Nellie May Page – killed in WWII air raid

The cities of London and Bristol were heavily bombed during the Second World War yet Swindon, somewhere in between, went relatively unscathed. Despite its dominance within the railway industry it appears that Swindon was not on the Luftwaffe radar. There is a theory that Hitler was preserving the railway network for when he invaded Britain.

On the night of October 20, 1940 a lone bomber dropped three bombs (two high-explosive and an incendiary bomb) on the town, causing significant damage on Rosebery and Graham Streets in Broad Town. There were 10 confirmed fatalities, including Nellie May Page who lived at 35 Graham Street but was visiting friends in Rosebery Street that fateful night.

Workers’ Houses Wrecked

People Killed by Bombs in South of England Town

Having regard to the damage to working class houses caused by two heavy high explosive bombs that dropped on a town in the South on Sunday night, the casualties were comparatively few.

In one street six adjoining houses collapsed when a heavy bomb crashed through the roof of one. The second bomb dropped in the middle of a road in an adjoining street, leaving another huge crater and almost completely demolishing three houses.

The explosion threw the uppermost part of about a dozen houses out of the perpendicular. Pieces of masonry, rafter timber and other debris were rained down over a wide radius, holing roofs in many places and doing extensive damage.

Despite this damage fatal casualties were few. One of the persons killed was Mrs. Nellie May Page aged 47, who was visiting friends at the time. Her daughter, Miss Sylvia Joan Page, who was with her, was taken to hospital suffering from severe head injuries and shock.

Fractured Gas Main

An oil bomb which struck the rear of one house, partially wrecked the scullery and living room. A fire was started here, but it was dealt with very effectively by the fire-fighting services, and extinguished before it could get a hold. Gas from a fractured gas main also caught alight, but here again the brigade quickly had the situation in hand.

The situation provided a severe test for the various ARP services and police, but they all acquitted themselves remarkably well. Demolition and rescue squads, as well as first-aid parties and medical men, were at hand extricating residents trapped deep down in the wreckage and attending to the injured.

In Good Spirit

Gallant work was done by wardens and ambulance men, and they recount how two young girls were liberated, almost unscathed, from beneath a completely wrecked house. Falling beams had apparently prevented them from being crushed to death, and the rescuers were surprised to find that they were not only unhurt but in good spirit. One asked for a drink and when offered a flask of water observed, with a smile, “Is that the best you can do?”

Generally, the inhabitants displayed great fortitude and calmness, and seemed to be more concerned about the welfare of their neighbours than of their own interests.

Rapid headway was made in clearing away the debris. There were plenty of volunteers for the work of salving furniture and other belongs, and, in the same way, those whose homes were not so severely damaged found plenty of helpers to assist in covering up broken windows and doorways.

Extracts for the North Wilts Herald Friday 25 October 1940.

Wartime publishing restrictions prevented newspapers from identifying the town and street names.

Nellie was born on June 4, 1893, the youngest of five children. Her father William James Hopkins worked in the Carriage and Wagon Works. When Nellie was baptised at St. Saviours on July 16, 1893 William and his wife Emma and their children were living at 78 William Street.

Nellie married at St. Marks on September 25, 1915 during the First World War when her husband Francis Vernon Page was serving in the RAMC.

Nellie was buried in grave plot E7491 with her husband Francis who died in December 1935.

Jane Elizabeth Hobbs – killed in WWII air raid

A lone raider on a bombing mission came dangerously close to the Great Western Railway factory during the night of Thursday December 19, 1940. But instead of hitting the Works the high explosive bomb fell on Beatrice Street, Gorse Hill.

There were several casualties and some miraculous rescues, but sadly Jane Elizabeth Hobbs died the following day in the Victoria Hospital.

Jane Elizabeth Miles was the daughter of a railway man; she married another railway man like so many women of her generation did. William John Hobbs had begun his working life as a cattleman on a farm in Calne but by the time of his marriage to Jane in 1907 he was working as a machineman in the GWR.

The couple lived their entire married life in Gorse Hill where they raised three children. William died in 1933 at 167 Beatrice Street; the house that was later destroyed by a bomb on the night of Thursday December 19, 1940.

Five houses were demolished and others damaged, but there were few casualties when a lone raider dropped bombs on a town in the South of England last Thursday night.

In one street where three houses were wrecked, the rescuers, who were on the scene within two or three minutes, were astonished to hear cries for aid.

