It will be interesting to hear more abou this.I cannot imagine a bank releasing such funds very easily.Wonder abot accrued interest too....
GILL, DOROTHY JANE Rank: Civilian Date of Death: 30/04/1940 Age: 45 Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead Reporting Authority: CLACTON, URBAN DISTRICT Additional Information: Wife of Frederick William Gill. Died at Orchard House, Victoria Road. GILL, FREDERICK WILLIAM Rank: Civilian Date of Death: 30/04/1940 Age: 52 Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead Reporting Authority: CLACTON, URBAN DISTRICT Additional Information: Husband of Dorothy Jane Gill. Died at Orchard House, Victoria Road. Heinkel crash, Clacton-on-Sea, 30 April 1940 Frederick William Gill ( - 1940) - Find A Grave Memorial Dorothy Jane Gill ( - 1940) - Find A Grave Memorial
Death: Apr. 30, 1940 Dorothy, aged 45, was killed by enemy action against Orchard House, Victoria Road Clacton. Her husband, Frederick William Gill aged 52 was killed in the same incident. It is claimed that they were the first civilian casualties killed by enemy action (Air Raid), in England in World War Two. Other Britons perished on the day war was declared when a German submarine torpedoed the S.S. Athenia in the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore,between October 1939 to December 1939, there are records of four Firemen (Civilian) having been killed in the course of their duties, though they may not have been killed directly by enemy action. Nevertheless, there were a number of civilian casualties such as air raid wardens from 28th December through to 29th April 1940. Dorothy Jane Gill ( - 1940) - Find A Grave Memorial Frederick William Gill ( - 1940) - Find A Grave Memorial was killed by enemy action against Orchard House, Victoria Road Clacton. His wife, Dorothy Jane Gill aged 45,was killed in the same incident. It is claimed that they were the first civilian casualties killed by enemy action (Air Raid), in England in World War Two.
An eyewitness account of a plane crash that caused the first World War Two civilian deaths on the British mainland will be read out at a memorial service. The account was one of a number gleaned from survivors of the downed German Heinkel aircraft in Victoria Road, Clacton, on 30 April, 1940. Frederick and Dorothy Gill both died when the plane landed on their home. Read more First civilian WW2 death victims honoured in Clacton - BBC News
Hmmmmmm - if I look at the database entitled - All UK, WWII Civilian Deaths, 1939-1945 Results and search only for 1939, then it results in 95 deaths to 'Civilians'. As stated earlier some of these could be ARW's, ARP's or Firemen, but that doesn't cover the whole 95. They may be the first to be killed by enemy air action TD
From the published 'Local History News' Spring 2020 journal of the British Association for Local History a small half page item 'The Victoria Road incident 1940'. Essex Record Office and Clacton Victoria County History Group were planning an exhibition and book launch in April 2020 to mark the 80th anniversary that caused the first mainland deaths of WW2. The exhibition was cancelled, the book will be available shortly via Essex VCH: Clacton VCH Group That website does not today under Publications does not show the book. The item refers to:
