Looking back – Horsham on the Home Front (A.R.P.)

After VE Day the local paper (West Sussex County Times) quickly pulled together a series of articles looking at the work locally of various wartime organisations that were essential during the conflict.

Using the information provided we will be publishing a number of posts looking at how Horsham fared on the Home Front, starting with Air Raid Precaution (ARP).

The fear of attacks from the air had been firmly established in World War I, with Zeppelins dropping bombs around the UK.

As a result, the Air Raid Precautions Act can into force in 1937, enabling local authorities to take measures against a possible attack.

After an advert was posted for an ARP warden by Horsham Urban and Rural District Councils Captain J.E. Pugh MBE was appointed in 1938.

He organised training classes and before the war began had 28 people ready to help with assembling crowds and handing out respirators.

These wardens also started to organise a Fire Guard Service.

Bombing raids began in earnest on the UK in 1940 and while most bombs fell on open ground in the Horsham district sadly there were a number of casualties (see below).

The designation ARP was eventually dropped and the term Civil Defence used to cover the various roles that were now included. Captain Pugh remained as joint ARP Officer, Training Officer and Chief Warden.

In total there were 717 alerts in the Horsham area during the war. There were 281 incidents, 349 high explosive bombs, 29 oil bombs, 23,692 incendiaries, 23 ‘fly-bombs’ (V1 flying bombs) – including one unexploded, two shells, one parachute bomb and ten crashed enemy aircraft.

As a result, 20 people were killed, two died later in hospital, 39 were seriously injured and 63 slightly injured.

In the urban area 17 houses were totally destroyed, 19 severely damaged and 921 slightly damaged. In the rural area 28 were destroyed, 155 severely damaged and 1,536 slightly damaged.