German bombings 1943 isle of wight

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by gaztwrO, Apr 30, 2009.

  1. gaztwrO

    gaztwrO Member

    Hello it's GaztwrO here i apologise to everyone for my absence our computer is causing us no end of problems, it's great to be back on WW2 talk.

    My father is in the process of putting together a small/localbook regarding the stories of individuals of who were killed (and survived) in WW2 in our town, it is turning out to be a "Massive" job and we are grateful of any help.

    My brother in law's great grandfather was a Trinity officer during WW2 and was stationed on a lightship off of the Dorset coast, both he and his wife were Welsh from Anglesey North wales, and had moved to Cowes IOW, due to his occupation.

    Due to my fathers research we have identified that during the spring of 43' IOW was bombed badly twice in one night (cowes being practically destroyed), by all accounts the lufftwaffe were trying to target the shipyards in east cowes, a polish destroyer which was berthed in the dock made a very valiant effort in defending the docks by "blasting" away with it's AA guns, even though it had been refused to carry any ammo.

    Does anyone have any further info regarding this terrible night in the IOW in 43'

    Would be very grateful

    Kind Regards,

    GaztwrO
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  3. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Hi,

    Are you sure of the year?

    There was an intensive raid on the night of 4-5 May 1942 in which 200 tons of bombs were dropped on the Cowes area causing widespread damage to Cowes despite the stalwart resistance of the Polish destroyer Blyskawic.
    Saunders-Roe's Solent Works in Medina road was totally destroyed. In the shipyard on the same side of the river Medina, a high explosive bomb fell on the Quayside causing considerable damage to the nearby buildings. At the southern end of the Falcon Yard and in the Clarence Boatyard in east Cowes incendiary bombs caused much damage. In all, 100,000 square feet of shipyard buildings were destroyed.

    Regards
    Peter.
     
  4. nicks

    nicks Very Senior Member

    Hi,

    Are you sure of the year?

    There was an intensive raid on the night of 3-5 May 1942 in which 200 tons of bombs were dropped on the Cowes area causing widespread damage to Cowes despite the stalwart resistance of the Polish destroyer Blyskawic.
    Saunders-Roe's Solent Works in Medina road was totally destroyed. In the shipyard on the same side of the river Medina, a high explosive bomb fell on the Quayside causing considerable damage to the nearby buildings. At the southern end of the Falcon Yard and in the Clarence Boatyard in east Cowes incendiary bombs caused much damage. In all, 100,000 square feet of shipyard buildings were destroyed.

    Regards
    Peter.

    I have 1942 as well Peter the following is from 'Battle in the Skies Over the Isle of White' by H J T Teal.

    May 4/5. Darkness had barely fallen, the time 2251 hours, when the first German bomber passed over the Island heading for the twin towns of Cowes and East Cowes. A string of flares were dropped, followed by bombs. More bombers came in and for the next hour Cowes experienced a heavy and concentrated attack led by Dornier Do217s of KG66 and 4/KG2, the latter being a training unit. Altogether some 150 bombers took part.
    After a lull for over two hours, at 0335 hours the bombers returned to drop many more bombs and incendiaries. This attack continued until 0440 hours. More than 200 tons of bombs were dropped, and several thousand incendiary bombs Considerable damage was done to the docks, the aircraft factory and the aerodrome at Somerton. Many houses and shops were destroyed.

    Nick
     
  5. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    There's lots of info on the Northwood Cemetery thread I posted above. Including a picture of the Polish Ambassador unveiling a dedication.

    If I remember tomorrow I'll check my Then and Now Blitz volumes for any additional info.

    Andy
     
  6. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    A few more details on the above raid on the Isle of Wight on the night of 4-5 May 1942.

    The first German bombers passed over the island at 2251 hours to bomb the twin towns of Cowes and East Cowes. A string of flares were dropped followed by bombs. More bombers came in and for the next hour Cowes experienced a heavy and consentrated attack led by Dornier Do217s of KG66 and 4/KG2, the latter being a training unit. Altogether some 150 bombers took part in the raid.
    After a lull for over two hours, at 0335 hours the bombers returned to drop many more bombs and incendiaries. This attack continued until 0440 hours. More than 200 tones of bombs were dropped, and several thousand incendiary bombs. Considerable damage was done to the docks, the aircraft factory and the aerodrome at Somerton. Many houses and shops were destroyed.

    Battle in the Skies Over The Isle of Wight. H J T Leal.

    Regards
    Peter
     
  7. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    I have 1942 as well Peter the following is from 'Battle in the Skies Over the Isle of White' by H J T Teal.

    Nick

    Snap Nick, you type faster than I.....:)

    Regards
    Peter.
     
  8. nicks

    nicks Very Senior Member

    Snap Nick, you type fast than I.....:)

    Regards
    Peter.

    I'm not faster at typing, I use a scanner and OCR software.:D

    Nick
     
  9. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    I'm not faster at typing, I use a scanner and OCR software.:D

    Nick

    I should do that.:D

    Peter.
     
