1941 World War II tragedy brought to light through years of research, uncovering the stories of the 71 civilians killed in the Portland Square bombing
The following article, written by an Austin Prep student, features teacher Michael McLaughlin, a Reading resident who will celebrate the release of his new book, Plymouth Blitz, with a launch event at Whitelam Books in Reading on September 20.
By Kim Tauro ’28, Austin Preparatory School Student
Reading, MA — History is often remembered through its biggest moments, but some of its most devastating stories remain largely untold. In his new book, Plymouth Blitz, Michael McLaughlin, a Reading resident and Head of Middle School at Austin Prep, shines a light on one of the deadliest incidents of the bombing campaign against Plymouth during the Second World War: the bombing of Portland Square.
The book examines the April 1941 bombing of Portland Square in southwest England, which killed 71 civilians taking shelter during the Plymouth Blitz, the German bombing campaign against the port city. More than 80 years after the bombing, the tragedy remains one of the least-studied civilian disasters of the Blitz, making Plymouth Blitz the first book to examine the event in depth. For McLaughlin, the project began with a deeply personal connection.
A Family Connection Leads to an Untold Story
After meeting his wife, Jessica, Michael McLaughlin learned that her great-grandparents, Major Lang and Maggie Cornelius, were among those killed in the Portland Square bombing. Their deaths left his wife’s grandfather, Anthony Cornelius, orphaned at 13 years old. After reading his grandfather-in-law’s memoir, McLaughlin discovered Anthony’s wish to preserve the memory of his parents and share their story with future generations. “It started as an exercise in family genealogy, but I quickly realized there was a lot more to the story,” McLaughlin said. “There were 69 other voices and families and people whose lives were cut short. And nobody had told the story before.”
Years of Research Bring the Tragedy to Light
As his research expanded, McLaughlin found that no historian had thoroughly documented the Portland Square tragedy. Existing accounts devoted only a few sentences to the bombing and often contained incorrect dates and casualty figures. Determined to correct the historical record, he spent years examining death certificates, archival records, military documents and firsthand accounts.
His work took him from archives in Plymouth to the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle in England, where he received permission from King Charles III to conduct research. As word of the project spread, descendants of victims reached out with family photographs, memoirs and letters that had never before been made public, adding deeply personal perspectives to the historical record.
Rather than focusing solely on military strategy, Plymouth Blitz tells the story through the experiences of ordinary people. The Cornelius family serves as the narrative’s central thread, and the stories of many other victims help illustrate the human cost of the bombing and its aftermath.
McLaughlin, who previously taught European history at Saint Patrick Catholic High School in Biloxi, Mississippi, said his background as an educator shaped the way he approached the book. “I think good education is about good storytelling and making connections,” McLaughlin said. “I’ve not written a fictional novel. I’ve written a real disciplined historical piece, but I want readers to be invested in the characters.”
Giving the Victims Their Names Back
Beyond documenting this event, McLaughlin hopes the book encourages readers to look beyond familiar World War II narratives and remember the individuals whose stories have faded from public memory. Although the Portland Square bombing was the deadliest civilian incident in Plymouth during the war, it remains largely unknown outside the city.
“The goal in writing it was not to focus on the numbers, but to really restore names to the history,” McLaughlin said.
At Austin Prep, Michael McLaughlin hopes the same curiosity that drove his research will inspire students and readers alike to uncover their own overlooked stories from the past.
Plymouth Blitz will be distributed in the U.S. by Simon & Schuster and available wherever books are sold beginning September 22. Plymouth Blitz is available for preorder now on Amazon. McLaughlin will celebrate the release with a launch event at Whitelam Books, 610 Main Street in Reading, on Sunday, September 20, 2026, from 3-5 p.m. The event is open to the public.
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At Austin Prep, learning is shaped by educators who bring curiosity, scholarship, and a passion for discovery into the classroom. Faculty members like Michael McLaughlin, Head of Middle School, model the kind of intellectual curiosity we encourage in our students every day.
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