Died: Killed by falling masonry at 27 Florence Road, Abbey Wood
Address / Local links: 144 Crocus Road, Welling
Family / Relatives: Son of Joseph D and Elsie M Saunders
Other Information: Worked at Woolwich Arsenal
Extra Information from Civilian Deaths Register LAER/DA/9/1/3
By early November 1940, the Luftwaffe was turning its attention to other cities away from London – Coventry, Bristol, Birmingham among others – but bombs still fell locally too – Crayford, Bexleyheath and Welling were all hit around this week in November 1940…On 7th November it was the turn of Erith and district – and particularly Abbey Wood…It was here that 19 year old Ernest Saunders was killed.
Ernest, an only child, was born on 4th July 1921. His parents Joseph Daniel (1895-1981) and Elsie May Saunders (nee Rand) (1899 -1980) had married in 1920 in Woolwich. Joseph had served in WW1 in the RASC, and by 1939 was recorded as being a tram conductor.
Ernest’s mother, Elsie, seems to have had a tough start to life – born in Woolwich but in 1911 was at the ‘Cornwall Home for Destitute Little Girls’ in Falmouth – “founded in 1868 to afford a home for those destitute little girls who, through the misconduct or inability of their natural guardians, have been thrown from their early years onto the streets”…
Returning to SE London, the family eventually settled in Crocus Road, part of the Welling ‘hutments’ community – a rough and ready housing development built originally for munitions workers in WW1.
Registers from 1939 find young Ernest working at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich as a Capstan Lathe Worker…Is it possible that it was here that he met 18 year old Ivy Myrtle Osborne, a factory worker, who lived with her family at 27 Florence Road, Abbey Wood?…
Tragically, we know that a bomb hit the Abbey Wood house, and that Ernest (and Ivy) were killed by falling masonry there…Subsequently, Ernest’s name must have been included on the St. Michael’s East Wickham Church memorial tablet at the behest of his parents.
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If anyone is able to add any extra information, provide more family details, or suggest any corrections, please let us know – also, if anyone has any more photos of this individual listed on our memorials, please get in touch. Thank you.
Commemorated
- St. Michael’s East Wickham Church Memorial Tablet
- Erith, Municipal Borough Civilian Records
This story has been researched by volunteers. We have taken every effort to ensure its accuracy. If you are related to Ernest Arthur Edgar Saunders, or if you have any further information, please do get in touch.