On the evening of 27th November, 1940, Mrs. Marjorie French sat alone in the air raid shelter at her home in Glenn Avenue, Purley. Warmed by an electric fire she was awaiting the return of her husband, John, a toolmaker by trade. As she listened for the sound of his car, the drone of an aircraft caught her attention...and then a bomb dropped.
At 9.16am, on 28th June, 1944, four members of the Survey Party, 4th Medium Regt, Royal Canadian Artillery, were lying down near their jeep behind their billet at 22 Matlock Rd, Caterham on the Hill, when an enemy air raid swept overhead.....
On 1st September, 1940, Sonia Carlile-Straw, a 19-year-old secretary from Caterham, manned an ARP post alone and took care of shocked and wounded casualties for 13 hours un-aided.
In September 2022, I had the privilege of being invited to give a talk about RAF Kenley to 'The 35 Club' in Old Coulsdon and was delighted to discover that this wonderful social club has a long and distinguished history...
On the 4th November, 1940, a lone enemy bomber attacked Caterham on the Hill dropping several bombs which damaged shops and houses, and opening fire on children leaving the Council School, (now Hillcroft School).
Only two days after the terror of the daylight raid on Chaldon Rd, the area was hit again, this time taking the lives of two women at the opposite ends of life...
I lived at 15 Roffes Lane during the war - the road is off Chaldon Road at the bottom of Clifton Hill. Crossing the road going north is Green Lane, a cinder track made up I think from the coal fires at St Lawrence's Hospital.
