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

Date                Time   Location         Damage

02/05/1941    20.00  Brentwood     A smoke float from a British plane burnt out in a

field near Hillside Walk.  Case at Police Station.   No damage or casualties.

04/05/1941    04.30  Paglesham    A British Whitley Bomber returning from a night

raid crashed on Marshes 1/4 mile North East of Paglesham Rectory.  Number of Machine 4224, crew of 5 safe at Rochford. 3 of crew landed by parachute.  Sergt Pilot and Wireless operator stayed with damaged machine and made a pan-cake landing.  Undercarriage of machine damaged.  No casualties.

04/05/1941                Doddinghurst            1 – H.E. unexploded found in a pond on a

camp site near Cows Farm.  No damage or casualties.

05/05/1941                Potton Island 1 – A.A. unexploded Shell in field 100 yards East of

                                                            Potton Farm.  No damage or casualties.

09/05/1941                Great              1 – H.E unexploded 400 yards North East of

Burstead        Whites Farm.  No damage or casualties.  (disposed of BDS 22.5.41).

10/05/1941                Little Warley  1 – A.A. unexploded Shell 20 yards South of

telegraph pole 171, on open ground South of Arterial Road.  No damage or casualties.  (disposed of by BDS 26.5.41).

 10/05/1941               Little Warley  1 – H.E. unexploded in field 100 yards South of

Station Road and 200 yards East of Ashdean Cottage, East Horndon.  No damage or casualties.  (disposed of by BDS 17.5.41).

11/05/1941    01.32  Foulness       1 – H.E. exploded in the sea 1 mile South East of

                                    Island             Wardens Post “P” 18.  No damage or casualties.

11/05/1941    02.05  Rayleigh        1 – Oil I.B. burnt out at rear of “DeMarie” Downham

                                                            Road.  No damage or casualties.

11/05/1941    02.41  Foulness       2 – Para mines exploded in the sea near Eastwick

Island             Head, 1 mile South East of the Church, 1 200 yards and 1 500 yards from sea wall.  1 parachute recovered.  Tail caps in mud and unlikely to be recovered.  No damage or casualties.

11/05/1941    21.27  Rochford       15 – H.Es exploded during a dive bombing and

machine gun attack by 12 Messerschmitts 109.  1 M.E. 109 crashed and was destroyed the pilot being killed.  4 H.Es near hangers and buildings causing considerable damage.  1 Aircraftsman was killed, 1 badly injured and 4 slightly injured.  2 H.Es exploded in garden on North side of Maltings Villas, 3 in a field adjoining Sumerset Avenue, 3 in fields between Doggetts Chase and Lt Fambridge Hall, 1 in Sandpit on North side of Maltings Villas, 1 near Russel Terrace, 1 in Recreation Ground and extensive machine gunfire.  2 heifers and 1 pig killed and 1 heifer injured on Barling Marshes.

11/05/1941    23.55  Paglesham    10 – I.Bs burnt out in fields.  No damage or

                                                            casualties.

12/05/1941    00.45  Foulness       8 – H.Es exploded on Shelford Marshes and New

Island             Marsh Farm.  Also about 30 I.Bs on New Marsh Farm.  No damage or casualties.

12/05/1941    00.50  South             I.Bs (about 100) burnt out in fields East and South

Fambridge     of South Fambridge Hall Farm.  No damage or casualties.

12/05/1941    01.00  Potton            10 – H.Es 4 exploded 1 mile West of cottages. 

Island             Damage to sea wall.  Some cattle and sheep killed.  4 exploded and 2 unexploded on Saltings on South side of Potton Island Creek and 440 yards from Potton Island Farmhouse.  The unexploded being 35 feet from sea wall.

13/05/1941    00.20  Brentwood     3 – H.Es exploded in the vicinity of L.N.E.R. off

                                                            Nags Head Lane.  No damage or casualties.

13/05/1941    15.30  Paglesham    A British Miles Magester Training Plane No “P”

6344 Pilot Sewell from Rochford made forced landing 3/4 of a mile North of Paglesham Church.  2 occupants uninjured.  Plane undamaged.

13/05/1941    21.20  Dunton          A British Tiger Moth Training Plane No 21 Pilot,

Flight Officer Walker from Hatfield made forced landing at Dunton Hall due to shortage of petrol.  No damage or casualties  (plane left 14.5.41).

22/05/1941                Doddinghurst            1 – H.E. unexploded in field at Bishops Hall

Farm, 100 yards from Doddinghurst Road.  No damage or casualties.

26/05/1941    17.00  Hockley          The wreckage of a Naval Kite was found on

Marshes at rear of Beckney Farm.  Markings on fabric “R N” in large black letters and “K B.VI.” and 1314 in black paint.  The kite has 3 fins at rear.  (Naval authorities informed).

26/05/1941                Laindon         1 – H.E. unexploded found 200 yards West of

Victoria Avenue and 9 yards North of Worthing Avenue.  No damage or casualties.  (dealt with BDS??).

26/05/1941                Doddinghurst            1 – H.E. unexploded found near “Atherdene”

Solid Lane.  No damage or casualties.  (dealt with BDS 19.6.41).

27/05/1941                Hockley          1 – I.B. burnt out in ditch at Lower Road.  No

                                                            damage or casualties.

29/05/1941                Brentwood     1 – A.A. exploded Shell crater found 400 yards

East of Sawyers Hall Cottages.  No damage or casualties.

30/05/1941                Hullbridge     2 – Oil I.Bs burnt out on either side of sea wall,

North of Kingman’s Farm.  No damage or casualties.

31/05/1941                Great Warley 1 – H.E. unexploded found in field at rear of Warley

Lea.  Near a small pond, South of the garden (BDS 18.6.41).