Forum Topic

Rockets over Chiswick

This article is generally interesting but there is some fascinating detail about the V1 attacks on Chiswick. Many will already know about the V2 in Staveley Road but one was unaware of the equally deadly attacks earlier on on Southfield and Fletcher Roads. If you live in the vicinity of either, the chances are your home was damaged. The talk on this by borough historian Jonathan Oates looks as though it will be fascinating. https://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=info&page=eajonathanoates002.htm

Andrew OSullivan ● 219d8 Comments

apparently Hull was bombed the most, I thought it would have been partsof London.

Janice Evans ● 217d

My aunt worked at Wilkinsons, quality products.

Janice Evans ● 217d

Julian is right that the targeting accuracy was not that great so they were just lobbed in a general direction. There was a lot of light industrial in the area including the Wilkinson Sword factory (obviously no longer just making swords) around Southfield Park which was probably higher up the wishlist than the dairy. I don't really know if they could target a particular area of London or if where these rockets landed depended largely on factors such as the wind.

Francis Rowe ● 217d

Don't think they were small sites back then.

Janice Evans ● 217d

Its target was 15 mile rectangle so anywhere. Fuel up,point in a direction and fire was its sat nav system

Julian Pavey ● 217d

I don’t believe that the accuracy was such that they could target something as small as a dairy.

Andrew Jones ● 218d

In 1943 a Dairy in Acton was also a direct hit, why were they bombing them.

Janice Evans ● 218d

What horrible memories for those of us who were living in the area at the time.Chiswick's Reference Library used to keep a blue coloured "Civil Defence Book" which listed all the bombs that fell in the w4 area.It listed the dreadful bomb that killed some 12 horses at the United Dairies Depot in Sutton Lane Northand then a split second later a second bomb that landed on the north side of Wolseley Gardens (opposite the junction with Whitehall Park Road.It was in February 1944. Three or four houses were demolished and some 4-5 residents lost their lives.My family and I were hiding under a metal shelter in a bedroom,the house at No.42 damaged and we were made homeless ...taking shelter at a Sports Pavilion on the St Thomas' Hospital Sports Ground on Grove Park Terrace.They were tough times for adults.Children just confused by the noise of battle in the distance.A noisy Air Raid siren was locatedon the Great Chertsey Road ... near the junction with Edensor Road.My father was in the local Home Guard and he took me to see the devastation in Staveley Road in the September (1944).Street parties were aplenty on VE DAY (and VJ day too)Some Chiswick streets displayed bunting to celebrate the arrival home of servicemen who had survived their posting ... often abroad in places like Burma.An Italian detention camp was located in Magnolia Road ... at the junction with Ernest Gardens.We listen for news on the radio.The newscaster read the news twice... once at normal speed and a second time more slowly.The Mylos Ice Cream shop on the High Road raised our spirits!

Jim Lawes ● 219d