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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Kent => Topic started by: alan.h on Tuesday 30 November 10 10:50 GMT (UK)
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I am trying to find more details about Arthur Frederick Atfield, who apparently died on on 16/3/1945 in Dartford. The cause of his death is given as 'due to war operations'.
Does anybody know of a bomb attack on Dartford on this date, please?
There was, I believe, a V2 strike at Sutton-at-Hone only two days earlier but this particular person died at Morland Avenue in Dartford, so that does not quite add up.
Any suggestions on what may have caused this fatality, or ideas on how to uncover the details, would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Alan
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Hi Alan
Have you looked at the Dartford cemeteries at http://www.cwgc.org to see if anybody else died in the area on that date? Might he have been injured previously not necessarily on the day he died? Was 6 Moreland Avenue his home address?
Local newspapers might be useful ie. coroner's inquest or obituary (try Dartford library) http://www.kent.gov.uk/librariespublicui/OpeningTimes/LibraryDetails.aspx?id=14 - they may well have a publication or two covering events/local casualties during WW2 (many towns have)
Do you know where he was buried ie. any monumental inscription?
Casalguidi :)
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Hi,
There are a couple of memories (scroll down) from Dartford on www.francisfrith.com concerning a V1 dropped on Morland Avenue.Also V2 rockets deployed at www.v2rocket.com
Cathy
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Apart from the suggestions in reply #1 the Dartford Borough Museum may be able to assist:
http://www.dartford.gov.uk/DartfordAtWar/contact.htm
Nigel
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Thanks for all the suggestions and hints; I'm very grateful.
I will follow up those ideas.
I have checked back on the information that was passed on to me, and 'yes' the address was actually number 6 Morland Avenue. That is very intriguing! Is that house therefore of some significance?
Best wishes,
Alan
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Only in that it is the address given on CWGC website:
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=3115012
Nigel
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Hi Alan, :)
There is a lot of info on the" Kent History Forum" just put V2 Dartford in the search box.
Good Luck Rog :D ;D
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3 other casualties are recorded in Morland Avenue on CWGC with the same date of death
Name: MORRALL, MARY
Initials: M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 31
Date of Death: 16/03/1945
Additional information: of 11 Morland Avenue. Wife of James Ernest Morrall. Died at 11 Morland Avenue.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: DARTFORD, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
Name: CUTHBERT, JESSIE
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 42
Date of Death: 16/03/1945
Additional information: of 9 Morland Avenue. Wife of Cecil Cuthbert. Died at 9 Morland Avenue.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: DARTFORD, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
Name: COWARD, NELLIE CONSTANCE
Initials: N C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 52
Date of Death: 16/03/1945
Additional information: of 10 Morland Avenue. Daughter of the late Alonzo and Louisa Henrietta Clinton; wife of Fred Coward. Died at 10 Morland Avenue.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: DARTFORD, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
Cheers
Sue
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Hi Alan ,
This chap will be able to help you if you can contact him.
Quote:- From http://www.francisfrith.com/dartford/
" Second World War Memories
Do any folks in the Dartford area remember the air raids and the dog fights with the German aircraft and our boys? I lived on Morland Avenue near Vickers Armstrong which I might add produced ammunitions. We were hit with a V1 in 1945, killling four of our neighbours. We sure were lucky. I lived at No 7, lucky huh. I have lived in Canada for the last 45 years. I would love to hear from anyone who knew me or anyone in my family.All the best, Clive Jeffrey "
Hope this solves your Questions. Roger
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Hi Alan,
Did you ever find out the information you were looking for? My Dad and Grandparent lived at 7 Morland Ave there home was bombed, my Grandfather was hurt badly and was hospitalized the rest of
the family had small injuries but were ok, there home was badly damaged.
Are you a relative of the person who lived at 6 morland Ave. My family name is Jeffrey my grandparents name are Len and Thora they had three sons Clive, Roger and Graham. I am actually trying to find a story that was written in the local paper about my Uncle who was trapped under his crib, but having trouble finding the correct paper. Anyway I am very interested if you know of my family or if you were able to find out any more info about the bombing.
Tina
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I am only distantly related to the Atfields, so I don't have much more info I'm afraid.
I'll try and attach a copy of the 1939 Electoral Register which confirms that the Atfields lived at number 6 and the Jeffreys at number 7.
I've taken a while to reply as it is several years since the original post and I wanted to get reacquainted with the story and also to confirm my connection to Arthur Atfield.
I've been in contact with someone who knows more about this than I do and he (John Wells) is happy for me to quote from a short article that he wrote:
"The (death) certificate for Arthur, who died on 16th March 1945, stated that he was an electrician. This seemed a bit of unlikely career shift, but it was war time, and perhaps the country needed electricians much more than it needed postmen. The other fact to emerge from the certificate was his cause of death which was given as 'Due to war operations'. This came as an even bigger surprise. The war in Europe was about six weeks away from its end. The allied armies had already crossed the Rhine into Germany. What 'war operations' were likely to be responsible for the deaths of civilians in Dartford? The obvious conclusion seemed to be a V2 rocket. More research was needed.
The internet has a lot of references to V2 strikes, but nothing I could directly link to the date of Arthur's death, and his home address of 6 Morland Avenue, Dartford where he died. I also discovered that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, http://www.cwgc.org on its Debt Of Honour page has a section for civilian casualties. Looking at this, I could see our Arthur there, together with 3 other residents of Morland Avenue who died on the same day."
Hope that helps a bit.
Alan
(OK, the file size is too large to post, so you'll have to take my word for it that both the Atfields and Jeffreys were living in Morland Avenue in 1939, before the outbreak of war - so presumably they spent the whole period of WWII at those addresses in Dartford)
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Hi Alan , there is a lot of info out there I guess you just have to know where to look. The names on the electoral page for 1939 list Arthur and his wife Hettie Alice , I do recall my dad mentioning the name Arthur but that is all I remember , sadly my dad has passed so I have nobody to ask about these events . I will keep searching , thanks again for the info
Tina