FlyingBombsandRockets,V1 & V2 Dulwich E21 & SE22

SE20,Penge was to suffer most grievously 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)

V1 & V2 logs SE20 Penge

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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

Anerley Road after clearance work. Crystal Palace Low Level station is in RH back ground,Palace road running across
from LH side alongside the Paxton Arms PH. The picture below is of the scene today. Photography from exactly the same
spot is impossible due to the post war housing estate which fills the area in the first photo where the lorries are.
However,Crystal Palace Low level station in the background and the Paxton Arms PH on the left gives orientation. The
cleared area on the opposite side of Anerley Road to the pub remains as green space.

The photo below shows the story on the side
of the Paxton arms about the Crystal Palace
low level V1

Looking the other way across Anerley Road
showing damage by the same V1

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PostCode	Borough	Type	Area	Position	Deaths	Date	Time	Notes
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Crystal Palace End of Penge High Street Avington Grove (West Side)	11	18/06/1944	03:20	This was the first V1 to fall on Penge, which hit the Crystal Palace end of the High Street, by Avington Grove. Numbers 30,32,were demolished and 28,34 partly demolished. There was extensive damage to property in Penge High Street and Avington Grove and also to the Penge Methodist Church. This side of Penge High Street was totally demolished and is today part of a school playground/playing fields. The Church never re-opened but after repair was used as a warehouse until 2002 when it was converted into flats.
SE20	Penge	V1	Anerley	Anerley Road/Anerley Park junction	2	18/06/1944	15:08	It was reported that this V1 was chased by a Spitfire and then shot down by AA fire (at the beginning of the attacks policy still allowed this but it was stopped later as considered futile. It was better to letter the V1 continue as it may possibly overshoot London and fall on open ground .Shooting it down meant that it fell on the densely populated suburbs) The V1 hit Anerley Park near the junction with Anerley Road, Number 3,5,7 were demolished A further 20 houses were severely damaged,84 flats and 68 houses damaged and lastly 54 houses slightly damaged. Today the damage area may clearly be seen either side of Anerley Park just after turning in from Anerley Road.
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Crampton Road and Station Road	3	22/06/1944	11:33	Three people were killed by this V1 which fell at the North end of Crampton Road . The area today has been totally re-developed so it is hard to see what the impact area was.
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Green Lane/Cottingham Road	3	29/06/1944	00:23	The V1 struck In Cottingham Road and caused extensive damage across the area. 4 houses were demolished in Cottingham Road and 39 severely damaged. 67 shops and 84 houses were also damaged in Green Lane High Street Croydon Road Clarina Road. It also caused severe damage to a range of buildings used as workshops, offices and stores and also a builders warehouse. The impact point was at around number 7 Cottingham Road
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Laurel Grove	3	29/06/1944	00:55	This V1 struck Laurel Grove, behind Penge High Street. 15 houses were demolished in Laurel Grove. 18 shops a pub and 84 houses suffered severe damage in Laurel Grove and Maple Road. 9 shops and 113 houses suffered slight damaged in these roads plus Heath Grove and Franklin Road. The area today has been substantially re-developed so original damage area is unclear
SE20	Penge	V1	Crystal Palace	Crystal Palace Park	0	29/06/1944	06:15	This was the first of 6 V1's to land in Crystal Palace park. This particular one caused damage to 7 houses in Crystal Palace Park Road (some if which were later demolished by a V2.). And slight damage to 34 houses in the same road. It also damaged government property in the Palace grounds. This V1 fell in the Park behind the houses which uses to stand at 73-75 Crystal Palace Park Road, and which is now a park entrance.
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Anerley Road behind town hall	1	29/06/1944	11:20	This V1 fell on a Anti Aircraft gun site behind Anerley House schools. Buildings and 2 Nissan huts were damaged as were 6 rocket guns. There was another V1 on the 24th August at more or less the same location
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Oakgrove Road	4	30/06/1944	11:18	This V1 fell n Oakgrove Road . 33-43 {odd numbers) and 44-54 (odd numbers) were totally demolished. 29-31 ,31,33 (odd numbers) Oakgrove Road and 1 Chesham Road were partly demolished. 374 houses suffered damaged in Oakgrove Road,Elmers end Road, Pelham Road, Chesham road and Ravenscroft Road. A food cannery was also damaged.
SE20	Penge	V1	Crystal Palace	Crystal Palace Park	0	30/06/1944	20:08	The 2nd of the 6 V1's that were to fall in Crystal Palace Park. The park was used by the Army and it is recorded that a quantity of stores were damaged.
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Trenholme Road	11	02/07/1944	09:28	This V1 struck at breakfast time and caused major devastation..21 houses were demolished in Trenholme Road,103 severe damage in Trenholme terrace, St Hughs Road and Casteldene Road. 50 suffered lesser damage in St Hughs Road, Ridgmount close and Anerley Park. 158 suffered slight damage in St Hughs Road, Anerley Park Casteldene Road. The line of houses in Trenholme Road abruptly stop and the damage area can be seen which has been re-developed in the 1960's
