THE nation’s eyes on Thursday, June 6 will be fixed on the 80th anniversary of D-Day – but Weston also has a war story worth telling.

Even though air raid precaution planning had been underway in Somerset since 1935, Weston was largely at ease until summer 1940 when raids caused much damage and casualties in Albert Quadrant.

100 houses and shops in Banwell were also severely damaged.

Late on a frosty January 4, German bombers and fighter planes swept over Sand Bay and Worlebury to begin the first massive raid on our town.

Nine hours of bombardment left 34 dead and a further 85 seriously injured.

Weston Mercury: A mass civilian burial at Milton Road cemetery.A mass civilian burial at Milton Road cemetery. (Image: Cllr John Crockford-Hawley)

Rector’s Way was flattened and Bournville suffered huge damage. Grove Park Pavilion, Milton Methodist and St Paul’s Churches were destroyed as was most of Grove House.

Worse came on June 28, 1942, when 52 High Explosive and 10,500 fire bombs descended on Weston. Fighter planes flew at roof-top along the Boulevard and Promenade strafing whoever was an easy target.

The town blazed as fire engines raced from Bristol and Bath to offer help. Moorland and Devonshire Roads, Orchard and High Streets were badly damaged.

The huge Lance & Lance departmental store in Waterloo Street as well as the Congregational Church, Tivoli Theatre and Wadham Street Baptist Church were gutted. More than 100 were killed and a further 400 hospitalised.

Weston Mercury: Most of Grove House was destroyed by bombing.Most of Grove House was destroyed by bombing. (Image: Cllr John Crockford-Hawley)

The third and final major air raid came on March 27, 1944, when phosphorous incendiary bombs were dropped in the vicinity of Bournville.

So why Weston? The municipal aerodrome was a fully-fledged RAF airport from where aircraft built in the three ‘shadow’ factories flew to command bases and nearby RAF Locking were obvious targets.

The hush-hush HMS Birnbeck (alias ‘old’ pier), where boffins experimented with bouncing bombs, along with the important trans-Atlantic Cable Office in Richmond Street and even our gas works, the main railway line to Plymouth and bridges were targets.

As preparations for D-Day developed Weston became home to a huge influx of American GIs and Eisenhower popped along to stay one night on a morale boosting tour.

Weston Mercury: Damage to the Tivoli Theatre.Damage to the Tivoli Theatre. (Image: Cllr John Crockford-Hawley)

Armoured vehicles were parked under cover of trees along the Toll Road and in the woods then, suddenly, on June 6, 1944, they’d all gone. D-Day had become reality. The rest is history.

I’m curating a display of 60 Weston war scenes for exhibition in Weston Museum (June 4-9) and will be presenting ‘Weston at War’ in the Blakehay Theatre on Thursday, June 13 (7.30).

Events on June 6 include a brief commemoration outside the Mayor’s Parlour at noon, tea and war songs in St John’s Church 2.30 and lighting Uphill beacon in the evening.

The RBL will pay homage at the civilian war graves in Milton Road Cemetery (3pm, June 9) and Weston Brass performs in the Blakehay (June 22) at the end of Armed Forces Day.

Cllr John Crockford-Hawley is the mayor of Weston-super-Mare.