Gaining a way through the debris from the back of the house they saw three or four heads protruding from beneath the collapsed stairway. These were the occupants of the house, who had rushed under the staircase as the building collapsed upon them and were thrown flat on the floor. They were all pulled out suffering from slight injuries.

Mrs Jane Hobbs, a widow, was the most seriously injured, and she died in hospital on Friday evening. Her 24-year-old daughter Jane, who was also seriously injured is still in hospital.

A Mr. Crook, who was on a visit from another part of the town, was also taken to hospital.

In another nearby street a bomb dropped in the middle of a small backyard at the rear of two houses. All the outbuildings were demolished and the walls at the back of the houses were fractured. Here again there were lucky escapes. Five or six occupants in the kitchen included a married couple who had twice previously been bombed in London.

Scores of houses in the neighbourhood were hit by flying masonry, and in this way, as well as through blast, many windows were broken.

Praise for ARP Squads.

Everyone was loud in praise of the magnificent way in which the wardens, the rescue and demolition squads. First-aid workers and firemen discharged their duties.

One resident observed: “They were here and hard at work almost before we could get out. Not a second was wasted, and I can tell you this fact was a great relief to us all.”

Extracts from North Wilts Herald, Friday, 27 December, 1940.

Gorse Hill

Jane was buried on December 26 in grave plot C3831 which she shares with her husband William and her parents Henry John and Fanny Miles.

Battle of Britain commemorations 2015

Ten years ago Radnor Street Cemetery volunteers in partnership with the Swindon Heritage Magazine commemorated another significant war time event – the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

The Duke, in his role as Air Marshall, Royal Air Force came to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and one of ‘The Few’, Swindon born fighter pilot Harold Morley Starr. The week long Swindon Remembers commemorative festival concluded with a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Duke’s visit on Battle of Britain Day.

Harold Morley Starr was born in Swindon on September 8, 1914, the fourth of Ellen and Morley Starr’s five children. He grew up in the Central Temperance Hotel in Regent Street where his mother was the proprietor and his father worked as a shop fitter. Harold attended Clarence Street School, Swindon completing his education at Cotham Grammar School following the family’s move to Bristol.

While still at school Harold became a member of the Officers’ Training Corps and at the age of just 19 won an RAF scholarship and joined the air force as an acting pilot officer.

On August 31, 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain, Harold’s Hurricane L1830 was shot down over Eastry near Sandwich during an interception patrol. The young fighter pilot successfully baled out at 15,000 feet but as he floated down three Messerschmitts circled him and opened fire.

Harold’s body was returned to Swindon where he was buried in a family grave in Radnor Street Cemetery. His funeral took place on September 6, two days before what would have been his 26th birthday.

Two blue plaques commemorate Harold and his brother Wing Commander Norman John Starr DFC & Bar. Visit the website for more details.

The Duke of Gloucester was then escorted to Swindon station where he unveiled a commemorative plaque to Sqn Ldr Starr on a First Great Western Class 43 locomotive.

Stanley William Ashton – pilot officer

Pilot officer Stanley Ashton married Josephine Loveday in December 1939. Josephine was the daughter of Frederick and Adeline Loveday. Frederick served as an Air Mechanic 1^st Class during the Great War. He died in the King George Military Hospital in Stamford Street, South London. He was 29 years old and left a widow and two small daughters.

Stanley William Ashton, who was born on 22nd August 1911, served an apprenticeship as an electrician. He joined the RAF and gained his Pilots wings in Nov 1938. In 1939 he was serving with 59 squadron in France where they were using Blenheim MIV aircraft. As the Germans pushed through France in 1940 the squadron was withdrawn to England and based at RAF Odiham Hampshire. They continued to fly missions over France, mainly reconnaissance operations.

On Tuesday 4th June 1940 Pilot officer Ashton and his crew were flying R3697. They took off from RAF Eastchurch in Kent – There are 2twotheories as to what they were doing. One is that they were on a transit flight to head back to their base in Hampshire. The other is that they were on an operational mission.

Neither have been confirmed but as the aircraft banked during take off one of the wings clipped the ground and the plane crashed killing all on board. Among those killed were Observer Sgt William John Wilson and Wireless operator/Air gunner Sgt Roland Wilson (unrelated). Stanley Ashton had been married just six months.

Josephine eventually remarried in 1955 and died in 1982 but is buried elsewhere. Although the cemetery was closed by then the burial registers indicate that there was room for one adult left in this plot.

Stanley William Ashton is buried here in plot C3524 with Frederick and Adeline Loveday.