FlyingBombsandRockets,V1,V2,Rockets,Flying bombs.

Because of the proximity to the Surrey Docks Bermondsey and Rotherhithe had suffered badly during the 1940-41 Night Blitz.Much of the dock area had been seriously damaged and great fires had burned out of control. Now the area was to suffer again as it was hit by 30 V1's and 7 V'2's These missiles killed about 84 people. This was tragic enough but it is noted that the casualty per bomb (2.35 )was lower than in the adjoining areas of SE8 Deptford (5.22) and SE14 New Cross (14.35). This can be explained because of the make up of the built up area. Whilst parts of it consisted of tightly packed terraced housing much of the Surrey Quays peninsular was occupied by docks and warehouses. Whilst the numerous V weapons that fell here caused much destruction and some loss of life this was substantially lower than it would have been within residential areas.
Many of the V1's on the peninsular fell in the Docks themselves. This includes 2 V1's that struck the SS Tristram which was moored in Greenland Dock at Brunswick Wharf (now Quay) in separate incidents on the 23rd June and 12th July 1944 killing a total of 8 people most of them actually on the ship, which was a phosphate carrier.
As with common with other areas some parts of the district were visited over and over by these bombs.In particular the area around St Olaves Hospital in the Lower Road (on the stretch between Moodkee Street and Gomm Road ) was devastated by no less than 3 V1's and 2 V2's. This caused extensive damage to St Olaves Hospital and destroyed Rotherhithe Old Town Hall as well as numerous houses and a church. This is clearly seen today from the fact that no pre war building remains along this stretch of the Lower Road. The Town Hall site is now re-developed as the Seven Islands Leisure centre.
One of the other parts of SE16 which was heavily damaged was the Southwark Park Road area around the Railway over bridge, near the current "The Blue " Shopping centre.
This was the result of 2 V'2's at more or less the same point on the 26th October and 5th November 1944. One of them actually penetrated the railway bridge causing the tracks to collapse into the road below. These 2 Rockets killed 11 people between them and caused devastation to the shopping area and to hundreds of houses. The whole of the shopping area has been re-developed post war.

Next area : SE17