Teignmouth bombing map
Casualty lists etc Click on the link for more information and use the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet to investigate other dates and times
7th July 1940 6.55 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid In the sea off the Pier, Teignmouth.
One fatality -
Florence Joyce Medland.
Daughter of Albert S. Medland, of 48 Parson Street.
4 serious injuries and 8 minor injuries.
10 properties damaged.
Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions & Service Personnel testing gas masks in Teignmouth Town Hall, Brunswick Street Extracts from Teignmouth Post 12th July 1940
Chairman of Urban District Council at Bitton House – Air Raid shelters
Four official shelters to accommodate 50 persons each are being constructed. In addition, the basement of the Riviera Cinema (for 60) and the lavatories at the rear of the Royal Hotel (for 50) are also designated as official shelters.
Teignmouth will provide shelters for a little over 3% of the town’s normal residents. The Report Centre of the Air Raid Precaution – ARP A protected basement is to be established in the lower floor of Bitton House. It will be manned day and night by teams of volunteers in shifts of six people.
Brigadier J. Morrison appeals to the public for floor coverings, couches, camp beds and armchairs to enable the men and women who undertake this important work to do so in reasonable comfort.
The Board of Education New instructions issued on precautions to be taken by schools during air raids: If bombs drop without warning near schools, children should take up the safest position in the building and lie on the floor, away from windows. On no account must they leave the building to enter the school or domestic shelters.
Teignmouth Air Raid siren
8th July 1940 2.19 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid In the sea off the Pier, Teignmouth.
No casualties.
One property damaged.
How were people encouraged to stay safe?
Share Shelters © IWM (Art.IWM PST 13874)
21st October 1940 10:45 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid on Lindridge House, Bishopsteignton.
No casualties.
One property damaged.
A Child's gas mask
12th December 1940 10:40 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid on Wood, Bishopsteignton.
No casualties.
Two properties damaged.
15th February 1941 7.55 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid Ringmore, Shaldon.
No casualties.
Teignmouth map 1938 showing the narrow streets that were bombed
2nd March 1941 8.03 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid Mill Lane & The Avenues.
5 dead -
Elsie Jane Field, aged 53,
Frank Field, aged 61,
Delphine Mary Hook, aged 3,
Dorcas Elsie Hook, aged 29,
and Leslie George Hook, aged 29.
1 minor injury.
4 properties demolished and 200 damaged.
Raid 6 Second Avenue
Raid 6 In Second Avenue
Raid 7 Teignmouth Hospital
8th May 1941 2.15 am Luftwaffe bombing raid Hospital, Kingsdown & Mill Lane.
11 dead -
Elsa Olga Bruns, aged 26,
Mary Louisa Cotmore, aged 61,
Rosina Esworthy, aged 69,
Jane Elizabeth Herbert, aged 60,
Beatrice Mary James, nurse, aged 17,
Beatrice Milner, nurse, aged 49,
Eliza Moore, aged 75,
Bessie Mundy, aged 55,
Muriel Lily Georgina Taylor, nurse, aged 22,
John Francis Tatchell, aged 80,
and RosaWinsborrow, aged 56.
4 minor injuries.
2 properties demolished and 35 damaged.
Raid 7 Teignmouth Hospital
Raid 7 Heswall near Teignmouth Hospital
Western Morning News report
Report from Western Morning News Page 1
Report from Western Morning News Page 2
15th May 1941 5.49 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid In the sea off the Pier.
No casualties.
30 properties damaged.
Second Avenue
11th June 1941 7.13 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid Railway Line, Hole Head Tunnel.
No casualties.
5th July 1941 2.40 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid Bishopsteignton, Teignmouth main road.
No casualties.
Raid 11 Mount Everest Lodge
24th October 1941 9.15 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid Yannon Drive, Exeter Road.
2 dead -
Thomas Edred Evel, aged 45,
and George Shackell, aged 19.
5 minor injuries.
2 properties demolished and 394 damaged.
Raid 11 Peribank Yannon Drive
7th March 1942 9.31 am Luftwaffe bombing raid The Sea.
No casualties.
16th April 1942 8.10 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid Coombe Cellars, The Point.
No casualties.
23rd April 1942 11.15 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid Headway Cross, near Teignmouth.
No casualties.
Raid 15 Gospel Hall Bitton Street
2nd July 1942 Luftwaffe bombing raid, Bitton Street and the surrounding neighbourhood.
4 dead -
Percival P. Taylor,
Florence Prout,
Jack Thomas Smith,
Dick Smith(Seaman).
5 severely injured, and 13 minor injuries.
14 properties demolished and 150 damaged.
