Select a section below to find out about the Henderson / Blunt / Woodhouse / Surgey family tree ...

Introduction Explore the Family Tree Return to Library Index View the Resources Used

As well as viewing the evidence, images can be saved by right clicking and selecting the save option, and text can be highlighted and copied. If available, there are links to open the evidence in other formats such as pdf or Word. The links at the top and bottom of the page can be used to go back to the library index or to move to another section of the site.

Elizabeth Henderson's Blog - Memories of an Unremarkable Woman

(18,950 words)   Open pdf version in a new window.   Open Word version in a new window.


« Doodlebugs Start End of the War »
More V1s and V2s
Although the main attack by doodlebugs lessened after the late summer of 1944 because of increased skill in dealing with them, they still continued. We thought this was the last of the aerial attacks and were beginning to relax a little, however, on the 8th of September there was an unexplained explosion in London. We thought it might be long range guns shelling us from France. We knew it couldn't be planes as there was no warning air raid siren. There was no official news either in the press or on radio so we were left to speculate.

A few days later we were at school and had just come in from recreation when there was an almighty bang. I have never heard anything even approaching it. After a few seconds of complete stunned silence the skies directly above us began to rain down bits of twisted metal and debris till our sports field was covered. We had no way of knowing what had happened until the police and army arrived and we were sent home to anxious parents who had heard that one of these mysterious weapons had exploded directly above our school. The whole school and surrounding house were cordoned off while every single bit of debris was collected and taken away.

We were then told that these weapons were actually rockets and this one which had not reached the ground was the first one they could piece together and discover how it was made. They were frightening because you never had any warning and they were too fast to be intercepted or shot down. But, in a way, they were less of a problem because once you heard the bang you knew it wasn't you who had been hit. Very selfish but in the relief you didn't think about the people who had been the target. They did a great deal of damage and there were many killed and wounded. Both V1s and V2s went on coming almost to the end of the war but could never equal the ferocity of the blitz. There was a bright side to all this as no planes were involved we were allowed a "dim out". It didn't make all that much difference as all the blackout things had to be kept in place and there were no street lights, but we felt cheered by the thought that the end might just be in sight.

Germany was no longer able to sustain aerial Luftwaffe raids and it was our turn to dominate the skies and we took full advantage of their weakness. There were a few, like the Bishop of Chichester, who condemned the bombing of cities like Dresden and said they were immoral. I am afraid, at the time, the general opinion was that of "if they wiped off whole cities like Coventry it was only right to give them a taste of their own medicine". Later on, after the war we began to feel guilty but not at the time.

There was a feeling of guarded anticipation of the end of the war. The Normandy Landings although they were not successful were an indication of what we could achieve in the future. The war was still going on with Japan but as far as we were concerned it was the war in Europe that was of paramount importance. We knew nothing of the dreadful suffering of those interned by the Japanese and, of course, we mourned over the death of our men fighting in that arena but England and London in particular were where we saw a glimmer of hope. We still suffered many and increasing shortages of many kinds, even bread and potatoes were rationed for a short while, but we were just beginning to see a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
This entry was posted on May 2, 2011 at 4:03 pm.
« Doodlebugs Start End of the War »
Introduction Explore the Family Tree Return to Library Index View the Resources Used