Shortly after 3:30pm on Thursday March 11th 1943, an estimated 2o Focke-Wulf 190s attacked the town from inland, having cross the Channel at Fairlight. They attacked at high speed and low altitude, dropping at least 25 high explosive bombs. The bombs caused extensive damage across Hastings and St Leonards, hitting Silverhill Junction, St Matthew’s Schools, Strood Road, Alma Terrace, Alma Villas, Perth Road, Adelaide Road, Battle Road, Aldborough Road, Clarence Road, Salisbury Road, King Edward Avenue, Salisbury Road, Bohemia Road, Springfield Road, Combermere Road, Burry Road, Blomfield Road, Holmesdale Gardens & St Helens Road.
The human cost was the worst the town would suffer in a single day, with 38 people dead and 90 others wounded, 39 seriously.
Five people were killed in Perth Road. At number 31a, Winifred Lewis, aged 30, and her daughter Norah Lewis aged 4 along with Alice Fellows aged 40 died that day. Elizabeth Constable aged 53 and Francis Keating aged 60 were badly wounded at 27 Perth Road and died at the Municipal Hospital on 12th and 15th March respectively,