Shoreham during WW2, bomb damage and other action
This is a chronological list of the major events that happened in Shoreham during World War 2. Fortunately, many of the tens of thousands of incendiary bombs that rained down either fell relatively harmlessly in the surrounding fields and woods or were swiftly dealt with thanks to the diligence and bravery of our local bobbies, ARP wardens, firewatchers and many of the villagers just going about their daily lives.
B) Isobel McCaughan, aged 10, rescued alive after two hours trapped under an iron bedstead and timbers in the living room. She sustained a fractured skull and heavy bruising.
C) Margaret McCaughan, aged 12. Found dead beneath Isobel.
D) George ‘Bertie’ McCaughan, aged 5. Found dead beneath Isobel.
E) Fred McCaughan, aged 46. (Father). He suffered injuries to wrist, skull, a ruptured eardrum and shock. He had been outside the back door when the blast occurred, and was buried up to his waist in debris.
F) Albert McCaughan, aged 32. He was Fred's brother. Suffered head injuries. He was in Bedroom 2 at the time.
G) William McCaughan, aged 22. Suffered shock.
H) John McCaughan, aged 18. Shock and minor wrist injury.
I) Albert McCaughan, aged 16. Suffered shock. These three youths (G, H and I) were together in bedroom 3.
J) Mrs. Jean Wells, aged 20. The married daughter of Fred and Martha, she was in Bedroom 1 and was blown into the back garden, landing close to her father. She suffered cuts and bruises.
- 18th August 1940, Sgt Bernard Henson in Hurricane V6536 destroyed a Dornier Do17 during a combat over Biggin Hill but was hit by return fire and made a forced-landing at Sepham Farm, with a slight wound on the face. He was discharged from hospital on the 24th and rejoined the squadron.
- 4th September 1940, bombs fell near Threston Cottages, 1x HE, 5 x incendiaries.
- 15th September 1940 at 12:10pm, Dornier 17Z bomber 8/KG76 (F1+FS) force-landed at Castle Farm. 4 crew - one fatality, one injured. Feldwebel Rolf Heitsch, the pilot, and Feldwebel Hans Pfeiffer, the observer, were uninjured. Feldwebel Martin Sauter, the gunner, had been wounded in the ankle and was taken to Maidstone Hospital. Feldwebel Stefan Schmid, the wireless operator, died of a chest wound before reaching hospital. One other casualty was a hop picker who had been shot in the leg by a stray bullet from one of the two low-flying Spitfires.
- 28th October 1940, line of 15 HE bombs fell near Shoreham station.
- 8th December 1940, Townfield Cottages, 72-76a High Street, destroyed by a delayed-action bomb.
- 16th April 1941, bomb fell on the Pig & Whistle site, damage to military equipment, 24 sheep killed.
- 9th February 1943, Messerschmitt Me110 (or, according to Ray Cornwell, a Messerschmitt Bf109) machine-gunned the High Street. One pet rabbit killed.
- 21st October 1943, two HE bombs fell on the bungalow behind Oxbourne Farm, demolishing it and damaging 12 neighbouring properties.
- 1943, date unknown, jettisoned bombs landed in a line between Timberden Farm, Oxbourne Farm and the railway, demolishing two kilns, an oast and a cow shed. (Hard to be sure, but possible these two incidents at Oxbourne Farm are one and the same).
- 22nd January 1944, Preston Hill Farm bombed, three members of McCaughan family killed, Martha (mother) 5-year-old George (aka Bertie), 12-year-old Margaret - 1000kg HE parachute bomb. Photo’s on page 105. Spelled McCaughen on the memorial tablet in the church and “Shoreham” the White/Saynor book, McCauchen on Find-A-Grave.com and on the War Memorial, McCaughan on the KSH History Forum and on the gravestone.
B) Isobel McCaughan, aged 10, rescued alive after two hours trapped under an iron bedstead and timbers in the living room. She sustained a fractured skull and heavy bruising.
C) Margaret McCaughan, aged 12. Found dead beneath Isobel.
D) George ‘Bertie’ McCaughan, aged 5. Found dead beneath Isobel.
E) Fred McCaughan, aged 46. (Father). He suffered injuries to wrist, skull, a ruptured eardrum and shock. He had been outside the back door when the blast occurred, and was buried up to his waist in debris.
F) Albert McCaughan, aged 32. He was Fred's brother. Suffered head injuries. He was in Bedroom 2 at the time.
G) William McCaughan, aged 22. Suffered shock.
H) John McCaughan, aged 18. Shock and minor wrist injury.
I) Albert McCaughan, aged 16. Suffered shock. These three youths (G, H and I) were together in bedroom 3.
J) Mrs. Jean Wells, aged 20. The married daughter of Fred and Martha, she was in Bedroom 1 and was blown into the back garden, landing close to her father. She suffered cuts and bruises.
- 13th February 1944, night-time, 30 HE + 15,000 incendiaries + 2 parachute mines + 15 phosphorus bombs dropped over Shoreham. 3 x HE + many incendiaries at Filston Farm, and Dunstall Farm was hit along with the adjoining 321 Battery AA site + searchlight. Cottages at Dunstall and Warren Farms damaged plus the old, dilapidated Flint Cottage. A soldier on sentry duty at The Lodge, Shoreham Place was killed by a stick of bombs dropped along the valley. The Parish hearse, kept in the far corner of the graveyard, was destroyed. Five members of the Puxty family (Alfred Edmund Puxty, wife Jane, children Norah Ann, George Thomas, Dorothy Rose) killed when their home, Lamberhurst Cottages near Colgates Farm, Badgers Mount, was destroyed by three HE bombs. Eight adjoining cottages off Shoreham Lane also demolished.
- 20th February 1944, 3 x HE + 1,200 incendiaries fell on Preston Hill Farm again but no further damage recorded.
- 11th August 1944, Meadow Cottage destroyed by V1 flying bomb.
- 15th February 1945, V2 rocket hit an orchard east of Well Hill, damaged farm buildings and about 20 houses.
You can read more about these events in the Shoreham At War book, see under 'Publications' for details.