March 1945

 
Key To Quoted Map References

Key To Quoted Map References

In this table the data contained in columns marked – No, Date, Time, Place, Map Reference and Crater  -is our transcription of the data in AIR 20/4126 at The National Archives.

The data in – Place Other, Killed and Injured – we have collected from various publications, lists and information from contributors.

Where a “§” appears in the LT column you can find further details on the V2 Rocket website including Launch Time, where fired from and launching Unit.

For date column of the 1,119 incidents logged in AIR 20/4126 –  366 of the incidents have been hand annotated with the letter “N”, 250 with the letter “K”, 66 with “?”, 19 with “Kew Failed”, 26 with “Dud Lighting”  and 392 with no annotation at all. Therefore in this column we have added the corresponding letter, question mark or left blank – for “Kew Failed we have put “KF” and “DL” for “Dud lighting”. If anybody has any idea what these annotations represent we would be very grateful if they could share that information with us. Likewise if anybody knows what “Off Map” reresents we would be grateful for an explanation.

Transcription of The Ministry of Home Security list of "BIG BEN" (V2 rocket) incidents in March 1945. National Archives Document Reference - AIR 20/4126 - Data used by permission of The National Archives
NoDateL TL TTimePlacePlace otherMap ReferenceCraterKilledInjured
887? 01-03-4501:03§01:09Grays HillBillericay, Essex / Grays HillM 164 10831' x 8'
888? 01-03-4502:30§02:35Little LeighsLittle Leighs, EssexM 157 35841' x 12'
889K 01-03-4505:01§05:08BarnetBarnetL 689 16543' x 14'
890N 01-03-4505:03§05:09Stapleford TawneyStapleford Tawney, EssexL 954 15750' diameter
891N 01-03-4505:42§05:46WoolwichWoolwich ArsenalQ 888 982Direct Hit Air Breakup17
892N 01-03-4507:27§07:32WoolwichCastlewood Drive, ElthamQ 874 95027' x 5'156
893? 01-03-4508:00§08:07ShoreditchShoreditchL 785 025Direct Hit
894N 01-03-4508:21§08:23OrpingtonOrpington High StreetQ 904 84936' x 6'264
895N 01-03-4515:22§15:28WalthamstowWalthamstowL 838 09436' diameter
896N 01-03-4516:04§16:11WickfordWickford, EssexM 203 10638' x 8'
897N 01-03-4517:25§17:28Horndon-on-the- HillHorndon-on-the-Hill, EssexM 119 02747' x 14'
898K 01-03-4523:07§23:13West HamWest HamL 856 02115' x 3'
899N 02-03-4500:57§01:02AshingdonAshingdon, EssexOff Map M 323 11227' x 8'
900? 02-03-4502:14§02:19Havering-atte-BowerHaveringL 946 11731' x 10'
901K 02-03-4504:43§04:49GreenwichKidbrooke Park RoadQ 849 95527' x 6'546
902K 02-03-4504:48§04:52OrpingtonRookesley Road, St Mary CrayQ 918 85741' x 11'316
903N 02-03-4505:35§05:41EppingEpping ForestL 866 16025' x 5'
904N 02-03-4505:46§05:48ChigwellChigwell (airburst).L 8716Airburst
905N 02-03-4505:47§05:51North FambridgeNorth Fambridge, EssexOff Map M 298 17220' x 7'
906? 02-03-4507:37§07:39Thorndon ParkHerongate, Essex. / Thorndon Park, EssexM 069 09946' x 19'
907N 02-03-4507:47§07:50High HalstowEgypt Bay, High Halstow, Kent - on Medway mudflatsR 223 97440' diameter
908N 02-03-4508:11§08:18Off SouthendSea, near Southend.Off Map Not KnownIn Sea
909N 02-03-4509:19§09:22BrentwoodBrentwoodM 034 13945' x 12'
910K 02-03-4511:01§11:06GreenwichCharles Field, Rochester WayQ 860 94843' x 15'15
911K 02-03-4512:10§12:22OrpingtonElm Grove/Orchard Grove, OrpingtonQ 901 85011' x 4'79
912? 02-03-4522:59§23:04ChigwellChigwellL 893 15626' x 6'
913K 02-03-4523:07§23:11BermondseyParkers Row, Bermondsey - in churchyardQ 783 98714' x 12'375
914K 02-03-4523:11§23:16WokingWoking (airburst).Q 4084Airburst
915N 03-03-4501:06§01:14Foulness IslandFoulness IslandOff Map M 437 11739' x 10'
916K 03-03-4502:23§02:32EdmontonEdmontonL 778 11028' diameter
