#Story
The bombing of Kingsbridge and Dodbrooke
On 2 January 1943, the town of Kingsbridge in South Hams, and its adjoining small town of Dodbrooke, were bombed by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force), killing multiple civilians and damaging parts of the town. The raid caused widespread shock and is remembered locally through memorials and annual services.
Although not a strategic military target, Kingsbridge, along with nearby Dodbrooke, suffered significant damage and tragic loss of life when German fighter-bombers, likely returning from larger raids elsewhere, dropped their remaining bombs on the town on the 2 January 1943.
The raid resulted in the deaths of 13 civilians, including residents like Frank and Mary Lewis, amongst others, and left parts of the lower town, particularly around Fore Street, badly damaged.
This bombing was part of a broader pattern during the Second World War where smaller towns in the South Hams area were hit by raids, even though they lacked obvious military value. This was to extend the fear of bombing to remote areas and reinforce the message that nowhere was safe from the Luftwaffe.
The unexpected nature of the attack deeply shocked the local community. In the aftermath, residents rallied together to support the injured and rebuild damaged areas.
To this day, Kingsbridge remembers the victims through annual commemorations and local memorials, including plaques honouring those who lost their lives.
The bombing of Kingsbridge stands as a powerful reminder of the war’s reach into even the most peaceful corners of Britain, and the resilience shown by small communities during times of immense hardship.
The civilian casualties are recorded and remembered on the Kingsbridge and Dodbrooke War memorial located at Embankment Road, Kingsbridge.