[ Post New Message | Post Reply to this One | Send Private Email to Cathy | Help ]

Bomb raid victims are remembered

from Cathy (cathyvpreece@aol.com)

South London Press

News

Bomb raid victims are remembered

Oct 7 2003
By Chief Reporter Oscar Mortali

A SERVICE of remembrance is to take place more than 60 years after dozens of men, women and children were killed in a Second World War bomb raid.

At least 54 people are believed to have perished when the explosive device was dropped on a shallow air-raid shelter in Kennington Park on October 15, 1940.

Among the victims were children as young as two. However, no official death toll was calculated and the site was levelled a few days later. It is possible that some bodies were never recovered.

Casualties included residents of Vauxhall Gardens and Kennington Park, and many were from streets between South Island Place and Newington Butts.

Now, 63 years on, a memorial service is to take place in Kennington to pay tribute to those who lost their lives.

The event is the idea of Oval Ward councillor Marietta Crichton Stuart. She told the South London Press: "It is a sad story. After I heard about it I thought it would be a good idea to have a memorial service for the civilian dead."

The Lib Dem Lambeth councillor is now appealing for anyone who lost a relative or friend in the bombing raid or remembers the tragic event to get in touch with her.

She is also inviting residents of the streets and estates involved to the ceremony, due to take place at St Mark's Church at the Oval on Sunday from 6.30pm.

* If you lost a friend or relative in the raid or remember it, email Cllr Crichton Stuart at: crichton@stuart.org or call the South London Press on 020-8710 6437.

(posted 7477 days ago)

[ Previous | Next ]