William Riddiford’s Dagenham ARP diary
1941
Monday January 6 1941
Take Cover warning 8.45am-9.10am
Off Duty. Slight gun fire
Take Cover warning 10am-11am
Off Duty. Was at East Ham Mortimer Rd. Very heavy cloud. About 10.15 a
plane dive bombed Burgoynes chemical works, dropped several H.E and an
oil bomb, we heard them rushing down, so rushed & laided down in the
kitchen of a recent bombed house when bits were flying all over the house.
We rushed round to give help, I helped with the fire brigade, as the oil bomb
set light to several lorries outside a tea shop one man was killed in the shop.
One bomb fell on the very old church, another on the graves breaking many
stones. Several fell on the factory killed 2 & many injured.
About 15 minutes before this raid a land mine exploded which we heard
very plain it had been dropped the previous night with another mine which
exploded when it fell at Green Lanes between the Lord Napier & Austin’s
timber works between Goodmayes & Seven Kings 15 killed and a great
number injured. There must be quite 2000 houses affected from the two
mines. I have been working on the damaged houses.
Take Cover warning 3oc-4.30pm
Off Duty. Interval gun fire. Single enemy planes raiding
Tuesday January 7 1941
Take Cover warning 8.30am-10oc
On Duty. Interval gun fire
Take Cover warning 12.50-4.30pm
On Duty.Interval gun fire
Thursday January 9 1941
Take Cover warning 7.05pm-1.50am
On Duty night raid, interval gun fire
Friday January 10 1941
Take Cover warning 6.10-10.45pm
Off Duty. Night raid. Interval gun fire. Elsie & little Evelyn and Mrs Price &
her baby home for a few days
Saturday January 11 1941
Take Cover warning 12-12.30pm
On Duty. Slight gun fire
Take Cover warning 6.30pm-11pm
On Duty. Interval gun fire. Night raid
Sunday January 12 1941
Take Cover warning 6.55pm-10.55pm
Off Duty night raid. Very heavy night almost continuous A.A gun fire. We
were in the shelter all the time. Little Evelyn went to sleep
Wednesday January 15 1941
Take Cover warning 11.54pm-2.15am
On Duty. Night raid interval gun fire
Thursday January 16 1941
Take Cover warning 3.54am-6.02am
On Duty. Continuation of the night. Interval gun fire
Take Cover warning 7.40pm-9.25pm
Off Duty. Interval gun fire. Cardiff main attack
Take Cover warning 10.20pm-1.50am
Off Duty. Slight interval AA fire
Saturday January 18 1941
Take Cover warning 3.10pm-3.59pm
Off Duty. Snowing hard. I was at the Chequers registering for the army.
Interval gun fire.
Sunday January 19 1941
Take Cover warning 7.10pm-2.13am
On Duty. Heavy AA gun fire for the first 3 hours, bombs fell in Grafton Rd
Beverley Rd and Shortcroft Rd. One girl killed age 12. Three squads called
out. Mother Dad Elsie & Evelyn stood under the stairs and heard them
coming down
Tuesday January 21 1941
Take Cover warning 10.35am–10.55am
On Duty. Very heavy dark morning. Elsie Evelyn & Mrs Price starting back
for Chilton after a week at home Elsie came home to see her father ill in
Oldchurch Hospital. Heard they were after a convoy coming up the Thames
Take Cover warning 1.16pm-2.03pm
On Duty. I was at Victoria coach station seeing Elsie off heard nothing there,
but very heavy gun fire over Dagenham district
Take Cover warning 3.30pm-4.45pm
On Duty. interval gun fire
Thursday January 23 1941
Take Cover warning 10.30am-10.50am
On Duty. Very heavy cloud. Very quiet here
Tuesday January 28 1941
Take Cover warning 10.45am-11.30am
Off Duty. Slight gun fire. Heavy cloud drizzle rain
Take Cover warning 12.35pm-12.55pm
Off duty. Slight gun fire
Take Cover warning 1.15pm-1.45pm
Off duty. Slight gun fire
Take Cover warning 2.10pm-3.55pm
Off Duty. Slight gun fire
Wednesday January 29 1941
Take Cover warning 9.30-10oc
On Duty. Slight gun fire
Take Cover warning 5.45pm-9.45pm
On Duty. The first night since Sunday Jan 19 – 10 nights. Very heavy cloudy
dark night. Heavy interval gun fire. Start of compulsory fire watching all over
England. Bag of sand put at every door, ladders rakes & shovels at people’s
doors.