917? 03-03-4503:29§03:35Theydon BoisTheydon Bois, Essex.L 878 18641' x 10'
918K 03-03-4503:42§03:47WoolwichGreen Lane, Eltham - airburstQ 879 906Airburst
919N 03-03-4504:30§04:39WoolwichAbbeyWood Road - airburstQ 913 977Airburst
920N 03-03-4504:38§04:49SevenoaksWickenden Road, SevenoaksQ 975 752Direct Hit913
921? 03-03-4505:55§06:01IlfordIlford.L 902 05535' x 10'10
922N 03-03-4506:10§06:15Off ClactonSea near ClactonOff Map M 62In Sea
923K 03-03-4512:13§12:18DeptfordRoyal Victoria Victualling Yard, DeptfordQ 812 97441' diameter10
924K 04-03-4501:32§01:35Havering-atte-BowerHavering-atte-Bower, EssexL 956 12740' x 10'
925N 04-03-4504:46§04:52PenshurstPenshurst - on farmQ 946 64143' x 9'
926K 04-03-4505:33§05:38BermondseyBermondsey - airburstQ 791 989Airburst
927K 04-03-4508:16§08:20ChingfordChingfordL 813 13246' x 12'
928? 04-03-4508:59§09:08Off SouthendIn sea off Herne BayOff Map R 49In Sea
929K 05-03-4520:02§20:07WoolwichRussell Cottages, Old Park Road, Abbey WoodQ 906 97137' x 7'62
930? 05-03-4522:29§22:32RainhamRainhamL 968 00650' diameter
931K 06-03-4500:54§00:57BexleyGlenhurst Avenue, BexleyQ 931 92238' x 8'323
932K 06-03-4503:03§03:07RainhamRainhamL 968 009Direct Hit
933K 06-03-4503:02§03:10West HamWest HamL 857 01916' diameter31
934? 06-03-4504:31§04:35ChislehurstSheepcote Lane/Hockenden Wood, St Mary Cray - On farmlandQ 933 87122' x 3'
935K 06-03-4506:14§06:19BarkingBarkingL 919 04226' x 3'
936K 06-03-4508:30§08:35WoolwichWoolwichQ 885 93830' x 4' Air Breakup
937K 06-03-4512:25§12:33Bowers GiffordBowers GiffordM 193 03237' x 8'
938K 06-03-4512:52§12:57WandsworthWandsworthQ 716 90227' x 3'9
939K 06-03-4516:54§16:58WalthamstowWalthamstowL 825 07540' diameter9
940K 06-03-4519:31§19:38WandsworthWandsworthQ 712 92928' diameter3
941K 06-03-4519:32§19:39West HamWest HamL 844 040Direct Hit13
942K 06-03-4521:39§21:44WoolwichWoolwichQ 886 92238' x 11'1
943K 06-03-4523:13§23:24IlfordIlfordL 900 06236' diameter11
944K 06-03-4523:20§23:26ChigwellChigwellL 889 14346' x 8'
945K 07-03-4501:54§01:59NavestockNavestock, EssexM 005 16550' diameter
946K 07-03-4503:10§03:13Stanford RiversStanford Rivers, Essex.L 986 18943' x 14'
947K 07-03-4503:15§03:20DeptfordFolkestone Gardens, Trundleys Road, DeptfordQ 804 96942' x 12'52134
948K 07-03-4505:58§06:03EdmontonEdmontonL 799 12340' diameter
949K 07-03-4508:33§08:37GreenwichSiebert Road, GreenwichQ 847 97029' x 9'394
950K 07-03-4510:28§10:33ChislehurstBlackfen Road, Sidcup - airburstQ 902 935Airburst
951? 07-03-4512:40§12:47PoplarPoplarL 845 00021' x 5'25
952N 07-03-4514:45§14:55RaveninghamBrundish, Norfolk / Raveningham, Norfolk.G 856 12933' x 10'
953K 07-03-4516:54§17:00Waltham Holy CrossWaltham Holy Cross, EssexL 824 19670' diameter5
954K 07-03-4521:57§22:00IlfordIlfordL 891 04219' x 3'
955K 07-03-4523:28§23:32DagenhamDagenhamL 944 04653' x 10'
956K 08-03-4500:46§00:49ChigwellChigwellL 877 11424' x 10'
957K 08-03-4501:33§01:38WoolwichCrown Woods Way, ElthamQ 890 93648' x 14'
958K 08-03-4501:46§01:52WoolwichWoolwich ArsenalQ 896 98533' diameter4
959? 08-03-4503:21§03:24WrittleWrittle, EssexM 112 26442' diameter
960N 08-03-4504:17§04:21Off ClactonSea near ClactonOff Map M 73In Sea
961N 08-03-4504:31§04:40OrpingtonStation Square, st Mary CrayQ 909 87240' x 8'9
962K 08-03-4504:59§05:10IlfordIlfordL 871 05936' x 10'12
963K 08-03-4509:05§09:12West HamWest HamL 857 01032' x 9'
964K 08-03-4510:58§11:03Cityon the boundary of Finsbury borough and City of London borough. Direct hit on block of Smithfield Market, corner of Charterhouse Street and Farringdon Road. One block totally destroyed, others severely damaged. Gas main and water main fractured, underground railway damaged.L 759 008Direct Hit110123
965K 08-03-4512:01§12:06LewishamBlackheath Grove, BlackheathQ 840 95155' diameter5134
