Raid 7 on Birmingham
A long night, early in the Blitz
The raid on the night of 25–26 August 1940 was one of the first serious attacks on Birmingham — the Blitz proper had barely begun. The police record lists the districts worst hit as Aston, Perry Barr, Kingstanding and Witton. Across the city about 145 high-explosive bombs fell — 56 of them failed to explode — along with about 110 incendiaries. Some were delayed-action bombs, designed to go off hours later. The Market Hall in the city centre was burned out.
Of everyone killed in Birmingham that night, eleven died in Kingstanding.
The sirens, from the West Midlands Police record
- 9.44 p.m., 25 AugustAir raid warning red — the alert sounds
- 3.51 a.m., 26 AugustAll clear
- 4.01 a.m.Red again — a second alert
- 4.46 a.m.All clear
Seven hours under alert, with a second warning after the first all-clear. Because the raid ran across midnight, some records give the date as 25 August and others as 26 August.
Hurlingham Road
Hilda Robinson, of 160 Hurlingham Road
Hilda Daisy Robinson was 61. She was killed that night at her home, 160 Hurlingham Road. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s register of civilian war dead records her as the wife of Albert Robinson and the daughter of Mrs E. Beardmore, of 52 Camp Hill — and says simply: “Died at 160 Hurlingham Road.”
Her mother was still living in Camp Hill, one of the crowded inner-city districts that Kingstanding was built to relieve. Hilda had made the move out to the new estate, with its gardens and fresh air; her mother had not. It is the story of Kingstanding in one family — and this is how it ended for her.
Next door, at 158 Hurlingham Road, Mrs Sabin was injured and taken to Erdington House. The records give no first name or age for her — but there is no Sabin among Birmingham’s civilian war dead, so as far as the records show, she survived.
The houses were rebuilt after the war. Family memory in Kingstanding says they were rebuilt “in the same style” — which is why, walking past today, you would never know.
Oundle Road
Six men at 115 Oundle Road
Not everyone who died that night was caught in the raid itself. The police record notes: “Six workmen repairing gas main were killed when an unexploded bomb exploded.” These men were sent in afterwards to repair the damage and make the street safe — and a delayed-action bomb went off while they worked. All six are recorded at 115 Oundle Road: Charles Jones, 52; Arthur Roberts, 52; Howard White, 33; John Cotton, 30; John Ernest Tucker, 29; and Christopher Middleman, 27. All six were Sutton Coldfield men.
Kingstanding Road
A family at 753 Kingstanding Road
At 753 Kingstanding Road, four members of one household were killed: Mary Josephine Green, 43; James Walter Green, 39; Winifred Violet Gwinnett, 29; and her little boy, David Cyril Gwinnett, who was three years old.
The casualty records give the address as 757 Kingstanding Road. Looking at the house today — half of the pair still stands — the number was 753, and we have used that here. The war graves register also gives David’s date of death as 5 August 1940; there was no raid on Birmingham that night, and he almost certainly died with his mother on 25–26 August. We are asking the Commission to check its record.
The eleven who died in Kingstanding that night
Night of 25–26 August 1940
160 Hurlingham Road
- Hilda Daisy Robinson · 61
115 Oundle Road
Workmen repairing a gas main, killed when an unexploded bomb went off
- Charles Jones · 52
- Arthur Roberts · 52
- Howard White · 33
- John Ernest Tucker · 29
- Christopher Middleman · 27
- John Cotton · 30
753 Kingstanding Road
Four members of one household
- Mary Josephine Green · 43
- James Walter Green · 39
- Winifred Violet Gwinnett · 29
- David Cyril Gwinnett · 3
Kingstanding people killed elsewhere in the war
The raid of August 1940 was not the only loss. These men and women, from homes and families in Kingstanding, Perry Common and New Oscott, were killed by enemy action elsewhere in Birmingham — at work, on duty, or visiting — between 1940 and 1942. They are recorded in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s register of civilian war dead.
