May 1943 Archives - WW2 Roll Of Honour

Marine Court, St Leonards

9th January 2022
by WW2RollofHonour

At 1pm on Sunday the 23rd May 1943, German fighter bombers, approximately 10 Focke Wulf 190s, swept across Hastings and St Leonards in a ‘tip and run’ raid. They dropped 25 high explosive bombs and sprayed machine gun fire indiscriminately. The raid was the second worst for the town in terms of casualties, with 25 people killed in total and 85 injured, 30 seriously. Among the buildings suffering damage from the raid were the Albany Hotel, Warrior House Hotel, Swan Hotel, Reeves Antique Shop, Old Town, Warrior Gate Public House, Norman Road and Gensing Road.

Ethel Twist, aged 28, was killed at Marine Court during the attack. It is unclear whether she was killed by an explosion or machine gun fire.

Notable Bomb Sites

Castle Street, Hastings

28th November 20219th January 2022
by WW2RollofHonour

One of the bombs exploded in Castle Street killing 47 year old Home Guard Sergeant, Thomas Johnston. Henry Neall, aged 49 was also killed nearby at the rear of Woolworths.

Notable Bomb Sites

Warrior House Hotel, St Leonards

7th November 2021
by WW2RollofHonour

The Warrior House Hotel in Warrior Square,St Leonards was damaged by an HE Bomb, killing at least two people; Daisy Congdon, aged 45 and Harry Pearch, aged 65.

Notable Bomb Sites

Warrior Gate Public House, Norman Road, St Leonards

31st October 2021
by WW2RollofHonour

At Norman Road, the Warrior Gate Public House was badly damaged by an HE Bomb. Albert Reader, a Firewatcher aged 61, died here. According to this reference, several other people may also have died here.

Notable Bomb Sites

24 and 26 Gensing Road, St Leonards

24th October 2021
by WW2RollofHonour

Numbers 24 and 26 Gensing Road were hit by a bomb, killing two residents; 68 year old Mercy Baker and 75 year old Catherine Butler.

Notable Bomb Sites

Swan Hotel, Hastings Old Town

6th October 202010th October 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

At 1pm on Sunday the 23rd May 1943, German fighter bombers, probably Focke Wulf 190s, swept across Hastings and St Leonards in a ‘tip and run’ raid. They dropped 25 high explosive bombs and sprayed machine gun fire indiscriminately. The raid was the second worst for the town in terms of casualties, with 25 people killed in total and 85 injured, 30 seriously. Among the buildings suffering direct hits from the bombs was the Swan Hotel, Swan Terrace and Reeve’s Antiques, all on the High Street in Hastings Old Town.

The hotel had been a fixture in the Old Town since around 1523. Its function as a business in the area changed over the centuries to keep up with changes to society. Originally a public house, it became a place for gentry, a stagecoach stop, post office, community space and a hotel. The Swan was completely rebuilt in 1890, as shown in the image below. During WW2, many public houses in Hastings had closed but the Swan had remained open throughout.

The excellent Hastings Pubs History website has further information and more photographs here.

The Swan Hotel was full of people when it was hit and seventeen people died there with many others injured. The names of the deceased who died there are listed below.

Casualties:
Violet Cox
Grace Gummerson
Hilda Gummerson
Trevor Gummerson
William Hart
Henry Hayward
Margaret Hayward
William Hilder
Joseph Pepper
Charlotte Perks
James Phillips
William Reed
William Roffe
John Somerville
Ann Tester
George White
Thomas Winborn

The people listed above are all buried at Hastings Cemetery.

Civilian

Twist, Ethel

6th April 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

Name: Ethel Twist

Died on: Sunday, 23rd May 1943

Died at: Marine Court, St Leonards

Additional Information: Ethel Twist, aged 28, was killed when a number of fighter bombers dropped 25 HE Bombs on The Albany Hotel, Warrior House Hotel, Swan Hotel, Reeves Antique Shop, Old Town, Warrior Gate, Public House, Norman Road and Gensing Road. One of the worse attacks on the town during the war, 25 other people died and 85 more were injured, 30 seriously.

Ethel was the daughter of Alfred Edwin Twist. She lived at 20 North Street, St Leonards.

If you can provide more information about this person, please comment below or contact me here.

Civilian

Neall, Henry Alfred

5th April 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

Name: Henry Alfred Neall

Died on: Sunday, 23rd May 1943

Died at: Castle Street, Hastings

Additional Information: Henry Neall, aged 49, was killed when a number of fighter bombers dropped 25 HE Bombs on The Albany Hotel, Warrior House Hotel, Swan Hotel, Reeves Antique Shop, Old Town, Warrior Gate, Public House, Norman Road and Gensing Road. One of the worse attacks on the town during the war, 25 other people died and 85 more were injured, 30 seriously.

Henry, the son of Mrs S Neall of Addison Road, Hove, was married to Joan Cisse Neall. He lived at 32 Church Road, St Leonards

I was unable to locate Henry’s grave marker in the main area of WW2 war graves, so he is likely buried else where on site. I will look to find it when I revisit Hastings Cemetery.

If you can provide more information about this person, please comment below or contact me here.

Civilian

Winborn, Thomas

1st April 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

Name: Thomas Winborn

Died on: Sunday, 23rd May 1943

Died at: Swan Hotel, High Street, Hastings

Additional Information: Thomas Winborn, aged 55, was killed when a number of fighter bombers dropped 25 HE Bombs on The Albany Hotel, Warrior House Hotel, Swan Hotel, Reeves Antique Shop, Old Town, Warrior Gate, Public House, Norman Road and Gensing Road. One of the worse attacks on the town during the war, 25 other people died and 85 more were injured, 30 seriously.

Thomas was married to A Winborn. He lived at 85 Old London Road, Hastings.

I was unable to locate Thomas’s grave marker in the main area of WW2 war graves, so he is likely buried else where on site. I will look to find it when I revisit Hastings Cemetery.

If you can provide more information about this person, please comment below or contact me here.

Civilian

White, George James

30th March 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

Name: George James White

Died on: Sunday, 23rd May 1943

Died at: Swan Hotel, High Street, Hastings

Additional Information: George White, aged 78, was killed when a number of fighter bombers dropped 25 HE Bombs on The Albany Hotel, Warrior House Hotel, Swan Hotel, Reeves Antique Shop, Old Town, Warrior Gate, Public House, Norman Road and Gensing Road. One of the worse attacks on the town during the war, 25 other people died and 85 more were injured, 30 seriously.

George was married to A White. He lived at 129 All Saints Street, Hastings.

If you can provide more information about this person, please comment below or contact me here.