Wallers+raid

`Lowestoft Journal and Mercury' Saturday, January 17th 1942

DAYLIGHT ATTACK ON EAST COAST TOWN

Business Premises Demolished in Hit and Run Raid

PEOPLE KILLED IN SHOPS AND STREET

By the light of flares rescue parties were on Tuesday night searching the ruins of demolished shops to release people trapped when bombs from a raider demolished a range of shops in an east Anglian coast town in the late afternoon. Their exertions resulted in several lives being saved, the task of locating the victims being aided in some cases by the sound of their voices through the wreckage.

There were a number of casualties, many of which were fatal, among people in the street as well as in the wrecked buildings. Rescue work continued throughout Wednesday and Thursday, but despite untiring efforts it is feared that all the victims have not yet been recovered.

The Mayor of the town, who is also A.R.P. Sub-Controller for the area, was on the scene within a few minutes, and only left it for an hour or two at a time. He spoke in high praise of the heroic rescue work, which was carried out not only by local squads, but by others brought in from other parts of the county, and by organised parties from the services. Their efforts undoubtedly saved lives.

Early on Wednesday the Member of Parliament for the division and the Chief Constable also visited the scene and expressed their sympathy with the bereaved. Premises along a considerable stretch of frontage were destroyed and the shops on the opposite side of the street had their fronts wrecked by blast. The raider came in from the sea, and as soon as the ground defences opened up, released its bombs from a low altitude and then made off to sea again.

Within two hours of the bombing a considerable number of people had been released from the debris, and from the shelters of some of the shops where they had been imprisoned.

The staffs of a jeweller, chemist, and china warehouse were reported to be safe. "We had gone to the shelters when we heard the plane", stated one of them, "and we just had to wait for the wreckage to be removed".

MAN'S BODY AS SHIELD

One of the acts of heroism revealed by the rescue work was that of Mr Slater, manager of a multiple tailors shop. His body was found shielding his 17 year old assistant, Beryl Bunn, who was rescued with injuries to her legs, which were not serious.

The morning after

//Ford Jenkins//

Civilian deaths
 * NAME || AGE ||
 * ALDRED Dora Elizabeth || 14 ||
 * BAKER Winifred Arabella || 27 ||
 * BONSALL Dorothy Mary || 42 ||
 * BONSALL Ernest || 63 ||
 * BULLARD Agnes Victoria || 40 ||
 * BUTCHER Jane || 15 ||
 * CONSTANCE Daisy Alice || 28 ||
 * COPPING Ruby Irene || 24 ||
 * CRISPIN Dorothy Rose || 35 ||
 * CROSS Mary Emma || 19 ||
 * DAVIS Percy Walter || 44 ||
 * EDMUNDS Megan Barbara || 18 ||
 * FLEMING Lucy Lillian || 18 ||
 * FREDERICK Lucy Evelyn || 48 ||
 * GARROD Maurice || 17 ||
 * GAYFER George Birkwood || 14 ||
 * GAYFER Leslie Birkwood || 57 ||
 * GEORGE Lillian Beatrice || 57 ||
 * GOLDING Oliver || 50 ||
 * HAMBLY Susan Dorothea || 48 ||
 * HOOD Iris May || 16 ||
 * HOWL Doris Betty || 17 ||
 * KERRISON Margery Gertrude || 38 ||
 * MILLS Ellen Eliza || 67 ||
 * MILLS Mildred Jenny || 58 ||
 * MOORE Ethel May || 23 ||
 * MORGAN Audrey May || 34 ||
 * MORLING Ernest Jabez || 70 ||
 * PAUL David Stephen || 2 ||
 * PAUL Edith Lucy || 27 ||
 * PAYNTER Gertrude Annie || 57 ||
 * PETHERICK Elsie Thelma || 19 ||
 * PINKNEY Emily Sarah || 51 ||
 * SNELLING Dorothy Elsie || 30 ||
 * TALBOT Lillian || 57 ||
 * THROWER Olive Rita || 20 ||
 * WARD Malvinia || 58 ||
 * WARDILL Wilfred George || 50 ||
 * WHITING Beryl Joan || 21 ||
 * WHITLAM Muriel Evelyn Jean || 20 ||
 * WINCUP Elsie Harriet Doreen || 16 ||
 * WOODMAN Doris Louisa || 32 ||
 * WRIGHT Barbara Laura || 16 ||
 * WRIGHT Gladys May || 26 ||

In October 1945 a plan for the reconstruction of the central area of Lowestoft, prepared by the deputy Borough Surveyor, Mr H J Welch, was published in the //Lowestoft Journal//. It indicates the area on the eastern side of London Rd. demolished in the raid (Waller's Raid) of the on 13th January 1942.

Two areas were earmarked as open spaces. Area 4 was designated as the Central Park and area 3 as the Station Plaza. These areas were subject to the devastation caused by other bombings.

The only open space remaining of this vision is the non-descript carpark between Clapham Rd and Raglan Rd, in front of the library and civic offices.