Thursday January 30 1941
Take Cover warning 9.25am-10.00am
Off Duty. Very heavy cloud grey skie. Interval gun fire
Take Cover warning 11am-11.30am
Off Duty. Interval gun fire
Take Cover warning 12.10pm-1.20pm
Off Duty. Quick interval A.A fire
Take Cover warning 1.35pm-5.50pm
Off Duty. All afternoon single plane raiding. Quick interval gun fire
Friday January 31 1941
Take Cover warning 9.35am-9.45am
On Duty. Quiet here
Take Cover warning 12.30pm-3.40pm
On Duty. Very heavy grey skie. Interval gun fire
Monday February 3 1941
Take Cover warning 11.10pm-11.35pm
Off Duty. Quiet here
Tuesday February 4 1941
Take Cover warning 7pm-11.10pm
On Duty. Interval gun fire
Wednesday February 5 1941
Take Cover warning 7.45pm-10.30pm
Off Duty. Heavy interval gun fire. Heavy dark night, snowing hard.
Incendiary dropped at gun station Marks Gate
Sunday February 9 1941
Take Cover warning 3.30pm-3.45pm
Off Duty. Quiet here from Feb 7 Elsie & little Evelyn came home from
Chilton for a little while. On Wed Frank came home on leave Feb 5
Take Cover warning 7.45-9.45pm
Off Duty. Slight gun fire. Incendiaries dropped in Jutsums Lane – Crow
Lane. HE fell in Blackborne Rd & Ford Rd
Monday February 10 1941
Take Cover warning 10.15pm-11.10pm
On Duty. Clear moonlight. Quiet here
Tuesday February 11 1941
Take Cover warning 2am-2.50am
Off Duty. Quiet here, we all came downstairs
Wednesday February 12 1941
Take Cover warning 2.30pm-2.45pm
On duty. Quiet here
Thursday February 13 1941
Take Cover warning 8.15-8.35pm
Off duty. Clear night. Quiet here
Friday February 14 1941
Take Cover warning 7.40-11.15pm
On Duty. Night raid. Fire bombs and HEs on London. Heaviest night raid
since for a month, Jan 11
Saturday February 15 1941
Take Cover warning 11.45am-12.00
Off Duty Quiet here
Take Cover warning 7.57pm -9.00pm
Off Duty. Clear night. Fire started in Barking Power Station direction. New
tactics. Very little gun fire, searchlights out and our planes up.
Take Cover warning 10.50pm–3.55am
Off Duty Interval gunfire went to bed 3am.
Sunday February 16 1941
Take Cover warning 12.20pm-12.45pm
On Duty. Quiet here
Monday February 17 1941
Take Cover warning 3.15 pm -3.45pm
Off Duty. Heard distant rumbling.
Take Cover warning 7.20pm-11.15pm
Off Duty. Night raid. Very heavy AA gunfire, almost continuous.
Sat in shelter for nearly three hours.
Wednesday February 19 1941
Take Cover warning 8.45pm-10.40pm
Off Duty. Very dark cloudy night. Slight interval gunfire.
Swansea and London.
Thursday February 20 1941
Take Cover warning 11.15am-11.50am.
On Duty. Quiet here.
Take Cover warning 9.10pm-9.40pm
On Duty. Night clear, quiet here.
Friday February 21 1941
Take Cover warning 1.25am-3.15am
On Duty. Interval gunfire here lights in skie.
Take Cover warning 4.15am- 6.00am
On Duty. Continuation of the night. Interval gunfire.
Elsie Mother & Dad came down from bed. Swansea and London raided
again.