Edwin Thomas Lemon MM, 50
Of Sidcup Road. Died 14 August 1940 — died at the General Hospital after the raid of 13–14 August. War graves record for Edwin Thomas Lemon MM (opens in a new tab)
Samuel Webb MM, 47
Of Capilano Road, Perry Common. Died 24 August 1940 — injured at Fort Dunlop. War graves record for Samuel Webb MM (opens in a new tab)
James Henry Whitehouse, 41
Of Dunslade Road, New Oscott. Died 16 October 1940 — at Montague Street. War graves record for James Henry Whitehouse (opens in a new tab)
William Nolan, 43
Of Dyas Road. Died 24 October 1940 — at Cox Street, St Paul’s. War graves record for William Nolan (opens in a new tab)
Frederick Smith, 40
Son of a family on Abingdon Road, Perry Common. Died 25 October 1940 — at Slade Road, Erdington. War graves record for Frederick Smith (opens in a new tab)
Hubert Victor Lugg, 35 · Fireman, Auxiliary Fire Service
Of Kingstanding Road. Died 19 November 1940 — at W. H. Ferris and Co.’s works. War graves record for Hubert Victor Lugg (opens in a new tab)
Ellen Moss, 50
Of Dulwich Road. Died 20 November 1940 — at St George’s Street. War graves record for Ellen Moss (opens in a new tab)
Howard Owen, 30
Son of a family on Sidcup Road. Died 25 November 1940 — injured at Mornington Road, Smethwick. War graves record for Howard Owen (opens in a new tab)
Arthur Tilly, 24
Son of a family on Abingdon Road, Perry Common. Died 9 April 1941 — at Elliotts Ltd, Summer Lane. War graves record for Arthur Tilly (opens in a new tab)
James Kenny, 27
Of Chester Road North, New Oscott. Died 9 April 1941 — at Elliotts Ltd, Summer Lane. War graves record for James Kenny (opens in a new tab)
David William Francis, 47 · Home Guard
Of Witton Lodge Road, Perry Common. Died 10 April 1941 — at Miller Street tram depot. War graves record for David William Francis (opens in a new tab)
Norman Terry, 19 · Firewatcher
Son of a family on Perry Common Road. Died 10 April 1941 — at Kenwood Road. War graves record for Norman Terry (opens in a new tab)
Elsie Moss, 31
Daughter of a family on Warren Farm Road. Died 17 May 1941 — injured at Avenue Road, Aston. War graves record for Elsie Moss (opens in a new tab)
William Joseph Field, 29
Son of a family on Dovedale Road, Perry Common. Died 28 July 1942 — at Dockers Paint Works, Rotton Park Street. War graves record for William Joseph Field (opens in a new tab)
William Henry Griffin, 32 · Fireman, National Fire Service
Of Atlantic Road. Died 28 July 1942 — at Dockers Paint Works, Rotton Park Street. War graves record for William Henry Griffin (opens in a new tab)
Reginald Ernest Greer, 66 · Air raid warden
Of Weycroft Road, Perry Common. Died 28 July 1942 — injured at Lozells Cinema. War graves record for Reginald Ernest Greer (opens in a new tab)
Edwin Lemon, of Sidcup Road, was probably the first Kingstanding resident to die by enemy action. If you are related to anyone named here and have a photograph or a story you would like to share, please tell us. Many more Kingstanding men and women died serving in the armed forces; we hope to remember them here too.
The rest of the war
Kingstanding lived through the rest of the war like the rest of Birmingham — blackout, shelters, rationing and air raid wardens on the streets. One photograph in the Library of Birmingham’s collection shows a woman ARP warden on Longford Road during the war. From 1942, American GIs from the depot on the Pheasey estate became a familiar sight in Kingstanding’s streets, pubs and church halls.
Do you have a family story from the war? A relative who remembered the raid, served as a warden, sheltered in an Anderson shelter in the garden or knew the GIs — we would love to hear it, so it isn’t lost.
The houses on this page are people’s homes today. Please respect the privacy of the families who live in them.
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