hartlepool history logo

Air Raid Diaries 1940 by Joan Dalkin

Joan Dalkin was born in 1921. At the time of keeping this diary she was working as a secretary at the shipbuilding firm of William Gray & Co. Ltd. During the war she lived with her parents at 4 Brougham Street, Hartlepool. 

Air raid warnings at Hartlepool during 1940

January 29th

Air raid warning 9.30 to 10.30

February 16th

Cossack rescue 300 men from prison ship Altmark in Norwegian waters.

March 13th

Peace between Russia and Finland

May 9th

Germany invade Holland and Belgium

May 23rd

Germans capture Bologne

June 6th

605 000 men arrived in England from Dunkirk

June 7th

Air raid warning 1:10am to 1:50am

June 8th

Air raid warning 1:58am to 2:07am

June 10th

Italy declared war on Allies

June 13th

 6 000 English men captured by Germans in France

June 14th

Germans enter Paris

June 17th

French have asked Germans for peace terms

June 18th

French are still fighting

June 19th

Air raid 11:15 until 4. Went to bed 3:15. Bombs dropped on Musgrave Street. Two people killed, several injured.

June 21st

Air raid warning 1:10am to 1:50am.

June 22nd

French ship sunk off Tees, 150 workmen onboard, only eight saved.

June 23rd

French accepted terms from Hitler. Armistice signed 16:50pm (Saturday). Terms not known by French people.

June 24th

Air raids on London, SE coast and Midlands. Three people killed. French colonies are to fight on.

June 25th

Air raid 11:55pm to 2:30am. No bombs on Hartlepool.

June 26th

Air raid 12:05am until 1:50am. No bombs on Hartlepool.

June 27th

No siren sounded but in shelter from 12:45am until 2:30am. Bombs dropped on Middlesbro.

June 30th

Air raid from 12:15am until 1:35am. No bombs on Hartlepool.

July 1st

Air raid on Scotland about 8pm.

July 2nd

Air raid at Newcastle 5:30pm. Many injured, ten dead. Plane brought down off Hartlepool.

July 3rd

One plane brought down off ?? early this morning.

July 4th

French navy attacked by British, many vessels taken others destroyed.

July 5th

Remainder of French navy ordered by Petain to attack British Fleet. Air raid 12:15am until 2:50am. Gunfire heard.

July 6th

Air raid 10:30pm until 11:20pm. Gunfire heard 1am until 2:30am. Bombs dropped off Fairy Cove battery into sea.

July 7th

10:45 until 10:47 gunfire after all-clear12:20am until 12:45am.

July 10th

Air raid 11:35pm until 12:40am air raid 5:45am until 6:15am. Gunfire first time.

July 11th

Air raid 2:45am until 2:30am. No bombs dropped on Hartlepool.

July 12th

Air raid 11:50pm until 1:35am. Gunfire. Air raid 3:20am until3:30am. Nothing happened.

July 13th

Air raids 6:25pm until 6:40pm; 2:55am until 3:35am; 3:40am until 4:10am. Nothing happened.

July 15th

Air raid 11:15pm until 2:20am. Gunfire.

July 16th

Air raid 11:37pm until 1:35am. Gunfire.

July 18th

Air raid 11:57pm until 1:35am. Gunfire in distance.

July 19th

Air raid 11:55pm until 12:40am. Nothing happened. Gunfire about 3am, no warning.

July 20th

Air raid 12:50am until 2:20am. Bombs dropped on Tin Box Factory. Nobody killed.

July 21st

Air raid 11:58pm until 2:20am. Gunfire. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania joined Soviet Union.

July 22nd

Air raid 11:46pm until 12:26am. Gunfire in distance.

July 23rd

Air raid 3:40am until 3:50am (action before raid warning).

July 26th

Air raid 11:50pm until 1:45am. Gunfire.

July 29th

Japan has arrested British subjects.

July 30th

Mr Churchill visited Seaton Carew. Did not see him.

