´óÏó´«Ã½

FIFTY YEARS ON
REMEMBERING THE LODGE TERRACE
INCIDENT OF 24TH MAY 1943

W. MILLER

PROLOGUE

THE LODGE TERRACE SHELTER INCIDENT

Because of the widespread damage caused by the early morning air raid on Sunderland, May 24th 1943 and also because of censorship regulations, a full list of those who perished or were injured has never been published.
Individual stories of quite amazing escapes by occupants who just walked or climbed out of the wreckage uninjured have never been told. Acts of courage and endurance have never been publicly related, such as Billy Ord and the men on firewatching duty, working tirelessly to release the dead and injured until joined by the Heavy Rescue Squad or Mrs. Mary Sweeting, Mrs. Adelaide Hutchinson and many others in the sections of the shelter most heavily damaged, being badly injured and trapped for hours until released by the Rescue Squads.
There are many individual stories that have not been told these fifty years. This is one survivor’s attempt to relate what happened in his experience, as fully as possible.

THE SUNDERLAND ECHO AND SHIPPING
GAZETTE, 24TH MAY 1943
HEAVY NORTH-EAST RAID

WIDESPREAD DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
"A North-East Coast Town was heavily raided by German planes early this morning, one of which was destroyed.
The raiders first dropped flares, then dived and dropped incendiaries and explosive bombs of various types. A good deal of damage was caused to business and house property, and some fires were caused. The casualties include people trapped in air-raid shelters."
"THE GERMANS SAY SUNDERI.AND"
German radio stated that the Luftwaffe last night made a heavy raid on Sunderland, causing large fires.
THE HIGH COMMAND COMMUNIQUE REPORTS:-
"Last night the Luftwaffe again attacked the shipbuilding town of Sunderland with strong forces. Large fires were started in the city and harbour area."
Behind the cold facts of the reports lay human tragedies that strongly affected survivors and relatives for years afterwards; and even today, fifty years after these momentous events, those involved have never forgotten that terrible night.
At the outbreak of war, Lodge Terrace, Hendon, was a quiet street of houses, located in the shadow of Glaholm and Robsons Rope Works. All except four of the houses were of a single storey construction - the backyards to the 'cottages' were very small, allowing no space to build shelters to protect residents from the impending storm - the Blitz.
When the night raids started, permission was granted for the residents of Lodge Terrace to use the underground shelters inside Glaholm and Robsons Rope Works, because the nearest public shelter was located under the Town Moor. These shelters were considered too far from Lodge Terrace to run to with children, some just babes in arms or toddlers, so a petition was raised to have a brick surface shelter built at the east end of the terrace of houses for the residents of the terrace. The only suitable space available big enough for this purpose was located at the side of the railway line that ran from the Docks to join up with the main coast line, just south of Sunderland Railway Station. The site chosen for the communal shelter was also adjacent to a railway bridge. Considering these features, plus the site for the shelter being relatively few yards from the railway marshalling area and the Docks, it was not only the sole available site, but in retrospect also one of the worst sites to build a public air-raid shelter.
The shelter when finished was of a very strong construction. Built of double and treble brick, with a reinforced concrete roof and floor, the roof being 8" or 10" thick. A thick blast wall ran along the south side of the shelter where the access doorways were located. The doorways were covered by a thick curtain material to keep the light in and the cold out. The shelter was divided into compartments and neighbours, relatives and friends would select a compartment to be together, always using the same compartment every night.
From the outside and no doubt from the air, this brick structure might look just like a command post or control building, perhaps for rail traffic. Given all these different factors, the scene was set for the disaster that struck the good people of Lodge Terrace at 3.05 am on Monday the 24th of May 1943.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
On that fateful morning, a quarter of a ton high explosive bomb dropped on the surface shelter in Lodge Terrace, Hendon, Sunderland during an intensive air raid. The bomb landed just outside the blast wall at the south-west corner of the shelter, causing devastating damage as it exploded, destroying the blast wall and completely demolishing the first two compartments of the shelter. The other compartments were badly damaged and the occupants killed, injured and trapped, although there were quite amazing escapes by some occupants.
The plane that dropped the bomb dived, and the roar of the engine was heard clearly as it pulled out of the dive and released the bomb. Contrary to popular belief, this bomb didn't whistle as it fell, but rather a "swoosh" of rushing air - then silence. No one I have spoken to who survived the bomb heard the explosion and the men on firewatching duties further up the street were totally unaware that the shelter had been hit until two young lads, who had escaped almost uninjured but suffering from shock, made their way from the ruins of the shelter and told them the terrible news. The men ran to the shelter. Mr. W Ord obtained tools from the coal landsale, and the rescue of the families trapped in the remains of the shelter began - it continued until the Heavy Rescue Squad arrived.
What I remember in the aftermath of the explosion was total silence. The noise of aircraft engines and the sound of anti-aircraft gunfire died away, and I was in the open air, the shelter roof and walls having collapsed. I became aware of someone moving nearby. It was Billy Hutchinson, who had somehow been thrown upwards by the explosion, and was on top of the heap of rubble and concrete that had been the shelter - only minutes before. We ascertained that we were both alright - no broken bones or major injuries, and were soon joined by Mary McArdle, now Mrs Clark, who got out from under the collapsed roof, in shock but otherwise unhurt. We sat trying to recover and expecting help to arrive any minute, but nothing happened.
We slowly became aware of muffled noises - people trapped, shouting for help. I saw a hand sticking up out of the wreckage, waving to attract attention. I grasped the hand to show that we were aware that someone was buried and shouted that help was on its way. I later learned that it was Mrs Sweeting signalling - she remained trapped for several hours before she was released. We decided that the best course of action would be for Mary (McArdle) to go to the Moor Shelter as the "ALL CLEAR" hadn't been sounded, and for Billy and I to inform the men firewatching further up the street, then take shelter ourselves.
Behind this description of these events fifty years ago, and the cold figures stated, lie factors that can only be imagined; courage, suffering, fortitude and endurance. The death toll was seventeen in all. Eight of those that died were under seventeen years of age, the youngest being Anne Huntley (our little Anne aged six). The injured numbered over forty, many of these being listed as seriously injured. A few occupants were slightly injured, and some had remarkable escapes from all injury, considering the circumstances.

