28 Linton Road, Hastings

On Tuesday 26th October, whilst an air battle raged overhead, a Dornier dropped 2 bombs on Linton Road. One of these was a direct hit on 28 Linton Road, destroying it completely.

House owner William Amiss, a member of the Home Guard, was badly injured and taken to the Royal East Sussex Hospital. He died there two days later.

This was to be the last fatality in Hastings & St Leonards due to air raids until March 1942. The Germans had switched strategy and focused their bombing more on London and northern parts of the country. The area still was under constant alert, and whilst there were only five bombing raids during 1941, the constant drone of bombers flying overhead ensured the town never relaxed.

45 Milward Road, Hastings

On Thursday 10th October 1940, twenty four high explosive bombs were dropped on the town during two separate waves, the first at 6:44am and the second at 12:15pm. The bombs struck Stonefield Road, Milward Road, West Street, the West Hill, Priory Road, High Bank, Alfred Road and Ashburnham Road. One person was killed and two others injured.

Ethel Sutton, aged 54, was killed at her home at 45 Milward Road by one of the bombs.

24 Fellows Road, Hastings

On Wednesday 9th October 1940, German planes dropped twenty high explosive bombs across Ore and Hastings. Canute Road, Offa Road, Martineau Lane, Broomgrove Road, Fellows Road and Pine Avenue were all hit. Two people were killed and eleven others injured, three seriously.

Emily Marchant, aged 28 died at 24 Fellows Road.

Upper Broomgrove Road, Hastings

On Wednesday 9th October 1940, German planes dropped twenty high explosive bombs across Ore and Hastings. Canute Road, Offa Road, Martineau Lane, Broomgrove Road, Fellows Road and Pine Avenue were all hit. Two people were killed and eleven others injured, three seriously.

Margaret Cleverly, aged 18 was killed in her home at 7 Upper Broomgrove Road.

Pelham Arcade, Hastings

On Tuesday 8th October 1940, at around 4pm, a lone bomber dropped four high explosive bombs and two oil incendiaries on Havelock Road, Pelham Arcade and York Buildings in Hastings. Three people were killed in the attack with ten others injured, one seriously.

Joan Timms, aged 19, was walking with a friend towards the town centre opposite Pelham Arcade and Breeds Place when a bomb hit nearby. She was killed instantly, and her friend survived.

After the initial bombs were dropped the bomber then circled the town trying to locate the train station. After twenty minutes it finally dropped a 2,000lb bomb, but missed its target. The bomb hit the Braybrooke Road allotments instead.

Havelock Road, Hastings

On Tuesday 8th October 1940 a lone bomber dropped four high explosive bombs and two oil incendiaries on Havelock Road, Pelham Arcade and York Buildings in Hastings.

In Havelock Road, several properties were wrecked including the headquarters of the Women’s Voluntary Services.

Two people were killed; Arthur Wenman, aged 67 and Mary Monk, aged 20.

Bedford Arms, Hastings

The Bedford Arms was established in Queen’s Road, Hastings in 1865. It was both a hotel and public house. At 12pm on Saturday 5th October 1940 the building was directly hit by a high explosive bomb, one of 12 such bombs dropped by a lone German bomber. They struck Queens Road, Milward Road, Wellington Road, Cricket Ground, Stonefield Road and Wallinger’s Walk

Annie Payne and Lionel Goodwin were in the hotel when it was hit and both died there. Amos Prior was killed by shrapnel outside. Two other people were killed in Queens Road during the raid; George Martin and Florence Stones.

The only photograph I could find of the Bedford Arms as it once looked is this one.

12 Wellington Road, Hastings

On Saturday 5th October 1940 a lone bomber dropped 12 high explosive bombs on Hastings, one of which exploded near to 12 Wellington Road. Three people died as a result of the explosion including Richard Bourn who was killed instantly. George Martin died at the Royal East Sussex Hospital later that day and Annie Ludlow died of her wounds the next day at the same hospital.