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Air Raid in Aston - Albert, Frederick and Victoria Roads

This plaque (I don't know its location) lists all the Birmingham firemen who lost their lives between 1939 and 1945. I assume that this means that they are the men who died whilst on duty.

Bertram Stringer is not listed. In view of the press cutting it looks as though he may have died at home (but in that case, how is it that his wife and children were apparently spared?). In which case he was presumably off-duty.

The fact of his being off-duty - if he was - doesn't of course preclude the possibility that he DID serve as a fireman, or even as a factory fireman for his employer - but he may not have died as a direct result of that service.

Chris

(Grateful acknowledgment to Matt Felkin for this image)

)View attachment 140630
I had seen this, I think it’s at Aston Fire Station?
 
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Welcome to the Forum, Corbo12.

The night of 9/10th April 1941 was one of the worst in the Birmingham Blitz. In his book "Heroes of the Birmingham Air Raids", Michael Minton gives details of several of the incidents and identifies a large number of men in the Civil Defence services and others who were given awards for bravery on that night. They include the AFS, Police, Home Guard, ARP, BCT, Fire watchers, railwaymen and others. The detailed descriptions give you an idea of the conditions endured by everyone concerned. Losses of members of those services are unfortunately not identified but there were undoubtedly a number.

No comprehensive list, as far as I'm aware, exists for AFS losses and its likely that one has to rely on fragments of information and a good deal of luck to find much out. "Squirt" was the local AFS magazine and I have seen at least one Roll of Honour published in it detailing AFS deaths but this only covered a couple of months in late 1940. If you can somehow access copies of this publication covering the second quarter of 1941, it might give you some information. The Central Library might be worth contacting. And they might have other ideas to help you.

I hope you can make progress on this and please keep us informed. Perhaps other members can make further suggestions.

Chris
Many thanks for the info and if anyone has any more ideas I’d be more than grateful to receive them.
 
also on the same date that bertram died the house at no 435 only 4 doors away from bertrams house was hit resulting in 1 death..maybe bertram went to try and help injuring himself was then taken to his own house and died as a result...just a thought..his death certificate should give all the answers

Last NameForename(s)Date of InjuryLocation of InjuryAgeCivil Defence Status
JohnsonAnnie Steedman09/04/1941414 Victoria Road, Aston67CivilianView
KiddRoland Garner09/04/1941414 Victoria Road, Aston63CivilianView
KiddThomas Brand09/04/1941414 Victoria Road, Aston63CivilianView
SwinglerHenry09/04/1941Victoria Road, Aston20CivilianView
UnittBenjamin Stanley30/07/1942262 Victoria Road, Aston25CivilianView
VillersSidney09/04/1941435 Victoria Road, Aston34CivilianView
Thanks, I think that the birth certificate would answer some questions, certainly regarding what caused his death
 
It looks like I came a bit late to this party. Anyway regarding the Ettington Road bombing, I lived on the corner of Grange Road opposite the firestation and was in our air raid shelter when Ettington Road was bombed. As kids we rummaged around the site afterwards looking for "buried treasure." One of the houses destroyed on Ettington was occupied by the Malloy family who were relocated to a house on the corner of Little Oaks Road and Prestbury Road, the youngest daughter, Sheila Malloy, currently resides in Florida. Also some back houses and a factory on Witton Road opposite Prestbury Road were demolished on the same night. My dad was in the Guild Inn at the time and he said that some people who were sheltering in a malt house there were killed. I have been trying to find more information as to exactly what happened in the Witton Road case. I remember playing on the site afterwards but I can't seem to find any information about the buildings or the casualties.

Hi do you remember which part of ettington rd was bombed.i used to live opposite the fire station
 
Hi
I remember my dad telling me that he was in bed and the house next door was demolished by a bomb. He was living in Ettington Rd opposite the fire station at the time.
What number did your dad live at? I lived opposite the fire station at 106
 
Thanks, Two. Could you tell us the source of that information, please?

Chris
 
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