Flying Bombs and Rockets : Beckenham Incident Log
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Type/Postcode/Borough/area/                /Primary impact/  Date                       Details      /             Deaths                      
V1 & V2 Incident Logs
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Eden Way 16/06/1944 The V1 stuck in Eden way . It actually   struck the stand at the Evening Standard sports ground. 1
Statistics
South Londoner's stories
V1 BR3 Beckenham West Wickham Merlin Grove 16/06/1944 00:00 No other details available 0
Time-line
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Tootswood Road 16/06/1944 09:00 V1 hit the ARP post in Tootswood     Road , casualties were ARP Wardens 3
The Guards chapel
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Links Way 16/06/1944 10:00 The V 1 Fell opposite 2 Links road, all shops in station road and   high st up to Sherwood way lost their windows. Houses in station road   terrible wrecks. Number 10 links road just a shell. The casualties were   members of the Hawes down heavy rescue party when their lorry was hit by this   fly. They were returning from the Toots wood road Beckenham incident which   had occurred the same day. 7
The Aldwych
Victoria Station
Clockhouse
Lewisham Market
Doodlebug summer
Hughes Mansions
The Last Winter of the war
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham The Avenue around number 44 17/06/1944 00:00 1
New Cross Woolworths
V1 struck in The Avenue and demolished number 44
Smithfield Market
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham 255 Wickham Chase 17/06/1944 02:00 The V1 hit 255 Wickham chase and this house was totally   demolished a number of others badly damaged. 0
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Addington Road 21/06/1944 09:03 The V1 struck houses in the Addington     Road. 1 person died in a public Air Raid   shelter.
   65 houses suffered severe damage at 1-29 and 2-40     Addington Road
1
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Between Queens Road/Clockhouse Road 21/06/1944 14:14 The First of 5 V1's that were to fall in this area of Beckenham.
   3 houses were demolished at 69-73     Queens Road. 55-66, 53-67     Queens Road and 50-60     Clockhouse Road suffered severe damage. 74   houses suffered a lesser degree of damage in Queens Road,230 were slightly   damaged in Queens Road, Cedars Road, Hampden     Avenue, Cromwell     Road, Durban Road and Clockhouse     Road
3
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Westfield Road Between 13   and 17 23/06/1944 08:10 The 2nd of 5 V1's That fell in this area.8 houses demolished in   Westfield Road
   12 houses severely damaged In Westfield Road
   27 Houses damaged in Haynes and Cedars Road
   75 House ,Shops and a Church damaged in Beckenham Road, Croydon Road.
4
V1 BR3 Beckenham Hayes Meadway 23/06/1944 22:39 The V1 fell in the Meadway and caused severe damage to 9 houses   at 52-68. At 1-47, 2-42, 70-72 92 houses suffered slight damage. 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham The Drive around number 77 25/06/1944 21:42 This Flying bomb struck The Drive .12 houses demolished in The   Drive 68-74,75-87,63-75 and 62-68 Severe damage/57-61 & 52-60 and 89-117   and 76-90 Slightly damaged.
   Public hall N.F.S station 237 houses slightly damaged in Church     Avenue, the Crescent, Rectory road, Albemarle     Road,
   The demolished houses have been re-built in a very similar style to their   neighbours.
3
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Queens RoadCedars Road 26/06/1944 01:00 The 3rd of 5 V1's that were to fall in this area.
   4 houses demolished in Queens Road 38:50;37-49
   31 severe damage in Queens road 19-51 28-52
   84 damaged in Cedars road 63-81 and Clockhouse Road 2-72 7-81
   12 slightly damaged in Clockhouse Road
   Medium fire at 41-43 Queens road in debris
0
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Nash Lane 27/06/1944 08:48 The V1 fell in open ground. The only casualties were 2 horses   which were slightly injured. 0
V1 SE6 Beckenham Beckenham Hill Beckenham Hill Road 28/06/1944 13:45 The Flying bomb exploded In Beckenham Hill Road.
