Memorial Ferry Inn Bombing

During the early part of World War 2, The Ferry Inn at Horning was a popular haunt of RAF Fighter pilots based at RAF Coltishall, including Douglas Bader during his time leading 242 Squadron. At 9.45 pm on the 26th April 1941 a single Dornier bomber, possibly part of a 114 aircraft raid on North East England, dropped 15 bombs. Most fell into the surrounding broads but several were to hit the river ferry, a nearly cottage and the Ferry Inn. 22 people were killed including 6 RAF personnel and a family of 5 from Lowestoft.

Lord 'Haw Haw' later broadcast that an establishment on the Broads for building warships had been successfully raided from the air.

Local stories suggest that the pub was targeted because of the presence of Sqdn Leader Bader although he had left the area to form the 'Big Wing'

It is possible it was hit due to being accidentally illuminated by cars headlights when arriving at the pub or that it was because of 'decoy' lights simulating an airfield nearby.
Squadron Leader (later Wing Commander) Robert Standford Tuck (Battle of Britain Ace) accounts in his memoirs that he had been in the Ferry Inn on the night of the raid but had left early due to a premonition.

On the 70th anniversary a small memorial plaque presented by the local RAF Association was unveiled in the bar of the rebuilt pub during a celebration involving wartime music, dress and beer prices.

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