Muriel Marshall. Born in the December Quarter of 1904. Injured 16 Feb 1943 at 11 Headland Place; died at South Hams Cottage Hospital Kingsbridge 17 Feb 1943 aged 39.
KENNETH WILLIAM JOHN MINNEY	Child. Kenneth William John Minney of 6 Church Street, Salcombe. Son of Gunner Charles William Minney of the Royal Artillery and of E. A. Minney. Injured at Salcombe 9 Sep 1942; died the same day at South Hams Cottage Hospital aged 11 months.
ELSIE BLANCHE MOORE	Civilian. Elsie Blanche Moore of 61 Fore Street, Kingsbridge. Daughter of Sydney Moore and of the late Blanche Moore. Born in the December Quarter of 1906. Died at 61 Fore Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 37.
FREDERICK WILLIAM NEWELL	Civilian. Frederick William Newell of Higher Longclose, Goveton, Kingsbridge. Husband of Olive Newell. Born in London in 1889. Died at Eastern Backway, Kingsbridge on 16 February 1943 aged 55.
HELENA FLORENCE MARY PECK	Civilian. Helena Florence Mary Peck of 25 Church Street, DODBROOKEe. Daughter of Henry Lamble of Dunstan, Chillington and the late Ellen Peck; widow of Robert Peck. Died at 61 Fore Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 30. Robert Peck had been Chief Stoker on HMS Repulse. He died, aged 33.when the ship was sunk on 10 December 1941
MARY JANE SMITH	Civilian. Mary Jane Smith of 23B Fore Street, Kingsbridge. Daughter of John Smith. Died at 23B Fore Street on 2 Jan 1943 aged 77.
DAVID JOHN WESLEY STANDFAST	Child. David John Wesley Standfast of 7 Prawle Point, Chivelstone. Son of Montague John Wesley Standfast R. N. Injured at Kingsbridge on 2 Jan 1943; died the same day at South Hams Cottage Hospital aged 10.
FRANCES LILIAN STEER	Civilian. Frances Lilian Steer of 12 Headland Place, Fore Street, Kingsbridge. Wife of William Arthur Steer. Died at 12 Headland Place on 16 Feb 1943 aged 61.

Kingsbridge at war

Courtesy of the Cookworthy Museum