Wartime Memories - Exmouth Museum and Heritage Centre registered charity 1216717

By: Exmouth Museum
Added: 18 June 2012

A recent letter in the Exmouth Journal showed a picture of a bombed-out bus and asked for further information.

We were able to help and the following letter was published in reply -

"This raid on Exmouth was the last of the War and the worst in terms of casualties. It took place at mid-day on Friday February 26th 1943.

Eight Focke-Wulf fighter bombers each dropped their single bomb on Exmouth targets and attacked with their cannon and machine guns. In all 27 people were killed in Exmouth that day and 40 injured as well as considerable destruction of property.

The bomb in The Strand which accounted for the Harts bus killed 19 people several of whom were waiting at the bus stop.

Two of the enemy raiders were shot down by Hawker Typhoon fighter aircraft from Exeter as they fled back to their base in France.

Further details of this and the other raids on the town can be seen at Exmouth Museum."