Take Cover warning 11.57pm–12.45am
Off Duty. We were all in bed, but came down because guns were firing 15
minutes before the siren blew. London and Swansea raided again.
Sunday February 23 1941
Take Cover warning 8.15pm-10.07pm
Off Duty. Interval gun fire. Bombs fell in Crow Lane.
Take Cover warning 11.30pm-12.05am
Off Duty. Slight gun fire.
Monday February 24 1941
Take Cover warning 8.25pm-10.25
On Duty. Quiet here
Wednesday February 26 1941
Take Cover warning 1.50pm-2.15pm
On Duty. Quiet here. Frank went back to Wembley to go back to Liverpool
on the 27th after three weeks leave.
Take Cover warning 7.25pm-10.25pm
On Duty. Heavy night gun fire saw many vere lights dropped. Land mine in
Hollington Rd East Ham and damaged the work we had been doing in
Mortimer Rd. Terrible amount of damage, also mine at East Ham Rly.
Station, but did not explode.
Bombs fell in Porters Avenue
Take Cover warning 10.45 pm -11.15pm
On Duty. Continuation of night.
Heavy interval gun fire.
Thursday February 27 1941
Take Cover warning 11.00 am–11.15am
Off Duty. Heavy cloud. Was at East Ham helping repair
damage done previous night. Several planes flying low.
Slight gun fire.
Take Cover warning 11.40 am–1.50 pm
Off Duty. Slight gun fire. Saw a balloon break loose.
Heard steel rope falling.
Friday February 28 1941
Take Cover warning 8.20pm–9.15pm
On Duty. Rather windy. Quiet here.
Take Cover warning 10.45pm - 1.10pm
On Duty. Quiet here.
Saturday March 1 1941
Take cover warning 8.20pm – 8.45pm
Off Duty. slight gun fire
Take cover warning 9.35pm – 10.30pm
Off Duty. Interval gun fire.
Sunday March 2 1941
Take cover warning 12.28am – 12.34am
Off Duty. Quiet here. About the shortest alert yet.
Take cover warning 8.30pm – 9.15pm
On Duty. Only 5 or 6 rounds fired at Marks Gate.
Monday March 3 1941
Take cover warning 9.30pm – 1.15am
Off Duty. Interval gun fire. Main attack Cardiff.
Tuesday March 4 1941
Take cover warning 7.25pm – 11.00pm
On Duty. Clear night. Heavy gun fire for the first 5 minutes but fairly quiet
afterwards.
Cardiff again the main attack
Wednesday March 5 1941
Take cover warning 12.05pm - 12.20pm
Off Duty. Clear skie. Quiet here.
Thursday March 6 1941
Take cover warning 11.55am – 12.10pm
On Duty. Quiet here. Heavy rain.
Take cover warning 12.30pm – 12.45pm
On Duty. Quiet here.
The 500th London warning since war began.
Take cover warning 7.50 pm – 8.15pm
On Duty. Slight gun fire. Heavy rain
Friday March 7 1941
Take cover warning 11.45 am – 12.10 pm
Off duty, quiet here.
Saturday March 8 1941
Take cover warning 7.20 pm – 12.00
On Duty. Very clear moonlight night. Very heavy gun fire,
Almost continuous. Lights dropped
Sunday March 9 1941
Take cover warning 7.12 am – 7.25pm
Off Duty. Slight gun fire.
Take cover warning 8.05 pm - 11.45pm
Off Duty. Very heavy cloud and rain. Very heavy gun fire, almost
continuous, many vere lights dropped over Chadwell Heath direction. We all
sat in shelter for 2 hours.
Frank and Dorie here. Frank home again for an extra weeks leave.
Many incendiaries dropped.
Monday March 10 1941
Take cover warning 12.30am – 1.25am
Off Duty. Continuation of the night. Slight gun fire.
Take cover warning 3.15am – 3.45am
Off Duty. Continuation of the night. Slight gun fire.
Take cover warning 11.30am -11.45am
On Duty. Quiet here
Take cover warning 8.20 pm - 10.50pm
On Duty. Slight gun fire.
