About the Project
This is a long term project and will take some time to complete. If you have any infomation you are willing and able to add please contact us.
The Idea
During Covid I decided I wanted to pull together some details of people killed in the First World War air raids. I discovered that, while Second World War casualties are listed on the Commonwealth War Graves site, there didn't seem to be a single place that listed all the vicitims. There also seemed to be different lists of air raids in difference web site and books. I decided once I could to start collating a list.
Getting started
The first thing to do was to create a full list of raids, both of airships and planes so it was a trip to the National Archive and working through AIR 1/2123. Once I had the list I could start getting into details.
I also found some amazing stories which will be shared at a later date.
Research
The research is time consuming! This project will be a work in progress for some time.
The research will look at personal history, newspapers, official reports and were possible letters and diaries.
If you have anything that might be of interest please contact us
Future Plans
The plan is that every raid will have a page with as much detail as can be tracked down. All those killed in raids will be listed and have as much infomation about them added as possible.
Over time sites will be visited and photos added to show what the places look like now. Eventually a map will also be added showing sites.
The picture on the right is the Dolphin Tavern, Holborn, London where Henry Coombs was killed on 8 September 1915.
Page Photo credits:
Picture 1 - Extract from National Archive file AIR 1/2123
Picture 2 - IWM HO 81 air raid damage towards St Pauls Cathedral, London
Picture 3 - Baptism Records -(need to check ref)
Picture 4 - Dolphin Tavern, London, Authors picture