| This disaster happened on 2nd August 1944 at 13.02 when a Flying bomb hit a restaurant crowded with people lunching. It stood in the Clockhouse area of Beckenham, just South of the railway bridge that carries the Beckenham to Crystal Palace railway line. The restaurant was on the West side of the road. 44 people were killed,many instantly and many badly injured. As well as the restaurant huge destruction was caused to the shops and houses that used to line the road at this point. This was one of the worst V1 incidents in South London and, for the borough of Beckenham the worst single civilian incident of the war. The blast extended many hundreds of yards in each direction and considering that size of the area damaged it is likely that this was one of the heavier and more powerful warheads that were used at this stage of the attacks. Whilst researching I found one particular tragedy relating to this incident that really brought home the horror. One of the fatal casualties was a Herbert Steer, aged 56.As this was not bad enough his 17 year old son Sydney had been killed, along with 16 others when a V1 hit Elmers end bus garage on the 18th July. The effect on the remaining family is unimaginable. The Clockhouse V1 demolished 14 shops and 12 houses in the Beckenham Road and in the same road caused major damage to a further 17 shops and 42 houses. Another 18 shops and 124 houses were damaged to one degree or another in Beckenham Road,Churchfield Road, Thayers Farm Road,Chaffinch Road and Sydney Road. There was a fire in the debris in Beckenham Road. Viewing the area today the major extent of the damage is clear. The road has been widened and the Clockhouse pub stands near the original impact point. On the east side of the road property has been re-built. In the adjoining roads clear signs can be seen where formally terraced houses now have become semi detached and display a bare end wall. |
| This picture is of the site in 2004 and shows the extensive re-development on both sides of the road. The restaurant stood about half way up on the left |
Clockhouse Beckenham 2nd August 1944
| The V1 Flying Bomb |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| | | | | | | | | | |