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Casulaty Details

 
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Name: William IRWIN
Casualty No.: Ranks: Civilian Initials: W Service No.:
Date of Birth : - Place of Birth : Age at Death: 17
Unit:
Former Unit(s):
Place Enlisted:
Place of Residence: Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Home Address: 24 Burnhills Gardens, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Previous Address: Dog Leap, The Folly, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Civilian Employment: Worked in the Drawing Office, Vickers Armstrong Factory, Scotswood Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.
How Died: As a result of injuries received during an enemy bombing raid.
Date of Death: Tuesday 2nd September 1941
Place of Death: On the way to a First Aid Post at Blaydon on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Battle/Campaign:
Locally Commemorated: Ryton War Memorial, Station Bank, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. Greenside War Memorial, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. St John's Church, Roll of Honour, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
UK Commemorated: Hookergate School Memorial, Highfield, Co. Durham.
Overseas Commemorated: -
Buried: Ryton Cemetery, Hexham Old Road, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Decoration and Medals:
Photographs: 3
Service Records: No
Death Notice/Obituary:
Family Details:
Son of Thomas Fellows Irwin, of 24 Burnhills Gardens, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham, and the late Dora Irwin. Dora was the sister of William R Clark, Royal Army Medical Corps, who died of fever in Mesopotamia in World War 1.
Notes : At approximately 10 pm on a warm pleasant Monday evening a lone German bomber dropped two high explosive bombs over the town of Blaydon on Tyne. One bomb hit the residential area around Delacour Road (with fatalities), the other hitting Donald Brown's Engineering Factory, situated on Tyne Street. At exactly the same time the bomb hit the factory, a Venture bus on its way to Greenside had stopped at the opposite side of the road. Part of the blast hit the bus resulting in further deaths and injuries; sadly William was hit by the force of the blast. The other male person to die as a result of injuries received was John Cowings, aged 36 years, of 3 Thorpe Avenue, Ryton on Tyne. One fatality occurred within the factory which was virtually demolished. Twenty five other passengers needed treatment for their injuries. An interview took place with Mrs. Rita Dodd (nee Peart) of Greenside, in February 2007. Rita had been sitting next to William when the blast hit the bus. She went on to explain that she had been to a dance at St.Cuthbert's Church Hall and had got on the bus outside of the Douglas Hotel and sat next to William. She remembers hearing a loud bang and feeling a lot of pain in her thigh and legs. She was also concerned what her mother was going to say as she had a new bag and was wearing a new coat, both damaged by shrapnel. Rita's father transported Rita and the injured by car to the hospital and first aid post. It was some time later that Rita was informed of William's death. Rita's boyfriend at the time, and future husband, was Thomas Charles Steele Dodd, of Lemington, Northumberland. Her husband served with the RAF on Lancaster bombers, during the war.
Sources Used: Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register (Civilian War Dead). Tyne and Wear Archives, Burial Register. Mrs. Rita Dodd, of Greenside, Gateshead.
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