That early morning of the 24th May 1943, local hospitals were overwhelmed by casualties, and some were sent to Chester-le-Street and other outlying hospitals for treatment. A total of fifty-one men, women and children were reported killed in Sunderland during that last raid of the war, plus an unknown number injured. Whole families were wiped out or decimated. The bomb that dropped on Bonnersfield, Monkwearmouth for example, killed Jean Humble (aged 2), Doris Humble (aged 4) and Millie Humble (aged 17). The Harris family in the Lodge Terrace incident were all casualties. Mrs.Mary Harris and Mr. John Harris, mother and father of the family were seriously injured as was their son Billy (aged 13) and their daughter Mary (aged 19). The other two members of the family, daughters Alice (aged 17) and Kathleen (aged 11) were both killed. In the same incident the Hall family were all casualties — Mrs. Susan Hall was killed, Mr. Frederick Hall and his three sons, Frederick junior (aged 17), James (aged 15), and John (aged 13) were seriously injured. Their home was completely destroyed.
Mrs. Adelaide Hutchinson, who was trapped and injured, lost two sons, killed that night: Alan (aged 15) my close friend and Ronnie (aged 13). Another son Joseph (aged 21) was killed in Greece in 1945 while serving in the Army. Billy (aged 17) was one of the two lads who escaped from the ruins of the shelter to inform the men firewatching in Lodge Terrace about the disaster. I was the other lad involved in conveying the terrible news.
The Thorne family lost their twin daughter Eva (aged 15), killed. All the rest were injured in varying degrees of severity - Mr. Robert Thorne, Greta and Louisa Thorne recovered fairly well, but Mrs. Thorne was left disabled for the rest of her life.
The O'Neil family lost their mother and father, Agnes and Francis, that night, while others in the family suffered injuries.
Apart from all the human suffering and the tragedy of loss of life, damage to property was extensive. Most of the cottages had windows blown out and ceilings down. Two houses were complete write-offs, and the community dispersed, some only for a few days, others to be permanently re-housed. A community had been 'shattered' forever, but not in spirit.

