Saturday 19th April 1941 – Cranworth Gardens, Hillyard Street & Russell Hotel

The worst single loss of life in the history of the Fire Brigade occurred during the night of the 19th when 34 firemen were killed at the Old Place School in Poplar, East London. Locally high explosive bombs completely demolished the end of Cranworth Gardens and properties in the centre of Hillyard Street.

A summary of the incident

Time that the bombs hitBetween 21:55 and 22:30
Type of bomb/sHigh Explosive
Was anyone hurt or killed?Some casualties
Where did the bombs land?On the end of Cranworth Gardens and the middle of Hillyard Street
Were houses damaged?Yes
Were businesses damaged?Yes
Were there evacuations?Yes

Sites of the bombs are indicated with red dots on the map below:

There are two Civil Defence incident logs for this bombing raid, the first reads:

Date19.41.41
Time22:34
Position of OccuranceHillyard Street
Type of bombsHigh Explosive
Casualties (Approx)Yes
Whether any trapped under wreckageNil
FireFire
Damage to MainsNil
Names of any roads blockedNil
Position of any unexploded bombsNil
Time of occurance21:55
NotesFire
And the second…

Date19.04.41
Time23:21
Position of OccuranceRussell Hotel, Brixton Road
Type of bombsIncendiary
Casualties (Approx)Nil
Whether any trapped under wreckageNil
FireFire
Damage to MainsNil
Names of any roads blockedNil
Position of any unexploded bombsNil
Time of occurance22:25
NotesFire extinguished by SF.P. No further report.

The civil defence messages sent back and forth to the local ARP (Air raid precaution) depot read as follows..

The Cranworth Gardens/Hillyard Street messages are as follows:

DateTimeText of Message
19.04.4121:53Express Report at Hillyard Street between Brixton Road & Clapham Road. Fire.
19.4.4123:25Supplementary Report 26 and 28 Hillyard Street. 21:54. High Explosive.
Two blocks completely destroyed.
Two casualties, slight.
19.4.4123:57Oliver Dring - Open ground dividing wall back of Hillyard Street.
Damage to water mains.
Ammonia plant maybe fractured - need advice.
20.4.4113:52Hillyard Street. 21:55. High explosive.
Crater 50ft by 30ft at rear of no's 26 & 28.
No mains damaged.
No's 26 & 28 completely demolished.
Adjoining premises 30 Hillyard Street, 25 & 26 Cranworth Gardens partly demolished.
Heavy damage to property over extensive area due to blast.
Roads covered with debris. 30 Hillyard Street & 26 Cranworth Gardens dangerous structures.
Modern 3 story brick buildings with slate roofs.
Road blocked (this now closes the whole of Hillyard Street)
Casualties 3, unable to state classification of injured.
Road parties cleaning debris.
20.4.4116:1817 Cranworth Gardens - 21:54.
Damage to building caused by blast from Hillyard Street.
Front walls affected. Casualties - slight.
Since the first supplementary has been sent, it has been definitely ascertained that the damage was caused by blast from Hillyard Street.
Incident closed.

The Russell Hotel incident messages are as follows:

DateTimeText of Message
19.04.4122:26 PMExpress Report Casualties at - The Russell Hotel. Fire.

The Hackford Road incident messages are as follows:

DateTimeText of Message
21.4.418:47 AMCuisine 1909 Ltd (Oliver Dring's) 119 -123 Hackford Road.
Will you please allow the R.S.D to shore up part of collapsed roof to enable essential food producation machines to be removed to an adjoining department. Also recover rice under debris so that the firm can continue work this morning. Please treat this matter as urgent.
20.4.4112:31 AMCuisine 1909 Ltd 119 -123 Hackford Road. 21:54 - High Explosive.
Crater 30ft by 15 ft.
Bomb fell on sausage manufacturing department (single storey building) demolishing roof and side walls of factory, burying a chopping machine and a filling machine but apparently these are not badly damaged and if removed from debris can be used again.
Ammonia feed plant damaged from cut out and considerable damage done to surrounding buildings by blast. 8 service M.G's damaged.
Employees are clearing up light debris and salvaging M G's.
If they can be spared two R.S parties could be used to salvage the two machines referred to above and so enable production to continue.
24.4.4105:51Oliver Drings Hackford Road. Strong smell of escaping gas.

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