V1 Flying Bomb & Meteor History

Fascinating!

This really was always a bit of a mystery – but kind of remains so.

I need to back-track to the local ARP book which, I’m sure, mentioned fighter action and the farmer there and other locals were always adamant it was tipped. So….?!

Anyway, your theory fits and works. The interesting thing is that a pal knows exactly where your V1 fell and he recovered parts there some years ago. He’d be willing to show us.

Get in touch!

This piece of jet history – F/O Dean shooting down the first V1, has been niggling at me for a long time. I think I have finally solved it – and it is definitely not the Headcorn V1.

The Civil Defence recorded all V1s that came down and, if applicable, what brought it down – Fighter, Barrage Balloon, Anti-Aircraft etc.

The Headcorn V1, according to authorities, came down of its own accord.

I then looked at the V1’s from 15.00hrs, onwards, that were attributed as being brought down by an aeroplane. There were 2 in Sussex, at Itchingfield and Laughton at around 15.45hrs. These are clearly too far away, and too early.

A V1 was shot down at Goudhurst a few minutes later. Again too far away and too early.

The next was shot down over Marden – this was recorded as an airburst (exploded in the air). The time is right, though, at 16.15hrs. But, clearly, Dean couldn’t fire his guns, so this V1 can be discounted.

So the only V1 that fits is the Hadlow V1. It is attributed to a Fighter plane. The military grid reference is wR039695 which equates to TQ598507. I always take the names of locations, with a pinch of salt. Punch in the grid reference and it is just 3 miles North East of Tonbridge.

I then did what Andy and Co did, way back in 1988 (Blitz Then and Now Vol 3). I drew a line from Tenterden at a 330 degree angle, which passes to the North East of Tonbridge. Given that Dene tipped his V1 with the Port wing, to upset its gyroscope, I was not surprised to find that it deviated only a few miles from the line to its falling place – a field just East of Dene Park Farm and North Lodge, on the Shipbourne Road (TN11 9NS).

So I am confident that the grid given is the resting place of Dene’s kill. I have just spoken to the owner of Dene Park Farm and he has just agreed to show me the exact location (filled in in the early 1950s apparently). I will take some pics and perhaps, Andy, you would like to come also…?

Thanks very much Pete – no apology necessary.

Fortunately there’s enough leeway that we can’t identify which village Jasper was talking about!!!

DI VALENTINO, Soldier, GIOVANNI, T/87719, Italian Army. 27 June 1944. Brookwood Cemetery Grave Ref. Plot 16 Row G Grave 5, aged 29. The downing of the V1 was attributed to a Fighter but I can’t positively identify who was credited.

Thanks very much Pete – I’ve now nailed down the farm where I worked as a student to TN32 5NG – due south of Salehurst and 2 miles east of your V1 incident

It therefore sounds sadly as if old Jasper was exaggerating more than a little. Like moving the V1 incident two miles and having one “Eyetalian” POW blown up such that “We never found one bit of ‘ee – Did we laugh”.

While we’re at it, for some entertainment and especially now to be taken with more than a pinch of salt, old Jasper’s other POW story was:-

“Back in the war they sent us some Eyetalian prisoners of war to work on the farm. Useless lot! Slept under the hedge all day and chased the village women all night. Got half the women in the village pregnant, so they had to get rid of they (the Eyetalians). They sent us some Gerrymans instead. By God did they work! Their own sergeant would march them out every day and he made sure they worked…………………Mind you, they got the other half of the women in the village pregnant!!”

I have to eat a big slice of humble pie and apologise. I looked through my records, by date, and came across the Italian wounded casualty, above – and presumed that Jasper was probably exaggerating. Today, I looked at the area where you worked, and properly looked at ALL the casualties (and original paperwork) for the whole V1 offensive. I have to apologise and admit Jasper was correct.

An Italian PoW was killed at Poppinghole Farm (postcode is TN32 5BN). His name was Giovanni di Valentino (classified by the authorities as a Civilian, hence my regrettable mistake) and he was killed along with 40 year old George Harold Anstey on the 27th June 1944 – the bomb landed at 20.30hrs.

I can’t comment on the rest of Jasper’s recollections, but maybe they should be taken more seriously…..

Thanks very much Pete – I’ve now nailed down the farm where I worked as a student to TN32 5NG – due south of Salehurst and 2 miles east of your V1 incident

It therefore sounds sadly as if old Jasper was exaggerating more than a little. Like moving the V1 incident two miles and having one “Eyetalian” POW blown up such that “We never found one bit of ‘ee – Did we laugh”.

While we’re at it, for some entertainment and especially now to be taken with more than a pinch of salt, old Jasper’s other POW story was:-

“Back in the war they sent us some Eyetalian prisoners of war to work on the farm. Useless lot! Slept under the hedge all day and chased the village women all night. Got half the women in the village pregnant, so they had to get rid of they (the Eyetalians). They sent us some Gerrymans instead. By God did they work! Their own sergeant would march them out every day and he made sure they worked…………………Mind you, they got the other half of the women in the village pregnant!!”

Rudowski, 306 Squadron, was the highest scoring Polish pilot as regards V1s, 8 1/2 July – Aug 1944. On the 19th July he was credited with 3 V1s.

