WW II death in the City of Wells.

During the whole of WWII there was only one person killed or injured within the city.
This person was a Mr Harry Patis aged 63 and he lived in an old caravan, in what was considered a very safe spot underneath the Mendip Hills just on the outskirts of the City. The location infact was an old quarry. However on the night of 27th March 1944 during what was termed the 'Baby Blitz' of Weston-super-Mare and Bristol, an enemy aircraft fleeing from the defending Beaufighter night-fighters jettisoned its load of high explosive bomba over the Mendip Hills. Several fell in the area of Tynning Lane, Upper Milton. NR Wookey Hole.
One bomb exploded near Mr Patis's caravan and a fragment of the casing was blown across a field and went through the wooden wall of the caravan hitting Mr Patis in the leg, fracturing and lacerating his lower left leg.
Mr Patis was taken to the Wells District Hospital by a St. John Ambulance which had been on stantby. Unfortunately he died a few days later of what was known in those days as blood poisoning. The ironic fact that Mt Patis was himself a member of the A.R.P. first aid unit that attended to him
He therefore had the distinction of being the only person actually killed within the City.

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