Bromley firefighters remember victims of deadly WW2 bombing

21 firefighters from Beckenham were among those who were killed during The Blitz in World War 2, when a landmine dropped from a bomber destroyed an old school being used as a sub-fire station.

The incident, reported on the night of April 19/20, 1941, saw a bomb fall on Old Palace School in Bow, East London.

The incident was recorded in the wartime diaries of Mr W. Somerville, an off duty member of the Homerton crew.

An old post on the now-defunct website, Firemen Remembered, described the incident: "Shortly after 1.30am, crews were assembled in the school playground standing-by to be sent on to where they were needed most when a land-mine, one of the most violently destructive weapons at that stage of the war, landed on the roof of the school and dropped down a stairwell at the bottom of which was the watchroom where two women were killed outright.

Pic - London Remembers (https://www.londonremembers.com/)

"The men waiting outside were caught by the blast, which also demolished two thirds of the school building, and were buried by falling masonry."

Firefighters gathered this week on the 80th anniversary of the tragedy to hold a memorial service.

The list of those who died in the incident are as follows:

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

Firewoman Winifred Alexandra Peters – London Fire Brigade – Died 20th April 1941 aged 39, of Canton Street

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AFS Fireman Robert John Deans – AFS Beckenham – Died 20th April 1941 aged 28, of The Grove, West Wickham, Kent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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