THE TONTINE STREET AIR RAID |
| Stokes Brothers Aftermath of the Raid | The Grave of W.H.Stokes and Son A.E.Stokes | Inscription |
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 | In Ever Loving Memory Of My Dear Husband WILLIAM HENRY STOKES Who Died 25th May 1917 Aged 46 Years Also Of My Son ARTHUR ERNEST STOKES Who Died 28th May 1917 Aged 14 Years (Victims of the Air Raid) In the Midst of Life we are in Death Also of JANE Widow of the Above W.H.STOKES Who Died 23rd October 1953 aged 90 Years Reunited |
| Folkestone 1917 | Cheriton Road Cemetery, Folkestone. May 2011 | |
THE TONTINE STREET AIR RAIDDuring WW1 Folkestone was not bombarded from the sea so although the guns could be heard across the sea the town did not suffer much damage except for one air raid which came without any warning and took everyone completely by surprise.On Friday 25th May 1917 a flight of Gotha planes were returning from a raid on London. They shed their remaining bombs on the town. Some attacked Shorncliffe Camp, others the Station area but the worst damage was in Tontine Street when just one single bomb fell right outside Stokes Brothers Greengrocers and opposit Gosnold Brothers Drapery. The Street was crowded with civilians, workers, shoppers and children and the deaths and injuries were terrible. 71 were killed, 16 men, 28 women and 27 children. More than 94 were injured. William Henry Stokes, 46 and his son Arthur Ernest, 14 died from their injuries. Frederick Charles Stokes, 41 was injured. George Gosnold was injured. Two of the very young children in the street that day were my aunts. They had gone to Gosnold′s on an errand to buy elastic and had left the shop before the raid. They were both injured by schrapnel, one in the legs and the other the head. A lady they knew told them to run home up the street and St Michael′s Street Steps to Saffrons Place. Unfortunately, on hearing the explosion, Gran had run the more usual route to the centre to find them and was searching for them among the bodies. When she returned home she found the injured children, all the ambulances and doctors were overwhelmed so she cleaned and dressed their wounds herself. The doctor said later her thoroughness saved their lives. They were like many others, the unreported injuries. Jane, wife of William Henry Stokes was their Great Aunt born Jane Cook 18 November 1862. She was the youngest daughter of Stephen Cook and Eleanor Baker m.10 December 1842. A full list of deaths and injuries can be found on the Folkestone Families Website. |
| Memories Between the Wars | Memories of WW2 |