On April the 30th 1940, a Heinkel Bomber, which had been circling the town of Clacton in Essex, crashed into a house on a quiet residential street. Unfortuantely, Mr and Mrs Gill who were asleep at the time were killed, meaning that they were the first civilian casualties on the British mainland of WW2. Along with these two people, 160 were injured, and 67 houses damaged. In the wake of this tragedy support from the locals and people across the country came pouring in, and the monies were filed away into a disaster fund to help those affected. The terms of the fund were that it was to be used throughout the duration of the war to help anyone affected by enemy air activity. By 1946, however the damage from air raids had been largely finished with air raids having finished, and government subsidies having come into effect, the account fell into disuse; leaving a sitting total of £243, 13 Shillings, and 6D (Pence). And there it languished in a post office savings account, until recently whilst moving town hall records it was once again discovered. Clacton town council say that with interest accrued the account is worth around £1,700 today, and they plan to use the money to improve a memorial bench to the victims and to enhance the area around it.
Some consternation however is displayed, as the book shows as cancelled, there are beliefs the fund may be non-existent, or have been closed out, however I wonder if it is just the book that is cancelled and a new one issued. It is an interesting thought though that an account could lay dormant for so many years…….