   1-11 ,2-16 Highland Croft,1-23 and 2-50 Braeside.184,186,188 Beckenham Hill   Road,37b Beckenham Hill Road,31-37 Southend Road/42-80 Southend Road/Ada   Lewis House Southend Road. Were damaged
0
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham The Alders 28/06/1944 17:37 The V1 hit The Alders behind West Wickham High Street.
   9 houses and 15 shops severe damage at the Alders and High St
   60 houses and shops damaged at the Alders Bolderwood way Manor rd,   Chessington way, Hawkhurst way High st
   131 houses slight damage at The Alders, Bolderwood     Way, Manor Road, Chessington   way, Hawkhurst way
   small fire in debris of 2 houses at the Alders
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Rectory Road 28/06/1944 17:40 This V1 struck Rectory     Road.
   3 houses demolished in Rectory Road
   14 houses severely damaged in Rectory Road
   10 Damaged in Rectory Road
   41 Slightly damaged in Blakeny, Beckenham and Hayne Road + the Regal Cinema
1
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Shortlands Road 28/06/1944 20:05 The Flying bomb struck at 75, Shortlands     Road and demolished 2 houses.
   1 severely damaged in Shortlands Road
   NFS station and 5 houses damaged in Shortlands Road
   39 houses damaged in Den Road Kingswood Road and Scotts Lane
3
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Layhams Road 28/06/1944 22:29 The Flying bomb hit Wickham court farm
   a farm house and an acre of potatoes suffered slight damage. No casualties   reported
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Shortlands Road 29/06/1944 01:15 Flying bomb in the Shortlands     Road small fire in debris of private   house which was demolished on impact. 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Lennard Road 30/06/1944 01:16 The V1 struck in Lennard Road.7 Houses badly damaged in Lennard     Road, 93 damaged (slight) in Lennard Road   Kingshall Road, Reddons Road, Aldersmead     Road, Kenthouse     Road, Beckenham county school for girls. 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Elmers Ends Altyre Way 30/06/1944 01:40 The V1 impacted in Altyre Way. 66 houses damaged   in Altyre way, Hillcrest View, Hillcrest close, Altyre Close. 89 house   slightly damaged in Altyre way and Upper Elmers end Road 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Beckenham Road/Mackenzie Road 30/06/1944 13:40 The Flying bombs struck at the junction of Beckenham     Road and Mackenzie     Road. No casualties were listed. 11   shops demolished in Beckenham Road, 17 shops and 20 houses severely damage in   Beckenham Road, 4 shops and 41 houses damaged in Blanford and Churchfield   Road, railway bridge, 54 shops and 148 houses slightly damaged in   Churchfields, Barred, Mackenzie, Blandford and Beckenham Roads
   The line of buildings in the Beckenham Road have been replaced with a post   war office block. For a contemporary report of this incident see Richard   Beckett's story
1
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Layhams Road 01/07/1944 11:28 Flying bomb hit Wickham court farm off Layhams road and a   quantity of farmland and crops were damaged. No casualties reported. 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Copers Cope Road Lawn Road junction 01/07/1944 16:30 The V1 struck in Copers Cope Road... 3 Houses demolished in   Copers Cope Road 4 severely damaged in Copers Cope Road 7 damaged in Copers Cope   Road 1 building slightly damaged in Blakeny Road 1 killed 8 injured. 1
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Albemarle Road 02/07/1944 03:10 This V1 was one of 2 that devastated the St Georges area of Beckenham.   11 shops demolished in Albemarle Road, 38 severely damaged in Albemarle   Road,13 shops and 34 houses damaged in St Georges Road, Church Road, Rectory   Road, Station Approach : Slight damage to St Georges's church, Bromley Road   school 7 shops and 4 houses , Public hall and Railway hotel in Albemarle and   Bromley Road. The area shows its scars and the line of shops in the Albemarle     Road have been replaced with a 60's   office block. 3
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Kingshall and Alders mead Road 02/07/1944 03:43 The Flying bomb struck around 54-56     Kingshall Road.
