May 1943 Archives - WW2 Roll Of Honour

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.

Civilian

Tester, Ann Christine

29th March 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

Name: Christine Ann Tester

Died on: Sunday, 23rd May 1943

Died at: Swan Hotel, High Street, Hastings

Additional Information: Christine Tester, aged 6, 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.

Christine was the daughter of Robert William and Rose Kathleen Tester. She lived at 55 Belmont Road, Hastings.

I was unable to locate Christine’s grave marker in the main area of WW2 war graves, so she 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

Somerville, John

28th March 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

Name: John Somerville

Died on: Sunday, 23rd May 1943

Died at: Swan Hotel, High Street, Hastings

Additional Information: John Somerville, aged 43, 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.

John was married to Mabel Somerville. He lived at 117 Bembrook Road, Hastings.

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

Civilian

Roffe, William Henry

23rd March 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

Name: William Henry Roffe

Died on: Sunday, 23rd May 1943

Died at: Swan Hotel, High Street, Hastings

Additional Information: William Roffe, age 85, 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.

William lived at 6 Tackleway, Hastings.

I was unable to locate William’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

Reed, William Arthur

22nd March 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

Name: William Arthur Reed

Died on: Sunday, 23rd May 1943

Died at: Swan Hotel, High Street, Hastings

Additional Information: William Reed, aged 46, 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.

William, the son of Mr & Mrs Reed of All Saint Street, was married to H M Reed. He lived at 67 Hardwicke Road, Halton, Hastings

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

Civilian

Phillips, James Henry

21st March 2020
by WW2RollofHonour

Name: James Henry Phillips

Died on: Sunday, 23rd May 1943

Died at: Swan Hotel, High Street, Hastings

Additional Information: James Phillips, aged 46, 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.

James was the son of James and Catherine Phillips and lived at 16 Hastings Wall, East Street, Hastings. He was in the Home Guard.

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