Question. Why was Josh English where he was and why was he there at time of his death?
Answer. Sometime before that fateful Sunday, the electric switch gear on the top water bore to fill the big water tank which supplied the loco department and the Village of Melton Constable started to malfunction. Not switching on, not switching off. Then it stopped altogether.
As the bottom water bore and the pump was still in reasonable order. The shed master ordered a Tank Engine to be put at the bottom bore. Fitter Stan Williamson and Boilersmith Lawrence Massingham and their mates coupled the pump to the Header Valve (dome) of the engine, and a land line was constructed for a bell to ring when the water tank was full.
3 shifts of acting fireman, called pass cleaners were engaged to run the pump and keep steam up on the tank. Engine sheets were put around the cab for blackout. A wagon of coal was placed near the engine, and an empty wagon for clinker was also placed there. Shifts were 6:00 AM till 2 PM, 2:00 PM to 10 PM, 10:00 PM to 6:00 PM were put into operation. Later, the old boiler in the old boiler house was serviced and brought into use and the Tank Engine was moved back into service. I cannot say for certain, but I think it was 041.
This continued for quite a while. On the day in question, I left off on Sunday morning at 6:00 AM being relieved by Jeff Allison. He, in turn was relieved by Tom Knowles at 2:00 PM. Tom was used, a shed man, because there was a shortage of past cleaners that weekend and we had to have 9 hours rest before being called out on duty for foot plate work
There is no doubt in my mind Joe, or Josh as he was called, went to see how Tom was faring, Tom said after the raid that Joe said “Are you alright old mate?” They talked for a while before Josh left to go via the gas works steps to his home in Grove Rd where his daughter Vera still lives. She married Jeff Allison, now dead. Josh had keen hearing but was very short sighted. The raid lasted less than 3 minutes, 3 bombs were dropped, one hit the boiler shop, another a old building use for storage and the third in the field opposite the water tank on the Hindolveston Road. This one did the damage the most danger came from the front and rear gun turrets machine gunning over a large area. Verdict by coroner was death by misadventure caused by enemy action?

Some months later, the engine shed in loco department completely collapsed, nearly killing fitting shop staff and Snigger Miller. It was suggested that the vibrations from the bombs caused that to happen.
As the large water tank was now out of use, only the small tank was left and that could not keep up the supply of water to the engines and Village. The powers that be had to come up with a plan and quickly.
Engines working from Yarmouth took water at Aylsham. Engines working Lynn to Norwich and Yarmouth took water at Fakenham. Norwich Engines were forced to fill at Norwich and not take water at Melton, but to make do and return to Norwich on that tank. for Cromer men likewise to fill at Cromer and make do. Ones ‘working round the world’ to Mundesley filled up at Sheringham. Melton Engines took water anywhere they could, bar Melton.
The Pilot engine, of course, had to fill at Melton, and during the night the shed staff topped up the ones that needed it. Washing out was lengthened from 7-8 days to 10 -11 days. The priority was to clean out and repair the large tank as soon as possible. The plan worked and it was back to normal regarding the water problem. The forthcoming shed collapse gave further trouble to local staff and looking back, Melton was lucky that only one person was killed and no one injured. The Melton Fire Brigade was at the scene of bomb damage. It was a motor pump and very effective. The old fire pump stationed near the old tennis courts was replaced by the motor pump at start of the war in 1939. The team was Stan Williamson, Albert Grint, Aubrey Watling, Jock Taylor all fitting shop staff.

Letter from Vera Allison, daughter of Josh English

My dad's death was August the 2nd, 1942. This was when the bank holiday was the first weekend in August. The second was on a Sunday and Dad had to go and look at the water tank. We were looking after Mr. Breeing's dog at the time and Dad took him. We heard the plane and the next thing was Bunty the dog came indoors and howled three times and Mum said dad is dead. (3:30pm). He got killed by a German bomber. He was caught by a bullet in the chest which killed him instant. His age, 51.  I still have the bullet that killed my dad, Mrs. Smith from Gordon Rd brought It round when she brought his clothes back it was lodged in his jacket.

During the war the tragic death of Josh English, running shed foreman, occurred. I remember Josh as a lovely man but very very short sighted. If he shouted for me or any of my fellow cleaners on the late or night shifts we had only to stand perfectly still and Josh would walk past shouting out your name and never realise you were there.
Just prior to the second raid on Melton the main bore engine pumping water for the locomotives and also the town broke down. The old boiler house at the bottom of the railway works beyond the sidings was therefore re-commissioned. Three shifts to cover the water pumping there worked between myself on the midnight to 8.00am shift, Tom Knowles on the 8.00am to 4.00pm shift, and Geoff Allison on the 4.00pm to midnight shift. On that fateful Sunday ....... Josh went to see Tom and then walked up to the main tank that we were maintaining. On his way back to the loco department an air raid commenced. The German planes unloaded their bombs on the old boiler shop area near the water tank. They then machine gunned the area and Josh was shot and killed. Josh English was missed very much and life in the loco department was never quite the same again.
Ralph Kimber - M&GN Circle