POSTSCRIPT
Lodge Terrace was a very neighbourly and close knit community - everyone knew those who died or were injured and people found it very hard to discuss the incident. The hurt was too great to talk about. It has not been my intention to open old and painful wounds, but to remember those who perished with affection, and to write this as a tribute and in memorium.
The 24th May 1943 and that final air raid of the Second World War on the town of Sunderland will never be forgotten. The survivors of the Lodge Terrace incident, their families and friends will remember and honour the victims for as long as they live.

APPENDIX 1

ROLL OF HONOUR
LODGE TERRACE COMMUNAL AIR RAID SHELTER
MAY 24th 1943

DIED
Alice Harris, 17 years
Kathleen Harris, 11 years
Ronald McArdle, 11 years
Anne Huntley, 6 years
Annie Gisby, 63 years
David P Lorenson, 66 years
George Forster, 50 years
Hannah Warde, 67 years
Robert Scott, 61 years
Margaret Alice Foster, 40 years
Eva Thorne, 15 years
Alan Hutchinson, 15 years
Ronald Hutchinson, 13 years
Catherine A.M. Telfer, 12 years
Agnes O'Neill, 56 years
Francis O'Neill, 60 years
Susan Hall, 43 years

APPENDIX 2

INJURED IN THE LODGE TERRACE INCIDENT.
FROM WARDENS REPORT - AIR RAID CASUALTIES BOOK.
DATE 24th MAY 1943

COWAN TERRACE FIRST AID POST
Wm Hutchinson, 17 Years, 18 Lodge Terrace

ROYAL INFIRMARY FIRST AID POST - SLIGHTLY INJURED
Greta Thorne, 15 years, 4 Lodge Terrace
Charles Ray,Lodge Terrace

ROYAL INFIRMARY - SERIOUSLY INJURED
Wm Chalk, 16 years, 24 Lodge Terrace
Margaret Foster, 14 years, 13 Lodge Terrace
Adelaide Hutchinson, 42 years, 18 Lodge Terrace
David Lorenson, 22 years, 9 Lodge Terrace
Gordon Lorenson, 13 years, 9 Lodge Terrace
Gertrude Lorenson, 55 years, 9 Lodge Terrace
Frederick McArdle, 52 years, 7 Lodge Terrace
M. Agnes O'Neill, 20 years, 10 Lodge Terrace
John Pepper, 17 years, 26 Lodge Terrace
Anne Scott, 56 years, 8 Lodge Terrace
Mary Sweeting, 47 years, 23 Lodge Terrace
Wm Hutchinson,43 years, 15 Lodge Terrace
Mary Copeland, 15 years, 19 Lodge Terrace
Olive Copeland, 13 years, 19 Lodge Terrace
Margeret Gettings, 52 years, 3 Lodge Terrace
John Hall, 13 years, 17 Lodge Terrace
Frederick Hall Jnr, 17 years, 17 Lodge Terrace
William Harris, 13 years, 1 North East Terrace
John B Harris, 1 North East Terace
Mary Harris, 19 years, 1 North East Terrace
Lydia Heslam, 6 years, 22 Lodge Terrace
Richard Huntley, 7 years, 25 Lodge Terrace

MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL - SERIOUSLY INJURED
Anne Miller, 58 years, 25 Lodge Terrace
Jane McArdle, 49 years, 7 Lodge Terrace
Mary Pallas, 53 years, 18 Lodge Terrace
Florence Pepper, 38 years, 26 Lodge Terrace
Jennie Telfer, 30 years, 20 Lodge Terrace
Louisa Thorne, 52 years, 4 Lodge Terrace
James Hall, 15 years, 17 Lodge Terrace
Robert Wm Thorne, 50 years, 4 Lodge Terrace

MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL - OUTPATIENTS DEPARTMENT
Isabella Huntley, 36 years, 25 Lodge Terrace
Louisa Thorne, 17 years, 4 Lodge Terrace

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.