966N 08-03-4514:53§14:55ChislehurstMarlborough Park Avenue, SidcupQ 905 92138' x 8'217
967K 08-03-4519:50§19:53Horton KirbyHorton Kirby, Kent - in fieldR 032 87340' x 10'
968N 08-03-4520:12§20:17DuntonDuntonM 113 07240' x 8'
969K 08-03-4521:42§21:46BerdenBennington / Berden, HertfordshireL 913 47228' x 6'
970N 08-03-4521:47§21:52HoroldwoodHarold Wood.L 997 10949' x 12'
971N 08-03-4522:58§23:03Thames HavenSea off Canvey IslandR 1899In River
972K 09-03-4500:29§00:40HarrowKenton/HarrowL 618 08521' x 4'
973K 09-03-4502:13§02:19MardenMarden, Kent - in orchardR 170 66137' x 10'
974K 09-03-4504:00§04:06PitseaPitseaM 178 076Direct Hit2
975K 09-03-4504:24§04:27GreenwichVictoria Way, Charlton - airburstQ 851 972Airburst431
976K 09-03-4508:23§08:29GreenwichBlackwall Lane/Tunnel Avenue, GreenwichQ 838 98333' x 12'14
977N 09-03-4508:31§08:38Off SouthendSea off Southend.Off Map M 30In River
978K 09-03-4510:59§11:06WoolwichWoolwich, in River ThamesL 893 022In River
979K 09-03-4513:45§13:51Waltham Holy CrossWaltham Holy CrossL 830 17038' x 13'2
980K 09-03-4522:54§22:59South OckendonSouth OckendonM 052 03044' x 10'
981K 10-03-4523:57§00:01BeckenhamShirley Crescent, BeckenhamQ 802 87041' x 11'8
982K 10-03-4500:10§00:17OrpingtonJewels Hill, Biggin HillQ 849 80143' x 11'
983K 10-03-4501:21§01:27BrentwoodPilgrims Hatch / BrentwoodM 027 14244' x 15'
984K 10-03-4501:45§01:50EnfieldEnfield (airburst)L 7917Airburst
985N 10-03-4504:18§04:22RawrethRawreth, EssexM 213 10847' x 13'
986N 10-03-4509:51§09:57WestmillWestmill, Hertfordshire (airburst).L 818 452Airburst
987? 10-03-4509:55§10:01BexleyCowper Close, WellingQ 907 93939' diameter1291
988? 11-03-4507:06§07:09Foulness IslandFoulness Island. Warhead unexploded.M 4411* UX warhead presumed from this incident found at M 371 104
989K 11-03-4507:34§07:40West HamWest HamL 852 040Direct Hit5
990K 11-03-4510:00§10:02WesterhamWesterhamQ 891 73647' x 10'17
991K 11-03-4520:00§20:04DeptfordWickham Road, BrockleyQ 809 94629' diameter959
992N 11-03-4520:39§20:40Canvey IslandCanvey IslandM 210 04254' x 6'
993K 11-03-4521:48§21:51Bulphan FenBulphan FenM 175 03942' 12'
994DL 12-03-4523:58§00:11IlfordIlfordL 907 10336' x 12'
995DL 12-03-4500:18§00:26UpminsterUpminsterM 002 05735' x 13'5
996DL 12-03-4501:24§01:29Stanford RiversGreenstead / Stanford RiversL 987 20226' x 5'
997DL 12-03-4502:02§02:05Off ClactonSea near ClactonOff Map M 73In Sea
998DL 12-03-4502:26§02:34ChislehurstBull lane, ChislehurstQ 888 89022' x 10'5
999DL 12-03-4502:32§02:41ChislehurstBunker's Hill/Parsonage Lane, SidcupQ 937 90428' x 7'2
1000DL 12-03-4504:36§04:45Little WarleyLittle WarleyM 036 09727' x 8'
1001DL 12-03-4504:43§04:49ChigwellHainault Forest / ChigwellL 914 11937' x 11'
1002DL 12-03-4505:00§05:05HornchurchHornchurchL 971 06934' x 12'
1003DL 12-03-4506:57§07:01WoolwichCourt Road, ElthamQ 874 92732' x 10'
1004DL 12-03-4507:14§07:18AlthorneAlthorneOff Map M 357 16944' x 11'
1005DL 12-03-4508:57§09:03Stanford-le-HopeThames Estuary / Stanford-le-Hope (airburst).M 20Airburst
1006DL 12-03-4511:10§11:17Thorpe-le-SokenLower Kirby / Thorpe-le-SokenOff Map M 655 40652' x 12'
1007K 12-03-4521:16§21:20EppingEppingL 907 19944' x 13'
1008K 12-03-4523:43§23:46NazeingNazeingL 842 24129' x 7'
1009K 13-03-4503:23§03:27Tillingham MarshesTillingham Marshes (airburst)Off Map M 4721Airburst
1010K 13-03-4506:24§06:29ShenfieldShenfieldM 063 15047' x 13'
1011K 13-03-4508:25§08:31ErithBunker's Hill, ErithQ 937 97642' x 9'
1012K 14-03-4500:36§00:39Havering-atte-BowerHavering-atte-BowerL 937 11626' x 7'
1013K 14-03-4521:20§21:22RainhamRainhamL 955 018Direct Hit8
1014K 14-03-4523:30§23:37Sutton-at-HoneMain Road, Hextable, nr Swanley / Sutton-at-HoneQ 962 890Direct Hit1023