Just spoke to the current Farmer (he is a dairy farmer, with a nice website). He is really interested in the story and knew about the PoWs working there. The old farmhouse was knocked down after the war and a new building put up, but not on the same footprint. He does think he knows where the V1 landed. We have agreed to speak again, once he has had time to go and have a look. Perhaps Dave might want to get in touch also…??

Hi Pete

I’m pretty sure it was that area east of Robertsbridge. It was about 45 years ago that I worked there. The name Park Farm springs vaguely to mind but there’s only a Park Farm east of Salehurst. I’ve tried to identify the farm from Google Earth but no doubt all the farm buildings are now bijou residences!

The only firm clue I have is that Malcom Muggeridge lived at the same place in the late 60’s. But despite a bit of research I can’t find his address either.

cheers
Dave

Solved it.

The incident was on the 19th July 1944 at around 13.55hrs. The flying bomb was brought down by fighter (Flt Sgt Rudowski..??) and hit a tree at Scalands Farm, south west of Robertsbridge. Cassini Grid Reference 157411 (which converts to TQ 72004 22792 – nearest postcode is TN32 5EU). The tree was about 50 feet from the farm. The Sussex police reported two injured, including an Italian PoW named Giuseppe Nocerino aged 24 (PoW No: A 2678). The farmhouse and outbuildings were seriously damaged, with another five houses suffering minor damage.

Here’s a little thread drift thought – based on Mark’s coin-toss decision on painting a right wingtip or left wingtip bunt. All single seater fighters in WW2 would have been flown right-handed in combat – left hand occupied on throttle and mixture controls. A pilot flying right handed – I think – finds it easier watching something on his left (controls moving in the forehand side). It’s also been commented by a number of aces that it becomes predictable because most pilots under fire break left (again towards the forehand), very few break right (to the backhand movement) as a natural coin-toss instinct. What do others think? Is this why Dixie Dean bunted the V-1 with his left wing?

Food for thought?
…geoff

Hi Pete

I’m pretty sure it was that area east of Robertsbridge. It was about 45 years ago that I worked there. The name Park Farm springs vaguely to mind but there’s only a Park Farm east of Salehurst. I’ve tried to identify the farm from Google Earth but no doubt all the farm buildings are now bijou residences!

The only firm clue I have is that Malcom Muggeridge lived at the same place in the late 60’s. But despite a bit of research I can’t find his address either.

cheers
Dave

Sorted

artist is Etiawrehtop Karm

[ATTACH=CONFIG]223346[/ATTACH]

Snort, 616 Sqn never used the QY code:;)

Pete

unless you don’t want to release your hard won information piecemeal, I’d be grateful for any information on the “Robertsbridge” V1 previously mentioned

thanks
Dave

Were you working around Redlands Lane (formerly Fair Lane), just to the East of Robertsbridge…?? The nearest postcode, if you want to look at a map is TN32 5NE. If not, please give me some more details. The problem (for me) is, that this area is also known as Salehurst by the military authorities.

Pete

unless you don’t want to release your hard won information piecemeal, I’d be grateful for any information on the “Robertsbridge” V1 previously mentioned

thanks
Dave

Pete

Fantastic!

Would love to get in touch. Can you e-mail me via the link below?

Andy

A colleague is working on a comprehensive listing of all V1 incidents.

My first post. I have a complete list of all V1 and V2 incidents. It took me years to compile. I offered my databases to loads of publishers and genealogy websites with little success. But it is about to be published in CD-Rom format by the same publisher that made the Soldiers Died in WW1 CD-Rom and will also appear on FindMyPast at some stage in the future.

My database includes: date and time of incident, grid reference, how (if any) the V1/V2 was brought down – AA fire, Fighter, Barrage Balloon, airburst etc, plus casualty numbers. It includes air launched V1s.

Some of you may also be aware that I have also collated (and completed) all London casualties of WW2 air raids (killed and injured) and rocket attacks, which includes their address, age, injuries (if wounded), and the hospital/morgue to which the casualties were treated/taken. This will also be on the CD with the V1 and V2 incidents. The London area is roughly the equivalent of inside the M25 motorway.

My next big task, part completed, is to list all WW1 and WW2 London bomb incidents by address, and occupants – transcribing the London Fire Brigade records from both wars. I have completed WW1 London Fire Brigade records (plus all national casualties – killed and injured) and continue to slog away at the WW2 Fire brigade records.

As I am sure you can appreciate, it is a massive task.

Tony Liskutin shot down a V1 over Maidstone in Spitfire MK912, now residing at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar. Aircraft and pilot have since been very happily reunited.

Tonight, BBC 1 London, South East and East;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25878273

Andy

Thanks for the (possible) help about the Robertsbridge “doodleybug”. Old Jasper also had some colourful comments about the relative merits of “Eytalian” and “Gerryman” POWs but they’d best not be repeated in public (not where any older residents of Robertsbridge can see them anyhow)

The are between Opava and Ostrava (east Czech) where under heavy attack, so much metal in the trees they are unusable.

Don’t worry, my wife and most of western Europe struggle to spell my surname correctly forwards so you’d need a degree in astro-physics to do it backwards!

Mark ‘Pisselthwot’ (a genuine mis-spelling encountered over the years!)

My family name has been mispelled and mispronounced so many ways I can write a book!