Air Raid Damage Reports Brentwood Division Essex Fire Service February 1941.

Date                Time   Location         Damage

01/02/1941    N/K     Great              1 – A.A unexploded Shell 3 yards from South West

Wakering       of straw stack in Wiggens field Shoebury Road.  No damage or casualties.  (dealt with B.D.S. 9.2.41).

03/02/1941    15.55  Barling           2 – H.Es exploded on Marshes at rear of Barling

                                                            Hall.  Slight damage to property.  No casualties.

03/02/1941    15.55  Paglesham    2 – H.Es exploded at East Hall, 1 fatal casualty

(Ernest Cardy 33 years of Church End, a tractor driver)  No damage to property.

04/02/1941    21.45  South             5 – H.Es, 2 exploded in fields at rear of R.E. Camp

Benfleet         on Halls Estate.  2 exploded on Sewerage Farm, Benfleet Creek and 1 unexploded in back garden of 280 Woodham Road.  No damage or casualties.  (Woodham Road closed).

05/02/1941    21.10  Hockley          8 – H.Es, 4 exploded in Hockley Woods, 1

exploded 50 yards South of Parkes Farm, 2 exploded and 1 unexploded near the Bull Inn.  One house completely demolished and slight damage to other property.  Extensive damage to water and gas mains.  Electric cables down.  Road B.1013 closed.  (Unexploded dealt with by B.D.S. 7.2.41).

05/02/194121.15      Paglesham    I.Bs (about 20) fell in fields between South Hall

                                                            and Biggins Farm.  No damage or casualties.

09/02/1941    09.00  Paglesham    1 – Small Yellow U.X.B. wire, parachute and part of

balloon bearing words “BERITEX”, in field 3/4 mile North of Church Hall Farm.  No damage or casualties.

09/02/1941    12.27  Laindon         Damage by a drifting barrage balloon to electric

and telephone wires at Laindon Railway Station.  No casualties.

10/02/1941    10.45  Brentwood     Railway Accident.  The 10 am from Liverpool

Station to Norwich was stationary on the down through track between Nags Head Lane and Mascalls Lane when the 10.04 hrs train from Liverpool Street to Southend ran into the stationary train.  The rear coach of the stationary train was completely demolished and the 2nd and 3rd coaches were derailed and partly telescoped.  The engine of the Southend train was driven back into the brake-van and the brake-van was driven back and telescoped the first carriage of the Southend train, 6 persons (2 females and 4 males) were killed, 21 persons seriously injured.  All injured persons were detained in Hospital.  All the lines with the exception of one were blocked.

11/02/1941    11.45  Rochford       1 – Smoke bomb from a British Aeroplane fell in a

field near Hall Road opposite a house called “Wortonburry”.  Top of bomb painted yellow exposed.  No damage or casualties.  (Removed 11.2.41).

12/02/1941    02.35  Hutton            1 – H.E. exploded 100 yards from Hutton House,

North East of Rayleigh Road.  No damage or casualties.

12/02/1941    02.35  Brentwood     H.Es exploded in Jackson’s field near King’s

Chase, 2 casualties.  1 serious and 1 slight by broken glass splinters.  Extensive damage to windows of nearby houses.  Police property (windows damaged).  2 persons trapped in their shelter (released unhurt).

12/02/1941    Found            Great 1 – H.E unexploded in a field 200 yards South of

Burstead        Church Street and 50 yards from footpath.  Date and time of occurrence not known.  No damage or casualties.       

13/02/1941    Found            South 1 – A.A. unexploded Shell in a field 125 yards East

Weald             of garden at rear of Tower Arms P.H.  No damage or casualties.

16/02/1941    02.45  Mountnessing          2 – H.Es exploded on open ground near

Fleet Cottage, Belman’s Farm.  No damage or casualties.

16/02/1941    12.33  Doddinghurst            1 – A.A. unexploded Shell in a field near

“Rosena” Doddinghurst Road.  No damage or casualties.  (disposed of by B.D.S. 18.2.41).

17/02/1941    12.33  Doddinghurst             1 – A.A. unexploded Shell 130 yards from

“Rosecroft” Doddinghurst Road.  No damage or casualties.  (exploded by B.D.S. 23.2.41).

17/02/1941    20.10  Wickford        10 – H.Es 9 exploded and 1 unexploded in fields

1/4 mile South West of Brock Hill.  No damage or casualties.  (disposed of by B.D.S. 27.3.41).

17/02/1941    20.10  Wickford        I.Bs (about 100) between the Police Station and

                                                            Runwell Hospital.  No damage or casualties.

17/02/1941    20.30  Hockley          7 – H.Es exploded in fields near Lower Road.  No

                                                            damage or casualties.