1015K 15-03-4500:13§00:16ErithThames at ErithQ 960 973In River
1016K 15-03-4500:54§01:01Beckenham73-75 Crystal Palace Park Road, BeckenhamQ 784 905Direct Hit6
1017K 15-03-4502:36§02:42DagenhamThames at DagenhamL 936 003In River
1018K 15-03-4503:30§03:33WoolwichWoolwich, in River Thames.L 891 000In River
1019N 15-03-4506:21§06:24RayleighRayleigh.Off Map M 259 08427' x 8'
1020K 15-03-4509:04§09:11BarnesRichmond Park, Barnes.Q 649 92237' x 10'
1021K 15-03-4513:21§13:27TottenhamTottenhamL 777 10540' diameter2
1022N 15-03-4522:24§22:27HornchurchHornchurchL 998 06750' x 13'
1023K 15-03-4522:50§22:57WillesdenNeasdon / WillesdenL 654 05428' diameter5
1024N 15-03-4523:41§23:45In River BlackwaterNear Maldon / River Blackwater, Essex.Off Map M 3927Airburst
1025K 16-03-4502:26§02:34WillesdenWillesdenL 684 03940' x 13'
1026N 16-03-4502:49§02:5420 mls. N. Of North ForelandNorth ForelandOff Map M 81In Sea
1027? 16-03-4506:31§06:34LeytonLeytonL 829 06031' x 10'23
1028N 16-03-4506:45§06:51ButtsburyStock / ButtsburyM 118 18037' x 11'
1029N 16-03-4508:45§08:53East HamEast HamL 860 01633' x 7'8
1030N 16-03-4509:31§09:38DengieDengie, EssexOff Map M 4521In Mud
1031N 16-03-4523:05§23:06BasildonBasildonM 159 09250' x 13'
1032N 17-03-4500:01§00:10UpminsterUpminsterM 012 02637' x 7'
1033N 17-03-4500:50§00:55HornchurchHornchurchM 003 08044' x 11'
1034N 17-03-4503:29§03:35WenningtonWennington Marshes.Q 965 977Direct Hit
1035K 17-03-4505:12§05:16HampsteadHampsteadL 704 04346' x 13'
1036? 17-03-4507:31§07:37DartfordDartford - mid-air break-upQ 955 91123' x 18' Air Breakup4
1037K 17-03-4508:10§08:11WoolwichJackson Street/Milward Street, WoolwichQ 876 96731' diameter15100
1038? 17-03-4512:37§12:45GreenwichDeptford Creek - in mud.Q 821 967Fell in water12
1039N 17-03-4513:17§13:20StepneyStepneyL 796 002No definite crater4
1040N 17-03-4522:20§22:27BarkingBarkingL 909 02327' x 8'
1041K 18-03-4500:32§00:39West HamWest HamL 835 00059' x 14'
1042? 18-03-4501:27§01:34CranhamCranhamM 0206Airburst
1043N 18-03-4501:55§01:42BattlesbridgeBattlesbridgeOff Map M 233 14026' x 4'
1044N 18-03-4501:58§02:03EppingEppingL 892 21436' x 9'
1045N 18-03-4503:35§03:40IghthamIghtham, Kent - In fieldR 034 74653' x 13'3
1046N 18-03-4506:24§06:30AylesfordAylesford, Kent - Broke-up in mid-air. Warhead exploded in fieldR 166 78827' x 5'
1047N 18-03-4506:34§06:41HuttonHuttonM 088 124U.X. Rocket
1048N 18-03-4506:39§06:47BarkingBarkingL 921 02732' x 4'
1049K 18-03-4509:25§09:34WestminsterHyde ParkQ 721 99942' diameter
1050N 19-03-4523:58§00:04Theydon GarnonTheydon GarnonL 922 18240' x 11'
1051N 19-03-4523:59§00:06NettleswellNettleswell (airburst).L 9026Airburst
1052N 19-03-4501:27§01:33HornchurchHornchurchL 961 02852' diameter
1053K 19-03-4501:30§01:37NutfieldNutfield, Surrey - in fieldQ 745 66438' x 10'
1054K 19-03-4510:01§10:08WargraveWargrave / Cockpole Green, Berkshire.Off Map L 240 01025' diameter Air Breakup
1055N 19-03-4510:25§10:31ErithNorth Road, Belvedere - in fieldQ 941 98548' diameter32
1056N 19-03-4515:51§15:55WoolwichWoolwich ArsenalQ 885 9850
1057N 19-03-4522:14§22:21Theydon BoisTheydon Bois, Essex.L 903 17832' x 10'
1058N 19-03-4522:43§22:46HatfieldHatfield Broad OakL 984 37638' x 9'
1059N 20-03-4501:22§01:28Little WarleyLittle WarleyM 038 09135' x 12'3
1060N 20-03-4504:04§04:10West HanningfieldWest HanningfieldM 165 17440' x 13'
1061N 20-03-4505:31§05:37HornchurchHornchurchL 978 077UX Warhead Air Breakup
1062N 20-03-4507:01§07:04High OngarParslow Common / High OngarM 035 19728' x 7'
1063K 20-03-4508:14§08:20ChislehurstCraybrooke Road, SidcupQ 909 90628' x 9'996
1064N 20-03-4509:47§09:53MaylandMaylandOff Map M 568 19237' x 10'
1065KF 21-03-4500:35§00:40WansteadWanstead / WoodfordL 852 06428' x 5'
