Bath citizens braved the rain to pay their respects to Bath Blitz victims, on the 72nd anniversary of the bombings.
417 Bathonians lost their lives in April 1942 afer a three day assault on the city by the German Luftwaffe.
The rain held off just long enough for the short service at the war memorial at Victoria Park earlier this afternoon, which was organised by the Bath Blitz Memorial Project.
This years' service featured the choir of St Andrews Junior School. Two pupils from the school laid a wreath, donated by the school, in memory of the victims.
The service focused on the story of Joe Marsh, whose house was where St Andrews Junior School now stands.
Mr Marsh, who has now passed away, wrote down his story to be shared at the memorial service.
He said: "On the first night of the Bath Blitz we had windows broken. On the second day, as darkness came, more planes came over and this time they dropped incendiary bombs."
Mr Marsh was 16 years old in 1942. His family of 11 lived in a three-storey terraced house at 9 Northampton Buildings.
He describes how his brother went to put out a fire in the middle of the road, when he heard the sound of a large bomb falling.
He continued: "The shrieking and the high-pitched whistle of the falling bomb suddenly stopped and all went silent.
"Then the floor of the front passageway where we were laying seemed to go up and down. It shook terribly. After that came the blast.
"Six people were killed by that one bomb."
The Last Post, performed by trumpeter Ben Jose of the Bath Spa brass band, was played prior to a minutes' silence in memory of the 417 Bath citizens killed during the attack.
Bath Blitz Memorial Project chairman Brian Vowles said: "St Andrews Church was totally destroyed in the attack, and it is very fitting that the school that bears the name of the church is represented here today."
Next years' memorial service will take place on Sunday, April 26.
417 Bathonians lost their lives in April 1942 afer a three day assault on the city by the German Luftwaffe.
The rain held off just long enough for the short service at the war memorial at Victoria Park earlier this afternoon, which was organised by the Bath Blitz Memorial Project.
This years' service featured the choir of St Andrews Junior School. Two pupils from the school laid a wreath, donated by the school, in memory of the victims.
The service focused on the story of Joe Marsh, whose house was where St Andrews Junior School now stands.
Mr Marsh, who has now passed away, wrote down his story to be shared at the memorial service.
He said: "On the first night of the Bath Blitz we had windows broken. On the second day, as darkness came, more planes came over and this time they dropped incendiary bombs."
Mr Marsh was 16 years old in 1942. His family of 11 lived in a three-storey terraced house at 9 Northampton Buildings.
He describes how his brother went to put out a fire in the middle of the road, when he heard the sound of a large bomb falling.
He continued: "The shrieking and the high-pitched whistle of the falling bomb suddenly stopped and all went silent.
"Then the floor of the front passageway where we were laying seemed to go up and down. It shook terribly. After that came the blast.
"Six people were killed by that one bomb."
The Last Post, performed by trumpeter Ben Jose of the Bath Spa brass band, was played prior to a minutes' silence in memory of the 417 Bath citizens killed during the attack.
Bath Blitz Memorial Project chairman Brian Vowles said: "St Andrews Church was totally destroyed in the attack, and it is very fitting that the school that bears the name of the church is represented here today."
Next years' memorial service will take place on Sunday, April 26.
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