August 1st

Air raid 12:15am until 1:45am. Gunfire. Leaflets dropped in south-west etc.

August 2nd

Air aid 12:10am until 1:30am.

August 3rd

Air raid 12:10am until 1am.

August 5th

Air raid 10:40pm until 1:20am. Gunfire.

August 7th

Air raid 11:05pm until 12:20am.

August 8th

Air raid 11:10pm until 12:20am.

August 9th

Air raid 2:20am until 2:50am.

August 11th

Air raid 11:55pm until 2:25am.

August 12th

Air raid 10:50pm until 1:30am. Gunfire. Sixty-two planes shot down. Thirteen Allied down, two pilots safe.

August 13th

Seventy-eight planes shot down off south coast. Thirteen of Allied planes missing. Ten pilots safe.

August 14th

Air raid 11:10pm until 1:30am.

August 15th

Air raid 1:03pm until 2:15pm. Very heavy gunfire. One plane brought down. One British landed on golf course. Air raid 11:10pm until 11:35pm; air raid 11:55pm until 12:35am. Pilot of plane still alive. 180 planes brought down.

August 19th

Air raid 10:15pm until 10:50pm; 11:30pm until 12:30am; 1:40am until 2:20am. Gunfire.

August 22nd

Air raid 12:40am until 1:40am.

August 23rd

Air raid 2:20am until 2:38am.

August 24th

Air raid 12:35am until 5:05am. Gunfire, bombs at West Hartlepool SW.

August 25th

Air raid 10:22pm until 11:10pm; 12:10am until 3:15am. Gunfire, bombs at West Hartlepool.

August 26th

Air raid 10:25pm until 3:45am, heaviest gun fire yet. Bombs dropped in Church Street “Edgar Phillips”, three killed.

August 27th

Air raid 11:30pm until 1:30am; 2:30am until 3:30am. No gunfire. Bombs in distance.

August 26th

Air raid 10:10pm until 10:48pm.

August 29th

Air raid 10:50pm until 12:20am; 1:20am until 5:05am. Gunfire, bombs dropped Hilda Street, Mainsforth Terrace.

August 30th

Air raid 8:50pm until 9pm; 11:45pm until 12:15am. Nothing happened.

August 31st

Air raid 12:25am until 3:25am.

September 1st

Air raid 12:25am until 3:25am.

September 2nd

Air raid 10:10pm until 12:20am; 1:10am until 2:25am. Gunfire etc.

September 3rd

Air raid 10:10pm until 11:57pm; 12:25am until 12:40am; 12:55am until 1:40am. Gunfire etc.

September 4th

Air raid 10:55pm until 11:40pm; 1am until 4:22am.

September 5th

Air raid 10:25pm until 2:25am. Gunfire in distance.

September 6th

King Carol of Rumania abdicated in favour of his son. Air raid 10:25pm until 2:25am.

September 7th

Air raid 1:15pm until 1:25pm; 12:15am until 12:20am; 1:15am until 2am.

September 8th

Air raid 2:15am until 3:35am

September 9th

Air raid 9:15pm until 9:20pm; 2:15am until 3:50am.

September 10th

Air raid 2am until 3am.

September 12th

Air raids 11:55pm until 1:20am; 4am until 4:30am.

September 14th

Air raid 10:30am until 10:50am.

September 15th

Air raid 3:05am until 4:10am.

September 16th

Air raid 2:40pm until 2:55pm; 3:55pm until 4:20pm; 6:45pm until 7:10pm; 7:45pm until 8:50pm; 9:30pm until 9:45pm; 2:15am until ?

September 18th

Air raid 3pm until 3:20pm; 8:50pm until 9:45pm. Gunfire.

September 19th

5pm until 5:40pm; 1:05pm until 10pm; 12:15am until1245am.

September 21st

Air raid 7:10am until 7:15am; 8:30pm until 8:50pm; 9:35pm until 12pm; 1:25am until 1:50am.

