March 25th 1943: In the last few weeks Kent has suffered badly from the reprisal raids caused by RAF Bomber Command's increased activity over Germany. Yesterday it was Ashford's turn.
The raid lasted just 3 minutes but in that time 50 people were killed and 77 seriously injured, many by the machine guns which strafed the streets as people fled for safety. One bomb fell on the Victoria Rd Primary School but the 300 children were already in the shelters.
They were not so lucky at the Ashford Railway Works where 5 were killed and 50 ton locomotives in the erecting shed totally mangled.
The worst damage was at Milton Rd, New Street, where 2 died in Hayward's Garage, Dover Place, New Rents, Star Rd, Hardinge Rd and Kent Avenue, where 5 were killed in a bakers shop.
In terms of lives lost in a single raid this was Kent's worst blow of the war. It is believed the attacking Focke-Wulf190s belonged to Staffel JG26 from St Omer and were led by Paul Keller, nicknamed "Bombenkeller".
To the satisfaction of the Ashford gunners, Keller did not survive the raid. His Focke-Wulf was hit by Ack Ack fire and crashed in Godinton Road.
From Kent a chronicle of the century by Bob Ogley.
