Info sought on bombing of RMA Sandhurst, 19th January 1941

A bit of a long shot, but it might be worth contacting Surrey Heath Museum. The Staff College/RMA has always had a bit of a geographical identity crisis - physically, Sandhurst was always in Berkshire (now Bracknell Heath), but its postal address is Camberley, which is in Surrey. The boundary between the two authorities actually bisects the RMA gounds: half of the American Garden and Lower Lake are in Berkshire and the other half in Surrey! Added to that it's only a stone's throw from Hampshire: when I lived in that area, the village of Sandhurst was covered by three telephone exchanges - Camberley (Surrey), Crowthorne (Berks) and Yateley (Hants).

 

From Sandhurst- A Tradition Of Leadership, by Christopher Pugsley and Angela Holdsworth. "Althought the College was a recognisable target there were only two recorded instances of night bombing on Sandhurst.The first was on Wedsnesday 29 January 1941, when a single bomb hit the end of C Block of New College.It was a bright clear night and the lake was an obvious landmark.The bomb demolished the end of the wing killing five cadets, three of whom are buried in the cemetery.A landmine was dropped towards the end of the war in the area of Lake House and blew out many windows, including the Chesney memorial windows in the Chapel.The existing gap in the wall between Old College and the Lake House shows where the landmine impacted". There is also Richrd Todd's description of what happened to him on that January Night in 1941, which I can post if anyone wishes so.

 

Jason would appreciate it if you could take time to add Todd's account here.
Diane, here you go. "It was January 1941 and it was a dining-out-night for my company except for those on duty of which I was one. It must have been about 10.30 and I had my bath and was on my way back to my room in my pyjamas on the second floor.I hear a hefty crump which I did'nt think much about as we were used to German aircraft jettisoning their bombs at random.However what happened next was almost like a freeze-frame.I saw the bomb come through the ceiling in the corridor ahead of me and pass through the floor, and then everthing blew upwards and outwards.I was quite aware initially and then blacked out.I landed on the grass about 30 yards from the building along with bricks, stone, glass and wood. The impact of landing woke me up and I felt all wet and was quite angry, but I did not appear to have any bones broken.I was conscious that I was one of the duty cadets so I scrambled to my feet and made my way through the rubble back into the long corridor that linked the wings.A chap came towards me with a torch and when he saw me he threw up.The wetness that I felt on me was not water, but blood and I was covered in it from head to toe.I was covered in puncture wounds, some quite serious and over the following days,various bits and pieces made their way to the surface and were extracted and the holes plugged up again, However I could not feel a thing, A couple of cadets helped me to the hospital, which had all its windows blown out.I was laid out on a stretcher in the hall, given a cigarette and a jab of morphine." Officer cadet Richard Todd, 1941 .

 

Thanks Jason, much obliged.
Diane, my pleasure

 

Just checked ATB's Blitz volumes and nothing is listed for RMA Sandhurst.

Having had the pleasure of going to Sandhurst (we used their pool on my PTI Course-Aldershots was condemed) is this cemetery accessible to the general public? I noticed CWGC list no details at all.

Did they have a diary during WW2?

 

Having had the pleasure of going to Sandhurst (we used their pool on my PTI Course-Aldershots was condemed) is this cemetery accessible to the general public? I noticed CWGC list no details at all.


Ask Tom or Rob, http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-grave-photographs/26728-sandhurst-military-academy.html

.

Did they have a diary during WW2?
Ask them The National Archives | Search the archives | ARCHON Directory | Repository Details