Gilbert and Molly Lovell, victims of a stray Luftwaffe bomb in November 1940, commemorated at St. Katherine's Church, Felton, North Somerset.

Just past the entrance to Bristol Airport on the north-bound carriageway of the A38 is the Airport Tavern.  Take the next right turn and cross the cattle grid then turn right up the lane leading to Felton Common and St. Katherine’s Church.  Explore the churchyard and you will come across the grave and memorial headstone of Henry J. Sainsbury and his wife Laura May, the headstone also commemorates other members of the family.  You will read that  their daughter Molly and her husband Gilbert Lovell were "killed by enemy action" on this day in 1940. 

Note that the Airport Tavern was known as the New Inn until the 1970s and that Bristol Airport was formerly the World War Two RAF airfield of Lulsgate Bottom.  The following extract from Ian James’ The Story of RAF Lulsgate Bottom, (Redcliffe Press, 1989) details the tragic events of that day in 1940.

“The freezing winter of 1940/41 was the winter of the Blitz, and even country areas, especially those near large industrial centres such as Bristol did not escape. At around 0415 in the early hours of November 18, a bomb hit the New Inn at Lulsgate.  Hosts, Harry J. and Laura M. Sainsbury lost one of their two daughters, Molly Ellen (28) and her husband Gilbert Lovell (33).  The Lovell’s year old baby Patricia, and Aunt, Mrs Emma Wilkins, survived.”

RAF Lulsgate Bottom was not even under construction at that time, and there was no Luftwaffe raid on Bristol that night so it seems to have been a matter of sheer bad luck that the New Inn was hit.  A few more bombs were reported landing nearby without causing any other casualties.  Perhaps the ill-fated deaths of Molly and Gilbert Lovell were caused by a lone German bomber jettisoning its bomb-load after becoming lost.

The grave and headstone of Henry J. Sainsbury and his wife Laura May in the graveyard of St. Katherine's Church on Felton Common Hill, North Somerset.