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On 3 September 1939 war was declared against Germany. When war started Ernest Titheridge was a builder and plumber living at 46 Ferndale Road, Wandsworth. By the end of September Ernest had volunteered for the Civil Defence. He was appointed to the role of a Stretcher Party Driver in the Wandsworth area of London. Ernest and his wife Elsie Grace Judge had two children aged 14 and 4. By the end of September 1939 Elsie and their children had moved out of central London to the relative safety of Berkshire, where they were staying with the Denyer family at 21 Clever Hill Road, New Windsor. Ernest continued living in London moving to 26 Louisville Road, London SW17, sometime before 1941.
On 7 September 1940 the blitz began. This was night time bombing raids against London and other British cities by Nazi Germany. On the night of 7 September 300 German bombers raided London and this was the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. The bombing raids over London continued until May 1941.
By 13 October 1940 the bombing raids had been going on for 5 weeks. As a result many people had been killed, much of London had been damaged and the emergency services and civil defence were stretched to cope with the raids. On this particular evening Ernest was on duty in his civil defence role. During yet another air raid an explosive flare landed in the Atkins Road Bomb Disposal Yard. The bomb disposal yard adjoined the Clapham Stretcher Party station where Officer Webb was the duty officer in charge. On seeing the flames coming from the bomb disposal yard he called out the Stretcher Parties’ Fire Party consisting of Ernest, Percy Newman, Robert Wedlake and Lewis James.
The Bomb Disposal Yard premises were protected by a 4-foot 6 inches wall with several rolls of barbed wire on top. However, not deterred the four men managed to climb over the wall. Under the direction of Officer Webb, they endeavoured to extinguish the fire by throwing sand on it. They were all well aware it was a bomb disposal yard and that there were explosives in the yard. There was concern that the heat would cause the TNT in the bombs and shells to explode. Eventually Royal Engineers came to assist the four men and the fire was extinguished. However, the explosive flare which caused the fire exploded and hit and injured two of the stretcher party, Percy and Robert, and some of the Royal Engineers.
The four men, Percy Newman, Ernest Titheridge, Robert Wedlake and Lewis James were all awarded the Civil Defence Gallantry Award for their prompt and efficient action, which probably averted a major incident. They all acted with great courage in the face of danger from the unexploded bombs. In the recommendation for awards it was cited that “All concerned showed remarkable coolness and acted with speed and efficiency”. The award was reported in the London Gazette on 21 January 1941.
So, who was Ernest Titheridge? He was one of ten children born between 1883 and 1900 to George Titheridge and Georgina Hannibal. Ernest was the youngest born on 6 May 1900. His family tree can be seen at this link. Ernest died on 8 November 1976 at Wandsworth aged 76.
Research into Ernest revealed another story of Ernest in World War 1, this story will be told in the next blog.
If you are related to Ernest and can add to this story please get in touch.
