MUCH of east London and west Essex suffered heavy damage in bomb attacks during the Second World War.

There to document the damage was EJ Carter, air raid warden for Waltham Abbey and main bomb site photographer for the whole region. CLAIRE HACK speaks to his daughter, Janet Grove.

Edward James Carter was born at the turn of the 20th century and was a secretary at a building society until his death in the late 1960s.

A book has now been published containing between 150 and 160 examples of his work as a photographer, entitled The Diary of an Air Raid Warden.

Mrs Grove, 73, of Abbey Court, Waltham Abbey, said: “Fortunately, we've got all the negatives. They're mostly round Waltham Abbey, towards the end of the war.”

Mr Carter left school at the age of 14 and worked for a solicitors' office before joining the Waltham Abbey building society in 1937.

“He was always keen on photography,” Mrs Grove said.

“He was the founder of the Lea Valley Photographic Society and he was fascinated by all the things to do with the war.”

Clive Simpson, a photographer himself and member of the Waltham Abbey Historical Society, which is publishing Mr Carter's book, added: “The photographs are very well taken – he was a very good photographer.

“There's a picture of King George Dock when it was bomb damaged. A hole was also blown in Galley Hill and it still exists today.

“It was quite clever – they just made the hole a bit bigger and turned it into a fishing lake.”

As well as taking photographs, Mr Carter would collect pieces of unexploded bomb and take them home to investigate their workings.

Mrs Grove said: “He used to make boxes for them so we could see all the workings. He was a bit of an idiot, really but an interesting sort of chap.”

Just seven people died in Waltham Abbey as a result of bombing during the Second World War but because there were gunpowder mills in the area, it was heavily targeted.

Mrs Grove said: “One fell in the middle of a road and did quite a lot of damage.

“A total of 35 people were injured and taken to hospital and 125 were treated at field posts, but 71 houses were destroyed.”

The book is available for £5 and can be purchased from the Waltham Abbey tourist office.

It can also be purchased from Abbey Stationers in Market Square or by calling Mrs Grove herself on 01992 716 200.