James,
I can’t believe how local this is to me. Sidcup is in the borough where I live! If you can wait until sometime next week, I will go to our borough local studies dept & do some research on your friend’s behalf.
In the meantime, this might be of interest, taken from ‘The Sidcup Story’ by John Mercer – ‘The worst air raid incident occurred at 8.20am on 3rd March 1945 when a rocket fell in the Craybrooke Works of Mr Thomas Knight. The builder’s yard was totally demolished as were eight houses and one shop. There were nine fatal casualties and 53 people were treated at Queen Mary’s Hospital. The rocket caused a crater 24 feet in diameter and 8 feet deep.’
Now, I have the complete CWGC Civilian War Dead Register on CD-ROM, I’ve checked through the whole of this, and can find no record of nine people being killed as the result of such an incident in Sidcup on the 3rd March 1945. However, on the 20th March 1945, the nine people below were all killed, or fatally injured, in Sidcup, including Mr Joseph Henry Parker. Note that George Kellick also died at the Craybrooke Works. I’m sure that the account from ‘The Sidcup Story’ has the date wrong, given the number of people killed & the two who died at the Craybooke Works, but I will confirm this for you next week.
DOWSING, Civilian, BERNARD CECIL, Civilian War Dead. 20th March 1945. Age 40. Air Raid Warden (Bomb Reconnaissance Officer). Son of Marian Dowsing, of 44 Craybrooke Road, Sidcup. Died at St. John’s Parade, Sidcup.
MANNERS, Civilian, ADA, Civilian War Dead. 22nd March 1945. Age 48. of Craybrooke House, Footscray Lane, Sidcup. Wife of Cecil Manners. Injured 20 March 1945, at Craybrooke House, Footscray Lane; died at Queen Mary’s Hospital.
MANNERS, Civilian, MARJORIE ALICE, Civilian War Dead. 20th March 1945. Age 54. W.L.A.; of Craybrooke House, Footscray Lane, Sidcup. Daughter of the late George T. and Anne Manners, of 30 Stanhope Road, Sidcup. Injured at Craybrooke House, Footscray Lane; died same day at Queen Mary’s Hospital.
PARKER, Civilian, JOSEPH HENRY, Civilian War Dead. 20th March 1945. Age 73. of 34 Ellison Road, Sidcup. Died at Craybrooke Works, Footscray Lane, Sidcup.
GRAMMER, Civilian, DONALD ERNEST, Civilian War Dead. 20th March 1945. Age 33. A.S.A.A. Son of Albert E. Grammer, of 19 Lothair Road, South Harringay, Middlesex, and of the late A. E. Grammer; husband of Elsie Margaret Grammer, of 13 Craybrooke Road, Sidcup. Injured at 13 Craybrooke Road; died same day at Queen Mary’s Hospital.
JACKSON, Civilian, THOMAS WILLIAM, Civilian War Dead. 20th March 1945. Age 75. of 13 Jubilee Road, Foots Cray. Died at Junction of Foots Cray Lane and Sidcup Hill
KELLICK, Civilian, GEORGE, Civilian War Dead. 20th March 1945. Age 49. Son of the late Arthur and Mary Ann Kellick; husband of Ella Winifred Kellick, of 20 Lullingstone Avenue, Swanley. Died at Craybrooke Works, Foots Cray Lane, Sidcup.
SEWELL, Civilian, NELLIE FLORENCE, Civilian War Dead. 20th March 1945. Age 52. of 9 Craybrooke Road, Sidcup. Wife of Charles Ernest Sewell. Injured at 9 Craybrooke Road; died same day at Queen Mary’s Hospital.
SMITH, Civilian, MOUNT MORRIS, Civilian War Dead. 20th March 1945. Age 36. Husband of Thirza Smith, of 3 Blackhorse Road, Sidcup. Died at Sidcup High Street.
Just checked ‘The Blitz, then & now, & it was certainly a V2 rocket, NOT a Doodlebug.
I bet you never expected to get such a comprehensive answer so soon!
Geoff.
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