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Largest loss of Fire Brigade personnel ever suffered

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  • Largest loss of Fire Brigade personnel ever suffered

    Old Palace L.C.C. School Poplar Bombed
    During the war many schools were left empty due to children being evacuated to the country. The Old Palace LCC School in St. Leonards Street, Poplar, was one of these, and was commandeered war for use as Sub Fire Station 24U for firefighters of the Auxiliary Fire Service. On the night of Sunday April 20th 1941, Fire Service crews were standing by in anticipation of a heavy raid on the Capital. At precisely 1.53am, a land mine, dropped from a Luftwaffe bomber, scored a direct hit on the school. Thirty two firemen and two fire women were killed.

    This was the largest loss of Fire Brigade personnel ever suffered in the history of the service in Britain.


    AFS Firewoman (Telephonist) Hilda Dupree – AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 21. Of 33 Warwick Road, Walthamstow, Essex.

    Firewoman Winifred Alexandra Peters – London Fire Brigade
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 39. Of 122 Canton Street


    AFS Fireman Percy Charles Aitchison – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 27. Of 20 Copse Avenue, West Wickham, Kent.

    AFS Fireman Ronald Mark Bailey – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 25. of 81 Links Road, Tooting.

    AFS Fireman Alan Charles Barber – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 26. Of 6 Fairford Close, Shirley, Croydon, Surrey.

    AFS Fireman Earnest Reginald Beadle – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 32. Of 211 Birkbeck Road, Beckenham.

    AFS Fireman Kenneth John Bowles – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 30. Of 27 Beckenham Road, West Wickham, Kent.

    AFS Fireman John Coleman Burrell – AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 35. Of 39 North Street, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

    AFS Fireman Patrick Joseph Campbell – AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 24. Of 39 Bannister House, Homerton

    AFS Fireman Harry John Carden – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 29. Of 7 Mounthurst Road, Hayes, Bromley, Kent.

    AFS Fireman Robert John Deans – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 28. Of 144 The Grove, West Wickham, Kent.
    Killed at Old Palace L.C.C. School, St. Leonards Street, Poplar.

    AFS Fireman Frank James Endean – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 36. Of 34 Aviemore Way, Beckenham, Kent.

    AFS Fireman Cecil Farley – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 43. Of 5 Linden Leas, West Wickham, Kent.

    AFS Fireman George John Joseph Hall – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 43. Of 44 Warwick Road, Anerley, Kent.

    AFS Messenger Bertie James Frederick Harris – AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 17. Of 31 Brabazon Street,

    AFS Fireman Leslie Thomas Healey– AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 32. Of 15 Greenview Avenue, Shirley, Surrey.

    AFS Despatch Rider Ernest Herbert Henly _ AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 19. Of 2 Grange Cottage, Silver Street, Kinton Langley, Chippenham, Wiltshire.

    AFS Fireman Sydney Bartholomew Jones – AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 31. Of 54 Harrogate Road, Hackney.

    AFS Fireman Albert Victor Kite – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 36. Of 166 Village Way, Beckenham, Kent.

    AFS Fireman John Francis Mead– AFS
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 29. Of 39 Christie Road, Hackney.

    AFS Fireman Vernon Joseph Middleditch – AFS
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 31. Of 220 Hunders Lane, Darlington, Co. Durham.

    AFS Fireman Alfred Edward Minter – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 46. Of 48 Aylesford Avenue, Beckenham, Kent.

    AFS Fireman Norman Richard Charles Mountjoy – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 30. Of 11 Ash Grove, West Wickham, Kent

    AFS Fireman Frederick George Parcell – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 32. Of 28 Love Lane, South Norwood, Surrey.

    AFS Fireman Martin Charles Parfett – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 31. Of 296 Pickhurst Rise, West Wickham, Kent.

    AFS Fireman William Charles Plant – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 26. Of 22 Sultan Street, Beckenham, Kent.

    AFS Fireman Cyril Bertram Porter – AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 31. Of 31 Clinton Road, Forest Gate, Essex.

    AFS Fireman William Thomas Rashbrook – AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 31. Of 133 Chatsworth Road, Clapton.

    AFS Leading Fireman Leonard Roots – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 31. Of 10 Avenue Court, Avenue Road, Anerley, Kent.

    AFS Fireman Albert Alfred Saville – AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 35. Of 54 Harrowgate Road, Hackney.

    Station Officer Richard William Sinstadt – London Fire Brigade
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 46. Of 74 Beccles Drive, Barking, Essex.

    AFS Fireman Edgar William Vick – AFS London
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 38. Of 234 Eden Way, Beckenham, Kent.

    AFS Leading Fireman Walter John Woodland – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 41. Of 68 Links Way, Eden Park, Beckenham, Kent.

    AFS Leading Fireman Herbert Charles Wotton – AFS Beckenham
    Died 20th April 1941 aged 30. Of 78 Upper Elmers End Road, Beckenham, Kent.



    My Great Aunt, Winifred Alexandra Peters (nee Wootton) died in this sad incident and only two weeks after the event my mother was born, and christened Winifred Alexandra Wootton in her memory.
    Paul Chiddicks


    More info here



    The Beckenham firemen are also commemorated, and listed by name, on a plaque at Beckenham Fire Station. 2022: The great-nephew of one of the fire women killed, Winifred Alexandra Peters, created a website dedicated to the memory of those that sadly lost their lives at the Old Palace School. By 2022 he had completed 21 of the 34 biographies of the firemen and women who died. These are full biographies each with many photographs.


    Last edited by Paulc; 17-01-17, 15:04.
    My Family History Blog Site:

    https://chiddicksfamilytree.com

  • #2
    very sad reading Paul:( and how much worse it would have been if the children had been there.

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