Disaster at Kennington Park

[Lord Burley]

Over the last few days,i have been talking with my father on his experiances on growing up in Kennington during the Blitz.Over the years he has shown me all the buildings that took direct hits from bombs,and even later in the war,when the V1 and V2,s arrived.One incident that has always intrigued me,was the bomb that fell on Kennington Park on the 15th of october 1940.Like with most things during the war,events were hushed up,in order to keep the morale of the population up.The first my father knew of the incident was on the morning of the 16th.The day after the tragedy.

 

That morning my father was walking along Kennington Park road.When he noticed all along the fence line,hessien sacking had been put in place.In his words"You knew that a bomb had gone off,and people had been killed.you could smell "death"in the air.Over the fence line lay a large trench shelter.

 

Similar shelters were built across most park land in London.In reality,they didnt offer that much protection,as the build was more akin to WW1 trench,albeit with a fabricated roof on top.

 

On the day of the 15th,the shelter took a direct hit from a 50lb bomb.The shelter was full at the time,and there was heavy loss of life.My father heard from people at the time,that a lot were killed.But didnt know how many because,there was so many severed limbs all over the place,that it was simply inpossible to get a true figure.After a week,recovery crews stopped work and filled the trench in with lime.The official toll given some time after was 48.But the true figure was near 108.In the picture below is a ariel shot taken recently,showing the layout of the trench shelter in the park.....................

 

 

 

You can quite clearly see,in the lower end of the photo disruption in the layout.This is where the bomb landed.There was conversation amongst residents and friends of the park,to have a plaque placed at the site.To honour all those that were killed on that fateful day.

[Guest catweazle (Banned Member)]

Dont know how i missed this Mark,thanks for your efforts,surprised you havnt had more responce on this.Does your dad know that depot where Alf lives?

[Richard Farrant]

Mark,

 

Did "Time Team" do a dig on this site once? I recall something like it, where they "discovered" a street and cellars under houses, even locating specific houses and their occupants.

[Lord Burley]

Richard that site was in the East end.In actual fact,they could recreate that episode on Burgess park.Just off the old Kent rd.A lot of the area in which the park was built on,was destroyed by ariel land mines.They simply levelled the grass and covered over.All the cellars to the homes are still there.

[Lord Burley]

Dont know how i missed this Mark,thanks for your efforts,surprised you havnt had more responce on this.Does your dad know that depot where Alf lives?

The old man knows all of the area.If i pointed it out to him,i'm sure he would be able to tell.He grew up in Lywood house which is located just next door to the old NAFFI.I have walked the area many times,and can tell you where a lot of bombs hit,including V1-and V2,s.My father witnessed a lot of things during the war.

 

One of the most controversial,was the infamous shooting down of the German bomber over victoria.he was able to correct some inaccuracys over the fate of the pilot Robert Zebbe.Inaccuracys that were even in the edition of After The Battle(Battle Of Britain)Then and now.

 

One story that i can recall.Is the one of an Air raid that had just started.My father was running home up Kennington Lane to get his mum and baby sister.On nearing Lywood house,he heard a massive explosion,and felt a surge of heat.About 500mtrs to the south west of Lywood house,lay three gas ometers.They are located in beefeater place.Where the Burroughs gin distillery is.One of the ometers(which was full) had just taken a direct hit from a 500lb bomb,and a sheet of flame shot a 1000ft in to the air.Fearing the worst,as he approached home,he was surprised to find it still intact.He was even surprised to find that once in turned in to beefeater place,apart from a few broken windows,everything was still in place.Even the caretakers cottage next door to the ometer that took the direct hit was unscathed.Blast can prove to be very unpredictable at times.

[Guest catweazle (Banned Member)]

:tup:: cant beet first hand knowledge.