Air Raid Damage Reports Brentwood Division Essex Fire Service December 1940.
Date Time Location Damage
01/12/1940 23.15 Pilgrims 1 – H.E exploded in a field at junction Coxtie Green
Hatch Road and Wheelers Lane. Considerable damage to property. Poultry killed. Water main damaged. Overhead Telephone wires down. Road blocked (open 2nd).
02/12/1940 20.15 Doddinghurst 2 – H.Es, 1 exploded on edge of wood near
Rilston Lodge Church Lane. Damage to property, 14 persons rendered homeless, 1 unexploded in a drained pond between Solid Lane and Cottages, near Wacketts Farm. No casualties.
04/12/1940 21.00 Billericay Damage to lamp standard on Southend Road and
buildings at Southend Farm by drifting Barrage Balloon.
04/12/1940 21.20 Rochford 2 – H.Es unexploded, 1 on Golf Course and 1 200
yards North West of Westborrow Hall (exploded 9.12.40) No damage or casualties.
04/12/1940 21.30 Hullbridge 10 – H.Es exploded at Poolehurst Farm, Cracknells
Farm and Kingsland Farm. Slight damage to property. No casualties.
04/12/1940 21.55 Coxtie Green 2 – H.Es, 1 exploded and 1 unexploded at back of
Coxtie Green House. White Horse Road. Road closed (open after 96 hours). Damage to property. Telephone wires down. No casualties. D.B.S. 7.2.41.
04/12/1940 22.30 Rayleigh Drifting Barrage Balloon fouled the Overhead
electric cables at Little Wakering drifting in a South Easterly direction and caught on a pylon at Wheatleys Farm and burnt. Wires and ropes and gear salvaged.
04/12/1940 22.55 Ingrave 3 – H.Es unexploded, 1 in field opposite Womens
Institute Dunnings Lane, 2 in Thorndon Park between 10th fairway and Lake, (1 exploded in a plantation the 5th). No damage or casualties.
05/12/1940 15.00 Billericay 1 – H.E. unexploded in a field 200 yards East of
Cox Farm Road. Green Lane. (exploded 31.12.40 by B.D.S.) No damage or casualties.
05/12/1940 21.30 Hockley 8 – I.Bs on Marshes 350 yards North of Beckney
Farm. No damage or casualties.
08/12/1940 18.55 Rayleigh 10 – I.Bs fell on open ground and burnt out at St
Walter Rayleigh Drive, Victoria Road, Station Crescent, Lancaster Road, Highfield Crescent and Barranting Square. No damage or casualties.
08/12/1940 21.25 East 1 – H.E exploded in a field at rear of Meadow
Horndon House 200 yards South of A.127. No damage or casualties.
08/12/1940 21.30 Herongate 30 – I.Bs on The Elms, Elm Cottage, Herongate
House and The Poplars and about 26 on op ground. Damage to property. No casualties.
08/12/1940 22.35 Canvey I.Bs (a number) fell in the vicinity Long Road.
Island Damage at Green Stores and June Villa, Long Road. Damage to property. No casualties.
09/12/1940 00.05 Childerditch 1 – H.E exploded in Brickfields Road 30 yards
North of Arterial Road. No damage or casualties.
09/12/1940 00.15 Langdon 2 – H.Es, 1 exploded and 1 unexploded near West
Hills Ham Sanatorium Dry Street. Unexploded in Orchard 200 yards East of buildings. No damage or casualties. B.D.S. 22.3.41.
09/12/1940 01.00 Foulness 2 – H.Es exploded in narrow gut creek, Rushley
Island Island 3/4 mile East of The Island Farm House. No damage or casualties.
09/12/1940 01.10 Doddinghurst I.Bs (a number) fell in the vicinity of
Woodlands Blackmore near Hendersons Garage. No damage or casualties.
09/12/1940 01.35 Hadleigh 1 – H.E exploded in centre of Park Chase London
Road, 6 slight casualties. Extensive damage to property. Gas main damaged (S.L.T. 21.12.40)
09/12/1940 01.35 Crays Hill I.Bs (a number) approx. 100 fell on open ground at
Crays Hill Farm. No damage or casualties.
09/12/1940 01.45 Doddinghurst 2 – H.Es exploded, 1 in field near Wantz
Cottages and 1 H.E. and 1 Oil I.B. in vicinity of “Red House” Poultry Farm, slight damage to 2 Poultry houses. No casualties.
09/12/1940 02.00 Ramsden 3 – H.Es unexploded, 1 at DeBeauvoir’s Farm
Bell House (exploded at 08.00) 1 South of Railway lines (exploded at 09.55) causing damage to Railway Embankment. Up track closed. And 1 at DeBeauvoir’s Farm 400 yards East of Farm. Slight damage to property. No casualties. (Railway line open 10.12.40).