September 22nd

Air raid 3:45am until 3:55am.

September 23rd

Air raid 4am until 6am. Gunfire etc.

September 24th

3:55am until 5:55am.

September 26th

11:05am until 11:30am.

September 28th

Air raid 3:35am until 4:25am.

September 29th

Air raid 5:15pm until 5:35pm; 3:45am until 4:15am.

September 30th

Air raid 12:30am until 1:25am.

October 1st

Air raid 12:15am until 12:30am; 1:15am until 1:33am.

October 2nd

Air raid 12:30am until 12:55am; 1:15am until 1:33am.

October 5th

11:50pm until 1am.

October 7th

Air raid 8:15pm until 9:45pm; 9:55pm until 10:25pm.

October 8th

Air raid 11:35pm until 11:45pm.

October 9th

Air raid 8:45pm until 10:35pm. Gunfire etc.

October 10th

8:15pm until 10:15pm; 10:35pm until 11pm; 4am until 4:35am.

October 11th

Air raid 8:30pm until 10:30pm; 11:45pm until 1:45am.

October 12th

Air raid 8:07pm until 8:45pm. Examination ship bombed, sinking in dock.

October 13th

7:35pm until 8:45pm.

October 14th

2:35am until 2:50am.

October 16th

Air raid 8pm until 8:20pm; 2:35am until 2:50am.

October 19th

Air raid 8:20pm until 8:55pm; 9:40pm until 10:35pm; 11:35pm until 11:50pm; 1:15am until 1:45am. Slept through the last one.

October 20th

Air raid 7:50pm until 9:10pm; 3:10am until 4am.

MEMORANDA: 126 raids.

October 21st

Air raid 8:25pm until 9pm; 11:50pm until 1:10am. Slept through last one.

October 23rd

7:25pm until 7:35pm; 11:10pm until 11:35pm; 3:20am until?

October 24th

Air raid 9:30pm until 9:45pm; 11:30pm until 2:20am.

October 25th

Air raid 12:20am until 1:40am.

October 26th

Air raid 7:35pm until 8pm; 12am until 1am; 1:15am until 1:40am; 2am until 2:30am.

October 27th

Air raid 5:45pm until 7:10pm; 8pm until 8:20pm; 9:45pm until 10:50pm; 12:25pm until 2:30am.

October 28th

Air raid 8:45pm until 12:15pm; 3am until 4:30am. Italy invaded Greece.

October 29th

5:50pm until 7:10pm; 8:30pm until 8:50pm; 9:25pm until 11:15pm; 12pm until 2:15am; 3:15am until 4am.

October 30th

1:35pm until 2:30pm; 8:30pm until 8:55pm.

November 1st

6:45am until 7:15am; 1:37pm until 1:57pm; 5:30pm until 6:40pm; 10:30pm until 11pm.

November 2nd

British troops landed at Crete.

November 3rd

5:45pm until 6:40pm. Breerge Annie mined off Hartlepool.

November 4th

Air raid 3:15pm until 4:05pm.

November 5th

5pm until 5:20pm; 5:45pm until 6:05pm; 11pm until 11:30pm. Roosevelt re-elected.

November 8th

Air raid 8:20pm until 10:25pm;

November 9th

Air raid 7:45am until 9am; 6:40pm until 7pm. Mr Neville Chamberlain died. 

November 12th

Jervis Bay saved 35 ships in convoy (three not saved) when attacked by P. Battleship.

November 13th

Air raid 11:05pm until 12:10am.

November 17th

1am until 8am.

November 18th

Air raid 8:10pm until 10:40pm.

November 20th

Hungary joined Axis.

November 21st

Air raid 3:40pm until 3:50pm.

November 23rd

Air raid 6:20pm until 7:10pm.

December 11th

Greeks captured over 20 000 Italians.

December 12th

Gunfire no siren. Lord Lathian, British Ambassador to America died suddenly.

December 13th

Air raid 8:20pm until 9:10pm.

Related items :