On Sunday 17th May 1942 four Messerschmitt 109s did a ‘tip and run’ raid run on Hastings. The attackers fired their machine guns indiscriminately as they swept across town, dropped their bombs and then fled back to their base across the Channel. The four high explosive bombs dropped that day hit Falaise Road, Havelock Road and Middle Street. At Havelock Road house numbers 40 to 44 were damaged so badly they had to be demolished. Albert Portsmouth, aged 40 was killed in his home at 42 Havelock Road.
The attack on that day claimed one other life, with 8 other wounded, 2 severely.