Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
- Civilian War Dead - Ventnor -

Early on Sunday evening two enemy fighter-bombers made a tip-and-run raid on a place in the Isle of Wight. The raiders, flying very low, approached the coast at the eastern end of the district concerned, then turned westwards towards their objective. When nearing this, at almost roof level, they opened up with machine-gun and cannon-shell firing over a wide area, then having dropped a couple of high-explosive bombs, made off towards the sea.
The machines met with a heavy anti-aircraft barrage and later the B.B.C. made the Air Ministry announcement that one enemy plane had been shot down by a fighter.
Fatal Casualties
Extensive damage to business and private property, particularly in a main street, resulted, and there were a number of casualties, seven of which were fatal.
One bomb crashed horizontally through the roof of a dwelling house, then crossed a road to the roof of shop premises which were badly damaged, and finally crashed into the lawn of a house, the front of which was wrecked by blast. Two persons in this house lost their lives - Mr. W.A. Phillips and his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Jack Phillips, wife of an Army lieutenant; but his wife and youngest daughter, Pamela, became casualties and were removed to hospital. Near-by premises occupied by an industrial undertaking were seriously damaged by blast. The other bomb fell a short distance away in the same road.
Mr. and Mrs. T. Gull, who lived in premises over an unoccupied shop, lost their lives when this and other buildings adjoining were wrecked. Despite the continuous work of rescue parties their bodies were not recovered from the debris until about midway through the following morning. Mrs. and Miss Norman were killed when the shop over which they lived was demolished. The proprietor and his wife were fortunate in being away from home at the time.
The other fatal casualty was Mrs. H. Adams, who was killed instantly a few moments after alighting from a bus as she turned a corner to walk along a main street.
Premises occupied by a Co-operative Society were partially demolished, as also were several other buildings on the other side of the road.
An elderly man, Mr. W.H. Harris, was trapped for about a couple of hours before being excavated from the ruins of his demolished premises. He was very brave throughout his terrible ordeal. His wife, who was at the back at the time, was uninjured, although she suffered from shock. Mr. Harris was removed to hospital.
A soldier who happened to be in the street received injuries to his arm which necessitated its amputation.
A young man, a civilian, who happened to be in the vicinity, also sustained a severe injury.
A Naval man, named Bull, with his wife and family, had a narrow escape when their house was practically demolished, but a daughter had to be removed to hospital. Near neighbours, too, were fortunate in escaping serious injury. One man, who with his wife and daughter, had gone to live elsewhere because of enemy action, lost his shop on this occasion and some of the contents of his home were destroyed.
A grocery manager had a thrilling escape whilst at home. He dived under the dining room table as debris fell in all directions, but apart from shock and superficial cuts and bruises he was uninjured. Very bravely he left the house and went on his duties as a warden.
A Methodist Church which was badly damaged in a previous raid was again involved, and some of the windows of a sister church in another road, at which the two congregations have been worshipping regularly for several months, were torn and twisted. Damage to a spiritualist Church was also reported. Among other places affected were two hotels and a library.
Damage by blast over a fairly wide area was suffered.
Police, medical, and Civil Defence Services generally functioned admirably and the help rendered by the military was beyond praise. As is our practice, we are not mentioning names of persons assisting - all worked most creditably and untiringly - although several cases of outstanding merit have been brought to our notice. All concerned will have the satisfaction of knowing that they did their very best under exceptionally trying circumstances.
During the hours of darkness the N.F.S. successfully dealt with all outbreaks of fire at one of the wrecked buildings.
More Bombs on Wednesday
Residents in an Island district were startled on Wednesday morning by hearing machine-gunning and heavy ground firing. Bombs had been dropped in another area and several houses were damaged. There was one casualty. The planes were machine-gunning on their return. A man working in a Cemetery situated on high ground said that a plane passed over his head within a distance of ten feet, and he dived for safety. A church in the Cemetery was hit by machine-gun bullets and shrubs, etc., were damaged. The firing continued until the machines were over the sea and it was thought probable that at least one of them might have been included in the number officially reported to have been shot down during the day.