Raid 15 Top of Parson Street
Raid 15 Bitton Street looking west
Raid 16 Bitton Avenue
31st July 1942 7.16 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid, Bitton Ave, Belgrave Terr, Heywoods.
8 dead -
Ada May Ford, aged 59,
Ida Alice Curtis, aged 59,
Daisy W. Hamlyn, aged 39,
Winifred Hamlyn, aged 13,
Marjorie Hamlyn, aged 9,
Ellen Govier, aged 86,
Edith Whiteman, aged 50,
and Arthur Whiteman, aged 52.
6 severely injured, and 7 minor injuries.
4 properties demolished and 105 damaged.
Raid 17 Barnpark Terrace
13th August 1942 5.30 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid, Town Hall, Broadmeadow, Shaldon.
14 dead -
Florence Bennett, aged 38,
Alice Maud Tapp, aged 66,
Carries Chamings, aged 72,
William W. Clode, aged 52,
Thelma Coles, aged 6,
Hazel J. Smith, aged 5,
Florence Hodge, aged 53,
Rose Hodge, aged 51,
Alice Jane Lee, aged 66,
Fred. J. Loosemore, aged 76,
Mary M Loosemore, aged 72,
Edward J.C. Perrow, aged 63,
Eliza Cox, aged 80,
and Maurice Mortimore, aged 26.
10 seriously injured, and 32 minor injuries.
5 properties demolished and 160 damaged.
Raid 17 Northumberland Place Town Hall
Raid 17 Brunswick St Market
2nd September 1942 4.00 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid, Seafront, Barnpark Rd, Higher Brook St.
8 dead -
Henry J. Williams, aged 82,
Elizabeth M Williams, aged 79,
Alice J. James, aged 82,
Florence M. Best, aged 73,
Pauline N. Best, aged 44,
Alice J. Gilpin, aged 68,
Rosa V. Turpin, aged 55,
and Elizabeth Loosemore, aged 72.
4 seriously injured and 27 minor injuries
3rd November 1942 12.50 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid St.James Church, Reed Vale.
6 dead -
Raymond Boorer, aged 15,
Rhoda Boorer, aged 61,
Mary A. Stevens, aged 29,
Ann R. Stevens, 3 months,
Dora Ellen Young, aged 86,
and Albert W. Boorer, aged 44.
4 minor injuries.
21 properties demolished and 183 damaged.
Raid 19 Park Street
10th January 1943 2.30 pm Luftwaffe bombing raid, Powderham and Alexandra Terrace and Saxe Street.
20 dead -
Bernard E. Brook, aged 27,
Eileen M. Brook, aged 27,
John Brook, aged 20 months,
Edward J. Brook, aged 19,
Jessie Pratt, aged 65,
George W. Pratt, aged 30,
Charles F Stephens, aged 60,
Violet M. Cousins, aged 32,
Helena Hastings, aged 54,
Sidney J. Branchett, aged 50,
Agnes B. Cheverton, aged 57,
Samuel J. Coleman, aged 80,
Jane B.Coleman, aged 79,
Olive W. Coleman, aged 54,
Florence Goddard, aged 72,
Kate E. Hambly, aged 82,
William F. Rendell, aged 52,
Peter F. Rendell, aged 17,
Jessie Skinner, aged 32,
and Herbert L. Skinner, aged 37.
5 seriously injured, and 22 minor injuries.
1 property demolished and 4 damaged.
Raid 19 Park Street
18th May 1943 2.45 am Luftwaffe bombing raid, Bitton House and Shaldon.
No casualties.
Raid 20 Alexandra Terrace
Raid 20 Powderham Terrace
29th May 1943 1.40 am Luftwaffe bombing raid, Bishopsteignton.
No casualties.
Raid 20 Saxe Street
Teignmouth Post & Gazette Friday, October 27, 1944
A bombing incident and a lost train
An air raid on Teignmouth caused GWR Railway Control to switch a 4.25 Plymouth Parcels Train to reach Exeter via the Teign Valley line, thus avoiding the danger of the sea wall track.
However, Exeter reported that the train did not arrive, and neither Christow nor Heathfield stations had seen it. It seemed that the diversion up the Teign Valley had not taken place.
So where was the train?
The train finally arrived safely at Exeter. The driver explained that he had been fired on by enemy planes, so he had raced on and stopped in Parson’s Tunnel until the danger seemed to have passed. When the train was inspected, there were bullet holes throughout the length of the train.
Imagine the casualties if the train had carried passengers rather than parcels, especially as the trains from Plymouth would have probably had many sailors going home on leave.
Parson’s Tunnel at the time was 521 yards long. Given that the standard GWR coach was 19 yards long, the tunnel would have provided enough cover for a train and up to about 20 coaches to hide there safely, as long as the driver managed to stop the train in time before he reached the Dawlish end!
