John Champion Hale

A Civilian, John died on 21st of August 1940 aged 42. 

John was born at Lowestoft on 3 March 1898, a son of John and Eliza Hale. In 1901 his family lived at 65 Stevens Street, and this was still their home in 1921. John became a pupil at Saint John’s School on 8 January 1906. By 1921 John was working as a shipwright and he worked for William Derry boat-builders, at Commercial Road. 

In 1921 John married Dora Lydia Ruthen, their marriage was registered in the Mutford district. By 1939 they were living at 64 Stevens Street and John was a shipwright. 

On 21 August 1940 German aircraft dropped twelve high explosive bombs in the vicinity of Harvey, Wilson and Osborne Shipwrights and Jewson’s Timber Yard at Horn Hill. John was killed at the Harvey, Wilson and Osborne air raid shelter. In that raid six people, including John, were killed and seven injured.