Subject

Fireman killed as a result of an air raid on Court Downs Road, Beckenham, Kent on 16 April 1941. Andrew Behan has kindly carried out some research on this man:

Fireman Stanley Richard Hudders was born on 14 June 1910 in Beckenham, Kent, the youngest of five children of Albert Henry Hudders and Emily Hudders née Usher. His father was a Hammerman in the Bridge Department of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway Company. The 1911 census shows the family living at 88 Station Road, Penge. In 1934 he married Lilian May Dean in Bromley, Kent. The 1939 England and Wales register shows them living at 21 Pelham Road, Beckenham and his occupation is listed as Stage Electrician Cine-Variety Theatre. By 1941 they had moved to 14 Pelham Road, Beckenham.

He was killed as a result of enemy action, aged 30 years, at about 2.00am on 17 April 1941. He was travelling in an Auxiliary Fire Service car towing a pump at Wickham Road, Beckenham. They were returning to their station having been fighting a fire in Chancery Lane, London. As the vehicle turned into Court Downs Road to offer assistance at a fire they had come across, a high explosive bomb exploded about 20 feet behind the car and fragments pierced the petrol tank igniting the petrol and the vehicle was enveloped in flames and despite efforts to get him out of the car the presence of the hose and other equipment foiled the attempts. He is buried in Beckenham Cemetery and Crematorium, Elmers End Road, Beckenham.

See David J. Chalmers for more details of the event.