Bombing of Sudley Lodge, Bognor Regis
The photograph shows Mary and Alfred (Junior) Dean on their wedding day on 7th September 1940 in Bognor Regis. One week later on 14th September 1940 the first air raid on Bognor Regis occurred.
One of the bombs dropped on Sudley Lodge. In that bomb three people were injured, two of whom shown in the photo: Leonard Dean and Dennis Dean (brothers).
Sudley Lodge was owned by the Hadcocks and they had moved out as the house was to be used for the war effort.
Catherine Welsh (in photo) was the housekeeper at the Lodge and asked Leonard to go and dismantle the chicken coop there. However, the cart to carry away the coop was locked away. Leonard had taken Dennis and his friend Stanley Scowen with him. Instead of dismantling the coop they helped Catherine pack away and take out furniture. Dennis and Leonard were heading back into the house and Stanley had a chair. A bomber came across and dropped the bomb, Leonard didn't get time to take cover and took the full blast. All three were taken to Bognor Regis memorial hospital, Leonard died the next day, Stanley fractured an arm which was amputated and he died seven days later of sepsis, Dennis was not expected to live. For five months Dennis wasn't told of his brother and friend's deaths. Their graves are at Bognor Regis Town Cross Avenue cemetery.
The family was therefore completely torn apart.
