Bell tolls for bombing victims 70-year's on
Former Newark Mayor Chris Grant's voice audibly trembled today as he read the name of his father on a list of 41 people killed in a bombing raid at Ransome and Marles.
Ten bombs fell in two Luftwaffe bombing raids on the Northern Road factory on March 7, 1941, five of which exploded.
Workers then came under machine-gun fire as they tried to flee.
The 41 deaths represented the greatest single loss of life on Nottinghamshire soil during the second world war.
Realtives of the civilians killed joined with townsfolk in Newark Market Place on Saturday in paying silent tribute to those that died.
A two-minute silence at 11am was followed by Mr Grant's reading of each name, including that of his father Robert, to the accompaniment of the toll of the bell of HMS Newark.
Candles were lit for each of the victims.
Mr Grant, 74, of The Park, Newark, said: "Today is the beginning of a weekend of closure for me.
"As I read the names - that of my father - I was thinking of that day in March 70 year's ago and being a little boy sitting under the stairs at home as the bombs dropped and hearing the sound of the machine gunning.
"I ask myself what would have happened if all of the bombs had exploded? The Luftwaffe would certainly have achieved its objective of putting Ransome and Marles out of action."
The Friends of Newark Cemetery organised the moving tribute to allow the town to pay homage to those who were killed and chose Sarturday as it is market day.
Thirty of the victims are buried in Newark Cemetery on London Road.
Today and Sunday, the cemetery chapel interpretation centre will be open to the public from noon until 4.30pm, where there will be an exhibition of artefacts relating to the bombing.
Visitors can also see some of the victims’ graves.
On Monday, pupils at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Primary School will ring their school bell at 2.24pm —the time of the second raid at the bearings factory.
The children, who have been studying the bombing for a project, will read a roll of honour to remember those who died.
There will be further opportunity for the public, from 3pm to 4.30pm, to view the cemetery chapel exhibition and pay their respects at the grave-sides.
The town council will unveil a memorial to the victims on Monday evening at the Town Hall. Relatives have again been invited to attend.
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The names that will appear on the memorial are:
Adams, George
Andrew, Wilfred
Ash, Olive
Ball, Bertie
Beale, Earnest
Beaver, Edward
Brown, Harold
Castle, Vivien
Cooper, Winifred
Cottam, Edna
Cummings, Gladys
Dixey, William
Fowler, Frederick
Godridge, George
Grant, Robert
Green, John
Grocock, Horace
Gyde, Albert
Hall, Rose
Hanger, James
Hardie, Thomas
Hayden, Sybil
Kirton, Joyce
Lambert, Lily
Lambley, George
Makins, Edith
Mann, Frederick
Markwell, Frederick
Martin, Claude
Martin, Edward
Naylor, Richard
Packwood, Frederick
Pepper, William
Richards, Frederick
Ridge, Alfred
Senior, Reginald
Swanwick, George
Trueblood, Norah
Varney, Esther
Warner, William
Worrell, Arthur
