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8th September 1944: WW2: a V2 bomb anniversary

6.44pm is the time that the first V2 bomb had crossed the English Channel and landed in Chiswick's Staveley Road ... in the middle of the street and outside the School.A memorial was unveiled there some years ago with a dignified ceremony and a large crowd.There are images and more detail on the Internet.

Jim Lawes ● 5d5 Comments

Thank you so much for these reminiscences. We should perhaps mention Ada Harrison's husband who was injured in the blast and died shortly afterwards making the number of fatalities four.

Diane Brown ● 7h

That is so Chris ... David the B&C lhs representative mention that ...the bomb had damaged many trees near the blast but were later replaced.Amongst the small chattering group were a couple of gentlemen from Wolseley Gardens who happen to live in houses rebuilt in 1946 having been flattened by a February 1944 bomb. They had had no inkling of Nos. 33/31s history! That aircraft (doodlebug?) had one second earlier dropped a bomb on the United Dairy's stables in Sutton Lane North.There was much congenital chatter at the event. Mention was made the the famous Chinese pianist Fou Ts'ong had once lived at No.1 Staveley Road ... and the chap about 10 doors along (Godfrey?) who used to host piano recitals in his large lounge.Three people were killed by the Bomb ... one just a toddler in her cot.The Government at the time were so alarmed at the devastation ... that they pronounced it as a result of a Gas explosion!

Jim Lawes ● 4d

Damn, meant to toddle along to this today but forgot! I was there at the original unveiling in 2004. Am I correct in thinking that the cherry trees along that stretch of Staveley Road are shorter than the others because they were all destroyed by the explosion and the replacements have yet to reach full height?

Chris Blackwell ● 5d

There was indeed a rememberance event held in Staveley Road today Diane ...this early evening ...to remember that momentous event 81 years ago today.You mentioned the Memorial Stone which was unveiled in 2004 in front of a large crowd on the 60th anniversary.Today's event, in front of the stone, was attended by just a dozen folk but conversation flowed,stories and reflections told ... and it was a successful, worthy and friendly happening.The 1944 V2 bomb had probably been aimed at Central London ... but overshot ...and landed in Chiswick!The bomb landed in the middle of the Road outside No.5 (that's what I recall seeing) but many houses around were destroyed or badly damaged.David,a senior member of the Brentford & Chiswick Local History Society ... laid a wreath on the stone ... before we all departed ...and ìt should be there for a few days.Wolseley Gardens was well represented by 4+ folk!There will be photos posted on certain local Facebook GroupsIt was good to see James Marshall in attendanceThere's an informative information board close by

Jim Lawes ● 5d

Sorry to have missed this year's ceremony (which will be ongoing right at this moment). We should all be truly grateful to the people who have initiated this remembrance particularly at a time when bombs rain down on cities in Europe and near to Europe.

Diane Brown ● 5d