The Bethnal Green Disaster
In the UK, 1943 saw the greatest number of civilian fatalities during World War II. When an air raid siren sounded, locals hurried to the Bethnal Green tube station, as they frequently did in the past. Now that it was routine, the majority of individuals knew what to do. However, this time was unique. 1,500 residents rushed to the bunker when the sirens sounded at 20:17 GMT on March 3; however, even though the raids were predicted, no one was on duty and only one door was open.
The surrounding Victoria Park's new anti-aircraft guns' roars were mistaken for enemy bombs, and the throng rushed forward in fear. People mistook the new anti-aircraft gun fire for explosives detonating. People rushed inside the station through the only open door in a hurry, trampling over others as they did so. 173 individuals were trampled in the melee. Most of them asphyxiated to death, and the majority were women and children.
According to early indications, hostile fire may have hit the tube station. Officials had assumed the raid would proceed as expected, but the testing of new firearms produced chaos. For 34 years, the truth remained a secret.
- Year: 1943
- Damage: 173 people died
