Ex-Sutton choirboy, Terry King, who now lives with his wife, Leni, in Osnabrück, showing 1941 copies of the Osnabrück Daily News that he brought for the Exhibition Room.

The dates are those immediately after the Luftwaffe's bombing of Hull in March and April of 1941, and one in July, naming Hull by name. So one thing strikes immediately .. no-one was fooled by the BBC reference to "A North-East Coast Town" .. least of all the German High Command or the Luftwaffe. They knew exactly where they'd been.

The accounts are very perfunctory and matter-of-fact .. perhaps some would describe as clinical. Space forbids the full reproduction here of the newspaper pages themselves, and in the old German script of the time, they're devilishly hard to read. But for anyone who wants to try their skill, they'll be available to view in the Centre. Terry & Leni have kindly provided some basic translation below.

Terry is standing in front of the displays and cases containing various Sutton residents' wartime decorations, paybooks, plus items issued to Fire Wardens, etc.

The sections we show translated are outlined in red.
The paragraphing is your webmaster's, purely for clarity.

Cannonade Fire on Glasgow and Hull ..... 15th March 1941
With Heavy and Heaviest loads of Bombs to Glasgow,
Main import - Distribution Port of Scotland.
The First Big Air Raid on England's Second Largest City -
Fighter Bombers Destroy Docks in HULL -
Clear Visibility on the First Full Moon in the Month of March.


20th March 1941 ... HEAVY ATTACK on HULL
Heavy Damage on important Factories in Hull -
producing War Materials -
Causing Large Fires and Large Explosions -
The success of the Air Raid on the Night of Wednesday -
All Planes Returned

and ...

Berlin 19 March 1941
The Air Raid on HULL during the Night of March 19th has caused heavy damage on important Factories in Hull, three large Fires in the North East of The City were seen. Big Explosions causing large Fires and Warehouses of The Port.
The Fires with Thick Smoke spread.
It is presumed that during the Air Raid some of the large Oil Mills
and Granaries had Direct Hits.
After the Five Hour Raid all Planes returned Safely.


16th July 1941 .... ..... .... BOMBS ON HULL
From THE HEADQUARTERS of The Fuhrer 15th July 1941
The High Command of the Army
gives the following Announcement
In the Battle against Great Britain, Last Night the "Luftwaffe" attacked
with Heavier Bombing against the Port of HULL.
Large Areas were set on fire in St George Canal
(probably meant King George Dock!!)
A Merchant Ship was hit and Sunk.


2nd April 1941 ... Successful Attack on Hull and Gt Yarmouth
During the Night, Squadrons of The Luftwaffe attacked
the Docks of HULL and Gt YARMOUTH successfully.
A Large area of fire was seen, causing heavy damage.
In the Port of Gt Yarmouth a Ship was set on fire.

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