Take cover warning 11.16 pm - 12.15 am
On Duty. Heavy interval AA fire
Tuesday March 11 1941
Take cover warning 2.45 am - 3.05am
On Duty. Heavy gun fire.
Take cover warning 3.29am – 3.43am
On Duty. Heavy AA gun fire. A night of warnings.
Elsie Mother & Dad up all night, went to bed at 5.00
Take cover warning 8.30 pm - 12.20 am
Off Duty. Interval gun fire.
Wednesday March 12 1941
Take cover warning 7.56 pm – 1.22 am
On Duty. Fairly heavy night.
Very heavy cloud. A bomb fell in Fanshawe Crescent, another in Halbutt St.
& Heathway junction. No casualties.
Thursday March 13 1941
Take cover warning 2.17 am – 2.53am
On Duty. Heavy gun fire.
Take cover warning 3.08 am - 4.05am
On Duty. Heavy interval AA gun fire.
Mother Elsie & Dad up nearly all night again.
Take cover warning 9.00pm – 3.21am
Off Duty. Interval gun fire.
Friday March 14 1941
Take cover warning 8.20pm – 3.5am
On Duty. Interval gun fire.
Saturday March15 1941
Take cover warning 1.45pm -1.53pm
Off Duty. Quiet here.
Take cover warning 8.37pm- 12.05am
Off Duty. Very heavy gun fire. Dark cloudy night. We had been dodging in
and out of the stair cupboard, it was 10.30. Dad had just come in when I
heard a rushing noise. I shouted Look Up, then we all fell on the floor, then a
terrific thud & crash. Frank dashed under the table & cut his eye brow.
One of the heaviest calibre bombs fell in Bennett’s Castle Lane on some old
cottages and a nursery & florists, several killed about 150 yards from our
house, we thought it was near our house at 493. Me & Frank went round to
see expecting the windows and ceilings down but lucky we were quite all
right, another fell Cawshawe Rd. near Chadwell Station
Sunday March 16 1941
Take cover warning 9.03pm – 10.17pm
On Duty. Interval gun fire.
Tuesday March 18 1941
Take cover warning 1.25pm -2.13pm
On Duty. Quiet here
Take cover warning 10.55pm – 5.25am
On Duty. Interval gun fire.
Wednesday March 19 1941
Take cover warning 8.14pm – 2.05am
Off Duty. Very clear dark night. London’s heaviest Blitz. For 4 hours it was a
continuous drone of planes, 4 land mines fell in Dagenham one in Oriel Rd.
near Old Dagenham Railway Station. Killed 15, injured 30.
An unexploded shell went through an Anderson Shelter in Keys Ally, near
Dag. Church and killed Mrs Burr.
Valence ARP Depot sent 3 Ambulances and a rescue squad to West Ham.
East Ham had 41 incidents.
Thursday March 20 1941
Take cover warning 2.56pm – 3.51pm
On Duty. Slight gun fire.
Take cover warning 8.31 pm – 10.02pm
On Duty. Interval gun fire.
Saturday March 29 1941
Take cover warning 9.07pm - 9.20pm
Off Duty. Quiet here.
First warning for 8 days.
Monday March 31 1941
Take cover warning 3.35am -3.50am
Off Duty. Slight gun fire.
Thursday April 3 1941
Take cover warning 12.20pm – 12.35pm
On Duty. Quiet here.
They were trying to bomb a convoy coming up the Thames.
Take cover warning 10.30pm – 11.20pm
On Duty. Quiet here.
Friday April 4 1941
Take cover warning 12.20am – 1.50pm
On Duty. Slight gun fire.
Take cover warning 10.00pm – 10.55pm
Off Duty. Quiet here.
Bristol main attack.
Monday April 7 1941
Take cover warning 10.30pm – 11.25
On Duty. Clear moonlight.
Quite here.
Take cover warning 11.55pm - 5.00am
On Duty. Interval gun fire.
No bombs on London. Thames estuary district and other parts of the country
attacked. 5 enemy bombers brought down
Sunday April 6 1941
at 3am Germany attacked Jugo-Slavia & Greece
Tuesday April 8 1941
Take cover warning 12.00pm – 12.15pm
Off Duty. Quiet here.
