In the afternoon of Thursday 24th September 1942, seven German fighter bombers with a fighter escort dropped a large number of high explosive bombs across St Leonards. As they flew across the town they also fired their machine guns indiscriminately. The bombs struck Warrior Square, West Hill Road, Quarry Hill and De Cham Road.
Warrior Square in St Leonards is a seafront park surrounded by high rise hotels and accommodation. The impact of the bombs collapsed several of these buildings, burying many people under the rubble. The evidence of this devastation can still be seen today. There are several buildings whose architecture is out of place with the majority of Victorian buildings that surround the central gardens. These are the ones that were damaged or demolished by the bombs.
At 61 Warrior Square seven people died;
Annie Harding
Mary Limb
Louis Loup
Mary Loup
Florence Mayer
Ada Miller
Alice Poole
In a bad day for the town, a total of 23 were killed, and 43 other injured, 21 seriously.