17/02/1941    21.45  Pilgrims          1 – A.A. Shell exploded in a field opposite

Hatch             “Kiekness” Sandpit Lane.  No damage or casualties.

17/02/1941    23.00  Downham     4 – H.Es exploded in fields near Downham Hall. 

Slight damage to property.  No casualties.

17/02/1941    23.00  Downham     4 – H.Es exploded in fields near De Beauvoirs

                                                            Farm.  No damage or casualties.

20/02/1941    10.30  Great              1 – A.A. unexploded Shell found on footpath of

Wakering       Wayside.  No damage or casualties.  (removed by B.D.S. 5.3.41).

20/02/1941    Found    Barling        1 – A.A. unexploded Shell in a field 75 yards

North East of Bolts Farm House.  No damage or casualties.

21/02/1941    05.45  Little                2 – H.Es exploded on Bentalls Marshes, 600 yards

Wakering       South of Little Wakering Wick Farm.  No damage or casualties.

21/02/1941    06.55  Hockley          2 – H.Es 1 exploded 500 yards South of and 1

unexploded 400 yards South of the granary, High Road.  This exploded at 12.55 hours 21st inst.  No damage or casualties.

23/02/1941    09.45  Great              Sapper Alonza Hemsworth, 20 years and Sapper

Wakering       Edward Nolson 19 years were working in a mine field at Wakering Stairs, when a land mine exploded killing Sapper Hemsworth and injuring Sapper Nolson who was conveyed to Shoebury Military Hospital.

24/02/1941    20.30  Ingrave           2 – H.Es exploded on 10th fairway and a number of

I.Bs on roof of Club House, Thorndon Park Golf Course.  Slight damage to property.  No casualties.

24/02/1941    23.45  Foulness       11 – H.Es exploded and a number of I.Bs burnt out

Island             at Great Barwood, Little Burwood and New Marshes Farm.  Damage to telephone wires, slight damage to property,  No casualties.

26/02/1941    19.53  Runwell         I.Bs (about 100) burnt out between Runwell Estate

and Runwell Hall.  Fire at Rettenden.  No casualties.

26/02/1941    19.53  Crays Hill       7 – H.Es exploded in 5 fields 1 exploded at “Grn-

Yer” Oak Road Billericay and 1 exploded in Jubilee Road.  No damage or casualties.

26/02/1941    20.00  Wickford        7 – H.Es 4 exploded in line from Brock Hill South

East to Downham and 2 exploded and 1 unexploded 60 yards North of Barn Hall Farm.  Slight damage to 10 houses.  No casualties.

26/02/1941    20.00  South Weald 5 – H.Es exploded 4 in Broom Wood and 1 at

                                                            Lincolns Farm.  No damage or casualties.

26/02/1941    20.05  Canvey          2 – H.Es exploded in the River Thames opposite

                                    Island             Shell Beach Road.  No damage or casualties.

26/02/1941    20.12  Great              9 – H.Es exploded in line from Granits Farm to

                                    Burstead        Great Barns Farm, Crays Hill.  Slight damage to                                                           property.  No casualties.

26/02/1941    20.30  Mountnessing          2 – H.Es exploded 1 at Harespring Wood

1/4 mile East of Church and 1 in a field North East of Mountnessing Church.  No damage or casualties.

26/02/1941    20.30  Ramsden       4 – H.Es exploded and 10 I.Bs burnt out 150 yards

Bellhouse      South of Bell Park Nurseries.  Slight damage to 15 houses.  No casualties.

26/02/1941    20.30  Southchurch Damage to property in Barling Road caused by

                                                            H.Es in Southend Boro.  No casualties.

26/02/1941    21.45  Ramsden       1 – H.E. exploded North East of the Fox & Hounds

Bellhouse      P.H. 11 houses slightly damaged and 1 house badly damaged.  Telephone wires down.  No casualties.

26/02/1941    22.10  Mountnessing          4 – Para mines, 1 at Westlands Farm 2

slight casualties, 24 cottages damaged, 4 cottages demolished, 1 at Mountnessing Hall Farm.  Slight damage to Church extensive damage to farmhouse and buildings and cottages.  No casualties.  1 in field at Padham Green Road and 1 in field North East of Mountnessing Hall.

 27/02/1941               Ingrave           An aluminium drum 9″ diameter 6″ high, sealed at

one end containing a brown coloured cylinder 2 1/2″ dia. 8″ long with what appeared to be fuse wire attached found in Thorndon Park.

27/02/1941    07.20  Foulness       Grounded at East Wick Farm, a Naval Barrage

                                    Island             Balloon.