Tonbridge in Kent is roughly half way between London and the south east coast. In terms of the Blitz, the old urban borough fared comparatively better during air raids, incidents and deaths than its bigger Kent county cities and towns such as Maidstone, Dover and Folkestone. Tonbridge had 992 alerts, 82 incidents and 9 people were killed in the town.
Ten year old Roy Newman lived with his family in Dernier Road, Tonbridge. He was also a “Sixer” for the 2nd Tonbridge Wolf Cubs.
On 21st October 1940, Roy was taking his baby brother, Michael, out in his pram. He had just been talking to a neighbour, who had just given him a penny for Michael when all of a sudden a blazing British Blenheim bomber crashed on to his row of houses and a number in the row were demolished. To compound the horrific incident there were bombs and ammunition still on board the stricken bomber. The lady who gave Roy the penny was immediately killed; she was either Frances Couchman or Alice Ford who were both killed in the incident. Nine year old, Ena Huggett, walking her aunt's dog, "Biddy," was badly injured, but the dog died. A baker's delivery man talking to Alice Ford was also badly injured. Two further people died subsequently of their injuries; Lucy Harris and Pat Atkins.
Despite receiving cuts from flying glass, Roy threw himself on Michael’s pram to protect him from falling debris. Michael was also injured on the wrist and on the back of the head from machine gun bullets.
Fearing more bombs were going to explode or more bullets were going to fly he took Michael in his arms and flew down a neighbouring street to the relative protective safety behind a wall.
The brothers were found by their mother, with Roy still cradling Michael in his arms.
Roy’s bravery prompted the Regional Controller to recommend his brave actions for the award of the George Medal with the following words;
“This incident is, having regards to the boy’s age, worthy of a George Medal and that as a matter of policy it would be an encouraging thing to award one.”
Despite the plea for the George Medal, Roy was commended by the King in the London Gazette and awarded the Scouts’ Silver Medal. Councillor HW Christie also added that, “Tonbridge always turned out people who did the right thing at the right time, as that little boy did.