Flyingbombsandrockets.com
The Borough of Beckenham suffered very badly from V1 attacks and, to a lesser extent, from V2s. In all, 69 V1s and 5 V2s are recorded in official records. About 138 people died, and there was major destruction to housing and other buildings. Beckenham suffered several serious incidents: 44 died at Clockhouse, 18 at Elmers End bus garage and 12 at Fairfield Road. In addition, numerous domestic incidents were recorded in the log.
St. George's Road looking towards Albemarle Road. This area was devastated by two V1's on 2nd and 27th July. The far side of Albemarle Road was developed with an office block in the 60's. The rest of the area was cleared and remains as a town centre park and car park.
Some areas of Beckenham attracted V1S repeatedly. The Queens Road area had 5, and the CatorPark area had 5 V1S and 2 V2S. In one respect, Beckenham reversed the trend of other boroughs in that the V2S caused fewer casualties per incident than the V1S. Several of the V2'S fell on sports grounds, and one in an area of low-density housing in Eden Park. The only V2 that caused fatalities was the Crystal Palace Park Road incident, where 9 died.
Fairfield Road, Beckenham, after the Flying bomb, 5th January 1945. Note that the brick-built surface shelters have withstood the blast. Christ Church, behind, was badly damaged but must have been repaired fairly quickly after the war, as my Aunt was married there in 1952. The recent photo, taken in 2004, shows that much of the site remains undeveloped and is used as a car park. The Church has been repaired, but the signs of rebuilding are evident. The rows of housing on the left and right were once terraced and have now become semis.
This disaster happened on 2nd August 1944 at 13.02 when a Flying bomb hit a restaurant crowded with people having lunch. It stood in the Clockhouse area of Beckenham, just South of the railway bridge that carries the Beckenham to Crystal Palace line The restaurant was on the west side of the road. 44people were killed, many instantly and many were badly injured. In addition to the restaurant, significant damage was caused to the shops and houses that line the road at this point. This was one of the worst V1 incidents in South London and, for the borough of Beckenham, the worst single civilian incident of the war. The blast extended many hundreds of yards in each direction. By this stage of the attacks, the Nazis were packing the V1S with more powerful explosives. Whilst researching, I found one particular tragedy related to this incident that brought home the horror. One of the fatal casualties was Herbert Steer, aged 56. As this was not bad enough, his 17-year-old son Sydney had been killed, along with 16 others, when a V1 hit Elmers End bus garage on the 18th July. The Clockhouse V1 demolished 14 shops and 12 houses on Beckenham Road and caused major damage to a further 17 shops and 42 houses. Another 18 shops and 124 houses were damaged to one degree or another on Beckenham Road, Churchfield Road, Thayers Farm Road, Chaffinch Road, and Sydney Road. There was a fire in the debris on Beckenham Road. Viewing the area today, the major extent of the damage is clear. The road has been widened, and new flats stand near the original impact point. On the east side of the road, property has been rebuilt. Along the adjoining roads, clear signs indicate where formerly terraced houses have been converted to semidetached properties, leaving a bare end wall.
The site in 2004 showingt he extensive re-development on both sides of the road. The restaurant stood about half way up on the left. The60's block in the far left background is on the site of the Mckenzie Road bomb which hit on the 30th June. Since this picture was taken further re-development has taken place
On the evening of 18th July 1944 a V1 flew directly through the open doors of Elmers End Bus garage. The explosion blew the roof off and destroyed 39 vehicles. Tragically 16 people were killed.