1066KF 21-03-4509:30§09:36HestonHeston & IsleworthQ 609 96715' x 6'3398
1067? 21-03-4511:33§11:39HampsteadPrimrose Hill, HampsteadL 720 02830' x 9'
1068? 21-03-4513:37§13:44UxbridgeRuislip / Uxbridge (Airburst)L 5106Airburst
1069KF 21-03-4518:38§18:44RomfordRomfordL 9709Airburst
1070KF 21-03-4521:28§21:33Little SalingLittle Saling.M 139 45025' x 5'
1071KF 21-03-4522:34§22:40Woodham FerrersWoodham Ferrers, Essex.Off Map M 248 16021' x 3'
1072KF 21-03-4523:46§23:55StansteadStansteadL 974 43344' x 12'
1073KF 22-03-4502:01§02:06Off BradwellSea near BradwellOff Map M 5327In Sea
1074KF 22-03-4502:31§02:37CanewdonCanewdon, EssexOff Map M 353 12329' x 7'
1075KF 22-03-4502:38§02:44EppingEppingL 913 21733' diameter4
1076KF 22-03-4503:28§03:35HarrowHarrowL 614 09841' x 10'9
1077KF 22-03-4503:50§03:57St. Mary's HooHoo, Kent - -in creek - Berry Wiggins paper factory damagedOff Map R 275 915In River
1078KF 22-03-4505:18§05:22ButtsburyStock / ButtsburyM 116 17749' x 13'
1079KF 22-03-4505:43§05:47BorehamBorehamM 213 28336' x 9'
1080KF 22-03-4505:57§06:03LeytonLeytonL 8407Airburst
1081KF 22-03-4506:58§07:02BrightlinseaBrightlingsea.Off Map M 5134In River Air Breakup
1082KF 22-03-4507:37§07:44Off ClactonSea off BradwellOff Map M 5525In Sea
1083KF 22-03-4508:07§08:13DagenhamDagenhamL 931 02637' x 9'
1084KF 22-03-4509:45§09:52Woodham FerrersWoodham FerrersOff Map M 245 16929' x 7'
1085KF 22-03-4510:24§10:31IlfordDagenhamL 9208Airburst
1086N 22-03-4521:32§21:45S.E. Of YarmouthNorth Sea, near Great Yarmouth.Off Map N 56In Sea
1087? 22-03-4523:16§23:21DartfordDartford - in fieldQ 995 95647' x 9'
1088? 22-03-4523:38§23:42SouthminsterSouthminster, EssexOff Map M 423 18047' x 15'
1089K 23-03-4501:35§01:40DeptfordCrofton Park, Brockley - airburst - no casualtiesQ 8094Airburst
1090K 23-03-4503:07§03:15S. Of ClactonSea, near Clacton.Off Map M 62In Sea
1091K 23-03-4504:24§04:30StepneyStepneyL 8000Airburst
1092? 23-03-4506:19§06:26Theydon GarnonNorth Weald, Essex / Theydon Garnon.L 936 22542' diameter
1093N 23-03-4506:42§06:49StudhamLittle Gaddesden / Studham, Bedfordshire.L 446 34630' x 11'
1094N 23-03-4509:35§09:41LatchingdonLatchingdon.Off Map M 344 17637' x 10'
1095N 23-03-4512:21§12:32StaplefordStapleford, Hertfordshire (airburst).L 760 349Airburst
1096N 23-03-4523:10§23:17Waltham Holy CrossWaltham Holy Cross.L 826 17347' x 14'
1097K 24-03-4501:28§01:31PoplarPoplarQ 827 985Direct Hit
1098K 25-03-4522:29§22:34St. PancrasSt Pancras.L 738 009Direct Hit936
1099K 25-03-4522:56§23:00EnfieldEnfieldL 793 16033' diameter7100
1100K 25-03-4523:39§23:44StepneyStepneyL 798 002Direct Hit12
1101N 26-03-4523:59§00:05Lambourne EndLambourneL 923 12858' x 16'
1102K 26-03-4503:59§04:04CheshuntCheshunt, HertfordshireL 814 20240' diameter
1103K 26-03-4504:15§04:20BermondseyBermondseyQ 795 98245' x 13'
1104N 26-03-4504:36§04:42HornchurchHornchurchL 988 05437' x 8'2
1105N 26-03-4508:58§09:04NavestockNavestock, EssexL 985 14427' x 7'
1106K 26-03-4514:37§14:44IlfordIlford (airburst).L 8608Airburst
1107N 26-03-4515:18§15:22BromleyTudor Close, ChislehurstQ 870 88638' x 7'28
1108K 26-03-4519:01§19:08RomfordRomfordL 944 085Air Breakup234
1109N 26-03-4522:25§22:31Noak HillNoak HillL 987 12631' x 12'
1110K 27-03-4500:14§00:22EdmontonEdmontonL 802 12424' x 3' Air Breakup1
1111K 27-03-4502:57§03:02CheshuntCheshunt, HertfordshireL 779 19648' x 13'
1112K 27-03-4503:24§03:31IlfordIlfordL 872 09519' x 3'
1113N 27-03-4503:59§04:04Hutton ParkHutton ParkM 083 13535' x 14'
1114K 27-03-4507:12§07:21StepneyHughes Mansions, StepneyL 788 01148' x 9'13497
1115? 27-03-4516:48§16:54OrpingtonCourt Road/Kynaston Road Orpington - Last V2 on English soilQ 911 85537' x 11'156
229IncidentsMarch 1945 Totals6781887
 Posted by at 7:09 pm

