Monday March 23rd 1942 21.15 Hours

At the start of the Second World War there was a large surplus of buses due to the evacuation of the population, the surplus of buses and drivers were given over to the govenment on contact work. This included the movment of troops, in 1940 East Kent Buses assisted in the transporting toops arriving home following the evacuation of Dunkirk. Operating buses in wartime was very difficult, driving these vehicles during the blackout was very hazardous. To help safeguard them from enemy air attack many had their cream paintwork replaced by grey. There was also a big increase in female staff as men were recruited into the armed forces.

The East Kent Road Car Company bus garage in St James/Russell Street was bombed by a German JU88 the staff ran to their shelter which was in the Garage one of the Armour Piercing bombs penetrated the shelter killing most that were in it. The companies local manager Brain Taylor who was also Lieutenant of the Home Guard died as his office was demolished.  Conductress Minnie Hawkins died while running to the shelter some  of the victims were so badly dismembered that it made identification difficult.  While ambulances and emergencies services ferried the dead and seriously injured to hospital a shuttle bus service ran the victims with minor injuries to hospital. The companies office were later moved to the more safe area at Lydden just outside Dover

In Memory of those that perished:

Brain Taylor

William Pearson

William Ford

Frederick Hogben

Minnie Hawkins

Robert Lynch

Frederick Mische

Walter Sherwood

Victor Pilcher.