John Henry Frederick Wood Banks
Date of Birth 1874
Place of Birth Chippenham
Address 74 Wood Lane, Chippenham
Profession Fruiterer
Next of kin Ada Banks, Hope Villa, Burlands Road.
Date of Death 15/05/1944
Location Injured at 74 Wood Lane; died same day at the Cottage Hospital.
Location of Memorial Chippenham Cemetery, London Road, Chippenham
Born in Chippenham, Mr Banks joined the Wiltshire Regiment on the 4th September 1893 at the age of 18. He would eventually serve for over 21 years, throughout the South African War and Great War, reaching the rank of Sergeant. After leaving the army he set up a successful business as a fruiterer.
On the morning of the 15th May 1944, Mr Banks was dressing when a cannon shell penetrated the roof of his house striking him in the head and fatally wounding him. He was rushed to the nearby Cottage Hospital where he died later that day. Other houses in the neighbourhood were also damaged by cannon shells. One passed through the roof of C/Sgt R G Archard and Mrs Archard's house, struck the bathroom door and then passed through the floor before falling harmlessly on the mat in the hall. None of the six occupants had been disturbed as it passed through the house, it was only found when Mrs Archard went downstairs.
On night of the 14th/15th May 1944 the Luftwaffe had launched a heavy raid on Bristol, loosing eleven aircraft as a result. It is probable that the cannon shells came from an engagement between an enemy aircraft and a RAF night fighter.
Place of Birth Chippenham
Address 74 Wood Lane, Chippenham
Profession Fruiterer
Next of kin Ada Banks, Hope Villa, Burlands Road.
Date of Death 15/05/1944
Location Injured at 74 Wood Lane; died same day at the Cottage Hospital.
Location of Memorial Chippenham Cemetery, London Road, Chippenham
Born in Chippenham, Mr Banks joined the Wiltshire Regiment on the 4th September 1893 at the age of 18. He would eventually serve for over 21 years, throughout the South African War and Great War, reaching the rank of Sergeant. After leaving the army he set up a successful business as a fruiterer.
On the morning of the 15th May 1944, Mr Banks was dressing when a cannon shell penetrated the roof of his house striking him in the head and fatally wounding him. He was rushed to the nearby Cottage Hospital where he died later that day. Other houses in the neighbourhood were also damaged by cannon shells. One passed through the roof of C/Sgt R G Archard and Mrs Archard's house, struck the bathroom door and then passed through the floor before falling harmlessly on the mat in the hall. None of the six occupants had been disturbed as it passed through the house, it was only found when Mrs Archard went downstairs.
On night of the 14th/15th May 1944 the Luftwaffe had launched a heavy raid on Bristol, loosing eleven aircraft as a result. It is probable that the cannon shells came from an engagement between an enemy aircraft and a RAF night fighter.
Sources: CWGC, Wiltshire Times, After The Battle: The Blitz Then and Now Vol 3