  10. nicks

    nicks Very Senior Member

  11. geoff501

    geoff501 Achtung Feind hört mit

    From the Search Engine:


    Name: WHITE, FREDERICK WILLIAM
    Initials: F W
    Nationality: United Kingdom
    Rank: Civilian
    Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
    Age: 24
    Date of Death: 06/05/1942
    Additional information: Home Guard; of Temeraire, Nodes Road, Northwood. Son of Frederick Charles and Elsie Winifred White. Injured 4 May 1942, at Northwood; died at Royal Isle of Wight County Hospital.
    Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
    Reporting Authority: RYDE, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH

    Name: BARNWELL, PATRICK
    Initials: P
    Nationality: United Kingdom
    Rank: Civilian
    Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
    Age: 29
    Date of Death: 14/05/1942
    Additional information: of Normania, Moor Green, Cowes. Son of Patrick and Julia Barnwell, of Lough Brown, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Irish Republic; husband of Gertrude Barnwell. Injured 4 May 1942, at Normania, Moor Green; died at Royal Isle of Wight County Hospital.
    Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
    Reporting Authority: RYDE, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
     
  12. geoff501

    geoff501 Achtung Feind hört mit

    Name: ORDERS, HILDA LILIAN
    Initials: H L
    Nationality: United Kingdom
    Rank: Civilian
    Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
    Age: 48
    Date of Death: 05/05/1942
    Additional information: of 1 Cambridge Villas, Cambridge Road. Daughter of R. R. Netten, of General Stores, Wellow, Yarmouth, and of the late K. E. Netten; widow of A. Orders. Injured at 1 Cambridge Villas; died same day at East Cowes Hospital.
    Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
    Reporting Authority: COWES, URBAN DISTRICT

    Name: PRITCHARD, MARIA ANNE
    Initials: M A
    Nationality: United Kingdom
    Rank: Civilian
    Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
    Age: 73
    Date of Death: 06/05/1942
    Additional information: of 122 Adelaide Grove. Wife of Charles Alfred Pritchard. Died at East Cowes Hospital.
    Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
    Reporting Authority: COWES, URBAN DISTRICT

    Name: RUSSELL, MADELINE AMY
    Initials: M A
    Nationality: United Kingdom
    Rank: Civilian
    Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
    Age: 53
    Date of Death: 05/05/1942
    Additional information: of 50 Yarborough Road. Daughter of the late Edgar Albert and Eleanor Adelaide Denham; wife of Samuel Harry Russell. Injured at Victoria Road; died same day at East Cowes Hospital.
    Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
    Reporting Authority: COWES, URBAN DISTRICT


    Name: RUSSELL, SAMUEL HARRY
    Initials: S H
    Nationality: United Kingdom
    Rank: Civilian
    Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
    Age: 53
    Date of Death: 05/05/1942
    Additional information: of 50 Yarborough Road. Son of Anne Russell, of South Stoke, Reading, Berkshire, and of the late Samuel Russell; husband of Madeline Amy Russell. Injured at Victoria Road Shelter; died same day at East Cowes Hospital.
    Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
    Reporting Authority: COWES, URBAN DISTRICT
     
  13. geoff501

    geoff501 Achtung Feind hört mit

    Name: HARVEY, FRANK WILLIAM
    Initials: F W
    Nationality: United Kingdom
    Rank: Private
    Regiment/Service: Home Guard
    Unit Text: 19th Hampshire (West Wight) Bn.
    Age: 23
    Date of Death: 05/05/1942
    Additional information: Son of Frank and Lily Harvey, of East Cowes; husband of Marjorie Ray Harvey, of Cowes.
    Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
    Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E. Grave 259.
    Cemetery: COWES (KINGSTON) CEMETERY
     
  14. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    The Polish destroyer Blyskawica which was instrumental in saving large parts of Cowes on the night of 4 May 1942.


    [​IMG]
     
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    May 7th

    An attack on Cowes on the night of May 4-5 resulted in the loss of a Junkers Ju 88 of IV/KG77 and a Dornier Do 217 of III/KG2.

    Bombs had first fallen on the Isle of Wight on June 26, 1940. The Ventnor radar installation being heavily bombed in August (I have info on this if you want it). Although Bf 109's had operated with bomb racks as early as Sept 1940 one of the first Jagbombenangriff occured on March 5, 1942 when low-flying Bf 109's attacked fresh water bay with bombs (Killing three elderly people), a similiar attack striking Cowes on April 28. However , this was only a precursor of what was to come when, on the night of May 4-5, Cowes became the next victim of the Baedeker List. Th eraid began shortly before 11.00pm when flares ignited over the town. The first attack from an estimated 50 aircraft lasted an hour, some 20 of the raiders returning after re-arming to pound the town again shortly after 3.30 am. It is believed that Cowes attracted more than 200 tons of bombs, classifying it in Luftwaffe eyes as a major attack.

