THE Royal British Legion in Trowbridge has helped relatives to remember two teenage girls who died in 1942 when a German Second World War bomb exploded in Stallard Street.

On July 27 1942 cousins Rosie Sheehan, aged 17, and Renee Reid, aged 16, were in the Royal British Legion Club in Stallard Street when a German bomber dumped its remaining bombs over Trowbridge following an air raid on Bristol.

One of the bombs struck the building and both girls were killed. Their bodies were recovered and they were buried in an unmarked grave in The Down Cemetery in Trowbridge.

Wiltshire Times: Leslie Sheehan and Mrs Sheehan, along with Robert Wall of the Friends of The Down Cemetery, Mrs Jenny Wall, Pete Richardson, and Rick Owen of RBL Trowbridge, attended the cemetery to lay a wreath at the grave of cousins Rosie Sheehan and Renee Reid.Leslie Sheehan and Mrs Sheehan, along with Robert Wall of the Friends of The Down Cemetery, Mrs Jenny Wall, Pete Richardson, and Rick Owen of RBL Trowbridge, attended the cemetery to lay a wreath at the grave of cousins Rosie Sheehan and Renee Reid. (Image: Rick Owen)

Rick Owen, honorary secretary of the RBL’s Trowbridge Branch, said: “Fast forward to 2016, while researching the grave of a casualty of the Blues and Royals, Mr Pete Richardson of Trowbridge Royal British Legion, came across the unmarked grave, made some enquiries and discovered the story behind it.

“As a branch, Trowbridge Royal British Legion decided to formally mark the grave, as the girls were casualties of hostile enemy action, and it was felt their deaths should be properly recognised and recorded.

“On 27 July 2017 – exactly 75 years after their death - an inscribed marker was laid and a ceremony – led by The Royal British Legion but attended by many others from the town and the ex-service community – was held to acknowledge and properly recognise their deaths, being the only ones due to direct enemy action in the town of Trowbridge.

“Fast forward again to 2024 - and Trowbridge RBL received an email from Mr Leslie Sheehan from Ipswich, Suffolk.

“Mr Sheehan, the nephew of Rosie Sheehan and a distant cousin of Renee Reid, had discovered the girls’ connection to Trowbridge, their tragic deaths and the RBL’s involvement in marking the grave, while researching the family tree.”

Wiltshire Times: The wreath and plaque on the formerly unmarked grave of cousins Rosie Sheehan and Renee Reid who died in 1942 when a German bomb hit the Trowbridge Royal British Legion Club in Stallard Street.The wreath and plaque on the formerly unmarked grave of cousins Rosie Sheehan and Renee Reid who died in 1942 when a German bomb hit the Trowbridge Royal British Legion Club in Stallard Street. (Image: Rick Owen)

The story was finally concluded on Tuesday (April 23) when Mr and Mrs Sheehan, along with Robert Wall of the Friends of The Down Cemetery, Mrs Jenny Wall, Pete Richardson, and Rick Owen of RBL Trowbridge, attended the cemetery to lay a wreath.

Mr Owen said: “We talked over the girls’ journey, from evacuation in Trowbridge and their early death, to being put to rest in an unmarked grave to finally being reunited with their family. We will remember them.”