Air Raid Warden Barnett Lewis was awarded the George Medal for bravery. On 23 September 1940, during the WW2 Blitz a bomb fell on 3 shops and/or a pub (reports differ) in Manor Park, Newham, a few blocks from where Lewis was stationed. Beneath the pub was a bomb shelter containing over 60 people. Most escaped themselves but Lewis freed 5 who were trapped, repeatedly returning to recue more. All this in a burning building with a burst water main threatening to drown anyone who remained. On source reports 32 people were killed; 28 escaped.
Lewis was born in Stepney in 1912 to Russian immigrants. In the mid 1930s he changed his surname from Karbatznick to Lewis. His parents died before WW2. Awarded the George Medal by King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 17 June 1941.
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We've struggled to find any information on what was surely a major incident. The best we found is at which lists as the incident with the 5th highest death toll in Forest Gate: "23 September 1940 - Odessa Road - 9 identifiable deaths" . It is in Newham and the date is correct.
A has some photos captioned "During WW2 Part of Odessa road and Wellington road were destroyed by bombs and most people will remember the prefabs that stood there for quite a few years replacing the houses and the pub. These photos are of part of that area before and after the bombs." We note that between Odessa Road and Wellington Road there is now an Open Space and some post-war housing. The Facebook page has an aerial photo showing the pre-fabs that were on this land and also all the land down to the railway / Forest Lane, now mainly occupied by the primary school.
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