- Contributed by听
- Purley Library
- People in story:听
- J.S. Bridle
- Location of story:听
- Livingstone Road-Moffat Road Thornton Heath
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A3259217
- Contributed on:听
- 11 November 2004
I lived at Hythe Road during the war, the bomb that fell between the two above roads is one of my most vivid memories.
I was in the back garden when I heard the doodle-bug approaching, it was obviously very low, the engine was loud and clear until it cut out, probably 2-300 yards away over Grange Park (this was a very common flight path at that time). I first saw the doodle-bug when it was 50-60 yards away just abive the roof tops of Hythe Road - No more than 40-60 feet above the ground. It glided over the house so that I could hear the slip stream and see things absolutely clearly. I expected it to fall on the junction of Hythe Rd and Mersham Rd where two of my friends lived. However, it went on another 2-300yds and fell on an Anderson shelter with 16 people in it between Moffat and Livingstone roads.
My elder brother was called on by the civil defense to go to the scene and was horrified to find the awful scene around the shelter. The bomb fell near a house where one of my school pals lived. both roads were severely damaged, probably 10-12 homes in each road.
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