SE20	Penge	V1	Crystal Palace	Crystal Palace Park	0	04/07/1944	22:31	The 3rd of 6 V1's which fell in the park. This caused damage to a quantity of army stores.
SE20	Penge	V1	Anerley	Palace Square	14	10/07/1944	17:57	This major incident occurred when the V1 fell on Palace Square and caused severe damage in both Palace Square and Belvedere Road. 8 houses demolished in the Square, and 2 in Belvedere Road. 53 severe damage in Belvedere Road. 175 houses and 4 shops slight damage in Palace Square, Belvedere Road, Anerley Grove, Cintra Park, Waldergrave Road, Palace Road. The area of damage in Belvedere Road can still be seen as the line of Victorian housing is interrupted by a small recreation ground/open space. Palace square was completely re-developed in the 1970's
SE20	Penge	V1	Crystal Palace	Anerley Road By Crystal Palace Low Level station	11	11/07/1944	18:09	This was the second very serious incident in 2 days (the previous one at Palace Square) within a short distance of each other. The V1 struck in the Anerley Road outside Crystal Palace Low level station. People had heard the V1 cut out and were running for the cover of a basement shelter but did not reach it in time. Shops in the Station road were demolished and there was a fire,18 shops were demolished, 8 shops and 7 houses severely damaged,84 houses slight damage in Anerley Road, Station Road, Brunswick Place, Hadlow Place, Cintra Park, Palace Road. The Paxton arms pub was also badly damaged and was not re-opened until 1955. The pub bears a plaque noting this, and stating that one of the rescuers was invited to have the first drink at the pubs re-opening. Standing on Anerley Hill the V1 damage area is clear to see where 60's housing replaces Victorian on both sides of the road.
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Ridgmount Close	2	13/07/1944	19:53	The Anerley Park part of Penge was by this time looking terribly battered after the V1's in Anerley Park and Trenholme Road. This one fell in Ridgmount Close and caused yet more damage in the area. 1-6 and 22-24 Ridgmount close were totally demolished.30 houses suffered severe damage and 40 slight damage. Ridgmount close has been totally re-developed
SE20	Penge	V1	Anerley	Anerley Park	0	14/07/1944	15:15	This V1 struck the battered Anerley Park area in much the same location as the bomb on the 18th June. It caused already damaged houses to be damaged further and totally demolished 1 large house. There were no casualties
SE20	Penge	V1	Crystal Palace	Crystal Palace Park	0	16/07/1944	19:20	This was the 4th V1 to fall in Crystal Palace Park and caused damage to "military property" presumably something to do with the Army who used the park
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	High Street/Blenheim Grove	7	21/07/1944	06:54	ThisV1 was the first of 2 that was to devastate much of Penge High Street on this day. It actually fell in Blenheim grove and caused severe damage in that road as well as demolishing or causing severe damage to shops on both sides of the High Street. In total 7 shops and 8 houses were completely demolished. 41 shops and 75 houses had severe damaged,34 shops a theatre and 26 houses damaged in High st, Maple Road, Arpley Road. The main damage area has been re-developed as the Blenheim Shopping centre, and the re-built shops can also clearly be seen on the other side of the High Street.
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Penge High Street	1	21/07/1944	14:10	The second V1 to fall in the vicinity on this day. The first at 06:54. This one impacted slightly further up the High Street in the region of number 106 .The shops have been re-built here in post war style.
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Crystal Palace Park	0	24/07/1944	23:07	The 5th V1 to fall in Crystal Palace Park. This one caused slight damage to "a quantity of government stock"
SE20	Penge	V1	Crystal Palace	Crystal Palace Park	0	01/08/1944	09:49	The 6th and last V1 to fall in the park. The position must have been towards the top of the park because a house on Crystal Palace parade suffered severe damage. It also damaged an area which was being used as some kind of compound for cars, which may well have been on the old palace site.
SE20	Penge	V1	Penge	Wordsworth Road	2	03/08/1944	11:20	The V1 hit Wordsworth road. 24-50 Wordsworth Road (even numbers only) were totally demolished and other surrounding property badly damaged. The damage area extended across Raleigh road,Southey Street, Penge Lane and Green Lane. The impact point in Wordsworth Road can clearly be seen where the line of Victorian terraces is interrupted.
SE20	Penge	V1	Anerley	Wheathill Road junction with Croydon Road	0	12/08/1944	06:30	This V1 landed in Wheathill Road and demolished 8 houses. 60 were damaged in Croydon Road Cambridge Road and Haysleigh gardens. Slight damage to 100 houses in Thornsett Road, Stembridge Road, Tremayne Road. 4 people were injured. Much of the area had been damaged by H.E. bombs during the blitz
SE20	Penge	V1	Anerley	Anerley Road Behind Anerley town hall	7	24/08/1944	19:52	The last V1 to fall on SE20 and at a similar site to the one 29th June. It fell behind the Anerley schools and town hall causing severe damage to both buildings. This was a gun site and 7 deaths were recorded which I believe were Home Guard. The damage area affected Anerley Road, St Hughs Road, Anerley Park, Madeline Road, Versailles Road and Anerley Station Road

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