SE20,Penge was to suffer most grieviously from the Flying bomb attacks although no V2's were to strike.(several fell close to SE20 boundaries) Between 18th June 1944 and 24th August 1944 23 V1's were to fall within the SE20 District (this is not quite the same as the old borough of Penge)
The loss of life and injuries were serious with about 82 people being killed and hundreds more seriously injured. Material loss was also very grave, every house in Penge was damaged, some over and over again. Remember that the area in question is little more than 1 mile square so the effect of 24 missiles in this small area,each of which could blast across 1/4 mile radius was terrible. A reporter visiting Penge after the end of the attacks noted that the town looked like a battlefield.
Indeed parts of Penge were ruinous. The High Street took three direct hits. The first on the 18th June demolished a range of shops and houses by Avington Grove killing 11 people. On the 21st July 2 V1's fell at 06:54 and at 14:10. The first hit the High Street by Blenheim Grove the second further up at about number 106. (these two incidents have been grouped together in some reports as one) .A total of 8 people were killed in this double event. The Blenheim Grove and 106 High St sites have been re-developed,post war style where the whole of the Avington Grove side of the
High st has disappeared to be replaced by recreation ground/playing fields.
The Anerley Park area suffered 4 V1's.
In the Crystal Palace part of SE20 2 V1's fell close to each other within 24 hours causing major loss of life. Firstly at Palace Square 17.57 10th July and secondly outside Crystal Palace Low Level station 11th July at 18:09. The Palace Square bomb killed 11 people and demolished houses in the Square and Belvedere Road. When the second V1 cut out it is reported that people were running for the cover of a basement shelter but did not reach it in time. Between 10-15 people died,depending on various reports.This V1 caused major devastation across the streets around Anerley Road demolishing and damaging Houses and shops. The picture below clearly shows the scale of this which was taken after clearance work. Today the extent of the damage in the area can be vividly seen from the amount of re-development and replacement with 60's buildings
Footnote
One mystery has been thrown up during research. There was a V1 in Wordsworth Road on the 3rd August which killed 2 people. This is found in Fire brigade and ARP reports. However, the Fire Bridade reports also show a V1 in Wordsworth road on the 23rd June. I can find no other reference to this bomb either in ARP records or when checking for casualties in the roll of civilian war dead.I have recently been contacted by one of my web-visitors who's Grandparents lived in Wordsworth Road and he feels sure that only one V1 fell. I wonder whether the 23rd June V1 was really in another road or whether someone perhaps re-copying records after the war made an errror and duplicated the Wordsworth Road incident |
