Dignitaries and the public gathered to remember the victims of the 1943 bombing of Newport at a memorial service organised by Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council (NCCC) on Friday.
21 people, including 2 children aged 5 and 12, died as a result of the 7th April attack at 19:30, which lasted around a minute. 8 aircraft dropped fatal bombs at Church Litten, Clarence Rd, Chapel St and Moreys timber yard. Other bombs fell in Pyle St, High St, Mill St and Upper St James St causing significant damage.
The Newport bombing was described in the following Island Echo article.
During the service held at St John’s Church, the names of those who died were read out as 21 candles were lit in remembrance, in some cases by family members.
Lighting candles for the 5 Moreys employees, Peter Gould said:
“I felt privileged to be asked to remember those from Moreys who died. My grandfather and father were with the firm at the time and, although not born until a year later, I grew up hearing accounts of that terrible morning.
“20 years later, I joined the business myself, working alongside some of the survivors.”
Barton Primary School choir performed, and a poem was read by Matthew Arnell from Hampshire & IOW Fire & Rescue Service in honour of the 5 volunteer fire watchers who died.
As there was no grave marker for Violet Dudley and her 5-year-old daughter Valerie, Jason French from Island Memorials kindly donated and installed a memorial vase for their grave at Newport Cemetery.
Jason said:
“It was a privilege and honour to be approached by NCCC to produce and install a Memorial Vase on an unmarked grave in Newport Cemetery for a Mother and Daughter that so tragically lost their lives in the 2nd World War, like so many, lest we forget”.
The flowers from the service were shared amongst the graves of those victims buried on the island and the brick memorial at Church Litten.
Such a shame this country treats those who arrive by Dinghy’s to the country better than those
who fought in the war and all wars.
I totally agree