  20 Responses to “March 1945”

  1. Very interested to find info on computer after watching programmes on TV. I was on a bus travelling to school at Sidcup at the time the Orpington High Street V2 landed. The bus rocked and carried on. Didn’t ever hear any more information about that V2 or where it had actually landed.

    Also had attended a clinic on the 2nd March and went home for lunch instead of straight back to school. So was at home in 49 Elm Grove when the rocket landed in soft earth behind a house further down the road. My sister was just coming home from there with 2 little friends and worst injury was their cousin at the nearest house. We had always understood that the last V2 to drop was ours in Elm Grove. So pleased to be able to get correct info. We just didn’t hear about any others. Useless information for you but glad we have had an opportunity to see how many rockets did land in March 1945. I was 14 – 15 3 weeks later.

    • I have just read your ‘Responses to March 1945’. I have heard your family name Cornwall for many years by my family who often reminisce about their time in Elm Grove. That rocket in Elm Grove landed in my aunt’s garden (Olive Green who also later lived at 49!!) The two little friends of your sister’s are my sisters, Christine and Frances or possibly Sue and our cousin Janis Harvey. Yes our other cousin Peggy Harris was the little girl badly injured, mainly facial but fortunately lived a long life and had one daughter. My mother kept her finger on Peggy’s artery for 20 minutes until the ambulance arrived. They were only talking about you all a few weeks ago and that your mother bred rabbits during the war for food and later you all emigrated to New Zealand and she had got a job as a TV presenter in the 50s.

      I do hope you are able to see this message as many years have gone by since you wrote yours!

  2. No. 987, V2 March 10th, 1945, Cowper Close

    My father, his 2 sisters and mother, survived the Cowper Close blast. They lived in the next street over, Wendover Way, and were just having breakfast when 987 arrived without notice. They believed 13 to have been killed at the time, and my father recalls looking into the crater shortly after the blast. They (aged 13, 9 and my father 7) got away with minor cuts as the blast took the roof off their house and dropped the content in on them. All 3 children are still alive and all recall that morning very vividly. As one who runs a WW1 remembrance website, thank you for finite detail that has anchored what has been an amazing family story until now. Best wishes, kindest regards Ian

    • This is not a direct memory, as I was only coming up to 3 years old at the time, but I have been told that our house, 24 Cowper Close, Welling, Kent, was completely destroyed by a V2 rocket during the war.

      My mother was preparing to take me shopping and was checking her hat was on straight using a mirror above the gas stove in the kitchen. The stove shot forward, shattering her pelvis and the rest of the house fell on top of her. My aunt, who was waiting for her near the back door, was apparently blown out into the Anderson shelter just opposite, and was badly injured en route. I, however was still in the living room, strapped into my pram (presumably to keep me under control rather than bone ideness on my part – the bone idleness didn’t set in until some years later) which, it seemed, turned turtle and formed a totally protective shelter – I was not injured at all!

      It was my howls that were heard by the rescuers, and my mother could hear me too which gave her hope. As I was dug out of the wreckage I was held aloft by my dungeree braces for all to see. I’m told a photo of this was taken, which even reached newspapers in the USA, triggering some food parcels, but if it exists I don’t know where to find a copy of it – it’s taken me years to find any mention at all of the Cowper Close V2 strike even, to confirm our family history, so thank you wrsonline!

      Getting my mother out was a trickier operation as gas was escaping nearby. There was also a risk of her being suffocated by falling dust during the rescue attempt, which was known to have occured to some casualities of bomb blasts initially found to be alive. One of the rescue team pushed his beret through the rubble on a stick in order to cover my mother’s face and avoid this.

      My mother was taken to a nearby military hospital, where it was expected that she would never walk again. However, some six months later, a nurse spotted that one of her toes was moving under the bedclothes in time to some music on the radio. She gradually recovered quite well with, along the way, the help of a steel corset, though she suffered most of her life with tinnitus put down to skull fractures she had also sustained.

      She received a 70% War Disability pension, and when she reached state pension age she was offered a place in The Royal Chelsea Hospital, but laughed it off saying the red coat wouldn’t suit her!

      She died in 1999 aged 78, having had, we believe a very happy life despite this terrible event.

      Phil Massey

    • My grandparents (William and Alice Clark) lived at number 27. Mum always told me the V2 landed on the front gate. Granddad had taken the dog out for a walk before the attack and came back to devastation. Grandma was one of those who lost her life that day. Thankfully, my mother and her sister had left home some years before in order to be nearer to where they worked.

  3. There was a rocket hit at Uppingham Avenue Stanmore middx on march 23 rd 1945 at03.07!
    19 killed – 10 houses demolished
    I survived this hit & was in the only house where there was not a fatalities
    Posted 5 th august 2014

    • I think that would have been incident number 1076 on the 22 March 1945 at 3:35am as that is the date the deaths are recorded on the Civilian War dead Register.

      • Re Incident 1076 on 22 March 1945, I was very young (19 months old) and we lived in the adjacent Coledale Drive. It must have been that morning (it was daylight) and I clearly remember being in my father’s arms wanting to walk downstairs but not being allowed to presumably due to there being glass everywhere. The picture clearly in my mind is looking through the glassless landing window – the only time I would have been able to see through it as it normally had obscured glass in it. The window was on the side of the house facing Uppingham Avenue. I was always told that 13 houses were rebuilt. The picture is still vivid.