09/12/1940 02.00 Crays Hill 2 – H.Es, 1 exploded 250 yards West of St Marys
Church and unexploded 10 yards from crater (exploded 11.12.40) Slight damage to property. No casualties.
09/12/1940 04.10 Hadleigh 1 – H.E. exploded in road outside School House.
The Avenue. Damage to four houses, gas main damaged. Telephone wires down. The Avenue blocked (S.L.T. 21st).
09/12/1940 04.10 Crays Hill 1 – H.E exploded in a field 10 yards from A.129
and 300 yards Billericay side of Whiteridge. No damage or casualties.
09/12/1940 04.30 Vange 2 – H.Es exploded in fields 40 yards South of High
Street and 100 yards West of Vange Church. Extensive damage to property. Telephone wires down. No casualties.
09/12/1940 04.30 Little 1 – H.E. exploded in a field between Sudburys
Burstead Farm and Blind Lane. No damage or casualties.
09/12/1940 06.30 Canvey 7 – H.Es, 4 unexploded in river in front of West
Island Point, Thorney Bay (3 exploded at 16.50 hrs, 1 remaining) and 3 exploded near Southend Water Works emergency Pumping Station Haven Road. Pumping Station badly damaged. Water supply not affected. No casualties.
09/12/1940 08.38 Foulness 3 – H.Es exploded and 15 I.Bs burnt out on Wick
Island Farm. No damage or casualties.
11/12/1940 20.30 Mountnessing 1 – H.E unexploded in Lodge field, Thoby
Lane. No damage or casualties.
11/12/1940 20.49 North I.Bs (a number) burnt out in fields at North Benfleet
Benfleet Hall Farm. No damage or casualties.
11/12/1940 21.00 Wickford 2 – H.Es exploded in a field North West of Wantz
Corner, Chelmsford Road. Slight damage to property. No casualties.
12/12/1940 Rayleigh Parachute of a flare found in a field near Crow Hill.
Now at Rayleigh Police Station.
12/12/1940 02.15 Paglesham 14 – H.Es exploded, 1 on East Hall Road. Closed
(open 13.12.40) 2 beside East Hall Road, 5 on South Hall Farm. 4 at Church Hall Farm and 2 on East Hall Farm. No damage or casualties.
12/12/1940 21.10 Mountnessing 4 – H.Es, 2 exploded and 2
unexploded in Moat field off Church Lane. No damage or casualties.
12/12/1940 22.27 Mountnessing 3 – H.Es, 2 exploded in a field on
McCheyne’s Farm and 1 unexploded in 2nd meadow North West of Great Cowbridge Grange Farm. No damage or casualties. Disposed of B.D.S. 17.12.40.
13/12/1940 02.52 Canvey 6 – H.Es exploded in the River Thames 100 yards
Island East of Oil Wharf Jetty. No damage or casualties.
13/12/1940 19.50 Canvey 1 Parachute mine exploded in mid-air between
Island Canvey and the Kent Coast. No damage or casualties.
13/12/1940 Rayleigh Parachute flare found in field near Crow Hill (taken
by R****
14/12/1940 01.55 Sutton 2 Parachute mines, 1 exploded 400 yards North
and 1exploded 500 yards West of Beauchamps Farm Shopland. No casualties. Considerable damage to property. Parachute of 1 mine at Rochford Police Station.
14/12/1940 01.55 Paglesham 2 Parachute mines, 1 exploded on South Hall
Marshes and 1 unexploded on Hare Marshes. Slight damage to property. Unexploded removed to Portsmouth 16th by Military.
14/12/1940 09.40 Little Warley 1 – A.A. unexploded Shell found in a field 200
yards East of Hall Lane. No damage or casualties.
14/12/1940 18.18 Canvey 10 – H.Es exploded, 1 on “Beachville” Clinton
Island Road, HQ of 96th Light A.A. Battery R.A. extensive damage to property. 1 soldier fatal casualty. Military hut fired. Underground telephone cables and telegraph pole damaged and 9 exploded in fields North and South of Canvey Road in line from Cooks Farm to Clinton Road. S.L.T. on Canvey Road B.1014. (open 14.12.40).
15/12/1940 20.08 Foulness 7 – H.Es exploded North West of Church End on
Island Nazewick Farm. No damage or casualties.
15/12/1940 20.20 Canvey 2 – H.Es exploded and 1 Oil I.B. burnt out in the
Island River Thames 500 yards off Scars Elbow Fort. No damage or casualties.
17/12/1940 Paglesham 1 – A.A. unexploded Shell in orchard of East Hall.
