If the Luftwaffe could have chosen a target none would have been better than the Guards Chapel.
It stood in Bird Cage Walk, St James and was the home of the Royal Guardsmen based at the Wellington
Barracks.
The church was packed that morning with Guardsmen, their families and friends. Just past 11.00 a.m. not
long after the service started, the congregation heard a distant buzzing. It gradually grew louder and
turned into a roar overhead which drowned out the hymn singing. The engine cut out and the V1 glided
down and hit the roof of the chapel. This was made of concrete, having been rebuilt after damage by
incendiary bombs in the blitz. The V1 exploded on impact and the whole roof collapsed on the
congregation. Rubble was piled up to 10 foot deep in parts.
121 military and civilians were killed and 141 seriously injured. Only the Bishop of Maidstone, who was
conducting the service was totally unhurt. The altar from which he was conducting the service was
covered by a portico which sheltered him from the blast.
Legend has it that after the explosion the alter candles were still burning.
It took 2 days to dig the dead and injured out of the devastation. News of this awful tragedy was
suppressed at the time although rumours of the disaster soon spread across London. It was a graphic
illustration at an early stage of the attacks what a V1 could do and ,in terms of lives lost was the worst V1
disaster. You can visit the poignant guards chapel today which was re-built in the 1960's to a 1950's
design. The portico which sheltered the Bishop of Maidstone survived and forms part of the re-built
structure.
It stood in Bird Cage Walk, St James and was the home of the Royal Guardsmen based at the Wellington
Barracks.
The church was packed that morning with Guardsmen, their families and friends. Just past 11.00 a.m. not
long after the service started, the congregation heard a distant buzzing. It gradually grew louder and
turned into a roar overhead which drowned out the hymn singing. The engine cut out and the V1 glided
down and hit the roof of the chapel. This was made of concrete, having been rebuilt after damage by
incendiary bombs in the blitz. The V1 exploded on impact and the whole roof collapsed on the
congregation. Rubble was piled up to 10 foot deep in parts.
121 military and civilians were killed and 141 seriously injured. Only the Bishop of Maidstone, who was
conducting the service was totally unhurt. The altar from which he was conducting the service was
covered by a portico which sheltered him from the blast.
Legend has it that after the explosion the alter candles were still burning.
It took 2 days to dig the dead and injured out of the devastation. News of this awful tragedy was
suppressed at the time although rumours of the disaster soon spread across London. It was a graphic
illustration at an early stage of the attacks what a V1 could do and ,in terms of lives lost was the worst V1
disaster. You can visit the poignant guards chapel today which was re-built in the 1960's to a 1950's
design. The portico which sheltered the Bishop of Maidstone survived and forms part of the re-built
structure.
The attack resumed with full force on the 15th June, but this time with a much increased launch rate. What
had been a joke "Hitler's secret weapon " was now generating fear and terror in Londoners. By the weekend
of the 17th -18th June up to 60 V1's a day were reaching London. Over the weekend of 17th and 18th June
45 V1's were to strike in the South London area of study alone killing 200 people.
Serious incidents were occurring in all London boroughs although, as would be the case throughout the
campaign South and South East London took the brunt of the attack.
On Sunday 18th June a flying bomb hit one side of Hungerford rail bridge demolishing some of the tracks.
This was the 500th V1 launched. Later that morning a further bomb impacted
in Rutherford Street Westminster killing 10 people. and demolishing two blocks of flats But far worse was
to come later that morning.
had been a joke "Hitler's secret weapon " was now generating fear and terror in Londoners. By the weekend
of the 17th -18th June up to 60 V1's a day were reaching London. Over the weekend of 17th and 18th June
45 V1's were to strike in the South London area of study alone killing 200 people.
Serious incidents were occurring in all London boroughs although, as would be the case throughout the
campaign South and South East London took the brunt of the attack.
On Sunday 18th June a flying bomb hit one side of Hungerford rail bridge demolishing some of the tracks.
This was the 500th V1 launched. Later that morning a further bomb impacted
in Rutherford Street Westminster killing 10 people. and demolishing two blocks of flats But far worse was
to come later that morning.
| The Guards Chapel after the tragedy. The portico has stood up well but the heavy roof has been completely demolished |
| The remains of the Guards chapel 8th June 1944 |
The first weekend and the Guards Chapel
| The V1 Flying Bomb |
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