    • My mother, younger brother and I lived at 67 Wetheral Drive, which ran parallel to Uppingham Ave. We three slept every night in a Morrison shelter in the dining room. We didn’t see our father much as he was in a reserved occupation, working 12 hour shifts at the BBC broadcasting to Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula as he was fluent in five languages. After a hurried breakfast we joined the other kids looking for bits of the V2 as near as we could get to the still smouldering hole, where houses and gardens once were. One lad offered a largish piece to another boy for all his bag of marbles but, the boy was too smart, as he declared that the piece of bomb was only a bit of drain pipe, and refused the trade! There was a rumour, at the time, that a 14-year-old had been blown by a freak of the blast,over a row of houses and into the next street through a shopwindow. He was found dead but unmarked. I did not see this myself and do not know if it was true or a “fairy story” made up by some mischievous child. Next day we went down to Belmont Circle to queue for black sheets to put over the window frames to keep the rain out until our turn came for new glass. to be fitted.

  4. V2 episode at Tudor Close, Chislehurst Road, Chislehurst, Kent.
    26th March, 1945.

    Looking back to those far off days in 1945 seems a very long time ago. Seventy years back in time I was still a lad at school living in Chislehurst not far from the Chislehurst Caves.

    By the end of 1944 we had experienced the V1 or doodlebug offensive on south east England during the previous summer months, beginning soon after the D-Day landings in France and lasting for about three months, until the French Channel coast had been cleared of the enemy by Canadian and British forces.

    At the start of 1945 air raids if I remember seemed to have been rare events at that time, although there had been reported explosions in the area. So far as I was concerned routine life carried on as usual. January and February passed without any dramatic incidents in the Chislehurst district, at least so far as I knew. My life was centred on winning the boxing finals at my school, only a short distance away from home at Bickley Hall, still intact and functioning without recourse to any evacuation, as had happened to some other local schools. I can remember thinking that I stood a good chance of collecting a prize.

    The big day duly arrived. It was Monday 26th March, 1945. The boxing match was planned to begin at 3.00 p.m. and my contest was due to start at 3.15 p.m. lasting for about fifteen minutes. At least that was the plan. Fortunately as it turned out, the guest who was to present the prizes was late. Had he been on time most of the pupils as well as parents would have been assembled in the gymnasium.

    Without any warning just after 3.15 p.m. the glass roof collapsed on the few assembled people in the gymnasium. At that moment I was standing by the stage on one side of the hall, and to some extent protected from the falling debris. I noticed one of the parents held his great coat open to several nearby boys offering cover from the falling glass. Nobody knew what had happened as the only noise had been the falling roof.

    I remember walking down a corridor to the side door of the building. All the plaster had fallen to the floor leaving the walls and ceiling bare except for a layer probably one metre high at the base and leaving a perfectly straight line all the way down the corridor between the intact plaster and bare wall.

    As I stepped out of the door, it was noticeably very quiet. Bird song and background noises were absent, unusual for that time of day. I still did not know what had happened even when reaching the end of the path alongside the building. Everything looked normal to the right, but turning to my left the view changed dramatically.

    Rising silently over the nearby trees were fast moving dense black and grey clouds, swirling in eddies and accompanied by a strong smell of what I now know was cordite. The smoke was rising higher every second, certainly for hundreds if not thousands of metres into the atmosphere. I heard later that the smoke could be seen from miles away. I realised immediately with some shock what the scene represented. It could only be a V2.

    Looking at the scene from where I was standing it seemed as though the smoke above the trees was in a direct line with our house. I knew my mother would normally be home at that time of day, and also realised that nobody could have survived the impact. I can remember feeling at a complete loss for some minutes although the head master and staff insisted that I should stay on the premises.

    Remarkably, in the event our house was not seriously damaged as the blast probably passed over the roof, unfortunately hitting other properties further away. My mother it transpired was out shopping, and lived on or another forty five years.

    There is a sequel as some years later when on a visit to New York in about 1959, I happened to look at an early morning Television Channel, at that time still a novelty in Britain. Who should appear on the screen but Walter Dornberger, the former commander of the Peenemunde rocket centre in Germany during the war, and closely associated with the development of the V2. He was very self-assured with a cigar in one hand and so far as I can remember, spoke about his work with the American Army Ballistics Department and the U.S. Space Programme.

    Bickley Hall School passed into history when it was demolished to make way for a housing estate in the late fifties.

  5. 979 V2 incident Waltham Holy Cross 9 March 1945 2 killed

    This V2 rocket exploded at Andrews Nursery, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey on 9 March 1945 and killed the owner Charles Andrews who was working in the boiler pit. We understood he died of shrapnel wounds. His name is not recorded in the V2 casualty list, but his death as a civilian is recorded in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, WWII Civilian Deaths, 1939-1945.

    ANDREWS, Charles Robert, age 64; of 149 Ordnance Road, Enfield, Middlesex. Son of Sarah Dunn (formerly Andrews), Ponders End. Injured 9 Mar 1945 at Sewardstone; died same day at St. Margaret’s Emergency Hospital.

    My interest in the matter is that my grandfather, George Thomas Fidler, bought the nursery, now called Netherhouse Nursery, in 1946. Ownership passed to my father, Ronald George Fidler, who continued the business and still lives on the land.

    As a child in the sixties and seventies we heard stories about a V2 rocket exploding behind the potting sheds and killing a worker. It was not until undertaking research that I learned two people had died. My father recently confirmed that one of the deaths was the owner Andrews. As children, my brother, sister and I worked on the nursery planting roses. We used to collect fragments of alloy metal shrapnel. The most recent find was in 2015.

