A night of terror as bombs fell over South Derbyshire

It is exactly 80 yeas since the German Luftwaffe dropped bombs on South Derbyshire - damaging more than 500 properties and killing five people. Historian Malcolm looks back at the night of terror.

Goode

ON the night of Wednesday, November 20, leading into November 21, 1940, a parachute mine was dropped on Baker Street, Church Gresley.

The attack happened the week after the Germans had carpet bombed Coventry causing huge destruction.

In the Church Gresley attack, the parachute mine demolished four houses and killed five people including a small child, while injuring 14 others.

This parachute mine virtually wiped out Baker Street, very shortly afterwards a second Mine fell on Thomas Wragg and Son’s yard near to the footpath that led to Squires Row.

It damaged the railway, lifting trucks over a wall and into a clay-hole, and left its mark on surrounding buildings.

As a result of these two explosions an immense amount of damage, probably reaching a figure of £20,000 was caused. The shopping centre of Swadlincote was a sea of broken plate glass from shattered shop windows.

When it was all over, a check of the damage was made, it was found that 537 homes had suffered some sort of harm Of these, 227 required only minor repairs, but the rest were fairly seriously affected.

The five fatalities of the attack were: HARRIETT BOTHAM: aged 73, of 12 Baker Street, Church Gresley, Died at 12 Baker Street. Widow of Harry Botham. CHARLOTTE BROWN: aged 60 of 14 Baker Street, Church Gresley, Died at 14 Baker Street. Wife of A. H. Brown. REGINALD ERNEST TOMLIN: age three months, son of Ernest Tomlin of 9 Hill Street. Died at 18 Baker Street, Church Gresley. SARAH ELIZABETH INSLEY: aged 68, of 18 Baker Street, Church Gresley. Widow of William James Insley. Died at 18 Baker Street. Is thought to be the grandmother of Reginald Tomlin

BENJAMIN WOODWARD: aged 48, of 145 Coppice Side, Church Gresley. Died at 145 Coppice Side.

The bodies of these five victims were never recovered from their demolished homes. Their names are commemorated at the Swadlincote Urban District memorial. Their names will also be included in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located near St George’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey, London.

CLIPPING FROM THE BRITISH NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE/ BURTON MAIL ARCHIVE Reporting restrictions in place at the time under the Defence of the Realm Act meant that newspapers could not reveal any information which could assist the enemy. These images, published in the Burton Observer in December 1940, are believed to show the South Derbyshire bombings. Today we know that more than 500 properties were damaged and five people were killed, but the picture captions at the time calmly claim damage was caused to unoccupied and unfinished homes.

PICTURE: PA PHOTOS The Queen, third left front, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, fifth left front, stands in silence by a newly unveiled memorial to all innocent civilian victims across the world, sited near to the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey, during a ceremony in October 1996. The plain slate memorial to the victims, living or dead, of war, oppression or violence.