| Croydon CR7 Thornton Heath, was badly battered during the V1 attacks. In total 15 Flying Bombs exploded in this fairly small district killing about 61 people. Thornton Heaths worst tragedy was on 1st July 1944 09.56 when a Flying Bomb exploded in Nursery Road. It killed 9 people and demolished 14 houses. |
| CR7 Thornton Heath |
| There are several aspects of the Thornton Heath V bombings that stand out; Firstly, of the total of 15 V1's, 10 struck in the 5 days between 1st and 5th of July 1944 Although it can only be conjecture, it would seem likely, all the missiles were launched from one site in France. It is also interesting the first missile did not fall until 1st July, most districts received impacts in the last two weeks of June. This could possibly point to the range of the launch site in question being reduced because of false intelligence Britain fed the Nazis the V1's were overshooting. A further point about Thornton's Heaths suffering is the high death rate per missile, 4.07. Thornton Heath is an outer London Suburb and equivalent areas such as Streatham or Upper Norwood had a much lower (1.88 and 1.00 respectively). The key to this is the nature of the housing of the area. Whilst much of Upper Norwood and Streatham had larger houses and areas of open space Thornton Heath was more tightly packed with small terraced houses. In Thornton Heath 80% of the V1's resulted in fatalities whereas in South London as a whole only 50% were fatal incidents. |
|
PostCode |
Oldborough |
Type |
Area |
Position |
Deaths |
Date |
Time |
Notes |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
5 |
01/07/1944 |
07:35 |
8 houses demolished and 30 severely
damaged. |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
Hazlemere Road Around number 87 |
3 |
01/07/1944 |
09:00 |
Small fire in road caused by
fractured gas main 10 houses demolished. The street today has been re-built
in a similar style so the destruction in this area is hard to detect. |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
Nursery Road around number 21 and |
9 |
01/07/1944 |
09:56 |
14 houses demolished and severe blast
damage to surrounding property |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
0 |
02/07/1944 |
01:28 |
Public wash houses demolished /4
houses partially destroyed and 40 business premises damaged/ |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
3 |
02/07/1944 |
12:28 |
4 houses demolished and severe blast
damage to surrounding property. |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
1 |
02/07/1944 |
12:56 |
15 houses demolished and severe blast
damage to surrounding property including fire station. The road has been
re-built with houses in a similar style to their pre-war neighbours so the damage is difficult to detect. |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
6 |
03/07/1944 |
20:30 |
8 houses demolished |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
0 |
04/07/1944 |
11:06 |
5 houses demolished and 60 feet of
railway track lifted and severe blast damage to surrounding property |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
8 |
04/07/1944 |
21:12 |
15 houses demolished and 40 severely
damaged by blast |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
8 |
05/07/1944 |
20:34 |
12 houses completely demolished and
200 severely damaged by blast. Damage extended over a radius of 1/2 mile. The
houses at this point have been re-built in an identical style to their
pre-war neighbours so the damage is difficult to detect. |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
5 |
11/07/1944 |
17:55 |
Small fire under debris,12 houses
demolished and severe blast damage to surrounding property. The whole of one
end of the road on both sides has been cleared and replace with 1960's
housing whilst at the other end Victorian terraces remain. |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
8 |
12/07/1944 |
21:18 |
8 houses demolished and 40 suffered
severe damage |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
|
4 |
16/07/1944 |
00:59 |
6 houses demolished and 20 badly
damaged including fire station. A large area has been cleared and is today
occupied by a park/recreation ground. |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
v1 |
|
Sandfield gardens |
0 |
21/07/1944 |
02:10 |
Small fire in debris and 30 houses
severe damage V1 struck gardens at end of cul de sac |
|
CR7 |
Croydon |
V1 |
|
Recreation ground |
1 |
31/07/1944 |
15:01 |
V1 on open ground 12 houses severe
damage and 20 slight damage |
- Zion Road 1st July
1944
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