大象传媒

The first bombs to be dropped on Gillingham, Kent 2nd world war

My story begins on the 17th July 1940 working I Chatham dockyard as a sign writer, I was writing the numbers and letters on the bridge of the 鈥淎jax鈥� that had just arrived from the 鈥渞iver plate鈥� for repairs. A petty officer from the 鈥淎jax鈥�, named Bill Taylor, whom I knew from my old scouting days at the 46th Medway Camden road troup, appeared we had not seen each other since school days. We arranged to have an evening out. So that evening we went to the regent picture palace in Chatham and afterwards for a drink, then onto my house at 116 Napier road, Gillingham. (My wife, son and daughter, Ron age 3 and Deanna age 2 months had been evacuated to friends at St. Albans as a precaution against the raids in the south east and London). Bill and I spent the rest of the evening looking at photographs and chatting over old times. I was very proud of my house which I had owned for three years and during this time I had decorated throughout. After an enjoyable evening Bill went back to his ship and I returned to West Street where I was staying at my mother-in-laws.

At about 2 a.m the siren went, warning of an air raid, as a part-time fireman I had to attend mill road fire station to meet the fire-engine which was then deployed to old Brompton. After the 鈥渁ll clear鈥� we returned from Brompton at approx. 3.30 a.m. We had heard that some bombs had been dropped but I went to work at 7.30 a.m on the same 18th July 1940 at 9.30a.m. I had a message to go to the Pembroke gate where I was me by my brother-in-law who told me that my house in Napier had been bombed.
We both cycled to Napier road to see the damage. A policeman was at the front door and refused t let me in as I had no identification me as I had come straight from working my overalls.
After some persuasion he let us in. We found the back of the house had been destroyed.

A single plane had dropped 6 bombs

One on a bungalow in Gillingham road opposite Copenhagen road where an old couple named Mr. and Mrs. Hill lived, they were killed.
One between Gillingham road and Nelson road
One on the shop in the alley between Nelson road and Napier road.
And one between there and the Napier road school
One on Napier road school
And then on my house.
People came from miles around to see the bomb damage, even then looters were caught in the damaged properties and numerous things went missing.

Mr. Ron Cox

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