| The V1 Flying bomb and V2 Rocket attacks on London between June 1944 and March 1945 were the last great challenge of World War II that the people of London were to face. 2419 V1's, otherwise known as Doodlebugs, were to wreak chaos and carnage. Later over 500 of Hitler's Rockets, the V2, were to strike. In total appx. 8938 died and tens of thousands injured. The major disasters such as the Guards Chapel, Aldwych,New Cross Woolworths,Hughes Mansions and Lewisham Market are well documented. There are, however countless domestic tragedies where people died in their own homes, were grievously injured, lost loved ones, or suffered the loss of all they owned.The aim of this site is to detail those that occurred in South London, as well as a selection of major incidents across the capital. 8938 people were killed by Flying bombs and Rockets and 25,000 were seriously injured and many maimed for life. In addition over 2,000 British and US Airmen lost their lives attacking the Flying bomb and Rocket sites. Without their sacrifice the death toll in London and the South East would have been much much higher. They saved London from far worse levels of destruction and also saved tens of thousands of lives. The original plan by the Luftwaffe was to fire 200 flying bombs an HOUR at the capital because of the efforts of the allies the maximum achieved was only ever about 200 a day. The V1 Flying bombs (or Doodlebugs ) were the forerunner of the modern cruise missile. A small, jet powered pilot- less plane that flew low at 350mph before delivering it's1 tonne warhead on to London. The V2, Hitlers Rocket, was the first ballistic missile and the foreunner of the technology that put men on the moon. Both of these weapons caused death,serious injury,fear and large scale material destruction. Fortunately the last V weapon V3 was never fired. This was destroyed by the 617 squadron before it could be used against London. |
