Threats from the sky
The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery, holds many records relating to V-Weapons, long-range explosives used by the German military against Britain and others during the Second World War. A couple of the records specifically mention the site where The National Archives now stands, as in 1944 it was the location of a strike by a V1 flying bomb. If you look carefully from the archive’s public car park, you can still see where repairs were made to the surrounding properties that were damaged by the explosion.
It was on a Sunday morning, 27 August 1944, when yet again, the distinctive sounds of V1 flying bombs’ pulse jet engines were heard over South London.
Photograph of a V1 flying bomb, published in The Rise and Fall of the German Air Force (1933 to 1945), 1948. Catalogue reference: AIR 41/10 V1
The Home Security Daily Intelligence Report Summary for the 12 hours ending 18:00 that day states that five flying bombs fell in the London area during that period. Two fell south of the Thames, one exploding in Lambeth, and the other one at Kew.
After his short attack last night the enemy resumed his Flying Bomb activities this morning about 0630 for approximately 1 1/2 hours.
33 Flying Bombs have been plotted, 23 of which crossed the coast. Reports from Regions show 24 as having been destroyed.
In the LONDON area 5 Flying Bombs fell, mainly in central districts, 3 north of and 2 south of the River.
[...]
of the 2 South of the River, one fell in LAMBETH Borough where electric and water mains have been affected and there is considerable blast damage in Manor House Road/Stockwell Road area. 4 fatal casualties have been reported.
The other fell in RICHMOND Borough where there is extensive damage to offices and residential property, including The Ministry of Labour Records Office and The Claims and Records Office in the American Camp. 2 fatal casualties of the U.S.A. have been reported.
Casualties for the LONDON area so far reported are:–
killed 6 (2 U.S.A.)
serious 19 (3 U.S.A.)
slight 21 (13 U.S.A.)
trapped 2
Outside the LONDON area 6 Flying Bombs have been reported, 11 in Ken, 1 in Sussex, 3 in Surrey and 1 in Hertfordshire.
Home Security Daily Intelligence Report Summary, 27 August 1944. Catalogue reference: HO 203/15
Many people are under the misapprehension that the engine on V1s would suddenly cut out, and then the missile would go into a dive. Actually, it was the other way around. The missile was put into a dive at a predetermined distance from launch. After the dive was initiated, the engine would then stop due to fuel starvation.
There are a number of records relating to the technical aspects of the V-Weapons among The National Archives’ holdings. One of those is AVIA 11/59, flying bomb construction details based on reports and examination. It includes descriptions of the two detonators near the V1’s tail that fired, putting the V1 into the dive.
After the requisite air mileage has been run two detonators (g), fired electrically by the air mileage unit (see 4.7), release a catch on a spring loaded lever on the tail unit. The lever performs three functions. It causes the elevators to be locked in their instantaneous position, it operates a crude guillotine (h) which severs the pick-off pipes to the rudder diaphragm, thereby locking the rudder in the central position, and releases two catches which permit elevator spoilers to operate. The latter operation results in gliding or diving flight.
Flying bomb construction details based on reports and examination. Catalogue reference: AVIA 11/59
A photo in the same file shows recovered V1 wreckage, identifying various parts, including the detonators.
Labelled photograph of a partially destroyed V1 flying bomb. Catalogue reference: AVIA 11/59
The US army base at Kew
The V1 that came down in Kew struck The National Archives site, hitting what was then home to the 660th Engineers Topographical Battalion of the US Army.
This unit had been established on the site since September 1942. Their ‘camp’ was quite sprawling, including working areas, offices, a mess-hall and sleeping quarters. Their work was predominantly using aerial photos taken of the occupied countries, to make maps in preparation for the D-Day landings and beyond. They had an in-house reprographics department to reproduce the maps in large quantities for US Forces.
US Serviceman James Ellis laying out reconnaissance photos in sequence at Kew.
There was a fair bit of interaction between the Americans and Kew’s local residents. For example, in 1943, the Americans invited 300 children whose fathers had been killed or taken prisoner to a party at the Kew site. They provided food that was normally on ration to the children, and gave them gifts of candy saved from the men’s own rations. In another example of interaction, three Kew sisters, Winifred, Alice and May Ridge, all married Americans based here.
At the camp three rings of a warning bell were sounded to warn of V1s coming in the general direction. The men had become a bit blasé, however, as they’d heard the warning bells numerous times, only to have the V1 pass by. On this occasion, being so early in the morning, (around 06:50), not many would have sought the safety of an air-raid shelter when they heard the warning bells.
When the V1 came down, it hit the camp’s guardroom, and every office in that particular wing of the building was totally destroyed.
Some distance from the point of impact was the mess hall, where at the time many men were having breakfast, or queuing in the ‘chow line’. The explosion was powerful enough to bring down some heavy overhead water pipes that struck a number of the men there, including Sergeant Jack Walter Portrum. He was to die from his injuries later the same day.
Several other servicemen were seriously injured, including 24 year old Private Harold Hardrick Billingsly from Florida. He spent some time in hospital recovering from his wounds.
The two American servicemen killed by the V1 at Kew were laid to rest at the Madingley American Cemetery in Cambridge.
The graves of John Calley Jr and Jack Walter Portrum.
Skip Farrow
Recording the consequences
A record of the incident held at The National Archives, HO 203/15, confirms that in addition to the two fatalities, some 18 other people were injured.
RICHMOND. 0650. FLY. Defoe Avenue. American Camp. Claims and Records Office. Extensive damage to offices and residential property.
Casualties:– 2 killed (U.S.A.), 3 serious, (U.S.A.), 15 slight (13 U.S.A.).
Another record about it, HO 198/93, notes that the location is described as being at the ‘Claims and Records Office’, but The Ministry of Labour had vacated the premises at the beginning of the war. The damage is described, surprisingly, as ‘superficial’.
Crater size and type of soil: Direct hit.
Location and damage notes (Grid reference if not plot is made): Sheet 56/18 NW (A) Grid ref 6396. Point of impact on Claims and Record Office of the Ministry of Labour as sketch. Extensive superficial damage to office buildings and to surrounding house property up to 600' approximately. ________________6
Bomb census form recording the impact of the V1 bomb that hit Kew. Catalogue reference: HO 198/93
It was a regular occurrence for individuals to be killed or maimed during V-Weapon attacks, particularly in the target area of London. Only a couple of weeks after the V1 fell at Kew, a V2 rocket hit the Chrysler factory next door to the archives site, where a retail park now stands, destroying some eight houses in West Park Avenue. One of those killed was Ernest Ridge, the father of the Ridge sisters mentioned earlier.
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The crater made by the Kew Chrysler factory. Catalogue reference: HO 192/626 (8)
Image 2 of 2
An American serviceman inspects the damage to one of the air raid shelters at Kew. Catalogue reference: HO 192/626 (19)
Maps showing bomb damage can be found in records such as the HO 193 series, and elsewhere, such as the one below.
Map of damage to the Chrysler factory on West Park Road. Catalogue reference: HO 192/626 (1)
After the Americans moved out of Kew, the complex of buildings became known as Camp 144, housing some 2,300 Italian prisoners of war. How the Italians were employed is relevant to this story, too: they worked to repair properties across London that had been damaged by V1 and V2 rockets.
