Zeppelin raid on Westcliff On Sea

[24463988]

A friend of mine is currently researching former boys and masters of Southend High School who died in the war. By coincidence he discovered that one casualty had originally lived in my street in Westcliff and his parents had moved away for them to be safer. Alas, recruitment and death spoiled their ideal.

I am interested to find out about Zep raids on my area, specifically property damaged - because it may include my house. I presume the raid was in 1915 with the major damage centred on Crowstone Rd, Westcliff. Can anyone help?

Last year a colleague of mine at work caused a rumpus when he discovered what he thought was a WW2 UXB in his garden in Walthamstow. The army came to have a look and excavated the nose cone of a bomb dropped by a Zeppelin. The property had been damaged during a raid in 1915. What a find! He was planning to flog it on ebay the last time we discussed it. I was hoping he'd let me have it...some chance!

[Jim_Grundy]

Southend was raided a number of times, twice by Zeppelins on 10th & 26th May 1915 and once by Gothas on 12th August 1917.

Thomas Fegan's book, "The Baby Killers. German Air Raids on Britain in the First World War" gives details of the areas affected for the first raid on 10th May 1915.

Zeppelin LZ38 dropped more than a hundred bombs, causing damage in the following areas (this appears to be where the bulk of bombs fell rather than a full listing of where the bombs fell):

Ashburnham Road;

York Road East;

Ambleside Drive;

Victoria Avenue;

Richmond Avenue;

Baxter Avenue;

Toledo Road;

Royal Terrace;

Prittlewell Square;

Essex Street;

Scratton Road;

St Vincent's Road;

St John's Road;

Coleman Street;

Clifton Mews;

Grange Gardens;

Princes Street;

(behind) London Road;

(back of) Cambridge Road;

Tudor Road;

Westborough School playground;

West Road;

(rear of) Harcourt Avenue; and

Flaxman's Timber Yard, Southchurch Road, which was burnt out.

One elderly lady was killed, Mrs Agnes Frances Whitwell, in 120 North Road. Apparently, 'The Southend Standard' published a detailed supplement about the raid the following week.

No details of where the bombs fell during the raid later in May 1915 are given. Seventy bombs were dropped by LZ38, killing three and wounding another three people.

The Gotha raid killed more than 30 people, mainly on the coastal strip, with most of the casualties being caused by the bombs dropped on Victoria Avenue (it was believed that the target was the railway station) and Milton Street and Guildford Road.

Hope this is of interest.

Jim

[stiletto_33853]

Both the Zeppelin raids on Southend in May 1915 were conducted by the same Zeppelin (LZ.38) whilst the Zeppelins were trying to find their way to London. In the first raid on 10th May most of the damage (as Jim points out) was in the central Southend - Prittlewell-Westcliff area (with one of the bombs landing in my neighbours back garden - Harcourt Avenue).

If you need a hand with some of the buildings damaged let me know as I have the "Air Raid Supplements" from both the Southend Standard and the Westcliff Graphic which created a storm in Parliament because of the details of the damage and casualties suffered by these raids.

There are a number of newspaper photographs in these supplements which could assist you, and, is an area that has interested me for some time being local. If you live in Crowstone Road I am quite happy to meet you and let you see what I have on the Zeppelin and Gotha Raids in the area.

By the way, Southend High School was my old School so I would be interested to know what your friend has uncovered about the ex masters and pupils.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

Air Defence Reports for the 10th May raid

[stiletto_33853]

air defence 10/5/1915

[stiletto_33853]

GHQ report

[stiletto_33853]

GHQ

[stiletto_33853]

The Gotha Raid of August 1917 killed numerous people, however not on the coastal strip as previously stated. 10 men, 13 women and 9 children were killed in this raid, mainly in Southend Victoria Station area and along Victoria Avenue.

The Southend, Leigh and Westcliff Graphic reported the following on August 17th, 1917:-

"The greatest number were killed by a bomb which fell on the path in Victoria Avenue. The path on the opposite side was thronged with holiday makers, some of whom were on their way to the railway station, while others were church goers and a number were making puchases at a newsagents shop and an adjoining restaurant. Two of the victims were blown through the doorway of an empty shop, a boy was killed, and four brothers and sisters were injured. One of the first on the scene was Alderman Martin, of Southend who had motored from Rochford while the firing from the guns and the bomb dropping were in progress. He came upon a heap of torn and mangled humanity, 20 people in all being involved."