    There are some photo's in the book one aerial recce outlining damage to the yards and workshops of John Samuel White's shipyard. They had built the Polish Destroyer Blyskawica for the Polish Navy before the war and at the time of the attack she was back at the yard undergoing a refit. She had a close shave on the April 28 attack, but this time she took a hit on her superstructure. Nevertheless she gave a tremendous account of herself on Monday night, her guns keeping up a constant barrage. Home security reported fatalities as 3, but in actual fact 66 had been killed and over 70 injured. Many of those who lost their lives were interred in communal graves, 24 in Northwood Cemetery, West Cowes and 34 in East Cowes Cemetery for those killed to the east of the River Medina.

    From ATB's The Blitz Vol.3
     
  16. geoff501

    geoff501 Achtung Feind hört mit

    Home security reported fatalities as 3, but in actual fact 66 had been killed and over 70 injured. Many of those who lost their lives were interred in communal graves, 24 in Northwood Cemetery, West Cowes and 34 in East Cowes Cemetery for those killed to the east of the River Medina.

    The records posted above were found with the keyword 'Wight'. Very few had Wight in the info field. You can't search online for cemetery (yet!) but I searched my database and found six for the 4th May, 57 for the 5th, 3 for the 6th, one for the 8th and 1 for the 14th.
     
  17. popeye

    popeye Junior Member

    Patricks mothers name was Ellen and not julia. He was my uncle. I have no idea where they got the name Julia from.
     
  18. Chunty

    Chunty Junior Member

    Apologies for joining this thread a little late but I can add that the first attack on Cowes, almost a week before the well documented attack of the 4/5 May, occurred early in the morning of April 28th '42.

    Seven Me109's broke through the sea mist to the south of the island at approximately 0600 and streaked down the River Medina at a reported near zero level before bursting out the mouth of the river, swinging about 180 degrees and carrying out a tip and run attack of minor duration but substantial damage and loss of life before continuing south rattling machine gun and cannon at random 'targets' as they contoured over the downs.

    I did quite a bit of research on this subject as I am a fire-fighter at Ryde IoW and wanted to discover the tale of the two Ryde firemen (Colin Weeks the son of the serving Mayor of Ryde at the time and his best friend Herbert Dewey) who died in East Cowes early in the morning of the 5th May as the second wave came in. The evidence suggests that they were at the WVS van in Clarence Road, East Cowes, having a well earned cuppa supplied by one Mrs Hann when the vehicle took a direct hit, killing all three instantly. One eye witness account contributed to the BBC People's War website recalled seeing the twisted and scorched chassis of this vehicle the next morning.

    Incidentally a third Ryde fireman (Alfred Brown) was also a fatal casualty of enemy action during the war, specifically on January 3rd 1943. For reasons unknown he was at the temporary fire station on Landguard Road, Shanklin when it also took a direct hit. Alfred was one of thirteen members of the NFS killed by that single hit and if anyone other forum member has information regarding this incident I would be extremely grateful if you could share it with me.
     
    Drew5233 likes this.
  19. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Incidentally a third Ryde fireman (Alfred Brown) was also a fatal casualty of enemy action during the war, specifically on January 3rd 1943. For reasons unknown he was at the temporary fire station on Landguard Road, Shanklin when it also took a direct hit. Alfred was one of thirteen members of the NFS killed by that single hit and if anyone other forum member has information regarding this incident I would be extremely grateful if you could share it with me.


    Hello Chunty,

    Welcome to the forum and thanks for adding more info to the thread. Can't add much to the above apart from the following which is taken from 'Battle In the Skies Over The Isle Of Wight' - H J T. Leal.

    January 3

    The first raid of 1943 on an Island target. Shanklin was it, and the time was 1625 hrs. This raid was carried out by eight FW190s of Jabo SKG10. Sweeping in very low over the sea, they opened fire with cannons and machine guns, dropping their bombs and turning back out to sea.
    In an attack lasting only minutes, a church was destroyed while a service was in progress. Another hit was on the Gloster Hotel (now the site of a supermarket) Firemen were billeted here. The building received a direct hit. Three of the firemen killed had just returned from a period of duty in London.
     
  20. Phaethon

    Phaethon Historian

    I might be able to shed some additional light on the IOW bombings; you'll find that the May air-raids coincide exactly with the arrival of the Guards brigade and their amphibious landing craft (and Naval escort) who were in the area training for Operation Blazing (raid on Alderny)... even though everyone believed it to be operation Lancing (an attempt on the french coast to capture some radar equipment which was organized incredibly quickly... presumably from pre existing plans... after Blazing was cancelled in order to give the guards 'something to do' Lancing was the only plans revealed to the men.).

    A lot of the officers in the Guards believed that there had been a security breach... indeed although the move was highly secret, a cock up with the laundry meant that everyone in Dumfries and the IOW knew about their destination weeks before the actual move. Their destination was Cowes, and the day the 1st Guards Brigade brigade arrived on the 4th of may 1942, a heavy air raid was called, norris castle being notably bombed, blowing out its windows and injuring a number of men from Bde HQ who were in the area.

    Now you could say this was a coincidence... maybe it was. But I've spoken to one officer who believes it wasn't and from the diaries of the others I have he wasn't the only one. But regardless of the security involved, the sudden appeareance of a fleet of invasion ships would certainly warrant such an attack.
     

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