During the morning of Tuesday 9th February 1943 two German bombers dropped several 2,000lb bombs and 14 high explosive bombs across Hastings and St Leonards. They also sprayed machine gun fire as they flew across the town. Bomb damage was caused to buildings at St John’s Church, Upper St Leonards, Cumberland Gardens, Ashbrook Road, Christ Church, Ore, Moscow Road and Alfred Road.
Three people were killed at Moscow Road. Ethel Fowler, who lived at 7 Moscow Road, was badly wounded by bullets and died the next day at the Municipal Hospital. Her neighbours, Sarah Martin aged 64 and Mrs Martin’s granddaughter Ann Watson, aged 4, were killed by flying debris caused by a bomb explosion.