   10 houses demolished in Kingshall Road/15 severely damaged in Kingshall   Road/22 damaged in Aldersmead Road/ 60 Slightly   damaged in Kingshall Road. The impact   area can be Cleary seen where the line of Victorian housing is replaced with   60's development
3
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Maberley Road 03/07/1944 19:09 The flying bomb hit Maberley     Road. Electric sub station/220 houses and   6 shops damaged. 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Queens Road 05/07/1944 00:25 The 4th of 5 Flying bombs to fall in this area. The V1 exploded   in properties previously damaged and increasing the extent of the damage. 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham CatorPark 05/07/1944 19:41 The Flying bomb landed in CatorPark. 3 sports   pavilions damaged, 154 houses slightly damaged in Kingshall     Road, Aldersmead     Road, Lennard     Road and Reddons     Road. 0
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Langley Park Golf Course 10/07/1944 14:45 The V1 exploded on Langley park Golf   Course.
   29 houses damaged in The Avenue West Wickham
   57 houses and 2 shops damaged In Red Lodge Road, Hayes Chase, The Drive,   Pickhurst Rise
0
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham West Wickham High Street 11/07/1944 17:52 This V1 hit West     Wickham High Street killing 1   person and injuring 20
   The woman killed was travelling in a car which was caught in the blast. She   was a trainee Doctor. She was tragically burned to death trapped in wreckage   of the car before she could be reached. It is reported though that other   passengers in the car were rescued but burned. They were the woman killed   parents. A bus careered into the pond by the White Heart pub causing more   injuries including the driver and conductor who are reported as badly hurt.
   33 houses and a pub + 182 houses ,business premises and shops slight damaged   in
   High St, Grosvenor Road, Manor Park close, Manor Park Road, Cavendish Way,   Wilmar Gardens, The Alders Wickham Road, Oak Avenue Oak Gardens
1
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham The Grove 12/07/1944 08:58 The V1 hit 23 the Grove.
   small fire in debris of house demolished by V1
   2 houses demolished 21 severe damaged 25 damage 255 houses 42 shops and   business premises 1 church slight damage in The Grove, South Croft Av, Acacia   Gdns, Park Av, High St, Sherwood Way, Boleyn Gdns, Highfield Drive, Woodland   Way, Wickham Court Road.
   One source records a total of 650 houses damaged in this incident.
1
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Elmers End Road 12/07/1944 19:14 The V1 struck at 36, Elmers End     Road.
   4 shops demolished in Elmers end road
   13 shops and 22 houses severe damage in Ravenscroft Road
   63 houses and 7 shops damaged in Elmers end rd
   145 houses damaged in Elmers end rd, Ravenscroft rd, Birbeck rd, Marlow rd,   Piquet rd, Pelham Rd,
1
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Kent House Road around no   226 14/07/1944 08:11 The Flying bomb impacted at 226     Kenthouse Road.
   16 houses demolished and 46 houses severe damaged 108 damaged 15 shops   Alexandra school slight damage in Thesiger     Road, Somerville Road, Whateley     Road, Parish Lane, Green Lane, KentHouse     Road
1
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Croydon Road Elmers End 18/07/1944 07:59 The V1 impacted at 251 Croydon     Road. 1
V1 BR3 Beckenham Elmers Ends Elmers end Road corner of Beck Road 18/07/1944 20:37 This very serious incident occurred when a Doodlebug exploded in   the entrance of Elmers End bus garage which used to stand at the corner of Elmers End     Road and Beck Road. A major   fire broke out when the petrol tanks of the buses started exploding.
   The dead including 2 members of the Home guard rescue service and also a   woman passer by in the street. Many of the dead and injured were London   Transport workers.
   60 houses were damaged, 50 suffered slight damage.
   Tragically Sydney Steer aged 17 was to die, followed by his Father Herbert   who was killed at Clockhouse 3rd August. The bus garage was re-built post war   but has now been replaced with flats.
18
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham South Eden Park Road Stone Park     Avenue 20/07/1944 06:46 The V1 hit at16 South Eden Park Road Coach houses, dairy, stable   and dwelling damaged + a private house
   Welcome labs damaged
   20 houses slight damage in Stone Park Avenue
   Beckenham Maternity Hospital Stone Park Avenue slight damage
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Kent House Lane 21/07/1944 15:20 The V1 landed in allotment in kenthouse Lane. 0
V1 BR2 Beckenham Shortlands Kinsgwood Road by Church Road 22/07/1944 00:00 Devastated church 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Hayes Elwill Way 22/07/1944 01:14 The V1 struck in Elwill Way.
