10th May 1941..London...

[tazzie]

 Hi all ...not really sure what route to take with this sad story so here is what I know....

 Henry J Casbolt married Elizabeth Brown and settled in Southwark.
 Henry died young leaving Elizabeth to bring up their children. On 10/5/1941 Elizabeth (40) Elizabeth(19)Ivy(17)Frederick(13) & Mary (11) were killed in a raid on Southwark. On CWGC it says they died at 33 Rodney St and are buried in Southwark Metropolitan Borough.

 How can I find out more about this event?
 Would newspapers have reported all incidents or was there restrictions on what they were allowed to print?

 Never had anything like this...all of my fighting ancestors survived both world wars didn't think about civilians.

                Tazzie

[stockman fred]

I believe the 10th May 1941 was the last and worst night of the London Blitz, before the Germans turned on Russia. There is a lot of detail in the book "The Blitz-then and now" Vol.2, ed Gordon Ramsey, After the Battle Publications, 1988, it might be in the library?
It says that night, a full moon combined with a low tide led to the severe devastation. An account by fireman Cyril Demarne mentions the destruction in Southwark, but it is a bit long to quote here.
The book uses the contemporary Civil Defence reports for each day to describe the raids. I think the PRO refs. that they used are given somewhere, but it must be in one of the other 2 Vols, so I'll look them up tomorrow.
My Great uncle Hubert Dinwoodie was a Bomb Disposal Officer at the Air Ministry at the time so we've got quite a few books etc about the subject.
Fred
ps I think that night was also the night Rudolf Hess flew to Scotland while the raid on London was underway.

[tazzie]

 Many thanks Fred,

The book seems to be quite recent so I will try our library for a copy.
 The dates of the event would tie in with my own family. (The Casbolts are hubbies side.) They also lived in Southwark but moved out when my Dad was a baby. Grandad owned a warehouse on the Thames here and that was lost during the bombing along with many things belonging to local families who were evacuated.
 So definately worth looking further.

                         Again Thank you

                  Tazzie

[Sylviaann]

If you do a search for Southwark Bombs May 1941 you will find lots of sites.  This is one http://www.fireworld.org.uk/Saved/Saved22/page12.html

Sylviaann

[tazzie]

  Sylviaann....

 Thank you for the sites...have been working my way through. The bombs seemed to fall heavy and unrelenting during the night with many large well known buildings as well as homes being hit. I know wars happen and we never knew these people but some of the things our ancestors went through really wake you up to this world we live in.


                               Tazzie

[Sylviaann]

Tazzie

It's not so long ago!  I was "bombed out" 5 times.  Glass in my cot, or rather the drawer I was sleeping in.  My Mum was last person into a shelter.  The person behind was killed.  Fortuately we survived but my Dad died because he worked in a munitions factory and the gunpowder caused lung damage

Sylviaann

[tazzie]

 Dad was too young to remember and even in his life story grandad never talked about the war..he still kept his air raid warden bits though . Mid way through the war they moved to a village near Amersham Bucks and took over a pub...all he ever said was they cooked in huge pans on a cooker set up in the garden and helped feed the troops stationed there. He did say that some old friends took shelter in the vaults of a bank during a raid on London...a bomb hit the road at a weak point and travelled underground blowing up the vault killing those sheltering. With the anniversary of the Somme coming up it made me think about what they went through during these times and how it affected them. I like to think it made me what I am today.
   Sorry I said ancestors before...makes them sound ancient.

        Tazzie