| I was seven years old when the war started and my recollections are Vague and not necessarily in the right order. The reason that I am confident about the v1 in Wordsworth Road (see notes) is that, as well as my grandparents living there(no. 24 and no. 75), I used to walk that way to school frequently.We were bombed out of 6, Phoenix Road, Penge in 1940, 15th September Of all days. The house was eventually repaired and my Mother and I moved back in 1944 in time for the flying bombs. My father was in the ARP from March 1939 (Warden`s Post in Station Road, Penge) until he was called up for army service in September 1941, being demobbed in March 1946.;My first recollection of the flying bombs was waking up one night to The sound of the air raid warning and, whilst getting dressed, hearing what I thought was an aeroplane approaching. It sounded unusual but I thought it was an aeroplane with engine trouble. The engine stopped and soon there was a loud bang. I still thought it was an aeroplane that had got into difficulties and crashed. It wasn't until some time later that I realised I had heard my first flying bomb.I remember the flying bomb that fell in the Crampton Road, Penge area.I was actually in no 8 Phoenix Road at the time. I could tell it was getting pretty close by the noise of the engine so I got into the Morrison Shelter.When it seemed to be overhead the engine cut out and after a short delay there was a very load explosion breaking some of the windows. I went to the front door and looked up the road . I saw a column of smoke rising which I estimated was near the railway tunnel entrance on the Penge East to Victoria line. It was subsequently announced at school morning assembly (Beckenham and PengeCountyGrammar School for Boys, now the site of Kentwood Adult Education Centre) by the Headmaster, John White, that one of the boys had died as a result of this incident. I have always remembered the boy`s name as Baker. I think he must have been Graham Henry Baker, injured at 90,Crampton Road, on 22nd June 1944, died the same day at Beckenham Hospital. This information was extracted from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Web Site.;I also remember being out on my bicycle one day when a v2 rocket fell. cycled off in the general direction of the smoke to look for it, and found it in the Cator Park Area, a group of people were already gathered around the crater. It had fallen into a sports field and if my memory serves me correct it was the Cyphers Cricket Ground in Kings Hall Road, Beckenham. The crater seemed huge to me especially as it had fallen into soft earth. I remember thinking at the time, you could probably get a couple of double decker buses in there. I also remember that some of the metal fragments from the rocket were still warm. |
| Doug Wordsworth Road Penge |
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