   17 houses severe damage in Elwill way
   54 houses slight damage in Hayes way
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham CatorPark 22/07/1944 01:20 Another V1 in CatorPark.
   1/2 acre of trees and undergrowth burned in park
   6 houses demolished in Aldersmead     Road
   18 houses severe damage in Aldersmead and Kinghall     Road,
   30 houses damaged in Reddons Road
   20 houses slight damage in Lennard     Road
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Elmers Ends Goddard Road 22/07/1944 10:24 The V1 exploded in Goddard road 55 houses slight damage in Goddard     Road
   1 school slight damage in Goddard     Road.
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham barnfield wood Road around number 63 22/07/1944 13:26 The V1 impacted at 63     Barnfield Wood Road
   4 houses demolished in Barnfield wood rd
   4 houses severe damage in Barnfield wood rd
   27 houses damaged in Barnfield wood rd
   234 houses slight damage in Barnfield wood road, Hayes chase, Goodhart way,
   Bushey way
2
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Hong Kong and Shanghai Sports   Ground Copers Cope Road 22/07/1944 15:41 The V1 hit the Hong Kong and Shanghai sports   ground, pavilion slight damage. Factory slight damage in Worsley bridge road,   60 houses damaged in Copers cope, WorsleyBridge road,   Braeside, Overbrea. 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham St James Avenue Priory Close Elmers end 26/07/1944 07:28 This V1 impacted between 17 and 24 St James     Avenue.
   Small fire at 17 and 24 St James ave. 14 houses 1 church and church hall   severe damage at St James ave, Croydon rd, Priory close.
   82 houses 25 shops 1 cinema damaged St James     Avenue, Croydon     Road, Priory Close, Forster     Road
   74 houses slight damaged St James ave, Croydon rd Clockhouse rd, Westbury rd
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Queens Road 26/07/1944 18:46 The 5th Of 5 V1's to fall in this area. This one caused no casualties   and increased the degree of damage in already blitzed houses. There was a   small fire in the debris. 0
V1 BR2 Beckenham Shortlands St Mary's Avenue 27/07/1944 00:00 No other details available 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Bramerton Road around   number 36 27/07/1944 01:44 The first of 2 V1's that were to strike Bramerton     Road.
   4 houses demolished in Bramerton Road
   30 houses severe damage In Bramerton Road
   192 houses slight damage in Bramerton, Cherry tree walk, Groveland rd,
   Birchwood av, Village way, Gordon rd, Broomfield rd, Whitmore rd.
5
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham MonksOrchardRoadBethlemRoyalHospital 27/07/1944 15:37 One of a number of V1's that were to fall in the grounds of the BethlemRoyalHospital.
   There were no casualties but a 2 floor ward was damaged as were 130 houses in   Monks Orchard Road. Other   Incident are recorded as Croydon
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham St Georges Road 27/07/1944 17:44 The 2nd of the V1's that were to devastate the heart of   Beckenham in the St Georges area.
   5, Church road, small fire in debris of house
   7 houses a bakery, demolished in Church rd, St Georges rd, High st
   33 houses 1 bank 1 hotel and 4 shops severe damage in Church rd, St Georges   rd, High st
   church hall, + St Georges Church 10 shops 1 public hall 1 school 1 fire   station 4 houses damaged in High st and Bromley rd
   34 shops 4 banks 20 houses slight damage in High st, Rectory road, Station   apprc. Bromley rd, The knoll.
   The devastated area can clearly be seen today where much of the cleared site   has been left as a town centre car park.
3
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Sparrow Den Woodland Way 27/07/1944 21:21 The V1 struck in Sparrow Den West Wickham. 50 houses were   slightly damaged in Woodland Way and Wood Lodge     Lane 0
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Addington Road 29/07/1944 21:55 The V1 landed in Wickham Court Farm 65x15 yards of crops damaged,   a pumping station damaged,27 houses damaged in Woodlodge lane, children?s   heart hospital damaged in Woodland way 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Oakwood Avenue 30/07/1944 13:51 The V1 struck in Oakwood     Avenue.
