Lewisham V1 Rocket - Lewisham Market, London, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Master Mariner
N 51° 27.711 W 000° 00.636
30U E 707654 N 5705425
This round plaque, erected by the Borough of Lewisham, indicates that a "V1 rocket landed here 28th July 1944". The plaque is attached to a post war building on the west side of Lewisham Market. There were 51 fatalities as a result of the attack.
Waymark Code: WMZ3VE
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/06/2018
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member 3l diesel
Views: 0

The wording on the memorial plaque reads:

London Borough of Lewisham

In memory of the
51 people who died
and the many injured
as a result of the
V1 rocket that landed here
28th July 1944

The Lewisham War Memorials website has an article that tells us:

The V1 or Doodlebug or Buzz Bomb attacks on London began in June 1944 and lasted until March 1945. In all the London Boroughs Wandsworth took the most hits by V1s followed by Croydon. Lewisham was 3rd with 114 V1 rockets killing 126.

In Lewisham a V-1 rocket exploded in front of the clock tower in Lewisham High Street at 9:41am on Friday 28th July 1944 in the middle of a bustling market. The market stalls lined up outside Mark's and Spencer's Woolworth's and Sainsbury's caught the full force of the blast, which came without warning.

The bomb had detonated on the roof of a surface shelter, which collapsed. Shops were demolished on both sides of the street. Casualties occured in the basement cafe of Woolworths and even on passing buses. This bomb appears to be extremely strong damaging property for 600yds. Dead and injured lay everywhere, as the injured were treated the more seriously injured were taken to the nearby Lewisham Hospital, which itself had been hit days before with 70 injured and 3 killed.

The less seriously injured were taken to hospitals further away, such as Farnborough Hospital [Kent].

This quickly became one of the worse V1 incident in London with 28 dead at the scene and 83 seriously injured, the final figures were released in September the death toll had risen to 51 [archive records show at least 52 victims, 3 not identified] with 216 injured.

100 shops had been badly damaged and the result was after the war this area of the high street was totally rebuilt on both sides.

 

Property Permission: Public

Access instructions: Head for the exterior of the Marks & Spencer store in Lewisham Market.

Access times: From: 12:00 AM To: 11:59 PM

Website for Waymark: [Web Link]

Location of waymark:
Lewisham Market
Lewisham
London, United Kingdom


Commemoration: V1 Rocket Attack with fatalities

Date of Dedication: Not listed

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