Bombing took place on Black Friday

Tony Webb, one of our regular in response to a heavy attack on correspondents, writes to correct the town by the Luftwaffe. the memory of Roy Fellows. “The day came to be known as

Mr Fellows suggested (KM Sept Black Friday with 22 people dead 23) the Hills and Stills store in and many more injured from the 42 Maidstone’s Week Street was bombs that fell.” destroyed by a German bomb on The Mill Street bombing was a October 31, 1940, when Mill Street different attack, happening just was also hit. Not so, says Mr Webb. before 9am on Thursday, October He said: “Hills31.andSteelswas damaged by an oil bomb through Mr Webb has sent in a copy of the the roof on Friday, September 27, hand-written report logged by the 1940. Fire Brigade on the day.

“The Borough Fire Brigade It reads: “(Item) 46. 27/9/40 attended the incident with their Call at 12-7pm recently acquired Vanguard Call to Hills and Steele Week appliance. It was indeed a busy day Street for Maidstone’s emergency services Stock severely damaged

An oil bomb dropped by German aircraft. Finished at 3.15pm” In 1940, towns still operated their own fire brigades. The National Fire Service was created the following year.

Sharp-eyed readers will notice we now have three different spellings of this store’s name just within this story: They reflect different spellings suggested by our readers.

But now we have a contemporaneous note of the spelling, as being Hills and Steele, that is what we will use in future – until someone proves otherwise ...