19/11/2025
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The Little Children.
Sunday March 19th 1916.
The Secretary of the War Office makes the following announcement: -
"Four German seaplanes flew over East Kent today, the first pair appeared over Dover, one at 1.57 pm dropping six bombs in the Harbour, and the other at 2.20pm. A second pair appeared over Ramsgate".
“So far as can be ascertained altogether 48 bombs were dropped on the towns......"
Ramsgate - St. Luke's Avenue.
Five people were killed in this horrific attack, four of them children, with another ten needing hospital treatment - two of the latter were to lose their lives in the following days due to their appalling injuries, one some 10 months later and another 10 years after her injuries were sustained !
Children were on their way to Sunday School that afternoon when at ten-past-two aircraft were heard approaching, the noise had caught everybody's attention and people stood looking to the sky : -
Two bombs were dropped from a Taube Seaplane in the vicinity - the first fell into a garden alongside St. Luke's Church and the second which caused loss of life fell about 100 yards away.
Henry & Bertha Daisy Saxby were to lose two of their young family on that Sunday, Gladys Eveline Saxby - their daughter aged 6, was baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 26th September 1909 having been born back in July of that year and their son James Saxby - aged 4 years, born in the September of 1911. Both youngsters died instantly, taken from the rest of the family, which included siblings Percy 8yrs. and Ivy 17 months old. The family were already suffering after Henry had lost an arm whilst serving his country at the frontline.
Francis Hardwick - b.1907 was just 7 years old and lived with his Mum & Dad, William Ernest & Sarah in Winstanley Crescent. Leaving six siblings without their dearly loved brother.
Ernest Robert Philpott - son of John & Ellen Philpott born 1903 had reached the age of 12, he died at the scene. Eldest brother John 16, and two of his sisters were injured, one of the girls received a broken arm, but it was another brother George Edward Philpott who was to feature in the minds of many for some time after the 19th March. George being 15 years of age knew what was about to happen and ordered his brothers and sisters to lie down to minimise the danger to themselves, after hearing the first explosion he threw himself over one of his little sisters anticipating another bomb, George was wounded in the knee by a splinter from that second explosion, but thankfully his sister was unhurt. He received great admiration from the residents for his bravery and in June 1916 he was presented with a silver cup by the Mayor of Ramsgate. He continued his work in the offices of the Corporation Gas Works in Boundary Road where his father also worked as a Gas Stoker, but ill health due to shock plagued George and within less than a year (February 1917) he had been admitted to Ramsgate General Hospital where he passed away from heart failure. It was reported in the local press that his mother and father felt that - "The Germans had another death to account for".
Henry Herbert Divers - died aged 49 years. Henry a motor engineer was driving his vehicle along St. Luke's Avenue that afternoon when his car was, as reported, "hurled against a tree by the force of the explosion". His body was thrown across to the opposite footpath dying instantly. His wife Agnes Castle Divers nee Harlow of 9 Elms Avenue was left a widow, and daughter Agnes Edith without a father.
Injuries were sustained by many that day and as they were being helped by others, one small 5 year old boy being lifted to be taken to hospital said, "my stomach is hurting badly". Other injuries included: - Boy's of 10 & 7 suffering with lacerated thighs & shock, the 10 year old being Frank Todd who sustained a terrible head injury with a laceration to his brain. Having a gold plate fixed to his skull he lived until June 1921 when he underwent another operation on his head which was successful but dying later that day from what they called shock. A girl of 8 had a slight wound. Also the Ward family, who had only resided in the town for a month, had three daughters injured, the eldest, nearly 17 years of age suffered injuries to her leg, arm and head besides several minor lacerations. A second aged 13 was injured in the hip, head, shoulder and knee and a third Grace Ward who was nearly 10 was so badly injured in the right arm that the hospital had to amputate it to the elbow, she had also received a head wound and, so deep was a cut in her side that a rib was exposed - all according to hospital & newspaper reports. Grace died in 1926 at the age of 19 due to her injuries, a forth sister survived the day uninjured, though suffered shock after seeing the horror unfold in front as she was following her sisters to the Wesleyan Sunday School.
A young lad of 9 years, Herbert J. Gibbens, suffered a fractured skull and other injuries, he was admitted to hospital but unfortunately passed away on Monday 20th March. Born 1907 taken too early!
A second adult was to lose their life as a result of that particular attack, Gertrude M. Bishop, born 1893, died two days later on the Tuesday morning, having lost an arm and both legs. Aged 23, cause of death was reported as 'shock...'
The service and funerals of the five children took place on Thursday 23rd March 1916. During a sermon by Rev. E. Herslet he spoke the words " We are living in a time when the whole world is mentally and physically shaken to its foundations and in agonised convulsions, plunged into a maddening whirlpool of blood, fire and tears".
A service for Henry Divers took place at St. George's Church with his burial in Ramsgate Cemetery afterwards.
Thousands gathered in silence as the children were taken through the streets of Ramsgate, to the St. Lawrence section of Ramsgate Cemetery, where they were laid to rest side by side - five little graves in a row, beside which family members and friends grieved for their loss.
On Monday March 27th 1916 it was reported in the local rag that a subscription was to be opened for a Memorial for the children, meanwhile wounded Canadian Soldiers annexed at Chatham House and others at the Granville Hotel who had helped on that dreadful day remove injured to the hospital, purchased a grave-stone for the Saxby children. Taking the shape of a Maple Leaf this memorial stood proudly for many years on their grave, but unfortunately some four years ago I found it half buried and face down, broken and illegible and a piece missing. Sometime after whilst researching another grave over the other side of the cemetery I found the missing fragment of the maple leaf, that piece, the base and the remainder of the memorial have since been reunited and restored and placed on one of the children's graves.
May they all rest in peace - god bless.
Ramsgate Historical Society
