On Wednesday 14th August 1940 at around 3:40pm a lone German bomber dropped six high explosive bombs on St Leonards and Hastings.
At 40 and 42 Bexleigh Avenue, a bomb killed Caroline Felton, aged 77 and James Harmer, a member of the Home Guard aged 41 as it demolished several houses. Pine Avenue was also hit. Two other people were injured. one seriously.