Take cover warning 10.00pm- 3.55am
Off Duty. Interval gun fire. Coventry main attack.
9 night German planes brought down,
Wednesday April 9 1941
Take cover warning 11.57pm – 1.55am
On Duty. Clear moonlight. Slight distant gun fire.
Birmingham main attack.
Thursday April 10 1941
Take cover warning 12.30pm – 12.45
Off Duty. Quiet here.
Take cover warning 10.00pm – 4am
Off Duty. Slight interval gun fire. Birmingham & Coventry the main attack.
A few bombs on London.
Bright moonlight. 36 Enemy bombers down in four nights by our night
fighters.
Tuesday April 15 1941
Take cover warning 10.47pm – 4.43am
On Duty. Interval gun fire.
Wednesday April 16 1941
Take cover warning 9.04pm - 4.56am
Off Duty. Clear dark night.
The Heaviest raid on London yet. Many fires and many lights dropped.
Friday April 18 1941
Take cover warning 1.06am – 1.40am
Off Duty. Slight gun fire. Portsmouth main attack.
Take cover warning 3.37am – 4.49am
Off Duty. Slight gun fire.
Saturday April 19 1941
Take cover warning 9.10pm- 5.00am
On Duty. Very heavy cloudy night.
The worst raid Dagenham and London has had, continuous AA gun fire the
whole night. Elsie sitting up in the Kitchen with little Evelyn ill with Measles.
About 11.00. 3 bombs fell near here, one in the park about 40 yards. away
from our ARP shelter which we were all in, another just outside the clinic
and First Aid Post and smashing houses to bits, also the MTC lady driver’s
cottage, killing 4 people in the house opposite the Clinic, 9 people were in
the house, and only 50 yds away from our own house.
Very heavy bombs blew the back and front door off our house, also the
catches of the doors in the kitchen and upstairs doors, tiles lifted windows
broken and window frame, large patches of ceiling down in every room bar
the kitchen, two bad cracks in the back wall from the roof to the floor.
The other bomb fell the same distance away 50 yds in Warrington Rd. all
day Sunday I was firing tiles. I rushed over to call out if Elsie was all right
then went up to the incident, a gas main was burning, after about 2 hours
we went back then were called out to Chittys Lane, house hit but no
casualties, people were in their shelter, our leader Harry Harding fell in a
fish pond, and was wet nearly all over.
We went back and were called out again to junction of Walnut tree Rd. and
Green Lane, no casualties, back again then were called out again to the
Clinic incident to visit the surrounding houses for slight injurys. While we
were at Chittys Lane, Chadwell Heath Station was hit 150 yds away from us,
it was a terrific flash. A mine fell in Becontree Ave., just over Bennett’s
Castle Lane killing 11 people. 30 bombs fell in Dagenham. East Ham and
Barking hit terrible, 150 HEs fell in East Ham.
We prayed for day light to come. This is the worst night we have
experienced so far, and mostly every one say the same in this district.
Sunday April 20 1941
Take cover warning 10.15pm – 11.30pm
Off Duty. Quiet here
Monday April 21 1941
Take cover warning 12.15 am – 12.30am
Off Duty. Slight distant gun fire.
Take cover warning 9.45 pm – 10.15pm
On Duty. Quiet here.
Tuesday April 22 1941
Take cover warning 12.30 pm – 12.40
Off Duty. Quiet here.
Saturday April 26 1941
Take cover warning 11.05 pm – 12.35 am
Off Duty. Quiet here.
Plymouth main attack.
Sunday April 27 1941
Take cover warning 1.10 am – 1.25am
Off Duty. Quiet here.
Saturday May 3 1941
Take cover warning 10.40pm – 3.15am
On Duty. Interval gun fire. Liverpool the main attack. Very heavy raid. 16
German planes brought down.
Sunday May 4 1941
Take cover warning 12.00am - 4.15am
Off Duty. Interval gun fire. 2 hours of summer time.
Monday May 5 1941
Take cover warning 10.40pm - 11.45pm
On Duty. Quiet here. Newcastle the main attack.
