Hi, If you are still looking for little know stories you may wish to have a look at the V-1 bomb in Lewisham. It landed outside Marks and Spencers on Market day- I think off the top of my head around 600 casualties. Another one is the FW190 that bombed Sandhurst Road School in Catford killing many children. There is a mass grave in Hither Green Cemetary for them and the teachers that were killed. It's alledged the pilot was straffing the street prior to dropping the bomb. There's a rather fascinating video interview on you tube of the RAF pilots that chased the 190 back over the Channel and shot him down. 611 Squadron I believe. Both happened in South East London. Anyway I hope that gives you something to consider. Regards Andy
Hi Drew! Excellent many THANKS for that. I´ll look into thoose stories. Got about 150 pictures back from my latest London journey a month ago. A very touching thing was that there where lots of fresh flowers and other memories at the entry to Bethnal Green-station where the big disaster happend during the war.
Hi Tomgus Further to Andy's post, you have probably seen this site Docklands and the Blitz - Historical events - Port Cities I was looking for information about Hallsville Primary School where many people had gathered to find safety after being bombed out. The official death toll was in excess of 70 but local people always maintained that many more were lost (circa 400). As an aside I wonder how many used these awful situations to just disappear? My Grandparents came from this area and even 50 years later people in the pub still spoke of it. Glad you enjoyed your trip to London!
First bombings on London? Hi! Does anybody know when and where the exact first bombing on "central" London occured om the 24th og August 1940?/Tomas
If I remember correctly, this was an 'accidental bombing' event. Not sure of the exact time, but I believe it was night. Check this link , CBS announcer Edmund Murrow, August 24, 1940 (be sure to listen for the sound of the shoes, it is at about the 3:00 minute mark, I have never picked them out) The Authentic History Center . The crypt he mentions at St martins is now a good cheap resturant and some associated displays and gift shop.
Thanks excellent! Bought After The Battles second volume of the Blitz on Amazon. Great reading and full of images and facts!
Tower Bridge Does anyone know if there are any proofs that Luftwaffe deliberately spared Tower Bridge from destructions during the Blitz? The reason should be that they needed the bridge as a landmark for other bombtargets in the City?
Not heard of this before, Tomgus. Would have thought the destruction of Tower Bridge would have been an advantage to the Luftwaffe, disrupting the movement of the city. It was difficult enough for them to hit their targets, let alone avoid hitting specific targets even by accident. St. Pauls was never hit directly, even when the city around it burned, but doubtful that was deliberate, the bombing was indiscriminate after all. I could be wrong of course, but I have not come across anything to suggest otherwise.
Hi Blacksnake! Heard it several years ago but never seen it in print until I saw it in the new Lonely Planet-guide to London that got in my hand yesterday. But it says even in the guide that it was a rumour???
Sounds like a rumor to me. The curves of the Thames are easily recognised from the air as you can see from German recon pics.
I would have to agree with you on that fenquat. At night, with AA bursting and search lights probing, Tower bridge would be a lot harder to spot than the Thames. Tomgus ... Does the L-P guide give any source for the information?
Cockney Humour Hi Tomgus, One of my favourite stories of the blitz was the reply from one of the locals, when asked if he ever gets frightened. Listen mate, the first thing is, old Adolph is a bit short on fuel, bombs and pilots. He has to get these together and send them off to find me. They have to contend with, fog, cloud, rain and God knows what else, then leave their fatherland, pass over the entire continent, in the dark. They then have to get over the North Sea, with our Navy taking pot shots at them, getting nearer to Blighty, where the R.A.F. pounce on them. If they do make it to our shores, they then have more of our fighters chasing them, our Ack Ack Guns picking them off, skirt through all our barrage baloons. Their bomb aimer then has to find London, The East End then Peckham, pinpoint No. 47 Chestnut Street, carefully aim his bomb with all this attacking going on, manage to hit the target, wipe my house out, then find that I'm down at the local, and he's wasted his time. :frusty: Cheers Keith
What a sensational way to look at the odds...until they go after the pubs (to get at the RAF...snigger).
Tomgus, First bombing of London was the infamous Surrey Docks raid. I was a young boy living in Bermondsey and my viewpoint was outside my parents flat which ws three stories high. There are many descriptions of that attack which was a deliberate fire raid. Bermondsey was the heaviest bombed borough in London during the Blitz but that day was the first time I saw a bombing. At first we just thought the docks had caught fire naturally. never linking the pall of smoke we could see with bombing. One small story that might be of interest was our escape from London Bridge underground. We were sheltering there when a warden came down and told everyone we couldn't go outside because a land mine was hanging by it's parachute from a signal just outside the entrance. The way we got out that morning was that power to the rail line was shut off and we walked along the tracks to Borough station and came out there. I'm not sure the incident appears in any book or recollection of the Blitz. Jerry
Registers of people killed in The Blitz? A question? Is there anyone knowing any special registers of people killed in The Blitz 1940-41??? Got some info about some Swedes living in London that was killed. Professor Johan Mortensen and his wife Anna (Berg) was killed in their home in Richmond in November 1940 and Mrs Lilian Sutherland (Nordenson) was killed on a cultural meeting i central London in Spring 1941. But there may be som more?
Another question then? Any recommendations about books or sources about pubs and pub-life in London during WWII. Any good places to visit giving a feelin about WWII-life? I know of The French House and a couple of more in Soho. But are there any others? Thanks!