No damage or casualties.
17/12/1940 Dunton 1 – A.A. unexploded Shell in centre Verge opposite
telegraph pole 328, Arterial Road. No casualties. (Disposed of by B.D.S. 30/12/40).
20/12/1940 21.10 Great Warley 1 – H.E exploded in field 80 yards West of District
Nurses house. Slight damage to property. No casualties.
20/12/1940 23.55 Basildon 2 – H.Es, 1 exploded and 1 unexploded on Honey
Pot Lane. The unexploded H.E. exploded at 11.30 the 21st, causing two casualties (slight) both Wardens. Extensive damage to property, water main and telephone wires (Wardens names Norman and Clements) Road open 17.1.41.
21/12/1940 05.45 Creeksea Segt Hazlegrove and Pte Haige of the Duke of
Wellington Regt. Stationed at Hawkwell were taking part in manoeuvres at Creeksea when they walked across land mines buried in the ground on land which was fenced off running parallel with Creeksea Road, 1 mine exploded and they were both practically blown to pieces.
23/12/1940 19.45 Ingrave 7 – H.Es exploded and about 100 I.Bs burnt out in
Thorndon Park in vicinity of Hatch Farm, 1 in garden of Rushbottom Cottage Rectory Lane. Damage to property, 2 Salmonds Farm (damage to property) 2 Willows Farm, 1 dairy Farm and 1 at Fouchers Farm. No casualties.
23/12/1940 Brentwood 1 – A.A. unexploded Shell in garden of Curressys,
Ongar Road. No damage or casualties. (Disposed of by B.D.S. 24.1.41).
23/12/1940 Brentwood 1 – A.A. unexploded Shell in grounds of “Learigg”,
Cornslands. No damage or casualties. B.D.S. 26.2.41.
27/12/1940 20.18 Hockley 1 – H.E. exploded at junction of Greensword Lane
and Lower Road. No damage or casualties.
27/12/1940 20.30 Little Warley 1 – H.E. exploded at entrance of Codham Hall
Lane. The lane is partly blocked by debris. No casualties. (Lane open 29.12.40).
27/12/1940 20.40 South Weald Windows broken at The Chequers P.H. by mine
exploding at Navestock.
27/12/1940 20.40 Barling 2 – H.Es exploded, 1 at Shoulderstick Hall and 1 at
& Sutton Beauchamps Farm house. Damage to property. Aeroplane trip wires down. No casualties.
27/12/1940 21.00 Little Warley I.Bs (about 100) burnt out at junction of Hall Lane
and Arterial Road. Slight damage to property And about 1 ton of hay destroyed in a stack. No casualties.
27/12/1940 21.00 Hockley 1 – I.B. burnt out in a ditch at Marylands Wood.
No damage or casualties.
27/12/1940 21.00 Great 9 – H.Es exploded in line 100 yards North West of
Burstead Barleylands Sewerage Works. No damage or casualties.
27/12/1940 21.01 Billericay I.Bs (a number) burnt out in fields 400 yards West
of Barleylands House. No damage or casualties.
27/12/1940 21.12 Buttsbury 1 Parachute mine exploded 200 yards South East
of Shoulder Hall. Slight damage to Shoulder Hall. No casualties.
27/12/1940 21.13 Billericay 1 Parachute mine exploded 50 yards North of
“Stricklands” Buckwyns Estate. Damage to 8 houses. No casualties.
27/12/1940 Night South 1 – Parachute mine unexploded in garden of
Fambridge “Greenways” Fambridge Road. Tail cap found 1/2 mile from River. Fambridge Road closed. (Rendered safe by Admiralty 29.12.40) Road open ( Rest of entry missing on original).
27/12/1940 21.40 Canewdon 1 – A.A. unexploded Shell in a field 30 yards West
of Lion House. No damage or casualties.
27/12/1940 Ashingdon 1 – Parachute mine unexploded on Marshes 400
yards South of Ashingdon School (Rendered harmless by Admiralty 29.12.40).
28/12/1940 Coxtie Green Harley Cottage in lane nr Eagle Inn. Roof serious
and 12 panes of glass broken from blast and debris from H.E. exploded by B.D.S. during afternoon.
29/12/1940 18.30 Pitsea 2 – H.Es, 1 exploded in garden of “The Sheilings”
Rectory Road. Slight damage to property and 1 unexploded in a field 40 yards from Rectory Road. B.1011 closed (H.E. exploded 3.1.41 road open. Damage to 12 houses and shops.) No casualties.
29/12/1940 19.30 Brentwood 1 – A.A. Shell exploded on Ingrave Road opposite
“Rannock” 200 yards South of 3 Arch Bridge. Slight damage to property and road. No casualties.