Andy

[24463988]

Thanks Andy and Jim.

I don't actually live in Crowstone Rd.

The Southend High School project is a job of visiting graves and memorials at the moment and is something I only help with. It is probably going to be part of something more significant as far as the school goes, but that is outside my remit. If you look out for posts by new member John Baker on here, it is better that he fills you in as this is his baby.

[KevinBattle]

The facade of the Southend Municipal College in London Road (now a row of shops and Cinema) bore many shrapnel marks until demolished for redevelopment. I'm sure you have already exhausted Southend Library's records but there was quite a lot of material describing the raids with some photographs. From the reports of where the bombs fell, it seems that they had quite a clear view of the road layout and were able to identify many of the crossroads and railway area. It doesn't appear random or blind bombing, but as accurate as they could get without interference.

For the record, I'm an ex Southend Grammar boy (Troy 1960-65) and when the school assembly hall was bombed during WW2, the blast apparently blew my grandfather "back upstairs" which I rather feel was more akin to being rocked by the blast as they were half a mile away in Fairfax Drive.

I await news of the school project with interest, as I do recall the Roll of Honour.

[Yvonne Neville]

Both the Zeppelin raids on Southend in May 1915 were conducted by the same Zeppelin (LZ.38) whilst the Zeppelins were trying to find their way to London. In the first raid on 10th May most of the damage (as Jim points out) was in the central Southend - Prittlewell-Westcliff area (with one of the bombs landing in my neighbours back garden - Harcourt Avenue).

If you need a hand with some of the buildings damaged let me know as I have the "Air Raid Supplements" from both the Southend Standard and the Westcliff Graphic which created a storm in Parliament because of the details of the damage and casualties suffered by these raids.

There are a number of newspaper photographs in these supplements which could assist you, and, is an area that has interested me for some time being local. If you live in Crowstone Road I am quite happy to meet you and let you see what I have on the Zeppelin and Gotha Raids in the area.

By the way, Southend High School was my old School so I would be interested to know what your friend has uncovered about the ex masters and pupils.

Andy

We are looking for information on bomb damage on Drake Road, Westcliff during the wars, would you be able to provide any information? Thanks.

[Yvonne Neville]

We now believe that a plane fell onto the roof of one of the houses and damaged a front chimney. We do not know if it was an enemy aircraft and are unsure in which war this occurred. We were told that it was reported in a local paper - complete with a picture. Hope this helps. Many thanks for your time.

[stiletto_33853]

smokey,

I have no reference to any bomb damage in Drake Road during WW1, the nearest damage I have reference to is Hamlet Court and Ceylon Road, a little way from Drake Road.

There were a good many raids in WW2 on the town of which I have little knowledge.

Andy

[auchonvillerssomme]

Was it Drake Road Bromley?

[Yvonne Neville]

smokey,

I have no reference to any bomb damage in Drake Road during WW1, the nearest damage I have reference to is Hamlet Court and Ceylon Road, a little way from Drake Road.

There were a good many raids in WW2 on the town of which I have little knowledge.

Andy

Andy, thank you for trying and for replying. There doesn't seem to be a WW2 forum as efficient and friendly as this one. A shame.

[Yvonne Neville]

Drake Road is in Westcliff On Sea in Essex.

[auchonvillerssomme]

It was/is also in Bromley, narrowing it down earlier may have helped.

Mick

[Yvonne Neville]

It was/is also in Bromley, narrowing it down earlier may have helped.

Mick

Appologies. I originally asked the question to one member who lived nearby.

[pearsonica]

My Grandfather Captain Kenneth Noble Pearson MC was brought home from the Front (25 Squadron) and commanded "A" flight at Rochford with 37 Squadron. Later he was transfered to the Depot squadron at Rochford. where they tryed out rocket attached to the struts of the aircraft. They were angled to fire upwards towards the Zeps. Unfortuately I don't think he ever saw a Zep

Regards

Bigs

[phil@basildon]

I have a book called 'Essex Events' by Ian Yearsley that has two excellent photographs of damaged houses after the first raid on the 10th of May. One is of the 'Cromwell' boarding house in London Road that was burnt out and the other was a house in Baxter Avenue. Unfortunately there is no visible house numbers. The lady who died was a leading Salvation Army member.

[phil@basildon]

Another story concerning the second raid on the 21st of May. A resident set fire to his house hoping to claim on his insurance but unfortunately for him no bombs fell anywhere near his property. He was arrested for arson and fraud.