Tuesday May 6 1941
Take cover warning 11.55 pm - 12.10 am
Off Duty. Quiet here. Merseyside main attack.
Clear moonlight, 9 enemy planes brought down.
50 night raiders down up to date for May.
Thursday May 8 1941
Take cover warning 11.55 pm – 4.10am
Off Duty. Interval gun fire. Wide spread raids.
Saturday May 10 1941
Take cover warning 10.50pm – 6.00am
Off Duty. Very clear moonlight. Almost full moon.
One of the largest raids on London, continuous drone of planes all night.
Very large fire in London, estimated bomb per minute fell.
33 enemy planes brought down. 31 by our night fighters.
The City of London closed to traffic after the raid.
Sunday May 11 1941
Take cover warning 9.30 pm - 9.45pm
On Duty. Just before dusk.
Quiet here. 100 raiders turned back by our fighters.
Monday May 12 1941
Take cover warning 12.00 am – 4.10am
On Duty. Cloudy, slight interval gun fire. Wide spread raids.
Take cover warning 5.00 - 6.00
On Duty. Quiet here.
Take cover warning 11.40pm - ?
Off Duty
Take cover warning 5.00am – 5.45am
Off Duty. Distant gun fire
Friday May 16 1941
Take cover warning 3.20am - ?
Off Duty. Interval gun fire.
Take cover warning 9.42am – 9.55am
Off Duty. Quiet here.
Take cover warning 11.50pm – 4.00am
Off Duty. Interval gun fire.
Monday May 19 1941
Take cover warning 2.12am – 3.30am
On Duty. Interval gun fire.
Tuesday May 27 1941
Take cover warning 11.30pm – 12.00pm
On Duty. Quiet here.
Wednesday May 28 1941
Take cover warning 12.15pm – 12.35pm
Off Duty. Quiet here.
Sunday June 1 1941
Take cover warning 12.08am – 3.30pm
Off Duty. Interval gun fire
Monday June 2 1941
Take cover warning 12.10am – 3.30am
Off Duty. The first London alert for 20 days.
Slight distant gun fire. No bombs on London. Manchester the main attack.
Thursday June 5 1941
Take cover warning 12.05 am - 3.15am
On duty. Very Heavy cloudy night. Thunder & lightning.
Saw 2 balloons struck and caught fire.
A few bombs on London. Wide spread raids.
Friday June 6 1941
Take cover warning 10.30 am – 11.00am
On Duty. The first day light alert for 45 days. Quiet here.
Monday June 9 1941
Take cover warning 6.50 am - 7.05am
On Duty. Quiet here.
Wednesday June 11 1941
Take cover warning 12.10 am – 3.55am
Off Duty. Quiet for the first 1½ hours. Then interval gun fire.
Merseyside the main attack.
Myself, Frank, Mother & Dad were playing darts till 1.30 as Frank had come
home the previous Sunday for 3 days leave, left here again 3.pm Thursday
June 12 before going on special duty somewhere round the African coast on
H.M.S. Southern Gem Patrol Vessel.
Saturday June 14 1941
Take cover warning 12.55 am - 3.15am
Off Duty. Interval gun fire.
Widespread raids. 7 enemy planes brought down.
Monday June 23 1941
Take cover warning 12.20 am – 1.30am
On Duty. 2 or 3 enemy planes.
Slight gun fire. 2 land mines fell near Marks Gate Gun emplacement. Very
hot Sunday & night. Slept outdoors.
Germany attacked Sunday June 22 at 4.30 am
Friday June 27 1941
Take cover warning 1.30am – 3.00am
On Duty. Heavy gun fire in Grays & Upminster direction an hour before
about one plane flew over this district then the sirens blew.
July 27 1941
Take cover warning 1.45am - 3.45am
Off Duty. Heavy interval gun fire.
London main attack.
Note:
This is a transcript of the original diary, which is currently on loan to:
Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre
Valence House
Becontree Avenue
Dagenham RM8 3HT
Phone: 020 8227 2033
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.lbbd.gov.uk/archives