    By the time my family took over the nursery 1946 the cater had been filled in. However the disturbed London clay beneath always made it a difficult area to cultivate.

    • Hi Michael, Charles Robert Andrews was my Great Uncle who my Father was named after. I’m so glad i found a bit more information about him. I had found him on the CWGC page and have heard some interesting stories from my mother regarding what happened after his death. Sadly my father passed away in 1978 when i was 14 so i never got the chance to ask him about his uncle.

      • Thank you for your comments Pete. I am glad this gave you a little more information for you. Sadly my father died in July 2020 and we shall be putting up the nursery for sale. I am hopeful the rocket site itself will remain undisturbed, now in my parents back garden, May Cottage, Sewardstone Road, and will not be built over.

    • I have recently discovered that a cousin of my mothers is listed as civilian war dead occurring on 9th March at the same nursery. Her name was Ethel Turpin. It is also possible that i have other relatives that worked at the Nursery, namely her husband Albert Turpin and possibly some Watson and Kettle’s.
      It is so interesting to learn more of those horrendous times.

      • Dear Lorna, I have found a possible reference to your relative in

        “PEELERS PROGRESS”
        Policing Waltham Abbey since 1840
        by Bryn Elliott

        “A group of people were working in a
        nursery just to the south of Mott Street at lunch time when a V2 landed almost in
        their midst. There were ten casualties, two, including a woman from Greenfield
        Street, Waltham Abbey, being fatal.”

  6. The time and date of this direct hit are correct but the map shows the V2 fell in between Betterton Road and Manser Road when it directly hit no.11 manser road.
    My parents Tom and Norma Martin and myself (Hazel aged 10 months) were in a Morrison shelter in our house across the road at no.4
    The rocket directly hit no.11 killing two single ladies Miss Paten and Miss Lloyd
    Mr and Mrs Cole were killed in no.9 and Mrs Turner and a child were killed in no.7 – Mr Turner was on night shift
    Mr and Mrs Moggeridge were killed in no.5, their daughter Tina was out dancing

  7. We lived at No 42 Ingleton Avenue, Blackfen, next road to Cowper Close. We had just got up as I recall, my mother was getting we kids dressed, I was nearly 5 and my sister was 3 years old when a the V2 landed in Cowper Close, my Dad was at work. It blew the back of our house in and part of the roof collapsed, there was rubble and glass everywhere and much soot I recall, we were covered. My sister had injuries to her head, she still has the scars, she was carried off to hospital. I was taken to a somebodies house nearby and cleaned up I was fortunate and was not hurt neither was my mother. I remember still, looking through the opening at the back of our house towards Cowper Close and all I could see was a sea of rubble and a solitary chimney stack still standing defiant. In the weeks following my Mum, me and my sister were evacuated by train via Paddington Station with lots of others to Perranporth in Cornwall. We did not return for a number of months until our house was patched up. My Dad remained in Kent because of his work. This is the first time that I have been able to establish a V2 attack No for Cowper Close, information is appreciated.

  8. I was 5 years old living in Ingleton Avenue with my Mother, Father and Sister at No 42 when the V2 landed on that day in March 1945. My Dad was at work at the time. The back of our house was blown in by the force of the blast and we were then looking out at the devastation. The only injuries were to my sister, who was three at the time, the french doors shattered and glass from this door resulted in some cuts to my mother who was dressing my sister at the time and also caused a bad cut to my sisters face above her eye. She still has the scar. I was just covered in soot as I was standing near to the fire place. I do remember looking out of our shattered house and seeing the devastation and I remember, for some reason, seeing a solitary chimney or struture standing like a monument in the direction, I presume, of Cowper Close. I do not remember the timescales of events after the blast all I remember is that I was transported from our house to a house in a neighbouring road, the Jacket family, and was cleaned up. I stayed at the Jacket house for a few days afterwards. Shortly after the blast, my Mother, my sister and myself ended up in Cornwall, via a long train journey, as evacuees. We eventually returned to Ingleton Avenue. Sadly, I did not know before I looked at your site that 12 people died in this attack.

  9. 6 March 1945 a V2 landed on houses in Earlham Grove Forest Gate. No 6 Earlham Grove was where my mum Shirley Golding was staying. She was 14. In the house on that fateful day were her grandparents, Jewish Russian refugees Sarah aged 61, Mark a cap maker, aged 63. Also present were Hilda daughter aged 30, Jack brother aged 23 on leave from Egypt where he had been serving, his wife Sadie aged 22 and their little boy aged 2. Around 7 in the evening a V2 killed all except my mum. She lay under rubble for 2 days until rescued and taken to hospital. Her hospital admission cert says ” multiple injuries, enemy action” My mum’s scars healed. Her mind didn’t. The legacy was years of depression, rage, breakdown, abuse of sleeping tablets, several attempts to end her life. The wider family never spoke about it. Her own mother couldn’t speak about it. What we would now understand to be ‘ survivors guilt’ and ‘ PTSD’ wasn’t recognised or treated except with lots of drugs. I only knew fragments so I’m currently creating a body of work for an exhibition commemorating this event, honouring their memory and healing this awful family wound. Sadly mum is no longer with us.

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