Etsome Terrace Memorial Garden

"Etsome Terrace Memorial Garden
This property was donated to the town in 1967 by
Cow & Gate Ltd
In memory of the nine people of Somerton
who lost their lives on the site
during the bombing raid on
29th September 1942
Gladys Bennett
Stanley Childs
Dennis Cook
Harold Cribb
Henry Gardener
Austin Greaves
Charles Phear
William Surmon
Reginald Tanner
Nine tree have been planted in their memory
during the restoration of the area in 2007
which is for the continuing benefit of
all residents of the town"

Around 8am on the morning of September 29 1942 a lone German bomber swept in at rooftop level from the south and dropped 4 bombs on the Cow & Gate Milk Factory in Somerton. The resulting explosions killed 9 workers and local residents and injured 37 more. The milk factory was destroyed as well as 10 nearby houses, but the very large chimney which would have been an ideal aiming point survived. It was eventually demolished in 1967 when the site was cleared and redeveloped with this area of land being gifted to form the Memorial Garden.
After the bombing, the Nazi broadcaster, William Joyce (Lord Haw Haw0 announced that an ammunition factory in street had been destroyed.

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Source

• Text: Sharky Ward/Memorial
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), Britain from Above EPW05477 (6)