Flyingbombsandrockets.com

Statistical Overview Herne Hill London SE24•

V1 Flying Bombs ("Doodlebugs"): 5•

V2 Rockets: 0•Total

Fatalities: 6.

Despite the thankfully low fatalities count, the explosive yield of a V1 was immense, meaning these five strikes still caused extensive destruction to hundreds of Edwardian homes and local railway infrastructure.

 

The Architectural Legacy Today:

 

One of the most fascinating aspects of the V-weapon strikes in Herne Hill is the "architectural scarring" left behind. Because Herne Hill was largely made up of uniform, late Victorian and Edwardian terraced streets, the bomb damage is still clearly visible to those who know where to look.•The "Invisible" Repairs (Burbage Road & Carver Road): The demolished houses on Burbage Road were rebuilt in their original style. However, their true vintage is betrayed by the use of 1940s metal-framed windows, which stand out against the original timber sashes of their surviving neighbours. A similar, very subtle stylistic shift is evident in the rebuilt houses on the south side of Carver Road.•The Post-War buildings (Guernsey Grove & Stradella Road): In other parts of SE24, the destruction was so complete that the original streetscape was abandoned. The Guernsey Grove impact site is clearly defined today by a distinct post-war housing estate built over the rubble. Similarly, the interrupted line of Edwardian houses on the west side of Stradella Road has been filled in with a block of 1960s flats.