   4 houses demolished in Oakwood Av
   10 houses severe damage in Oakwood and Perth Road
   11 houses and 1 school damaged in Oakwood av and Perth rd
   90 houses and 1 church slight damage in Oakwood av, Perth rd, Overbuy av,   Stanley av, Oakhill cres, Crescent rd, Bromley rd, The mead
1
V1 SE26 Beckenham Sydenham Border Road/Laurie Park Avenue NE Quadrant 01/08/1944 07:01 V1 attack on Border Road S26 (then in the Borough of Beckenham)
   1/3 block of flats demolished in Laurie Park     Road 2/3 block of flats (fountain court)   and 10 houses damaged at Park court and Fountain     Court. 17 houses damaged in Springfield Road, Crystal Palace     Park Road,
3
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Layhams Road 02/08/1944 06:36 The Flying bomb hit May farm in Layhams Road: slight   damage to trees but no other damage or casualties reported. 0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Bramerton Road 02/08/1944 08:22 The 2nd V1 that was to strike Bramerton     Road.
   4 houses demolished in Bramerton     Road. 50 houses severe damage in   Bramerton Road and Whitmore Road
   10 houses damaged in Groveland Road
   304 Houses slight damage in BramertonRoad, Whitmore Road, Groveland Road,   Village Way, Birchwood Av, Gordon Rd, Cherry tree walk, Broomfield rd,   Croydon rd, Derrick rd.
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Beckenham road near current Clockhouse pub 02/08/1944 13:02 This very serious incident occurred when the Flying bomb struck   a restaurant packed with customers in the Beckenham     Road, near the site of the modern   Clockhouse pub.
   Many died instantly. The blast extended many hundreds of yards in each   direction.
   44 people were to die in the tragedy, the worst in Beckenham and one of the   worst in South London. Herbert Steer whose son Sydney died at   Elmers end bus garage was to die in this disaster.
   14 shops 12 houses demolished in Beckenham rd, 17 shops 42 houses, dance hall   severe damage in Beckenham rd, Churchfield rd, Thayers farm rd, Sidney rd. 18   shops 124 houses slight damage in Churchfields Road, Thayers farm   rd,Beckenham rd, Chaffiinch rd, Sidney rd. small fire in debris at Beckenham   rd.
   The wide area of the blast is clear from the extensive post war building that   has occurred in the surrounding area. The road has been widened at this   point. The blank end of terraces that betray partial demolition can be seen   in several surrounding roads
43
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Kelsey Park 02/08/1944 13:22 The V1 landed and exploded in Kelsey Park...2 trees damaged by   fire in park 33 houses and 9 shops slight damage in Wickham rd, Stone park   av. 0
V1 SE26 Beckenham Beckenham Border Road 03/08/1944 05:10 The second V1 to strike Border Road.
   1 house demolished in Border road, 8 houses severe damage in Border crescent   and Border rd, 10 houses damaged in Sydenham av,20 houses slight damage in CrystalPalacePark road
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Druids Way Kingswood     Avenue 03/08/1944 10:55 The V1 struck in Druid Way.
   5 houses demolished in Druid Way and Kingswood Avenue. 42 houses   severe damage in Druids Way Kingswood Avenue , and Kingswood rd, 110   houses slight damage in Kingwood rd and av, South hill rd, Den rd, Hengist   way, Romanhurst Gdns
1
V1 BR4 Beckenham West Wickham Blakes recreation ground 03/08/1944 12:20 The Flying bomb fell on open ground in Blakes recreation ground.  
   Grass damaged on rec 154 houses + 14 shops damaged in Manor pk rd, Beckenham   rd, Braemar rd, Station rd, Ravenswood av, links rd, High st, Pine avenue
0
V1 BR3 Beckenham Beckenham Kemerton Road 03/08/1944 12:20 The V1 hit Kemerton     Road.
   4 houses demolished in Kemerton rd, 9 houses severe damage in Kemerton rd, 80   houses slight damage in Wickham rd, Crescent rd, Oakhill rd ,Limes rd