Friday 27th December 1940 – South Island Place, Crewdson Road, Glenshaw Mansions, Brixton Road, Christ Church, Russell Hotel, Caldwell Street

As they had done so many other times they came by night. And on this occasion the chaos was widespread and tragically, for some it was fatal…

A summary of the incident

Time that the bombs hit	9pm
Type of bomb/s	High Explosive
Was anyone hurt or killed?	3 adults and 1 child were killed and others injured
Where did the bombs land?	One landed on the back of Glenshaw Mansions, one next to Christchurch, one on top of 2 and 4 South Island Place and the other in the middle of Offley Road.
Were houses damaged?	Yes
Were businesses damaged?	No
Were there evacuations?	Yes

In memory of those that were killed in this incident

Using the invaluable Commonwealth War Graves Commission website I have been able to find the following casualties from this incident

Name	Age	Other Information
Anaise Marie Lakeman	62	Widow of J Lakeman. Died at 4 South Island Place.
Diana Valerie Le Poidevin	4	Of 4 South Island Place. Daughter of Edwin Ernest Le Poidevin. Died at 4 South Island Place
Edwin Ernest Le Poidevin	32	Of 4 South Island Place. Died at 4 South Island Place
Minnie Pitman	58	of 2 South Island Place. Wife of George Pitman. Died at 2 South Island Place

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

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

Date	27.12.40
Time	22.25
Position of Occurance	Christchurch, Nth Brixton, corner of Mowll Street
Type of bombs	High Explosive
Casualties (Approx)	Nil
Whether any trapped under wreckage	Nil
Fire	Nil
Damage to Mains	Nil
Names of any roads blocked	Nil
Position of any unexploded bombs	Nil
Time of occurance	21:00
Notes	Nil

And the second…

Date	27.12.40
Time	22:17
Position of Occurance	Glenshaw Mansions, Brixton Road.
Type of bombs	High Explosive
Casualties (Approx)	Nil
Whether any trapped under wreckage	Nil
Fire	Nil
Damage to Mains	Nil
Names of any roads blocked	Nil
Position of any unexploded bombs	Nil
Time of occurance	21:00
Notes	Nil

And the third…

Date	27.12.40
Time	21:35 PM
Position of Occurance	Footpath outside 44 Offley Road
Type of bombs	High Explosive
Casualties (Approx)	Nil
Whether any trapped under wreckage	Nil
Fire	Nil
Damage to Mains	Coal Gas & Water
Names of any roads blocked	Nil
Position of any unexploded bombs	Nil
Time of occurance	21:00
Notes	Lamp standard destroyed. Bad escape of gas.

And the fourth…

Date	27.12.40
Time	21:37
Position of Occurance	4 South Island Place
Type of bombs	High Explosive
Casualties (Approx)	3
Whether any trapped under wreckage	3
Fire	Nil
Damage to Mains	Coal Gas & Sewers
Names of any roads blocked	Nil
Position of any unexploded bombs	Nil
Time of occurance	21:00
Notes	Sufficient services on spot

The civil defence messages sent back and forth to the local ARP (Air raid precaution) depot read as follows (this raid was handled as four separate incidents)

Date	Time	Text of Message
27.12.40	21:00 PM	Express Report Casualties at Brixton Road between Mowll Street and South Island Place
27.12.40	21:10 PM	Express Report Casualties trapped at Offley Road between Prima Road and Brixton Road
27.12.40	22:37 PM	The first two SP have returned - Offley Road
28.12.40	01:36:AM	No's 2 & 4 South island Place between Brixton Road and hackford Road. 21:00 hrs. High Explosive.
		No 4 demolised.
		No 2 partly demolished.
		Casualties - 3 dead, 2 injured.
		Suspected that 1 child is still in wreckage of No.4.
		R.P still in attendance. Homeless taken to public shelter in vicinity.
		The incident has also caused some damage to No.'s 5 & 7 Crewdson Road. C.D.P required.
		Bodies at 7 Crewdson Road.
28.12.41	1:39 AM	Offley Road between prima Road and Brixton Road.
		Casualties - Nil.
		No's 44 & 46 partly demolished.
		Water main burst.
		Lamp standard in street destroyed.
		Gas still escaping.
		Crater 8ft in diameter, 5 ft deep in footpath and roadway outside no's 44 & 46.
		Homeless accomodated in public shelters in vicinity.
28.12.40	3:25 AM	Supplementary Report 2 & 4 South Island Place.
		The suspected child that was under the debris has been uncovered from No.4 making the total casualties 4 dead in this incident.
		All four bodies all now at No.7 Crewdson Road.
		This incident now closed, all services have returned to depot.
28.12.40	7:50 AM	We cannot ascertain at the moment exactly how many people will be homeless resulting from last night's incidents in this area.
		When we have collected all those together please will you inform me where they are to be sent.
		Five are already at this post. Approximate number should be given as soon as possible.
		Kennington Road School will probably be the centre but please inform before you send.
28.12.40	9:28 AM	We are reporting 4 homeless persons.
		Mrs Burgess - 9 Crewdson Road.
		Mrs Gollop 5 Crewdson Road, Miss Gollop 5 Crewdson Road and Mr Gollop 5 Crewdson Road are being sent to Kennington Road School.
28.12.40	10:12 AM	Reporting 2 homeless. Mr F Rogers and Mrs Rogers of 46 Offley Road who we are sending to Kennington Road School.
28.12.40	10:30 AM	On advice from R.S.P we are reporting chimney stacks in very dangerous condition at rear of 4 South Island place and 5 & 9 Crewdson Road.
28.12.40	13:34 PM	One homeless. Mr G Dunmill of 9 Crewdson Road.
28.12.40	15:40 PM	Reporting two homeless. Mr and Mrs Austen of No.6 South Island Place, We are sending them as instructed to Kennington Road School.
28.12.40	13:47 PM	We are reporting two homeless. Mr and Mrs Mitchell of 35 Offley Road and we are sending them as instructed to Kennington Road school.

Date	Time	Text of Message
28.12.40	01:38	9-16 Glenshaw Mansions, Brixton Rd between South Island Place and Mowll Street. 21:00 hrs. High Explosive.
		Considerable damage done to this block of flats including shops underneat.
		Casualties - Nil.
		Police and home guard are patrolling this area as looting from shops was reported.

Date	Time	Text of Message
28.12.40	01:45	Christchurch Mowll Street. 21:00 hrs. High Explosive. Bomb crater in forecourt. Casualties - Nil.
		Area roped off with red hurricane lamps.
		Normal except for debris. RP/R required for cleaning debris. Incident Closed.

Date	Time	Text of Message
28.12.40	09:39	Supplementary Report. Caldwell Street, Brixton Road. 21:16. High Explosive.
		Bomb exploded on contact with roof demolishing half the top of one building and half the top of another.
		No casualties.
		Buildings damaged, United Dairies completely uninhabitable.
		Open to the weather - Russell Public House - roof partially destroyed, other parts unsafe. R.S.D needed to shore up and also to remove debris.
		No Roads blocked once R.S.D have cleared up. Incident closed.
28.12.40	11:41	Re: incident Caldwell Street 21:16 27.12.40.
		Am still waiting on R.S.D.
		People using public house in danger of injury from falling masonry, this matter is urgent.

Back to Bombing incidents within our area from 1940