Locals and visitors come together to honour the 31 lives lost in three Second World War bombing raids on New Milton

LOCALS and visitors gathered to remember the 31 people killed in three Second World War bombing attacks on New Milton, including some who were there at the time.

The commemoration – an annual event since 2016 – took place at the Station Road memorial clock last Friday, which is the 84th anniversary of the first and most devastating of the raids.

Twenty civilians lost their lives when a German bomber dropped its load on the town on 23rd August 1940.

This was in addition to five military personnel – three from the Lancashire Fusiliers stationed at the nearby Fernhill Manor School, and two from the Royal Artillery.

One person died in the second raid, on 8th August 1942, and another five in the final one on 22nd January 1943.

Among those attending the ceremony was 90-year-old George Tompkins who witnessed the first bombing from the town’s railway bridge.

He recalled seeing the enemy plane fly over as he and his brother were escorted home by a soldier after being caught scrumping.

“I saw the plane come round towards the water tower and then drop these things, which I didn’t know what they were at first,” George told the A&T.

“Then there was ‘boom, boom, boom’ and all the windows were blowing out of the shops and houses. We just dived to the ground.

“I just didn’t know what was happening. It was terrifying. You didn’t expect anything like that at that age.”

Town mayor Cllr Alvin Reid launched the proceedings, taking a moment to pay tribute to fellow town councillor Keith Craze who died suddenly earlier in the week.

Former town councillor, Royal British Legion New Milton branch vice-chair Goff Beck, recalled as a child seeing the bomber fly over in 1940.

“It dropped three 250lb bombs and 19 50lb anti-personnel incendiary weapons,” he told the crowd.

“The result was the disastrous demolition of our town and the loss of 25 lives.”

He read out the names of all the deceased from the raids before a minute’s silence was observed.

The retired Rev. Malcolm Freeman, formerly of St Mary Magdalene Church, led the prayers and read the Exhortation.

“These names should never be forgotten,” he said. “They were just as much victims of war as all those killed in battle.”

New Forest District Council leader Cllr Jill Cleary then laid a bouquet of roses at the foot of the clock.

Visitors to the ceremony included siblings Gavin and Melinda Rider, from Swanage, whose grandmother, Helena Hawkins, was among the victims.

They have attended since only finding out three years ago that she died in New Milton and was buried at the Ashley Baptist cemetery.

“I’m very impressed with New Milton,” Melinda said.

“The fact that they remember their citizens who died, and knowing that our grandmother’s name is read out every year, along with all the deceased people, is amazing.”

Gavin said there had been a “journey of discovery” as they also found out through websites including ancestry.com that their grandfather, who died in 1936, was buried in Selsey.

“We’ve since erected headstones on their graves, which were both unmarked,” he told the A&T, adding: “I think it’s essential to remember these people killed in such unfortunate circumstances so that hopefully it doesn’t happen again.”

Local Keith Roberts brought along the 1940 copy of the A&T bearing the front page headline ‘Murderous air attack on Hampshire coast town’.

He found the edition in a drawer at his mother’s Miller Close home after she died, but he said she never spoke of the bombings.

“It’s just something I’ve always kept,” he told the A&T.

“This brings it all back to real life, when you open it up and see the pictures of the bombing.”