Media Release

Sherborne goes to Town as it marks the 75^thAnniversary of World War 2 Town Bombing

The historic market town of Sherborne in Dorset is marking the 75^th anniversary of the bombing of the town with a number of fascinating and informative events, including a Yeovil-built Seafire* flypast and a memorial service to commemorate those who lost their lives on 30^th September 1940.

A special booklet written by retired Westland employee Jim Schofield has been produced which explains the background to the bombing and how the main target for the raid was the Westland Yeovil factory where a total of 685 Spitfires and 1375 Seafires would be built during the Second World War. The German crews were briefed that the Westland works were situated a kilometre to the west of Yeovil town centre on the north side of the railway line.

Navigation in those days was by dead reckoning and the bomber crews would have been told to look out for easily recognizable landmarks to check their position and find their targets. Thanks to cloud cover, the Germans did not find Westland that afternoon. They were attacked by British fighters but when there was a break in the cloud a town became visible with a railway line in approximately the correct relationship to Westland and the Taunton / Yeovil line and they released their bombs.

Having mistaken Sherborne for Yeovil, the bombers targeting was very accurate except that they had picked the wrong town. The young German Crews had been told that the Westland Works had been camouflaged to look like fields. If the Germans had located Yeovil, Westland would have been completely destroyed.

Sherborne sustained substantial damage to a large number of its buildings and eighteen people were killed. The bombers struck at about 4.30 in the afternoon and fortunately all the pupils at the Junior School at the bottom of Tinneys Lane in Newland had gone home. The bombs totally destroyed the school building and also fell in the grounds of Sherborne Preparatory School as well as the Sherborne School courts. Although the area around Sherborne Abbey also received several hits, apart from a few broken windows the Abbey was not damaged. The closest bombs landed in Half Moon Street.

As well as the commemorative booklet, a special Blue Badge Guided Town Walk has been organised to show visitors where the bombs fell and how most of the buildings have been restored. At 3pm there will be a talk at the Church Hall in Digby Road including reminiscences from those who remember the bombing. At 4.15pm there will be a memorial service on the Abbey Green to remember those killed in the raid and this will be followed by the Seafire Aircraft flypast.

Earlier in the day Sherborne Primary School pupils will listen to a talk from the author of the commemorative booklet Jim Schofield who will explain the background to the air raid and how local residents prepared to keep themselves as safe as they could.

The booklet and tickets for the day are available at £5.00 from the Sherborne Tourism Information Centre in Digby Road, Sherborne and also from Sherborne Museum. All profits from the sale of the booklet will go to the Royal British Legion.

Contact Sherborne Tourist Information Centre for details and info about the area: sherborne.tic@westdorset-weymouth.gov.uk or visit www.sherbornedorset.co.uk . More press information and hi res images: Jane Adkins, A Head for PR Ltd, T/: 01935 813114; M/: 07960698089 or E/: jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

Picture Captions: L Showing the damage to Cheap Street, Sherborne; R: Showing damage to Half Moon Street, Sherborne

More pictures available showing how the area looks now.

Notes to Editors:

• The Seafire was the naval version of the Spitfire with folding wings, which allowed more aircraft to be fitted into the lifts and hangars of Aircraft Carriers.

September 2015 (Sherborne 07)