Second World War Bombing

A Memory of Gilfach Goch.

My father, Dr Joe Hampson, was the Gp in Gilfach in the late 1930s/early 1940s. He was Irish and born in Lucan just outside Dublin. He qualified from the College of Surgeons in 1932. He met my mother, Frances Pugsley, who was from Penarth, married her and lived in Gilfach in the doctor's house. His great friend and famous Irish No 8 Jamie Clinch was a GP in the neighbouring valley. The bombing was in the early years of the Second World War and their house was demolished and both were lucky to be alive, having been buried deep in rubble. My mother was rescued first and taken by ambulance to Cardiff. Several hours later my father was found unconscious and taken in his open top Morgan (only available transport) down to Cardiff. Afterwards he felt he would be safer somewhere else so he joined the Royal Auxillary Medical Corp and spent the rest of the war in the army. Both my parents later returned to Dublin and my father set up a successful GP practice and raised 4 children. My father died in 1985 and my mother in 2004. We took her ashes back to Penarth and she lies interred with her parents overlooking the Bristol Channel. I can find no reference to this bombing and the house was completely destroyed. I would like to express my own and family's thanks to the people who rescued my parents that night as both my sister and myself and later my daughter became GPs. Does anybody have any memories of the bombings or my parents? Although we are totally Irish we are proud of our Welsh roots and thankful that Stephen Jones and not Gavin Henson took the penalty kick in the Millennium stadium last year
Aidan Hampson


Added 30 May 2010

#228483

Comments & Feedback

Just heard from Moria Williams that St Barnabas Church, and Your Parents house was damaged by Enemy Bombs in world war 2 on January 5th 1941.
Your Father came to our house treat to a deep cut to my face when I was very young. hope this helps sorry it is late John Lewis

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